ISIDORA
I thought dinner would be in the greenhouse, that magical place where we’d always gathered.
But Legna had summoned me to Estingia Tower.
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She could no longer pretend she was nothing more than a powerful Estingia playing the part of the cranky old woman who cared for the magical plants. She had responsibilities now, and one way or another, everything had changed.
As I walked with firm steps through the halls I’d known since childhood, nothing looked the same anymore.
The servants moved aside and lowered their heads, just as I had once done. The warriors looked at me with fear in their eyes, and although Estingias didn’t bow their heads, my aura was enough to make them get out of
my way.
As I moved through the white marble halls, a cold indifference slowly settled over me.
I felt like an empty shell, full of power and headed toward a future everyone else thought was enviable.
When the warriors opened the doors to the private rooms only the highest–ranking Estingias were allowed to enter, I stepped into my mentor’s new territory.
Mikaela’s laughter drifted through the air. She was sitting beside Karla on huge cushions scattered across the floor.
“Look, the girls are already here…” Elessia whispered behind me, trying to cheer me up.
Mika raised a hand and greeted me with a smile, while Karla turned to look at me too.
I crossed the enormous room, filled with tall columns covered in white marble and trimmed in gold.
Legna was stretched out among the rugs and cushions on a raised platform, getting a massage while lazily smoking from her long pipe.
“I thought this was dinner…” I said, my voice flatter than I intended.
“We’ll eat later, but come on! Come see the new potions our mentor came up
Mika grabbed my arm and pulled me down between her and Karla.
with!”
Elessia sat close to us too. She might have been a servant to everyone else, but in private, they all knew how important she was to me.
“This one’s for Varka’s fur. It makes it super soft and shiny…”
Mika’s chatter filled the room.
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Karla gave one–word answers, and I tried not to be a killjoy, but my gaze kept going back to Legna’s dark eyes.
And there she was, staring right at me as she smoked from her long pipe, a thoughtful look on her face.
It was hard to admit… but I felt disconnected.
Not even talking to my friends could fill the emptiness inside me anymore. My mind was crowded with questions, and my chest felt far too hollow.
“I’m sorry, girls, but I’m exhausted. I want to go to bed early…”
By the time they were about to serve dessert at the long dining table, I couldn’t force myself to fake another smile.
“Dora…” Mika reached over from the chair beside mine and squeezed my hand in my lap. “Was I being too much? I’m sorry if I upset you…”
“It’s not your fault. None of you did anything wrong, and I’m grateful because I know you’re trying to cheer me up, but I…”
I lowered my head with a sigh.
Karla gently squeezed my right shoulder.
I looked up and found her watching me with a more serious expression.
“Take all the time you need… We’ll always be here for you. No matter what you decide or where you go… we’ll follow you.”
A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
“I know. I’ve never regretted having you as my friends…”
“Oh, great, now I’m going to cry! I’ll get really strong so I can go with you. I won’t lose again!”
My smile grew wider as Mika threw herself against me from the other side and hugged me tight, tears and snot running down her face.
I knew this dinner was a goodbye. Not forever, just for now.
My eyes went back to Legna, who was sitting at the head of the table.
“We need to talk,” she told me, and I knew the moment had come.
*****
“Here’s your letter of recommendation for the palace. The chosen Estingias will leave tomorrow.”
I looked at the envelope she held out across the desk.
We were in her new office as Matriarch, at the top of Estingia Tower.
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I reached out and took the white envelope. I could feel her power in it, and I guessed it wouldn’t be easy to forge.
Inside was a document with my name written in gold, along with my personal information, physical measurements, power rank, a summary of my abilities, and of course, my new rank as a Full Moon.
“Have you heard anything about him?” I asked with my head lowered. The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“No. The Supreme Elder’s attack was very powerful. He might be dead by now…”
“He didn’t die.” I lifted my head and looked at her with complete certainty.
If Blaze really was the Lycan King, as I suspected, he wouldn’t die that easily, not even at the hands of the most powerful Estingia.
“Why are you so sure?” Legna drummed her fingers against the hard, dark wood.
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