Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Chapter 97

Chapter 97

I stopped in front of the lake and settled down, my legs crossed as I draped a hand over some of the vines stretching close to my fingers.

"Hey, little vines. What’re you up to?" I cooed, my tone as though I were speaking to a real person.

The Aetherblood resonance sent tingles into the tips of my fingers, the sensation eventually settling along my spine before my power pulsed back and connected with the vines.

A magnified view of the forest came into sight. Splendid.

"Wow," I mouthed as I looked around. I no longer saw just the lake but the beauty of the entire forest.

Caught beneath the gleam of the sun, it sparkled with life and an abundance of growth.

A part of me wished to go deeper, to connect with my parents through the One Tree, but a voice called out from behind me.

"Who are you?"

I stirred, a hand pressing against the grass as I turned around. Before me stood a frail old man, a lawn mower by his side. He placed his hands on his hips.

"I asked you a question," he repeated, casting me a wary look.

I blinked as I rose to my feet, careful with my movements. Instinctively, a hand settled on my stomach to support the weight as I straightened.

But before I could speak, his eyes widened and he gasped.

"Heavens, is it you, Luna?" He pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket and put them on. "Oh, my... it’s truly you, Luna Alex."

A bright smile spread across his face, so radiant I almost thought he’d clap his hands. He hurried a step closer.

"I’ve met your wife, Mr. Locke. You’re just like her," I said, referring to the way they both reached for their glasses.

"The doctor recommended these things, but they’re such a discomfort."

"But they help your sight, don’t they?" I asked.

He nodded with obvious reluctance, as though he hated admitting it.

A brief silence settled between us before he changed the subject.

"Come on. You’re about to miss my wife’s favourite brunch time," he said, then leaned closer to whisper, "And she has a special treat for everyone who attended Yoga with her."

"Then, unfortunately for you, I’ll be the one getting the special treat between the two of us."

"Man, that’s so unfair..." he groaned like a disappointed child, and it sent me into a fit of laughter.

The two of us laughed all the way back across the field. Ahead, the fortress came into view, its towering walls overwhelming the eye once again. We passed the flowerbeds, where a fountain crowned with the sculpture of an eagle stood proudly.

Mrs. Locke had already prepared the entire meal by the time we arrived. The rest of brunch passed with stories about the history of the House of Michaelson.

Forgive me, but I’ve got a terrible memory. What I could say was that Kai’s family had come a long way, and earning the title of Alpha of SilverFang had not happened by chance.

By the time we were done, the sun had begun to sink. The evening breeze swept through my hair and billowed the tablecloth as Mr. Locke offered to walk me back to my room.

We were making our way up the stairs when a portrait caught my attention.

"I hadn’t noticed this one before," I said aloud.

I kept my eyes on it.

It was... peaceful.

The painting began with a single face, one filled with serenity, but the artist had layered more faces across the canvas. The same features. The same proportions. Only different shades of peace gazed back at me.

One upon another.

And somehow, together, they told the story the artist had wanted to tell.

"It was after Kai’s first trip to the beach," Mr. Locke explained. "He described the feeling as ethereal and unimaginable, so he created something that stood somewhere between nonsense and understanding."

"Kai drew it?" I turned to him. "Was he an artist?"

"You didn’t know?" he asked with genuine surprise. "He painted every portrait in this house. It was his passion."

"He’s a much more complicated man now," I admitted, my voice softening and my expression faltering. "I’m trying to understand him, but I... I really don’t know if I know him as well as I thought. Yet we’re married, and our minds are connected by a bond."

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on me.

"My wife and I didn’t have it easy either," Mr. Locke said. "Marriage is many things, Luna. It goes beyond communication, intimacy, or simply fulfilling your duties. It’s something you keep working at, every day."

He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The rest of the walk ended at the door to my room. I wished Mr. Locke goodnight, and after a light bow, he turned to leave.

I reached for the handle and pushed the door open, but something caught my attention.

A movement stirred within the shadows.

My palm shot forward on instinct. The bulb overhead crackled as part of the electricity surged toward my hand, gathering over my skin before lashing toward the approaching figure.

Clawface stepped out of the darkness.

"Only Alpha Kai has ever noticed me in the shadows. Should I assume you’ve learned from him?"

"Kai doesn’t teach me anything," I said bitterly. All he did was hide me away as though I were some fragile toy that could shatter at the slightest inconvenience. My voice hardened as I met his gaze. "What do you want?"

"Alpha Kai sent me," he reported, extending a folded parchment.

"What...?" I paused as I took it.

Kai could have called or sent an email, but instead he’d written me a letter? That was absurd.

Curiosity settled heavily in my chest as I broke the wax seal and read its contents.

My breathing hitched the moment understanding settled in.

"Leo..." I whispered, my eyes flicking to the side. "I have to connect with the One Tree at once."

"What’s in it? You look pale." Clawface sounded genuinely concerned.

Quickly, I folded the letter shut, gripping it tightly between my fingers before turning toward my room.

Without another word, I shut the door behind me and headed straight for the open balcony.