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Her thoughts scattered as a single word rang clear and strong inside her mind, not through her ears but through the very thread of her soul.
"Mia."
Her heart skipped a beat again, stronger this ti, as though the very sound of that single word carried warmth and longing. She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath, but the trembling in her fingers betrayed her.
"Kai..." she whispered aloud, and her voice wavered between disbelief and joy. "It’s really him." She thinks.
Inside her mind, the voice ca again. It was calm, deep, threaded with a kind of strength that always made her feel protected.
"Mia, it’s . How are you? What are you doing?"
Her lips curved into a smile before she even realized it. She sat a little straighter, her hand brushing a stray strand of black hair from her face. "Kai... You finally rembered to talk to ." There was playful scolding in her tone, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed the truth — she was happy, so happy that her chest felt almost too tight. "Last ti you made a soul connection was almost three weeks ago. You said you were in the southern forest, and you’d contact when you returned. Does that an you’re back to your mountain?"
"Yes," his voice answered, warm and steady. "I’m back. I ca yesterday. I wanted to contact you as soon as possible, but... there was a lot to do."
Her smile softened. She could imagine it — the chaos that followed him everywhere. "I suppose I can forgive you then. Now tell ... what are you doing? Are you busy? Are you alright?"
"I’m alright," he replied, his tone carrying a reassuring calm. "I’m not busy right now. That’s why I wanted to reach you. What about you? Are you busy?"
She shook her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. "Not really. I was just finishing so reports. Paperwork never ends in the palace, you know."
"Reports?" His voice was laced with faint amusent. "I was hoping you’d say you were resting, or maybe eating sothing sweet."
She laughed softly. "If I waited for rest before speaking to you, you’d never hear from ." Then, after a pause, her tone ward. "It’s nice to hear your voice again. I missed it."
"I missed you too."
For a heartbeat, neither spoke. The thread of their connection seed to hum with unspoken words, each pulse carrying more emotion than speech could convey. She leaned back in her chair, letting the sensation sink into her.
But then Kai’s voice shifted, becoming slightly more serious. "Mia... What’s the situation in your kingdom? Has Hoorius caused any more trouble?"
Her smile dimd. "As I told you before, my mother is in seclusion, aiming for nine-star rank. She’s given full control of the Scarlet Ant Kingdom to Hoorius in her absence."
Kai’s voice carried a note of concern. "And?"
"She hasn’t shown outright signs of betrayal yet," Mia continued, her voice steady though her fingers tightened around the edge of her table. "But she’s bullying all the loyalists who served my mother. Stripping them of influence. She’s giving resources and positions to her own faction — people who owe their loyalty to her and not the true queen."
"So she’s consolidating power while your mother is away."
"Yes. And it gets worse." Mia’s voice lowered slightly, as though even in her private chambers she feared soone might hear. "The army she sent to find Darius’ killer —the one who took her son’s life— has learned sothing. They discovered that the killer and the one who... humiliated Silvertail wolf clan young master Roddick in battle... are the sa person."
Kai was silent for a mont, and though she could not see his face, she could imagine that faint, sharp smile tugging at his lips. "And they’ll co here, won’t they?"
Mia’s fingers drumd once against the polished beast-skin parchnt before she stilled them. "Yes. In two or three weeks at most, their forces will reach Monarch Mountain. They an to confirm whether it’s you. They don’t know your identity yet... but they’re looking."
"Two or three weeks..." His voice was calm, almost too calm, but beneath it there was an undertone of calculation she had heard many tis before. "Plenty of ti to prepare."
Mia frowned faintly. "Kai, I’m telling you this so you can be careful, not so you can make trouble."
"When have I ever made trouble?" His tone carried a hint of playful mockery.
She let out a soft sigh. "Do you want the list alphabetically or by severity?"
He chuckled, and for a mont the heaviness in the conversation lifted. The sound of his laughter sent a ripple of warmth through her, just as it always did.
"Mia," he said after a pause, his voice softer now, "thank you for telling . I know you’re risking a lot just by sharing this."
"I don’t care," she replied simply. "If it’s for you, I’ll risk it."
The sincerity in her tone silenced him for a mont. Through the soul link, he could feel the steady beat of her emotions. Her loyalty, affection, and sothing deeper that neither of them had yet dared to na.
"What are you thinking about now?" she asked, curious at his quietness.
"You," he admitted. "And how much I want to see you again."
Her breath caught. "Then... will you?"
"Not yet. Not until it’s safe. But when I co, I’ll make sure it’s worth the wait."
Her cheeks ward despite herself. "You’d better."
For a while, they let the conversation drift toward lighter things. She teased him about forgetting to send word when he returned from his travels. He told her about the ridiculous antics of his subordinates and how Miryam had developed an unexpected new skill. She laughed at his descriptions, picturing the scenes in her mind, wishing she could see them with her own eyes.
But eventually, the conversation curved back toward the looming threat. "Kai," she said quietly, "when they co... if they realize it’s you, Hoorius will have every excuse to strike openly. Even if my mother returns before then, the damage will be done. Promise you’ll be careful."
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