“Magnus,” Aria’s soft, childish voice called from the doorway. I looked up from the documents on my seat to see her standing there, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the chandelier. Her innocence was almost disarming, but I couldn’t shake the storm brewing within me.
“You released her?” I asked, my tone colder than I intended.
She nodded, and before I could say anything more, Selene walked past, heading toward the guest wing. My eyes narrowed at her disheveled appearance. She looked like something that had been dragged through the depths of misery. Her face was pale, her hair matted, and her posture hunched, making her appear as if she were aging rapidly.
“Selene!” I called out, my voice laced with disdain. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face me, her face a mixture of fear and defiance.
I took a step forward, my eyes locking onto hers. “If you dare to hurt Aria again, I don’t care what trauma you claim as your excuse, I will make your life a living nightmare,” I said harshly, my voice reverberating through the hallway.
Selene’s lower lip trembled, tears pooling in her eyes, but I was unmoved. “I brought you here out of mercy, but you will show respect to everyone in this palace, including my soon-to-be Luna. She is your Luna. Don’t test me again.”
Without waiting for her reply, I turned to Aria and scooped her into my arms. She let out a small gasp of surprise but didn’t protest. I carried her upstairs, my resolve hardening with every step. I couldn’t afford to let Selene’s madness hurt Aria again. Not now, not ever.
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