Olivia’s hands trembled as she gripped the last letter left by her mother. Damon waited, silent, his breath held as if afraid any noise might shatter her.
She read aloud, her voice barely more than a whisper:
"I never fear dying, but I will miss you and Oriana even in the afterlife. I hope she did not take a decision, she would regret it all her life. And you... never change, Olivia. I know it must be hard to live alone, but do not trust those nobles. Life as a commoner and stay happy, my daughter. Even the northern or eastern lands can not be trusted. Must you need soone, find solace in your sister.
Do not touch slaves again and this book should only be your last choice. I want a different result for your life, my daughter. You must not follow our footsteps."
Olivia’s heart slamd against her chest. Her mouth went dry. She looked at Damon, but his expression was unreadable.
"They did not commit suicide, i think." she raised her head to et his eyes. "I never understood why my father had taken so much loan when our territory was running just fine. And why did my mother die in the alley when she was taking care of us. She did not want the sa result for us so she refused us to et the nobles. Why did I not get this book before?" her voice rose with fear, anguish and rage at the death of her parents.
Damon nodded as he placed his hand on her shoulders.
"You should not think too much about it."
"Lady Elvira Bexley from the Viscount family, Dorian Flint, the vassal of northern duke, The High Seer of Velhurst! I rember the na clearly. Why would a high seer give my parents a hefty sum as a loan? How did he even get it in the first place?"
Her breath caught.
"Do not trust them, Olivia. Never heal anyone unless you are certain of their loyalty."
Damon stepped back, running a hand down his face. "The High Seer... He was at the coronation. He blessed your father’s burial."
"He blessed the man he helped murder," Olivia spat, voice sharp with disbelief and rage.
She looked at the letter again. Her mother’s final words echoed in her mind like a sacred vow:
"You are not cursed, Olivia. You are the last of us. They will co for you if they learn. Hide in plain sight. Be kind, but never blind. And if the blood sings, let it. The Red Moon will rise again. And when it does, you must choose."
She folded the letter with shaking fingers and placed it gently back into the book. Damon watched her, his throat bobbing when he looked into her eyes full of rage, a flicker of sothing she could beco. Was anger her weapon?
"Your mother wanted you to stay away from the war," he said quietly.
"No," Olivia said. "She was preparing for survival. But now I know... why I was born again. Why the blood brought back. It’s not just to save Oriana or you..."
She looked up, eyes blazing now, wet with grief and fury.
"It’s to finish what my parents started."
Damon stepped forward and took her hand. "Then let’s do it right this ti."
She nodded once, lips pressed tight. "Do you know the viscount or the vassal family of the north?" Then her eyes widened. "Do you think the northern duke had a hand in it too?"
Damon’s eyes flickered but he still shook his head.
"No, Rhistel knows about the powers but he never harms them." Olivia’s eyes narrowed at once.
"You knew about the powers."
"Yes, I heard about them from Rhistel when I was young and sent for my first war. He had asked about you and my new mother. And told that they did not need to send to war to kill . More gibberish I do not rember and warned , if I hear any of you speaking foreign language, use the herbs to heal others or make prophecies then I warn him and he will handle it." fury burnt her chest. For so long she had trusted him but he was keeping things from him.
"How long have you known that I could be a witch?" her voice rose and he gulped. He knew she had connected the dots.
"From the ti we returned, we won the barbarians’ war. That letter had sown the seeds of doubt. I have confronted you but you refused. I was confused. But then I saw more than a witch, I saw a struggling girl who had chosen to save . Olivia... your truth did n’t matter to ." his hands ca for her, but she pushed him away.
"I can not trust a liar!" her eyes looked hurt and her body wounded. "I don’t even know how many lies you have told so far! You must have looked at as a thing to experint on as you followed and like a fool I believe when you told that you love ." her voice trembled in the end.
How her body had accepted him. How she was the one to ask him to take her. She felt hatred and filth.
"Olivia.." he held her again. Pulling her toward his chest while wrapping his arms around her waist. Her anger flared and she struggled.
"Let go! Damon. I thought you had found the truth through . I thought I had kept you in the dark. While all this ti you were making fun of my confusion. You watched struggling to keep my sanity as strange things kept happening around . And you played dumb all this ti. I do not want anything to do with you, anymore. I do not trust you." she struggled hard while punching his hands wrapped around her body.
But she was no match for a strong knight like him.
"I was afraid that you would misunderstand , Olivia and I was afraid that you would not accept the truth. I wanted to give you ti to realize everything. But I never wanted to hurt you."
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