LUNA AQUAMARINE’S POV
The word dropped like a bomb.
I froze, teeth gritted, my breath ragged from the pain still crawling up my arm.
Stop?
When she just burnt me? On purpose?
D
x
I could feel eyes on me and whispers already starting. I could feel Fiona’s lips curve, just faintly.
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I swallowed the fire clawing up my throat and my chest burned more than my burnt trembling hand in his grip.
And still, he didn’t let me go. He didn’t stop glaring at me.
Without another word, he pulled me to my feet and carried me away in his arms–ignoring Fiona’s trembling form on the floor, ignoring the maids frozen in place.
“Let me go. I can walk-“I hissed, but he was already heading out.
Behind us, I heard Fiona’s choked sob break into the silence. I heard footsteps rushing to her, and ! didn’t need to turn back, I could already see it.
The poor broken sister, clutching her wrist where I “shoved” her, crying into whoever’s chest came first. They’d believe her, of course, they would.
They always believed her. I bit down so hard I tasted blood, because I knew by tonight the whispers would spread:
That I had shoved her away while she tried to help after the incident. That I had stormed off, ignoring her own pain. That I made a fuss and made the Primus carry me off while I allowed my stepsister to cry behind me in pain.
And Fiona would smile through it all, looking delicate and innocent while her poison worked.
My arm throbbed with every step, but the fire in my chest was worse,
Because Fiona hadn’t just burned me.
She had planted her seed.
1/4
18:16 Wed, 3 Sept
Chapter 82
A mark that says ‘You can be the Luna, but I’ll take everything you own one step at a time.‘
And Alexander?
His actions just made it worse.
I shoved at his chest with my good hand, nails scraping skin through his shirt. “Put me down, I said I
can walk!”
His jaw flexed, eyes forward. “Stop moving, or I’ll drop you.”
“Then do it,” I snapped, twisting against him, the burn flaring until I almost cried out.
His grip only tightened. “You’re reckless enough without falling on your face too,” he growled, striding through the halls so fast the servants barely had time to bow. “If you keep moving your skin might peel.”
My voice cracked, fury biting through the pain in my wrist. “They think she’s the victim now! You made me look weak while she sobs and the maids kiss her hands?”
My eyes blurred, heat spilling down my cheeks hotter than the pain. “They’ll say I hurt her. They’ll say I ran while she cried. And you-” My throat closed. “You gave them the story.”
“I don’t care about their stories.”
“Well, I do.” My voice broke,.and the anger I’d been clinging to twisted into fear. “Because they’re not just stories, Alexander. You won’t understand. You don’t know Fiona the way I do, she’s an expert at playing victim!”
“She isn’t,” he snapped, jaw clenched. “But you made it look like it and you looked like you were about to rip her throat out in front of everyone.”
“Good!” I spat, shoving at his chest. “She burned me–look at my hand! But when I burnt you, you
– almost killed me!”
His grip tightened until I stilled, breath ragged. “Do you think it’s wise to lose control in front of The Order? In front of me? There are other ways to handle it, Aqua.”
I froze, chest pounding. The words cut deeper than the burn. My laugh came out bitter, shaking. “Okay. Okay, I get it now. You’re just worried about your pride. Just like the way you were last night after I met with the Order against your wish.”
He stopped walking, shoulders heaving, eyes burning down into mine. For a moment, I thought he might set me down. Instead, he shifted me higher in his arms and kept going.
2/4
18.10
Chapter 82
“You think I care about pride?” His voice was low, dangerous. “Every eye in that room is waiting for you to mess up Aqua. And you almost gave them what they wanted.”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. “And what about what I want? What about the fact she hurt me, and you-” My throat burned. “You defended her just like the way you defend everyone after my throat!”
He growled under his breath, kicking the door to our chamber open and carrying me inside. “i defended you.”
“No,” I whispered, hot tears blurring my vision. “You silenced me. It’s not the same.”
He dropped me on the bed, my body bouncing hard against the mattress, and when I tried to scramble away, he caught my waist and pulled me back. He grabbed the neckline of my dress and tore the material off my shoulder down to my waist and wrist.
“Fuck,” he grunted as he stared at it.
“Is it that bad,” I turned to look but he tilted my head to face him.
“Don’t look at it.”
“It’s my body, not yours—”
“You know I can still tie you to the bedpost right? So you better sit still,” he snapped, grabbing a cloth and pouring something sharp–smelling over it. The sting tore a gasp from me.
“Hey! Careful!” I hissed.
“You want it to scar instead?” he muttered, pressing harder until I jerked.
“You don’t have to crush my hand off.”
His eyes cut to mine, flat and unyielding. “Better cruel than careless.”
1 hissed, jerking, but he held me steady, eyes locked on mine. “I hate you.”
“Good, now stop moving.” His hand clamped harder on mine as he smeared the salve across the angry burn.
“I don’t want your help.” I jerked, tears spilling hot down my cheeks. “I’d rather have Juliet-‘
His head snapped toward me, eyes cold. “Juliet isn’t here.”
“Then Katherine, Levi or even Aaron,” I spat, sniffing while he worked. “Anyone but you.”
”
3/4
18:16 Wed, 3 Sept
Chapter 82
“Katherine isn’t here either.”
“Why not? What did you do to them?”
He didn’t blink. “Because I sent them on assignment.”
My heart stumbled. “Assignment?”
“They’ll be gone for a long time,” he said flatly, finally wrapping my arm and torso with a cleaner cloth, making me hiss in pain. “So stop asking.”
My stomach twisted. “You-” my voice cracked, trembling with rage. “You sent them away telling me?”
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Alexander leaned close, his breath rough against my cheek, his tone sharp as a knife. “I don’t need your permission.”
The words cut deeper than fire.
“Kath is mine. She’s under my care and I need to know where she is and what-”
“Moonstone pack.”
