chapter 83
Lucia froze her mind racing a mile per minute “Helios, you are not wearing anything”
Helios did not move, he did not know how to.
The moment felt suspended in time, cocooned in the warmth of their closeness. But just as Lucia began to lose herself in the comfort of Helios’s arms despite her heart racing a mile per minute, a sudden voice shattered the tranquility.
“Lucia, Helios, I apologize for the interruption,” came the polite but firm voice of Constance.
Startled, Lucia and Helios pulled away from each other, their cheeks flushing with embarrassment at being caught in such a vulnerable moment. Constance stood a few feet away, her expression unreadable behind her professional demeanor, though there was a hint of displeasure in them
“It’s quite alright, Constance,” Helios said, his voice betraying a hint of discomfort as he straightened his posture. “Is there something you need?”
Constance dipped into a respectful curtsey before addressing them. “Forgive me for intruding, but Lord Ermis requests your presence for breakfast. he mentioned that he would prefer not to start without you both.”
Lucia nodded, grateful for the excuse to break the tension that lingered between them. “Of course, Constance. Thank you for letting us know.”
Constance offered them a small smile before turning on her heel and disappearing back into the mansion, leaving Lucia and Helios alone once more. They exchanged a sheepish look, both unsure of how to address the awkwardness of the situation.
Although, Lucia did not miss the warning look Constance sent her way, their earlier
conversation flashing through her mind.“I suppose I should let you get ready then” Lucia said a little awkwardly
“Good morning, Ermis,” Helios greeted, his voice filled with genuine happiness. Something
he had to practice over the century to be perfect at it.
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chapter 83
Ermis offereditthumattight–lipped smile in return, though there was something about! expressionttiatt setLucia on edge. It was as if he was hiding something, assecret|lufkir
just beneathhtthesurface.
“Goodmuniing,” Hirnis replied, his voice clipped and distant.
Lucinexchanged a wary glance with Helios before taking her seattopussitermis. She couillintsuike the feeling that something was off aboutthim, thoughsthecouldn’t quit puttherffinger on what it was.
Assttheyliegantto eat, conversation flowed freely between them,,ttimugh Ermis seemed anillyddetached, his responses short and curt. Lucia tried to engagehimiin conversatio askingabout his plans for the day and what he had beemupto
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense with each passingmontent, until finally, Luci amullmollonger stand the suffocating weight of fittall..“Iss everything alright, Ermis?” sł auskell, her voice laced with concern.
Birmis’s gaze flickered to hers, his expression unreadable.“Hverything’s fine,” he replie (though there was a hint of defensiveness im hisstone.
But Lucia wasn’t convinced. She could sense thatttticewasimioretto the story than Err was letting on, and she was determined to uncoverttikettruth.
Before she could press him further, however, Constancecentered the room, a tray of fre baked pastries in hand. Her presence seemedtobreaktthettension that had been build between them, and Ermis quickly rose from hisssseat,excusing himself with a muttered apology.
As he hurried out of the room, Lucia couldnttheiptbutffeel a sense of unease settle ov her. There was something about Ermissssbaliaviortthat didn’t sit right with her, she loo to Helios, but he seemed to be im hissawmworld.
Ermis had a mission, he wanted the getthemecklace. He had noticed that necklace, la with protective spells, that was giventtollucia by Helios was not worn by Lucia two ba ago. He needed it. that way, Heliasswanitantteablettoffind her when his rebels struck
His footsteps were muffled bytheplush carpeting beneath his feet as he approached Lucia’s room, his heart poundingimhisnest with a mixture of anticipation and dread he was caught, helios mighttnuitbunderstanding of any excuse he might give
chapter 83
He paused outside her door, hesitating for a moment before reaching out to turn the handle. The door creaked open, revealing the dimly lit interior of Lucia’s room. sunlight
filtered in through the sheer curtains, casting an ethereal glow over the space.
Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Ermis stepped inside, his eyes scanning the
room for any sign of the necklace. He moved with purpose, methodically searching through drawers and rifling through closets, his hands trembling with each failed attempt
to uncover the elusive item.
But no matter where he looked, the necklace remained elusive, as if it had vanished into
thin air. Frustration gnawed at him, his thoughts racing as he tried to piece together the
puzzle of its disappearance. Had Lucia hidden it somewhere? Or had someone else gotten
to it before him? Or had she had worn it back? He smacked his head at the thought. Then his plan would have gone to waste.
He scolded himself, thinking of how he should have checked before standing up
As he continued his search, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Time was running out, and he couldn’t afford to come up empty–handed. If he didn’t find the necklace soon, all of his careful planning would have been for nothing.
But just as he was about to give up hope, a noise from outside the room caught his attention. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he strained to listen. Footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder with each passing moment.
Panic surged through him as he realized he was running out of time. With one last desperate glance around the room, he turned to leave, slipping out of the door just as Lucia entered the hallway, a puzzled expression on her face.
Ermis hurried away, his mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. He had come up empty–handed in his search, but he refused to give up. The necklace was out there somewhere, and he would do whatever it took to find it
“my lady?” someone knocked from the other side of the door. He tried to use his magic to disappear, but it was as though the magic surrounding the castle had come back with a chocking hold over him, stopping him from using his powers.
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The Wolf and the Fae
chapter 84
