The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 209

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Lors Mate-s

But then she remembered the way Attia had looked at her. The intensity. The focus. The way he had not Tooked away.

That was not a man who dismissed things lightly.

That was a man who saw.

And when he saw Lori-truly saw her, the way Iva saw her, the way the goddess saw her-

Maybe.

Just maybe.

He would realize that he was the one who wasn’t good enough for her.

The canteen was loud and crowded, but Iva barely noticed.

She sat across from Lori, pushing food around her plate, her mind still spinning. The red thread was fainter now-Attia had moved to the other side of the campus, and distance dimmed the glow-but it was still there. Still connecting.

Always connecting.

“You’re doing it again,” Lori said.

Iva blinked. “Doing what?”

“That thing where you stare into space and forget that I exist.” Lori waved a hand in front of her face. “Hello? Earth to Iva?”

“Sorry.” Iva shook her head, trying to focus. “I’m just… thinking.”

“About?”

*Your fated mate is Headmaster Attia and I have no idea how to tell you.*

“Nothing important.”

Lori’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You’re definitely lying. Your left eye twitches when you lie.”

“It does not.”

“It absolutely does.” Lori leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “What’s going on? Is it the prince? Is something wrong?”

“No, the bond is fine. Caleb is fine. Everything is… fine.”

“You said fine three times in one sentence. That’s a record, even for you.”

Iva groaned and dropped her forehead onto the table.

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<Lor’s Mate 1

can’t tell you,” she mumbled into the wood, “Not yet. Not until I figure things out.”

Lori was silent for a long moment.

Then her hand landed on iva’s back, warm and steady.

“Okay,” Lori said softly. “Whenever you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.”

Iva lifted her head and looked at her friend

Claim

At her warm brown eyes. Her kind smile. Her gentle hands that had held Iva together when she was falling

apart.

*How,* Iva thought, *did you get fated to a man like him?*

But she didn’t say it.

Instead, she smiled-a real smile, this time-and squeezed Lori’s hand.

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