Chapter 56: I am leaving soon.
Ava's POV
It had been over a week and two days since the banquet ceremony, a week and two days without seeing Raphael or Gwen. None of the letters I sent to Gwen received a response.
I stayed indoors, alternating between training with Drakon and wandering the indoor garden attached to my chambers. For the past week, Raphael has sent me endless flowers and sweet notes, yet I haven’t caught even a glimpse of him.
News has spread about the Wan and Saraif family mansions being burned to the ground. People suspect Anastasia is responsible, but there’s no proof.
Honestly, I don’t feel sorry for them. They deserved it. From what little Gwen told me, they were monsters. Still, my heart aches at the thought of Gwen. Perhaps it’s time to move on. No reply means I don’t want to talk to you anymore, right?
I recently received an invitation to a gathering for the winners of the Arcane competition, where they’ll be assigned to different teams within the Lycanthrope army.
But I won’t attend. I’ve made up my mind; I’m going back to my realm to finish my unfinished business. If Raphael would still have me afterward, I'd return. But first, I need to remove those people from existence.
Maya and I have grown much stronger. I’m confident I’ve surpassed Anastasia. I even managed to defeat Drakon, twice in his dragon form. Only recently have I realized how massive Maya is. Perhaps the more we train, the larger she becomes. The first time I shifted, she hadn’t been this big.
“My lady,” Callie called out. “Someone is here to see you.”
Another flower and note, perhaps? But I’ve already received today’s offering. Who could it be? I rose from the recliner where I’d been enjoying the cool afternoon breeze in my garden and walked toward the outer floor of my chambers.
“Hi, Ava.” Gwen’s voice startled me. She sat there, accompanied by Anastasia, who regarded me with an unusually cold expression.
“Good afternoon, Gwendolyn,” I replied stiffly, using her full name.
I didn’t understand why she was here, and with her, no less. The ice queen herself.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Anastasia retorted sharply.
“Oh? Are you going to bare your fangs at me?” I challenged, my tone dripping with disdain as I stared at her like she was some kind of monster.
“What is wrong with you two?” Gwen interjected, clearly exasperated.
“What’s wrong with me?” Anastasia and I snapped in unison, glaring at each other.
Gwen rolled her eyes. “Stop acting like children, both of you,” she scolded, pointing at each of us in turn.
“You can’t just barge into my chambers and tell me how to act,” I shot back, anger flaring.
“I’m sorry,” Gwen said, her tone softening as she fidgeted with her hands. “I just wanted to check on you. I haven’t heard from you in a while.”
Haven’t heard from me? I’ve been sending her letters through Callie for over a week! The only response I got was from that crazy bitch sitting beside her. I clenched my jaw but kept silent.
“You see, Gwen?” Anastasia said, dragging Gwen to her feet. “She doesn’t want us here. I told you.”
“Don’t say that,” Gwen replied firmly. “Ava is my friend.”
Looks like my letters didn’t reach her after all.
“I’m leaving soon,” I announced abruptly. Their bickering stopped as the room fell into silence.
“Why? Why are you leaving? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Gwen asked, her voice trembling.
“I tried. I sent you messages asking to meet, but you never replied. What was I supposed to do? Force you to respond?”
“What? I didn’t get any letters!” Gwen exclaimed, bewildered.
I didn’t waste time arguing. “Callie! Callie!” I called. My maid appeared almost instantly.
“Yes, my lady?”
“Have I, or have I not, given you letters to deliver to Lady Gwendolyn?” I pointed at Gwen.
“Yes, my lady. You have,” she confirmed.
“And did you bring back any replies, aside from the one Lady Anastasia gave you?”
“No, my lady. Lady Anastasia has been collecting the letters whenever I delivered them.”
“What?” Gwen looked between me and Anastasia, stunned. “What kind of behavior is this?”
I stood quiet, watching Gwen as her gaze shifted to Anastasia, whose cold expression had morphed into one of silent fury.
“I swear it wasn’t me,” Anastasia said defensively. “I didn’t send her any letters!”
“She’s telling the truth,” Gwen interjected, her tone resolute. “Anastasia isn’t that petty.”
She believes her. My chest tightened with irritation. Without a word, I walked to my bedroom and retrieved a crumpled letter.
“Is this her handwriting?” I asked sarcastically, holding it out.
Gwen inspected it carefully. “No,” she admitted. “Anastasia’s handwriting is much neater and more elegant. Someone must have forged it.”
I turned to look at Anastasia, whose earlier anger now radiated something far darker.
“Who would do that?” Gwen asked, her voice tense.
“I smell magic,” Anastasia said grimly.
“Magic? From where?” I asked, skeptical. It felt like they were trying to cover for each other.
“It’s a witch’s spell; Lara Croft’s spell, to be precise,” Gwen replied, her expression thoughtful.
Anastasia glanced at me and seemed to notice my doubt. “Yes, I was jealous of how close you were with Gwen,” she admitted, her voice steady. “But I haven’t been in the palace since the morning Gwen woke up that day.” She wasn’t asking me to believe her, just explaining herself.
“If it’s Lara, what’s her motive?” I asked, irritation simmering beneath my words.
“The clan coronation is the day after tomorrow,” Gwen said, as though that explained everything.
“I don’t understand,” I said, frowning. “What does that have to do with this?”
“They’re stirring up problems where there aren’t any,” Anastasia replied, her tone analytical. “Besides, Gwen was and still is the chosen queen. Now, she’s more powerful than anyone else in their clan.”
I didn’t fully grasp the details, but one thing was certain, I hated being manipulated.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
