The blood guards stood stiffly at the entrance, their spears planted firmly against the stone, yet their voices lacked the iron confidence they usually carried.
One of them cleared his throat, eyes lowered just enough to be respectful without seeming defiant.
"Madam Cornelia," the lead guard said carefully, choosing each word as if it might cut him if mishandled, "it is not that we wish to oppose you. It is only that the rules of the Blood Moon Tower are... ancient. They were written long before any of us were born. Entry is not sothing we are permitted to grant lightly, even under your command."
Another guard spoke up, his tone just as cautious. "Madam insists that Lord Cain enter with her. We understand this. Truly. But if we allow it without proper qualification, the elders will not look kindly upon us. Our heads would not remain on our shoulders for long."
Their hands tightened on their spears, not in threat, but in quiet anxiety. They were caught between fear of the family’s laws and fear of Cornelia herself, and neither was sothing they wished to test.
Sevette let out a soft laugh, the sound smooth and almost musical, though there was nothing kind in it. She stepped forward, her eyes glinting as they flicked toward Cain.
"The Blood Moon Tower has never cared about feelings," she said calmly. "It recognizes bonds of blood, proof of acceptance, and nothing more. And from what I can see, Cain has not been accepted in any aningful way."
Her gaze lingered on him, sharp and openly mocking. "Three wives, yet not even one consummation. How pitiful."
Cain’s body went rigid.
Cornelia’s jaw tightened.
Sevette tilted her head slightly, her smile widening just enough to sting. "You cannot expect the Tower to acknowledge a marriage that exists only on paper. Especially when the husband has failed to fulfill even the most basic duty."
Cornelia turned toward her slowly, anger rising like a tide that refused to be hidden. "You speak as if you know anything about our marriage."
"Oh?" Sevette replied lightly. "Then tell I am wrong."
For a mont, Cornelia said nothing. Her fingers curled around Cain’s hand, not squeezing, but grounding herself. When she spoke again, her voice was steady, though there was sothing raw beneath it.
"I did ignore him," she admitted. "That part is true."
Sevette’s brows rose, and murmurs rippled through the soldiers behind her.
"I ignored him not because he was unworthy," Cornelia continued, "but because I did not want to force him. I did not want our marriage to be sothing born of obligation alone."
Cain felt his breath hitch.
Cornelia looked at him, really looked at him, her eyes searching his face as if the answer to sothing long unresolved was written there.
"But when I think back," she said quietly, "I see everything he has done. Every reckless act. Every conflict he drew upon himself. Every insult he endured."
Her grip on his hand tightened now.
"He stood against my vanguards. He made himself hated. He took punishnt without complaint. He endured suspicion and isolation, all while never once betraying the family."
She inhaled slowly. "When the humans captured him earlier, and he admitted his mistakes, admitted his faults... I finally understood."
Understood what, Cain thought faintly, his mind spinning.
"That he was trying," Cornelia said. "In his own foolish way. That everything he did, every sacrifice, every bit of patience, was for ."
The courtyard fell silent.
Sevette’s smile faltered.
Cain’s heart pounded so hard he thought it might tear free from his chest.
That can’t be right. That’s not why I—
His thoughts blurred as mories surged forward, mories from another life layered over this one. Him standing in the shadows, watching Cornelia from afar. Him provoking Cedrick, challenging authority, making a spectacle of himself just to earn a glance. Him pretending not to care while caring far too much.
I did all that... for her?
"How can that be?" he thought desperately. "I was just... I just wanted to survive. I wanted her to hate ."
Cornelia’s words had shaken sothing deep inside him.
Cedrick clenched his fists.
He took a step forward, his composure cracking for the first ti. "Madam," he said, his voice strained, "this is going too far."
Cornelia turned sharply. "What did you say?"
Cedrick’s eyes burned with sothing ugly and unrestrained. "You and I," he said, his voice lowering, "we have fought side by side for years. You know my loyalty. You know my heart."
The implication hung heavy in the air.
Cornelia’s expression darkened. "Do not continue."
"But it is clear," Cedrick pressed on, unable to stop himself now, "that what you are doing is—"
"What?" Cornelia snapped. "A mistake?"
Cedrick hesitated, then nodded stiffly. "Yes."
Her eyes flashed.
"Do not you dare," she said coldly, "think that what you feel has any place here. Cain is my husband. Not you. Not anyone else. Only him."
The words hit Cedrick like a blade.
Cain stepped back instinctively, his mind in complete chaos. What the hell is going on? When did this beco... this?
Cornelia turned to him, her anger softening the mont her gaze t his. She reached out and took his hand again, this ti with purpose.
"I know," she said quietly, "that you carry resentnt in your heart."
Cain almost choked.
Yes! Yes, that’s right! I resent you! I want you to hate !
He shouted it in his mind, clinging to the thought like a lifeline.
Cornelia heard it all.
Her lips pressed together, and for a mont she looked almost hurt. Then she spoke, her voice firm, unyielding.
"You caused trouble everywhere," she said. "You provoked my captains. You challenged authority. You acted arrogant and reckless."
Cain nodded internally. Yes, yes, keep going. Hate more.
"But I understand now," she continued. "You did it because you did not know how else to reach ."
Her voice softened. "At the ti, I could not accept it. I could not accept that I might like you. You were too arrogant, too loud, too unwilling to admit your feelings."
She tightened her grip on his hand. "But when you were taken by the humans, and you admitted your faults, admitted that you wanted to change... I realized that you still had hope."
Cain felt his chest tighten painfully.
"So now," Cornelia said, eting his eyes without hesitation, "I will make up for everything I ignored."
His breath caught.
"I will not let you carry that resentnt alone," she said. "I will not let you feel unwanted any longer."
The world seed to narrow to just the two of them.
Cain stared at her, completely stunned.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to hate him. She was supposed to push him away. Instead, she was standing here, declaring him without hesitation, without sha.
His mind raced, but no plan ca to him.
Cornelia’s voice softened, almost trembling now. "So tell , Cain–" she shook her head, "No, husband..."
She stepped closer, close enough that he could feel her warm and soft breath on his very face.
"Will you let make up for all of it?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers