Page 106 of Emylia

He jogged ahead, and by the time I caught up, he’d already turned to face me—arms raised, offering it to me like it was holy.

And maybe it was.

I stopped.

Everything inside me stilled.

The raw stave we’d split earlier was gone. In its place was something that didn’t look crafted—it lookedsummoned.

My fingers hovered over the grain before I dared touch it. The wood was smoothed to satin, rich and warm beneath my fingertips. Balanced. Beautiful.

He’d taken something wild and rough and shaped it into something deadly.

Something worthy.

A small carving near the grip caught my eye. I tilted it closer and traced it slowly—a lone wolf, howling toward a moon that wasn’t there. The details were intricate. Masterful. A craftsman’s signature.

But still... it felt incomplete.

The wolf had no wings.

The Cindralyx—the symbol of Agertheria—was wolf and phoenix, united. This creature stood alone. Beautiful, yes. But stripped. Exposed.

“I even had time to carve it,” he said quietly. “I would’ve shown you how to string it, but... you looked like you were in your element.”

His smile came, but it faltered—hesitated—as if he wasn’t sure how it would land.

Was he... nervous? That didn’t make sense.

Except it did.

And Gods, itwreckedme.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.

His eyes—those impossible storm-swept blues—flicked up.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I breathed. “Maalikai... you’re amazing. I wasn’t sure at first, but this?” I ran my hand over the bow again. “This is...everything.”

Something shifted in his expression.

Pride—yes. But more than that. Something raw. Vulnerable.

Before I could name it?—

“Hey.” Sebastian’s voice cut through the moment like a blade.

He strode over and snatched the bow right out of my hands.

“Hey!” I snapped, bristling. “That’smine!”

He didn’t even look at me as he nocked an arrow. Oozing that particular brand of casual arrogance.

A weapon in his own right.

Then—snap.

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