Chapter 7: The Queen's Decree

The memory of the full moon night became a ghost that haunted the manor's halls. I could still feel the phantom weight of Kaleb's head against my arm, the coarse texture of his hair under my fingertips. The warmth of that connection had been a drug, and the withdrawal was a constant, aching cold. I avoided him with a desperation that bordered on panic. I took my meals in my rooms, conducted business from my study, and gave orders through Sophia. The library, once a sanctuary, now felt tainted...