[Third Person].
"They didn’t say," redith replied. "But I think the middle one was a bully."
Draven chuckled, nodding. redith smiled too. She was just about to ntion her plan to visit his mother that evening when footsteps approached.
Turning, she saw Xamira’s nanny walking towards them, and the mory of her promise to draw with Xamira suddenly jolted.
The nanny bowed deeply to both of them. "Alpha. Luna. Forgive for intruding."
Then she turned to redith. "The little miss sent to remind you of your promise to spend so ti with her this morning. She asked when you might be coming."
redith sighed inwardly. Left for her, she didn’t want to visit Xamira, but she had given her word.
"I will be there shortly," she said, forcing a polite smile.
The nanny bowed again and departed.
redith took in a sharp breath, already bracing herself as the morning took yet another turn.
anwhile, Draven watched her for a mont, noting the faint reluctance she didn’t bother to hide.
"If you don’t want to go," he said gently, "then don’t."
redith exhaled, then pushed herself to her feet anyway. "If I don’t go now, I won’t go again," she replied honestly. Then, more quietly, she added, "Besides, if I want answers, I need to spend ti with her and observe her."
Draven nodded, understanding more than she said aloud. He rose as well. "Then let walk you back."
They returned to the house together, their pace unhurried. Once inside, they parted ways—Draven heading toward his duties, redith turning down a familiar corridor.
A few minutes later, she stopped before Xamira’s bedroom door and knocked once.
When she opened it slightly and peeped in, she found Xamira sitting on the rug, drawing materials already spread out neatly.
At the sight of redith, Xamira’s face lit up. She jumped to her feet and hurried over as redith stepped inside.
"Good morning, my lady," Xamira greeted brightly before throwing her arms around her. "You ca!"
redith smiled and returned the hug. "Promises are ant to be kept."
Xamira pulled back, still smiling.
As redith studied her more closely, she noticed the faint sheen of sweat on the girl’s forehead and the slight rise and fall of her chest.
"Did you go for a run?" redith asked lightly. "You are sweating."
Xamira chuckled and tugged redith toward the rug. "No. I was just nervous because I wanted to impress you with my drawing."
Valmora stirred sharply at that, but redith brushed it aside for now.
"What are we drawing today?" redith asked as they sat.
"A garden," Xamira said promptly.
redith smiled. "I’m not very good at drawing, as you already know, but I will try." Then she glanced around and asked, "Where is your nanny?"
As if summoned, the door opened. The nanny entered carrying a glass of milk and a plate stacked with pancakes.
redith frowned slightly. "You haven’t had breakfast?" She asked Xamira.
"She has, my Luna," the nanny replied quickly. "This is just sothing light—an appetizer while she draws."
redith nodded, then reached out and pinched Xamira’s cheek gently. "You eat quite a lot for soone so small."
Xamira giggled in return. A mont later, she looked up at her nanny. "You can go now. The Luna will stay with this morning."
The nanny hesitated and glanced at redith. redith inclined her head in approval, so with a curtsy, the nanny left, closing the door behind her.
The room fell quiet. Only redith and Xamira remained.
Then, Xamira slid a plain drawing sheet toward redith, her small fingers careful as she lined it up beside her own.
"Here, my lady," she said brightly. "So we can draw together."
redith picked up a charcoal stick and nodded. "All right. A garden it is."
They began in companionable silence, broken now and then by soft laughter. redith sketched uneven flowerbeds and looping vines that stubbornly refused to look symtrical.
Xamira, on the other hand, drew with surprising confidence—her grass flowing naturally, her flowers detailed and lively.
redith leaned over to peek. "That’s much better than mine."
Xamira glanced at redith’s page and shook her head quickly. "Yours is nice too."
redith smiled. "You should be the one teaching how to draw."
Xamira’s cheeks flushed at the praise. "It’s just practice."
redith studied her small face as she spoke—those clear, innocent green eyes.
Sothing tugged at her mory. ’I seem to have seen that shade before...’
Her thoughts flicked briefly to Wanda, who had green eyes as well—but colder, sharper, and nothing like this. Still, the resemblance unsettled her.
"Luna?" Xamira called, waving a hand.
redith blinked. "Yes?"
"I said I need to use the restroom."
"Go on," redith said at once, offering a small smile. "I will be right here."
Xamira hopped to her feet and ran toward the bathroom.
redith exhaled slowly and stood. Drawn by an impulse she didn’t fully understand, she walked toward the balcony doors and stepped outside, her gaze lifting instinctively toward the sky as the morning light spilt over the estate grounds.
A few monts later, her eyes caught sothing lying near the edge of the stone floor. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she bent and picked up the green feather.
She turned it between her fingers, studying the sheen, the subtle play of brighter hues along its edge.
Then her lips parted. "This colour..." she murmured. "It’s the sa as the birds from earlier."
"It is the sa one," Valmora confird imdiately.
redith’s frown deepened. "How did it get here?" she whispered.
Her thoughts raced back to the mont when that fierce bird had broken away from the others and flown toward the house.
"Did it co inside?" Before she could think further, a small voice called out behind her.
"My lady."
redith turned sharply and saw Xamira standing near the doorway with wet hands. Then she asked, in an even voice, as she stepped toward her, "You are finished."
Xamira nodded, but her gaze had dropped straight to redith’s hand—to the feather.
redith stopped in her steps and followed the little girl’s line of sight and felt her nervousness, the subtle tightening of breath, and the way her pupils sharpened just a fraction.
Just then, a mory from Duskmoor slamd into her. A quiet day on her balcony, a green bird flew in. The eyes were unnaturally green and intelligent. She had fed it and even spoken softly to it.
’Those eyes...’ redith’s breath caught in her throat. ’That’s why they felt familiar.’
The sudden realization hit with terrifying clarity. Her hand opened, and she flung the feather away as if it burned.
In the sa heartbeat, redith’s eyes blazed—violet light flooding her pupils, the air around them humming with suppressed power.
Next, she crossed the distance instantly, one hand snapping up to Xamira’s throat and lifting her off the ground with effortless strength.
Xamira gasped, her eyes wide as her feet dangled in the air.
In a voice stripped of warmth, low and deadly calm, redith spoke, "She finally caught you."
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