Chapter 229
“Is this what it feels like to drown while listening to the moon’s whispers?”
Kazhan stood frozen, unable—or unwilling—to comprehend Ysaris’s words. If she couldn’t live by his side, then he couldn’t live without hers.
“That you can’t live beside me is nothing but delusion. You’re stronger than this.”
“Let me rephrase, since you seem slow. This is my formal notice that under no circumstances will I remain with you.”
“Ysaris—”
“I won’t waste another shred of emotion or time on you. Understand? I want you excised from my life.”
The words lodged in Kazhan’s throat. Though softly spoken, they cut deeper than any formal address—a scalpel rather than a sword.
As he stared blankly, Ysaris drove the final nail.
“I’ll return to Lena’s village soon. Don’t follow. Don’t contact us. Pretend we’re dead.”
“No.”
Instinct overrode reason. The refusal tore from him before he could think.
“You’re too noble to live as a commoner in some backwater. At least remain at the palace while—”
“‘Noble’?”
Her laugh was glacial.
“How rich. You don’t get to call me noble after treating me like a w***e. For over a year, I was your war trophy—not a person. Where was this ‘nobility’ when you broke me?”
“…Ysaris.”
“I’d rather scrub floors as a peasant—better yet, a slave—than stay with you. At least slaves get peace of mind.”
“I wouldn’t restrain you now—”
“You’re doing it this very moment.”
Her voice remained eerily calm.
“I’ve made my choice. What right do you have to veto it?”
The accusations fell like guillotine blades—each one precise, undeniable. No rage, just cold finality.
“You lied and confined me even after my return. Proposed love with one hand while manipulating with the other. Why would I ever trust you?”
“…I never confined you. I asked if you wished to leave.”
“After announcing you’d control the streets. Offering one ‘choice’ knifepoint isn’t freedom.”
Kazhan’s mouth opened, then shut. She was right.
‘What can I say? How do I undo this?’
Reality felt distant—a nightmare born of sleepless nights. When he finally spoke, his voice wavered.
“I only… wanted…”
His unfocused gaze drifted through her.
“…to keep you from hating me again.”
Every action since her memory loss stemmed from that fear.
‘Erase the past she loathes. Control the narrative. Fill her world with only Mikael and me.’
‘If I’m good enough—if she loves me again—maybe… just maybe…’
Forgiveness could follow.
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