Page 122

I woke in the same room, still standing where I had been before. Mother stood beside me, calm and silent, while Father lay asleep on the bed. The air was heavy with the remnants of something unseen, something lingering in the space between waking and dreams.

A strange weariness pulled at me, and I immediately knew why—my essence, the small reservoir I had refined after waking, was nearly depleted once again.

Closing my eyes, I focused inward, guiding the fireflies of energy through my body.

The familiar sensation of warmth and restoration spread through my limbs.

As my essence stabilized, Mother stirred beside me. The silver of her eyes flickered with concern.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

I gave a slow nod. "I’m fine."

Father groaned softly, his body shifting as he finally opened his eyes. He blinked, trying to gather himself.

"Are you alright?" I asked, watching as he turned to me.

"I’m good," he answered after a pause, his voice rough with exhaustion.

Mother, ever patient, explained to him what had happened—how long he had been unconscious, the battle we had endured, the things we had witnessed. I watched as his expression shifted from confusion to shock, then to disbelief, and finally, to a quiet, solemn acceptance.

"I don’t remember what happened in the mind realm," he admitted, regret flickering across his face.

"But I can feel it," he continued, clenching his fist. "My beast has merged with me completely. My power has definitely increased."

"Then it wasn’t a loss," I said simply.

Father hesitated, then exhaled. "I should apologize. I didn’t mean to… peek on you having sex."

I met his gaze without flinching. "I don’t mind," I said, my tone calm, unwavering. Then I turned slightly, glancing at Mother. Her silver eyes were unreadable, waiting.

"Only with Mother," I clarified. "Don’t peek when I’m with anyone else."

A faint smirk ghosted across her lips.

Father exhaled and leaned back, nodding in understanding.

But my power was still low, my energy nearly spent. Mother must have noticed, because she placed a hand on my arm and said, "You need to rest."

Without another word, she led me out of the room.

The hallway stretched before us, lined with smooth white walls bathed in silver moonlight. Our shadows danced together, merging, separating, merging again as we walked in silence.

After a few moments, we reached my chamber.

"You should rest," Mother said as she stepped inside, her voice low and soothing.

I entered and sat on the bed, watching as she turned to close the door. When she faced me again, I beckoned her forward. Without hesitation, she knelt between my legs, her delicate hands resting on my knees.

I reached down, fingers gliding over the soft skin of her throat before wrapping around it in a firm grip.

"Do you like being watched?" I asked, my voice quiet but commanding.

Her breath hitched. "No."

I tilted my head. "Strange. I remember you being wetter than a river in the mind realm."

A shiver ran through her, but she held my gaze. "It isn’t the act of being seen that excites me," she murmured.

I tightened my grip slightly. "Then what is it?"

Her silver eyes darkened with something raw, something unrestrained. "It’s knowing that my master takes pride in me," she whispered.

A slow smile tugged at my lips.

She leaned forward, pressing her cheek against my knee. "I would show everyone if I could," she continued, voice trembling with need, like a starved animal. "I would let the world see who owns me—my body, my mind, my heart. My everything."

Her fingers dug into my thighs as she nuzzled against me like a starving creature begging for sustenance.Her breath was warm against my skin, her soft cheeks brushing against my bare thigh as she nuzzled closer, a contented sound slipping from her lips like a purr.

"I revel in their despair," she whispered. "To know that only my master may use this body, that only he allows them the privilege of even looking at it."

I ran my fingers through her silken hair before fisting it, tugging her head back slightly. A quiet gasp escaped her lips.

She looked up at me, utterly obedient, utterly mine.

"I could finally reach the state of being a supreme one after so long," she admitted, her voice shaking. "Only because my deepest desire—to be owned, to be used—was fulfilled."

She hesitated, then lowered her gaze. "But I lost control. I let the beast take over. I—" Her breath wavered. "I hurt you."

I traced a thumb over her bottom lip. "And what do you deserve for that?"

"Punishment," she breathed. "Anything you desire."

