Rian's POV
The door slammed shut behind me, the sound sharp and loud enough to make Mira jump. She was already waiting inside, her hands folded neatly as if she was ready to serve, but her eyes softened the moment they met mine.
I barely looked at her.
"Another night of being dismissed like I'm a passing thought," I muttered, sliding down against the door until my back hit the cold wood. "He can call me whenever, touch me whenever… then tell me to leave like I'm nothing."
Mira didn't say anything, but the way her eyes lingered on me said more than words could. She had been there when the king had summoned me to his hut again—when his touch came rough and quick and meaningless. When afterward, he looked at me as though I were a broken thing to be discarded.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I hated how much it hurt, how deeply his cold dismissal cut into me.
"You're not nothing," Mira said softly, crossing the room to kneel beside me. "Not to me. Not to anyone who sees you."
I let out a bitter laugh and wiped at the sting in my eyes. "You're the only one who believes that.
" that's not true " Mira said gently
I closed my eyes, and the sting of tears crept in, unwelcome but relentless. I swallowed hard, biting back the first hot drops, but they spilled over and trickled down my cheeks. It felt like betrayal, crying when I was supposed to be stronger, but the ache was too much to hold inside.
"You don't have to be alone," Mira whispered, her hand brushing against mine, warm and real.
I shook my head, voice breaking. "I'm not weak," I told her, more to convince myself than her.
"But you're hurting," she said softly, "and there's no shame in that."
I pulled the blanket over my shoulders and curled into myself, letting the tears come.
The words felt like a balm, and slowly, exhaustion pulled at me. Mira stayed close as I let myself drift into sleep, safe for the first time in hours.
___________________________________
The morning light spilled through the curtains when I woke, the ache in my muscles a dull throb, but the fog in my mind had cleared slightly. Mira was there, already tending to the small chamber, her quiet efficiency soothing.
"Come," she said softly, "I want to show you something."
We stepped out together, the halls around the king's chambers strangely calm. My steps felt heavier than usual, but curiosity nudged me forward.
We wandered down a narrow corridor, the scent of old wood and parchment growing stronger. Then, through an open door, I saw it a library. Shelves soared high, lined with countless books of every shape and size. The smell of leather and ink filled the air, and for a moment, I forgot the pain from yesterday.
My fingers trailed along the spines, tracing titles and feeling the worn texture of ancient tomes. A rare smile tugged at my lips. This place was a refuge, a hidden world away from the politics and cruelty that surrounded me.
Then footsteps approached, steady and familiar. Avery appeared in the doorway, her usual sharp expression softened by concern. She walked toward me with purpose.
"I heard what happened," she said quietly.
My smile faded. "It's… complicated."
Avery's eyes darkened with frustration, but there was warmth beneath it. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to endure that."
I met her gaze, the anger I still carried bubbling to the surface. "He made me feel like I was nothing like I was just something to be used and tossed aside."
Avery's jaw clenched. "I will speak to him. You don't deserve this."
"It's fine I'm used to it "
No," Avery said softly, sitting beside me. "You're stronger than you realize. This isn't the end. It's the beginning."
For a long moment, the silence stretched between us, filled with unsaid truths and fragile hope.
Mira moved closer, offering a warm cup of tea, but I hardly noticed. My mind was tangled with Avery's words and the strange stirring inside me.
"I wish I could explain him to you," Avery said finally, standing. "But I can't. He's confused, just like you are. You'll figure this out together or apart.
I wanted to believe her, but a part of me still braced for disappointment.
We walked the rows of books together, and soon I found myself drawn to a section I hadn't noticed before a collection about witches and old magic, volumes bound in dark leather with strange symbols embossed on their covers.
One book, in particular, caught my eye. Its title was etched in silver: The Sigma Mirror. The cover was cool beneath my fingers, and a sudden shiver ran down my spine as I opened it.
The air seemed to thicken, charged with a strange energy that prickled at my skin. I felt my wolf stir within me not just a flicker this time, but a deep, resonant voice that whispered inside my mind. A voice I hadn't hear for sometime now
My wolf Nyla
"You are not nothing."
"You are waking. You are more than you know."
I gasped softly, closing the book as my heart hammered in my chest. Mira's concerned eyes found mine
"Nyla?" I asked but got no response
What is it?" she asked, voice low.
"I don't know," I whispered. "But…my wolf just spoke to me ."
Avery stepped closer, her face grave. "That book holds dangerous knowledge. Magic most fear."
I looked back at the dark pages, strange symbols swimming before my eyes. The wolf inside me growled softly, protective and fierce.
In that moment, I knew the path ahead would not be easy. But it was mine to walk.
I felt hollow and shattered as I stumbled back to my chamber later that day, the weight of the king's dismissal pressing on me like a stone in my chest. Mira was waiting by the door, her eyes soft with understanding.
She followed me inside without a word, setting a basin of water and cloth beside the bed. I sank onto the mattress, head heavy, the ache in my heart deepening.
"Let me," Mira said gently, helping me wash the bruises I barely noticed.
I bit my lip to keep from crying again, but the hurt was too fresh, too raw
"You're going to be fine " Mira promised and I just nodded in agreement