The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 173

Decisions with You-1

The warmth of the moment had barely settled when the conversation took another turn-one that made Iva’s heartbeat stutter all over again.

Queen Rita delicately placed her teacup down, her elegant fingers resting against the porcelain as her gaze softened… yet sharpened with unmistakable intent.

“And have you two decided,” she began smoothly, her tone light but far from casual, “when you will hold your mating ceremony and acknowledge the bond publicly?”

The question dropped between them like a stone into still water.

Iva froze.

Completely.

Her breath caught, her spine stiffening as her mind went utterly blank, as if every coherent thought had been wiped clean in an instant.

Mating ceremony?

Public acknowledgment?

Her eyes widened slightly before instinctively-almost desperately-she turned her head toward Caleb.

Shock written all over her face.

Say something…

But for a split second, neither of them spoke.

Then Caleb exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair, one hand dragging briefly through his hair before he rolled his eyes in clear annoyance.

“Enough for tonight, mother,” he said, his tone controlled but firm, cutting through the tension before it could tighten further. “We’ll talk about it in the coming days.”

Iva felt the words like a lifeline.

Relief washed over her so quickly it almost made her dizzy.

She hadn’t even realized how much she had been holding her breath until that moment.

Thank Goddess…

But just as quickly as that relief came-

Something else followed.

A quiet, unwelcome pang.

It settled deep in her chest, subtle… but sharp.

173

Decisions WNT YOU T

Her thoughts spiralled instantly.

He didn’t answer…

Not even in front of them…

Her fingers curled slightly against her lap.

Is he unsure?

Or… worse… avoiding it?

A flicker of insecurity crept in, uninvited but impossible to ignore, twisting her earlier warmth into something fragile.

Because if there was one thing she had learned-

Silence… could mean many things.

And not all of them were good.

Her gaze dropped for a moment, trying to steady herself, but her mind refused to quiet.

Rejection…?

The word echoed, faint but persistent.

Before she could sink deeper into that spiral, movement across the table broke her thoughts.

Queen Rita stood gracefully, smoothing her dress with effortless elegance.

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“You are right. That is enough for tonight,” she declared, her tone gentle but final, bringing the evening to a natural close. “We will discuss everything in more detail tomorrow.”

Her eyes flickered between the two of them briefly-observant, knowing.

“Caleb will show you to your room,” she added, turning her attention back to Iva. “And if you need anything, the staff is at your disposal.”

Iva immediately pushed her chair back, rising quickly, instinct kicking in as nerves resurfaced.

“Yes, Your Majesty-”

But before she could finish or attempt a formal bow, the queen let out a soft, musical laugh.

“Oh, don’t be so formal,” Queen Rita said, waving her hand lightly, her smile warm and disarming. “You’ll exhaust yourself before the week ends.”

Iva blinked, caught off guard.

Her lips parted slightly, unsure how to respond, her tension easing just a fraction under the queen’s gentle demeanor.

“Just Rita will do… or at least try,” she added playfully, though the weight of her presence still commanded respect regardless of the words.

Decisions wutt-Veu !

Iva managed a small, shy smile, nodding lightly.

“… I’ll try,” she said softly.

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