A slow smile curved my lips. "Later," I promised.

Her body trembled slightly at the word, anticipation humming beneath her skin.

"You really know how to say the right things at the right moment," I murmured, tightening my grip on her throat.

A soft moan escaped her.

She swallowed hard, voice breaking slightly. "I only speak the absolute truth. I would never dare lie to you."

Satisfied, I released her and leaned back onto the bed. "I’m tired. I shall rest now."

I patted the place beside me as I settled into the soft mattress and she nodded, quickly standing and crawling into bed beside me. Curling against my chest, she purred softly in contentment as I absently stroked her hair.

As my exhaustion finally took hold, I let my eyes drift shut.

I opened my eyes and looked around. The moon hung high, its silver light spilling through the windows, casting long, pale streaks across the room.

Mother was no longer beside me, but I could tell she had only just left.

She had responsibilities to tend to in Father’s absence, and with me having slept through an entire day, there was much she needed to handle.

I sat up, stretching slightly. My body felt refreshed, the accumulated essence within me having restored enough that I no longer felt the pull of exhaustion.

Closing my eyes, I turned my focus , guiding the fireflies that shimmered around me, their gentle flickers of light filling the empty spaces of my being with raw, pulsing essence.

Now that my upper body refinement was complete, I only needed to nourish my four refined organs with essence. This was an easy task—infusing essence into my silver blood continusely as it delivered it further to my organs had made the process efficient and streamlined.

Once I had stabilized the flow, I shifted my attention to my lower body.

Slowly, I directed the gathered essence toward the bones in my foot.

The moment it reached my toe, I could feel the subtle shift, the slow but steady process of refinement beginning.

I continued methodically, carefully ensuring that I wasted nothing, allowing the fireflies to do their work as they strengthened each segment of my body, one bone at a time.

By the time I opened my eyes, the sky had begun to change. The silver glow of the moon had faded, giving way to the first hints of dawn, soft gold and pink hues replacing the night’s cold sheen.

I leaned back against the bed and exhaled. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I felt completely restored—awake, alert, and more in tune with my own body than ever before.

It was becoming easier to channel essence into the areas I had already refined.

And I noticed something else—My bones were absorbing the energy faster than expected.

I succeeded in refining three toes on my left foot.

The process was supposed to be difficult; bones were known to take longer to refine than organs. Yet, for me, it was the opposite.

Perhaps it was because my legs had been severed and had then reformed under the moonlight’s influence during the battle. Whatever the cause, it worked to my advantage.

But there was something else. A presence.

A strange, hollow void lingered deep within me, distant but undeniable.

The sensation was vague, like an echo or a whisper of something I shouldn’t yet be able to perceive.

It was the mental realm—of that, I was certain.

But I was not supposed to sense it until I had fully awakened, only then could I refine and access it normally.

Yet, something was different. The anomaly had only occurred after I entered father’s mind realm before my own had been completed.

Was this an advantage or a danger?

I wasn’t sure.

Only time would tell.

With that thought, I rose from the bed and made my way to the washroom. I sank into a tub filled with warm water, letting the heat soak into my skin, washing away the lingering fatigue. The moment was brief but necessary. Afterward, I stepped out, drying myself before slipping into a simple robe.

Just as I finished, a knock sounded at the door.

"Your Highness, it’s me," came Lucian’s voice.

"Wait."

I moved to the door and pulled it open. Lucian stood there, bowing in greeting.

"I hope you’re feeling well," he said as he straightened.

"I’m fine," I replied, watching him closely. "Who told you?"

As I stepped aside and closed the door behind me, he answered, "Sir Eldon informed me that I was to handle the project in your absence, as you were in no condition to oversee it yourself."

I nodded. "I heard you handled it well."

"It is an honor to be of service."

Lucian’s voice was steady, composed.

"Gunnar is here to report to you now that you’re awake," he continued.

"Then let’s not keep him waiting," I said, turning to walk ahead. Lucian followed closely behind, his presence a steady shadow at my back.