Chapter 28
(Zion’s POV)
The hallway was quiet, as the marble floors gleamed under the soft light of the palace chandeliers.
I walked slowly toward Father’s study, the silence only broken by the faint ticking of the clock at the end of the corridor. My footsteps echoed, steady and slow, but my mind was anything but calm.
It was noon, and I had been summoned. Not just me— Zelda too.
My thoughts drifted again to last night’s dinner. Zelda’s voice kept replaying in my head like a haunting lullaby.
“Pending when the Council changes their mind… Can Lily stay with us for a few days?”
Our parents hadn’t answered outright. Father had said they’d think about it, Mother looked conflicted. And I… I had barely managed to breathe through the weight of it all.
Now, I was heading to find out their answer.
I paused outside the study door and took a deep breath before pushing it open.
Inside, the study was warmly lit, filled with the scent of pinewood and leather. The windows let in soft golden sunlight that cast long shadows on the floor. The walls were lined with books and scrolls; Father’s personal collection. It was a room of decisions.
Zelda was already seated on one of the couches across from Father’s desk. She glanced up at me, her lips tugging into a hopeful smile.
Mother stood by the window, arms folded as she stared out, but she turned when I walked in. Father was behind the desk calmly with fingers steepled beneath his chin.
I shut the door behind me and took the seat beside Zelda.
“Good,” Father muttered “You’re both here.”
My chest tightened, and Ragnar stirred faintly inside me. He had been restless, and hadn’t spoken all morning, but I could feel the slow burn of his anticipation. His emotions were sharp and low like a thundercloud waiting to break.
Mother was the first to speak. “Your father and I stayed up talking last night.”
“We discussed what you said, Zelda,” Father added. “And this morning, we made a call.”
I leaned forward slightly, my palms pressed flat against my knees.
“We reached out to Lamia,” Mother said, a small smile playing on her lips. “She agreed.”
Zelda sat up straighter. “You mean…?”
Father gave a single, definitive nod. “Lily will be returning to the palace.”
Ragnar surged at once, a flood of longing and disbelief crashing through my chest. I kept my expression still, but it was like
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being hit by a tidal wave from the inside.
“She’ll be here tomorrow morning,” Mother added, her voice softer now. “We wanted you both to hear it from us.”
My breath caught. My throat dried, I couldn’t speak.
Lily was coming home.
Zelda beamed and clapped her hands together. “Thank you Dad, thank you Mom.”
Father nodded with a faint smile. “She would be welcomed with open arms.”
Mother reached for a scroll and unrolled it on the desk. “Preparations are underway. She should feel that this is still her home.”
I nodded, as Ragnar howled quietly inside me with longing.
We were dismissed shortly after.
Zelda and I walked side by side down the hallway.
“Well,” she said, stretching her arms above her head. “That went better than I thought.”
I stayed quiet.
She bumped my shoulder lightly. “Try not to screw this up.”
I glanced at her.
“You heard me,” she added, lips twitching into a grin. “You may not have asked for a second chance, but it’s here anyway. Don’t hurt her again, Zion…” she said softly.
“I won’t,” I said quickly, my voice firmer than I expected. “I promise.”
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Zelda’s eyes searched mine for a second, then she smiled and opened her arms. I stepped into her hug, and she wrapped me tight.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, meaning it.
“For what?”
“For believing in me. For… this.”
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The next morning, the palace was buzzing with life.
Maids swept through the halls in pairs, setting flowers and lighting candles. Guards polished their gear. Even the head butler
wore a new suit.
I wandered into the East Wing, drawn by a pull I didn’t want to name.
Her room had been prepared. It wasn’t far from mine.
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Chapter 28
I stood at the doorway and stared. The white curtains danced in the soft breeze, the floor sparkled, and fresh roses bloomed in a vase by the window. Her bed was made with soft pink covers, the kind she used to love.
The scent of lavender and roses lingered in the air.
A memory flickered in my mind: Her as a child, running barefoot through the royal gardens, laughing with her hair swaying behind her. I’d chased her through the maze of hedges once, and she’d hidden in the rose archway, petals in her hair.
“You’re too slow, Zion!” she teased, sticking out her tongue.
I blinked, and the image faded.
Now she was returning, not as the girl who once wore flower crowns and pink ribbons, but as someone I barely recognized. Someone I had hurt.
Suddenly, a sharp squeal interrupted my reverie, followed by hurried footsteps. I snapped my head up and rushed out into the hallway.
Zelda stood at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide and glowing.
“She’s here,” she whispered.
And my breath hitched.
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