Page 201 of Moonlit Fate

I nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. Enemy territory was no place for careless noise.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Always,” I murmured.

The world around us began to blur, edges smudging into an inky void as we stepped into darkness together.

It felt like falling through a dream. Sounds from the graveyard muffled into nothingness, and the chill of the tombstones vanished as we entered a void where cold or heat had no meaning.

“Stay close,” Atticus’s voice echoed in the void, a tether in the enveloping dark.

We emerged from the shadows as suddenly as we’d entered them. His quarters were just a few paces away, dimly lit and silent. My heart raced with anticipation and a twinge of fear. This was his world, a place I’d never seen but had imagined countless times.

As the shadows dissipated, my eyes darted around the room. It was nothing like I’d pictured—no banners of conquest or trophies from battles. Instead, it was almost... ordinary. But that ordinariness didn’t hold my gaze for long.

“Atticus?” My voice faltered as I spotted the woman lounging in the armchair by the window.

She tilted her head, regarding me with mild interest. Her bare feet were curled under her in an effortless display of comfort, the wine in her hand catching the light and casting a deep crimson glow on her features.

“Hello,” she said.

“Who are you?” Something fierce and hot bloomed in my chest.

“Valora,” she repeated, as if my confusion were amusing. “I’m often here.”

“Here?” I echoed, my mind racing. Atticus’s space, his sanctuary, and she claimed it as her own?

“Easy, Aria,” Atticus murmured, putting his hand on my shoulder. But his touch did little to ease the sharp sting of betrayal lancing through me.

The way she carried herself, so effortlessly casual, only fanned the flames of jealousy, pain, and betrayal that swirled inside me, twisting my stomach into a nauseating knot of misery.

“Atticus, who is she? What is she doing here?” My voice broke, the words barely more than a whisper as I struggled to keep control.

“It’s complicated,” he replied, his jaw tightening.

“Complicated,” I repeated as I glanced between them, the unspoken questions burning behind my eyes.

49

ATTICUS

“What are you doing here, Valora?” I snapped.

I could scent Aria’s confusion, her disbelief almost tangible in the air. I turned to her, trying to convey a silent message of reassurance. “This isn’t what it looks like,” I said firmly. “I’ll explain everything, I promise.”

“Explain?” Valora laughed, a sound that grated on my nerves. She stepped closer, her smile too wide, too false. “Oh, Atti, you’re not telling me that you haven’t told this poor girl about our engagement?”

“Engagement?” The word fell from Aria’s lips in disbelief, and my gut twisted. This was bad.

“Valora, you need to leave. Now.”

She cocked her head, a mock pout forming on her lips. “Leave? But, darling, this will be our home soon enough. Your father gave me a key.” She dangled it in front of me, the metal glinting in the dim light. “He’s eager for us to start making that heir he keeps talking about.”

This had gone far enough. “Get out.” My words were ice, the command undeniable. I took a step forward, my presence alone enough to make her retreat. “Don’t come back here withoutan invitation.” I flung the door open, a clear signal that this conversation was over.

“But, Atticus…” she protested, her tone sugary sweet.

“No buts. Out.” I stepped closer to her, using my height to emphasize my point. Valora hesitated for a moment, then huffed and bent to retrieve her shoes. I caught her wrist and spun her around to face me. “And Valora, anything you’ve seen or heard in this room stays in this room. Do you understand?”

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