bChapter /bb218 /b

    Dario’s POV

    The cold breeze of the mountain cut through me as I stared at the pregnancy test in my hand. For a moment, I considered just tossing it away, but couldn’t. Instead, I slipped it into my pocket and turned toward the fountain where ra and the twins were waiting.

    “You’re back!” Belle’s voice was bright and full of energy as she bounced up. “Come, smell the roses! The gardener just picked them for us.”

    b“/bThanks, Princess,” I replied, my tone polite but distant. “But I’m fine.”

    Turning to ra, I asked, “Lady ra, may I take the day off?”

    She looked at me, puzzled. “A day off? For what?”

    I paused, ncing down at the pregnancy test in my pocket before answering. “It’s the anniversary of my brother’s death. I’d like to visit his grave.”

    The words hung in the air, and the silence stretched out. ra finally spoke, her voice soft. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

    I nodded, my expression unreadable. “It’s alright. I just want to go, bring him some flowers… let him know I’m doing okay.”

    ra didn’t hesitate. “Of course. Go ahead.”

    “And… could you stay with the twins until I return? I want to make sure you’re safe.”

    “Just go,” Wells chimed in, his voice firm. “We’ve got things here.”

    Belle, eyes brimming with emotion, handed me a bundle of roses. “Give these to Uncle Nora for me,” she whispered. “Let him know we all miss him.”

    I took the flowers, my throat tight. “I will, Princess. Thank you.”

    I turned and walked away from the fountain, the weight of the roses in my hand feeling heavier than I’d imagined.

    It was a long, winding path up to the Ly?an cemetery, a ce perched on the edge of a mountain that seemed to stretch on forever. The air was thin, and the distant chirping of birds felt like a whisper, drowned by the grief that hung heavy around me. As I climbed, I could smell the pine trees and the damp earth, mixed with the scent of roses.

    When I reached the top, I saw the familiar tombstone beneath an old tree, where Nora had beenid to rest. Standing there already were two people- Amara, her face streaked with tears, and a young boy beside her.

    “You’rete,” Amara said, her voice rough with emotion.

    “I was with ra and the twins,” I replied quietly.

    I bent down to the boy. “How are you, Bryn?”

    The resemnce between him and Nora was striking. The same sharp features, the same dark eyes. But Bryn, unlike his father, didn’t have Nora’s spark.

    touch. He was quiet, withdrawn, and as he nced at me, he tilted his head slightly, avoiding my

    I sighed inwardly and turned back to Nora’s grave, cing the roses gently at the base of the tombstone. “Princess Belle asked me to bring these.”

    “Take them away!” Amara snapped, her eyes wide with hurt. “Nora hated roses. You know that.”

    I frowned, meeting her gaze. “No, he didn’t.”

    Amara’s voice quivered with emotion. “Are you saying I’ve forgotten what my husband liked? How could you?b” /b

    I didn’t want to argue. Not here, not now. So, I moved the roses slightly to the sideb, /baway from the stone. “Better?b” /bI asked quietly.

    U/b38 /bbMon/bb, /b1 Sept

    Amara blinked away her tears, her expression hardening. “What do you have for me?” she demanded.

    I hesitated, then pulled out the pregnancy test and handed it to her.

    “What’s this?” Amara’s voice grew shrill as she took it from me. “A pregnancy test? What am I supposed to do with this? Wait… are you seeing someone?”

    Her eyes widened as realization hit. “Are you dating that obnoxious little princess?”

    My expression stiffened. “Belle is not obnoxious.”

    “Are you defending her?” Amara’s voice rose with anger. “Do you have any idea what she did to me a couple of days ago? She kicked me out of my own tea party! And now you’re standing here with those roses, acting like everything’s fine!”

    I closed my eyes, trying to control my rising temper. “Enough,” I muttered, my voice low.

    Amara’s eyes were wild with fury. “You promised Nora, on his deathbed, that you would help me! And now you’re siding with her?”

    “Enough!” I repeated, more forcefully this time. “I won’t talk to Belle again if it upsets you.”

    “But the pregnancy test… I took it from ra.”

    At those words, Amara froze. Her expression morphed into one of disbelief, then anger, then panic. “That BITCH!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the cemetery.

    Bryn flinched beside her, but she didn’t seem to notice.

    “Amara,” I said, voice sharp, “Control yourself.”

    She paid no attention, still pacing in front of Nora’s grave. “That woman, ra… she’s pregnant. And it’s Dorian’s child, isn’t it?”

    I met her gaze, my own face tight with emotion. “I don’t know.”

    “I bet it is!” she yelled, her hands clenched into fists. “She can’t keep her hands off him! You should’ve seen the way she looked at him. Like some dog after fresh meat!”

    “Amara…” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

    Suddenly, Amara stopped pacing, her shoulders slumping. She covered her face with both hands, sobbing harder now.

    I felt a pang of helplessness in my chest. Without thinking, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, stepping closer to her. “Here, stop crying…” I said gently.

    But she didn’t take it. Instead, she threw herself onto my shoulder, crying even louder. “Why can’t I have anything good in my life?” she sobbed. “Why does the Moon Goddess hate me so much? First Nora, and now this… everything is being taken from me…”

    She stapped my arm weakly. “Why didn’t you just kill ra when you had the chance?”

    I stood there, stiff as a board. “I tried, Amara. I tried… but Belle and Wells were with her that night. The next day, Dorian made me her guard.”

    “And?” she snapped. “You stayed with her every single day! You could’ve killed her in her sleep, pushed her from a window, anything! Why didn’t you do something?”

    I swallowed hard. “I have the King’s orders to protect her.”

    “Dorian doesn’t know what’s good for him!” she screamed, her face contorted in hysteria. “She’s poisoning him, and all of us! She’s bad for the kingdom! We have to get rid of her. For Dorian’s sake!”

    I didn’t reply.

    77.00

    b47/b%b6 /b

    Amara grabbed my arm, shaking it violently. “Dario… please. For Nora’s sake. You have to do this. Go kill her and the bastard inside her. You promised Nora-”

    Ljerked my arm away, my voice cold. “Is it really for Dorian? Or is it for you?”

    Her eyes widened in confusion. “What do you mean?” she stammered.

    “Do you want ra dead because she’s bad for Dorian? Or because you want Dorian for yourself?”

    My words rang out, cutting through the air like a knife.

    Amara’s face drained of color.

    “Answer me, Amara. To my brother’s grave!”

    AD