When Narissa returned home, she discovered that her old den-chamber was now filled with Liora’s belongings.
The den-servitor, Lily, approached her and said, “Miss, this chamber now belongs to Miss Liora.”
Lily’s gaze held a hint of pity as she looked at Narissa. Narissa stood frozen outside the doorway for a long moment before she finally spoke, her voice hoarse and trembling, “Then… where are my things?”
A minute later, Lily led her to a guest chamber covered in dust, her expression somewhat awkward.
"Miss, since you left, this room has been used to store your things. I'll clean it up right away."
Narissa pressed her lips together and said nothing. She spent more than half an hour searching through the guest chamber but found that the only carving-stone image she had with her mother was missing.
After her mother's death, her father refused to let anyone speak her name. He tore down all her mother's woven portraits, had all the memory-paintings of her burned, saying he didn't want to see them because they reminded him of sorrow.
At that time, she had secretly hidden a carved-stone frame with the only remaining likeness of her and her mother. She had kept it carefully in a wooden chest.
Remembering this, she hurried to her old chamber, only to find a memory-frame placed at the bedside. The carving was unmistakably the one of her and her mother.
With great care, she picked it up. The carving was perfectly preserved, showing her mother holding her with a gentle smile. Unable to hold back her tears any longer, they began to fall. However, through her tears, she noticed something familiar; a moon-forged hairpin.
It was the one her brother had specially crafted for her, along with the crescent necklace her mother had given her and the silver earrings Drake had once gifted her during the Spring Hunt.
These things, which she had carefully kept and never dared to wear, were now taken by Liora.
Unable to control her emotions any longer, Narissa trembled as she reached out to grab what was rightfully hers.
Behind her, a surprised voice called out, “Narissa, what are you doing in my chamber?”
Narissa clenched the items tightly in her hand. She shut her eyes, wiped away her tears and then, without hesitation, turned around and slapped her across the face.
Liora screamed as she was knocked to the ground and Drake rushed over in a panic, quickly helping her up. His face was filled with anger as he looked at Narissa, “Narissa, are you out of your mind? She’s your sister!”
Seeing the tears on Liora’s face, he became flustered and hastily called for a healer to bring cooling ice-leaves.
Normally, Narissa would have restrained herself, but now she was completely enraged, losing all sense of control. “Sister? She’s just the illegitimate cub of my father’s betrayal with another she-wolf.”
With a sharp slap, Narissa was sent crashing to the ground, her arm scraping against the rough stone-floor and bleeding.
With eyes burning with anger, she cupped her face, slowly lifting her head, only to meet Evan's cold gaze from above, looking at her as though she were something filthy.
Drake and Evan positioned themselves on either side of Liora, their postures protective. With a cold sneer, Drake uttered, “You’ve gone too far. The only reason you’re out of that Moon-Call prison so quickly is because of Liora.”
The words “Moon-Call prison” struck Narissa like a blow to the chest, instantly bringing back the horrors of her nightmare. But witnessing this scene only deepened the wound in her heart.
It felt as though someone had taken a knife and sliced through her chest repeatedly, the pain so intense that she could barely catch her breath.
Evan acted as if nothing had happened, casually reaching out to help her up while gently asking, "Does your face hurt?"
How could he speak to her like that when he had been the one who slapped her?
Narissa's eyes flashed with anger as she wrenched herself free from his touch and stood on her own. She gripped the items tightly in her hand, feeling an intense fear of losing them, as if she couldn’t hold on to what was rightfully hers.
With a fierce, trembling voice, she confronted Liora, who stood behind Drake. “These are my stuff. How dare you take them without my permission?”
Liora's face softened with a hint of guilt, her voice laced with feigned innocence. “I'm sorry, I just thought the necklaces were so pretty. Drake and Evan gave them to me. I didn't mean to take something that was yours.”
Upon hearing these words, Narissa's eyes trembled and her heart tightened with a sense of helplessness. She slowly turned her gaze toward them. “Is that so?”
Drake and Evan were immediately taken aback, as the once bright and smiling eyes of Narissa had now lost all their light.
For some reason, both of them felt a sense of unease. Evan suppressed his anxiety and coldly declared, “Liora just arrived and doesn’t have any moon-jewels. If you like something, I’ll craft new ones for you.”
Drake hurriedly stepped forward and reached out to grab Narissa, but he was met with the shock of how cold her hand was. His voice softened in an attempt to explain, “Narissa, it’s not a big deal. If you like something, I’ll commission a new set for you.”
Narissa remained silent, her gaze fixed on the gifts they once gave her. Back then, they spared no effort, spending moons choosing the perfect surprises for her.
But now everything had changed. Their hearts had changed and these gifts seemed to lose their meaning.
She forced a small, bitter smile and without warning, released her grip. The delicate jewelry fell to the ground and the sound of it crashing against the stone-floor made everyone in the room change their expression.
Narissa's cold gaze turned to Liora, who was visibly uncomfortable. Her voice was light but cutting as she spoke, “Liora, weren't you always the one who liked to steal other people's things? If you want them, they're yours.”
She didn’t want anything anymore, neither the people nor the things. She wanted it all gone.
Liora's expression froze, a flash of malice flickering in her eyes. Without warning, she shoved Narissa to the ground and then bent down to pick up the fallen items.
