Selene’s POV
The bond dissolution papers were still warm in my hands when the door opened.
I did not need to look up to know who it was.
My mother walked in like she always did.Like every room belonged to her.
She stopped in the middle of the floor and folded her arms.
“Verra just gave birth,”she said.“She needs to recover.You will make her moon-root broth.The one with slow-simmered bone marrow.”
I looked at her.
“That takes eight hours to prepare.”
“Yes,”she said.“It does.”
No softness.No apology.She said it like she was reminding me of my purpose.
“Start now.It should be ready before she sleeps.”
My father appeared at the door behind her.He did not speak.He only looked at me the way he always had.Like I was a disappointment.
I set the papers down.
“I will start now,”I said.
They were stunned and nodded approvely,and left without another word.
Not one question about my ribs.Not one look at the injury on my jaw.Not one moment of seeing me at all.
I had stopped expecting it a long time ago.
...
I stood at the fire,cooking for eight hours.
My burned hand ached the whole time.I kept going.
By the time the broth was done,the den had gone quiet.Caelan was with Verra.I could hear their voices through the wall.Low and easy.The way people talk when they feel safe.
I carried the tray upstairs and left it outside her door.
Just as i turned to go.
Her door opened.
“Selene.”
Verra’s voice was soft.The kind of soft that means nothing good.
I stopped.
“Thank you for the broth,”she said.
I said nothing.
She stepped into the corridor.Her slippers made no sound.She came close enough that I could see her face clearly in the low light.
There was nothing weak about her.Nothing tired.Just that calm,waiting look she got when she had already decided what she was going to do.
“You looked at me a certain way at dinner,”she said.“I noticed.”
“I did not mean anything by it.”
She smiled.
“Of course not.”
She stepped even closer.
“You should be careful up here,”she said.“Near the stairs.”
My stomach dropped.
Then her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
Not a push.A pull.
She yanked me toward her,twisted her body sideways,and together we came tumbling down the stairs.She made it look exactly like something I had done.
“Ah…!”
The cry that came out of her was perfect.Frightened.Helpless.
She tumbled down four steps and caught the railing.Then she folded against it,clutching her side,tears already falling.
I tumbled down the stairs too slow to grab the railing and my injured hand made it hard,and I could feel my whole body ache from the pain.
The door at the end of the corridor flew open.
“Verra!”
Caelan reached her in seconds.His hands moved over her,checking,searching,his voice tight with fear.
“Where does it hurt?Look at me.Verra,look at me.”
She pressed herself into his chest and sobbed.
“She pushed me.”Her voice cracked.“I only came out to thank her.I didn’t do anything,Caelan.I didn’t do anything.”
His head lifted slowly.
He looked down at me.
There was no question in his eyes.No hesitation.He had already made up his mind before he even looked down.
“What did you do.”
It was not a question.
“I did not push her,”I said.“She grabbed my wrist.She pushed me…”
“Enough.”
He passed Verra gently to my mother,who had appeared at the top of the stairs,and walked me my room.
My chest tightened.
I shut up to my feet ignoring the pain all over my body,and followed him.
He was already at the shelf when I reached the door.
His hand closed around the small clay urn.
My pup’s ashes.
I stopped breathing.
“Caelan.”My voice came out quiet.“Put it down.”
He turned it over in his hand.Slowly.Like it was nothing.
“Apologize to Verra,”he said.
“I did not push her.”
“Apologize.”
“Please put it down.That is all I have left of…”
“Then apologize.”
His voice had no anger in it.No cruelty.Just emptiness.He was not trying to hurt me.He simply did not care enough to think about what he was holding.
That was worse.
“I’m sorry.”The words tore coming out.“I am sorry.Please.Put it down.”
For one moment I thought he would.
His fingers opened.
The urn dropped.
It hit the stone floor and broke apart.
The sound it made was so small.
That was the part that undid me.All that was left of my pup.And the sound it made when it shattered was barely a whisper.
I could not move.
He was already walking out.
He stepped over the broken pieces without looking down.He did not glance back at me.His whole body was already turned toward her.
“You are safe,”I heard him say,his voice going soft the moment he reached her.“I am here.”
...
I went down slowly.
Onto my knees.Onto the cold floor.
I gathered every piece with my bare hands.The sharp edge of one piece cut my palm.I kept going.
Some of the ash had scattered too far.Already lost.
I sat there for a long time.
Down the hall,I heard Verra laugh.Soft and easy.The laugh of someone who felt completely safe.
And I was on the floor,bleeding,holding what was left of everything I had lost.
I let myself feel it.All of it.The grief.The fury.The deep,hollow ache of it.
I did not fight it.I let it come.
And then,slowly,it settled.
What was left when it passed was not sadness.It was something quieter.Something cold and clear and steady.
I looked at the bond dissolution papers on the desk.
The pardon scroll in my bag.
The memory crystal with every piece of evidence already stored inside it.
He had just given me the last thing I needed.
Not a reason to stay angry.
A reason to leave.
I finished packing that night.Slowly.In the dark.Without a sound.
By the time the house went fully still,I was ready.
...
Let them sleep.
Let them feel safe.
By the time they opened their eyes,everything they thought they had would already be coming apart.
