ra's

Alpha had summoned me to the dining h

ll, I fixed my posture, smoothed the skirt of my gown, and walked

ped past the

sa

air.

s had rearranged the seating. Where once I had always sat, to Alexander'

o

itting on

ol passed down through generations of Lunas. Its legs were polished ivory with fili

delicately, her hands folded i

forward, each step deliberate, and stopped just

ice cold but composed. "Yo

er lips parted with the faintest gas

ty, "but... it's just a chair, isn't it?" Her voice trembled

not," I sa

, clearly suppressing their own reactions. Everyone in the room k

glancing over at Alexander like a frig

I repeated f

t clear that I can sit here because it was the closest chair to

her to sit there all while knowing

I hate that." My smile dropped

ov

, a sharp voice cut thro

oug

fr

the table, his eyes fixed on

ora," he barked. "St

quiet. Even the servan

hat split seconds into years. The kind that mad

said, through

ruck the marble floor with heavy, sharp thuds-clack, clack, clack-a rhythm of indigna

I didn't look at

gleamed beneath the chandelier light, catc

my fingers

use it.

hold somet

ishes of steaming meat, roasted vegetables, and fr

no app

ets felt like a performance. And I-the Luna-was

oulder lightly, whispering something with that breathy, n

forward, refusing to w

xander cleare

ion like a magnet. "I heard about t

slowly turn

e, "that you refused her kindness. That

the knife

e," I said simp

tone dripping with soft sincerity. "I only wanted

ge and tearful. "I even offered her my handkerc

se yo

"Nova's been through a lot, Aurora. She's f

want me to do? Show compassion to th

most is being robbed of what is rightfull

ched. "Don't

ery, the plates, the porcelain-everything-across the roo

I di

unas don'

s en

said instea

"I only want peace betwe

ith a smile that

ve stayed far awa

through the floo

Thank you so much for inviting

nd then to Nova whose e

rther in a dinner where I will only be treated as a mere audience

the two of

nds soon enough and I trust that none of you wi

er and immediately went out