Aira couldn’t help but chuckle in response as she slightly shook her head. She remained seated at the small table, one hand resting lightly against the smooth surface as she waited for her freshly prepared snacks to be served. The faint scent of sugar and baked dough already lingered in the air, carried in from the kitchens below.
"Aren’t they worried about the Zygon monsters?" she asked, genuinely curious to know what they were banking on to get rid of such strong, shape-shifting creatures. Her tone was casual, though her eyes remained watchful.
"We’ve taken care of the worst of them in the werewolf realm. With you, Lady Aira, we have no problem identifying them," Varret continued, his voice steady as he remained beside her.
Aira slowly nodded her head in response, her fingers curling briefly before relaxing again. She was fully aware that she was the only one who knew her abilities had temporarily stopped working, and she made sure nothing about her expression hinted at it.
"Zyren is no longer necessary," Varret added. "Moreover, I am sure my lady would be happy to see him gone. Rember, he killed your father and brother."
Aira maintained a blank expression as she listened, her gaze unfocused as if she were thinking of sothing else entirely. She nodded once more, asured and controlled.
It was obvious now that the hunters and the werewolves had reached so kind of agreent. With her powers no longer working, the last thing she wanted was for them to believe she was a problem they still needed to get rid of—especially now that she knew about their plans.
"Okay," she said, letting out a deep sigh as her shoulders subtly lowered. "I’ll do my best."
Varret instantly responded, his tone dropping lower, more severe—enough to shock Aira. The words that followed were not what she had expected to hear, especially considering how carefully she thought she had kept her secret.
"What about the baby, Lady Aira?"
The question made her snap her head to the side to look at him, her movents sharp and imdiate.
"Your bump is quite obvious from down here," he said.
Aira couldn’t hide how flustered she was, the emotion flickering openly across her face before slowly hardening into sothing colder. Her jaw tightened as Varret hurried to speak again.
"I won’t tell anyone," he said quickly. "The baby clearly has nothing to do with the king."
He knew the lords wouldn’t feel the sa. Moreover, he understood how protective mothers were when it ca to their children. The last thing he wanted was to make Aira feel like she was trapped or cornered.
Unknown to him, Aira had instantly considered getting rid of him before he left the castle. Her gaze darkened slightly as her thoughts turned sharp, calculating. Her heart, which had begun to thump wildly, slowly returned to normal as she reminded herself that Zyren would protect her.
"I promise," Varret added, clearly aware of the dark look she sent his way—the sa kind of gaze he had seen directed at others monts before they were killed.
Aira was just about to speak again when the side entrance to the small dining room opened. The soft sound of footsteps followed as the maids stepped through quietly, carrying small platters piled high with colorful sweets and desserts that caught the light.
At that point, it would have been nothing but an annoyance to eat with him kneeling beside her.
"Leave," she ordered.
Varret didn’t hesitate. He rose to his feet, adjusted his posture, bowed his head respectfully, and turned to leave the room.
Aira remained seated. She picked up a spoon, the tal cool between her fingers, and carefully scooped into the freshly baked cake placed in front of her. The taste was exquisite—soft, warm, and sweet. Her lashes fluttered closed briefly as she focused on the sensation on her tongue.
She took another spoonful.
For a split second, she didn’t worry about Liora. She didn’t think about the many people trying to kill Zyren. She didn’t even think about herself or the fact that her powers were no longer working.
For a mont, she simply sat there, eating quietly, the room unusually still. She took another spoonful and then another, having already gestured for the maids to leave once they were done serving her.
It wasn’t until she was finished that Aira finally got to her feet. She left the small dining hall with a plate still in her hand, not caring about the looks she received for carrying food around.
So of the maids offered to help, but Aira waved them off without hesitation as she made her way upstairs, her steps unhurried, heading straight toward Zyren’s study.
She believed he had told her everything she needed to know, but so part of her still wanted to be there when her sister was found.
Call it irrational, but she didn’t care. She fully believed that whatever condition her sister was found in, her presence would be needed.
She knocked once on Zyren’s door and walked in imdiately, the sa way he always entered their room.
She was slightly surprised to see Zyren seated behind his desk, sowhere she had rarely seen him sit. With the plate still in her hand, she walked toward him.
She placed the plate of cake on the table before shifting forward and settling into his lap. She smiled faintly when she heard him chuckle, his arms wrapping securely around her waist as he carefully pulled her closer to his chest.
"You’re getting bigger," he teased. "A little more, and you’ll be too heavy to carry."
Aira smiled in response, her gaze drifting to the papers spread out across the desk. A closer look revealed reports detailing different areas, just as she expected.
"You’ve still not seen any signs of her?" Aira asked.
Zyren responded in his usual calm, detached tone—one that sohow reassured her in that exact mont.
"When I send people out, I make sure they move in clusters and groups. The last thing we need is for Zygons to find a way to take over guards we’ve already cleared."
As he spoke, he lifted his hands, sliding them gently up Aira’s neck and through a few strands of her hair, his touch slow and grounding.
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