Igma;

"You left the people who depend on you. The position you were entrusted with. And you stand there... telling me you didn’t need permission to? In whose hands then did you leave the fate of the kingdom??" She demands, and I nearly lose all my patience.

"I did not leave it unguarded," I reply, and she scoffs.

"But you did, Igma. You left—"

"I left my father in charge," I cut in, not raising my voice, but not yielding either.

The interruption lands. I see it in the slight stillness that consumes her composure.

"Y-your Father?" She whispers like it’s some curse she’s just hearing, and I raise a brow.

"Yes, Aunty. My father. Do not speak as though Howleroot has been abandoned," I reply, and she blinks at me.

"And please, don’t repeat my word as though my father is incapable of leading in my absence. He has so much potential you never realised because you never let him show you." I add, and for a second, I see hurt flash across her enchanting silver eyes.

However, I’m not done. She will not make Father seem like a joke in front of all these people.

"He is your brother... And he is more than capable." I whisper, and for a brief moment, she says nothing.

She studies me instead, measuring the certainty behind my words, weighing whether this is defiance or conviction.

But it is not defiance. It is a fact. One I do not wish to argue about.

"I did not come here to debate my decisions," I continue outrightly, because I will not let her bully me into leaving without seeing Alana.

"I came here for one reason," I note, and she gives me a knowing look.

"And that is?" she asks, and I look through the crowd again. She’s still not here!

"To see Alana," I reply, and Aunt Liandria blinks at me in silence.

"I came to see if she is well. Once I confirm that and settle a few things, I will return immediately." I add, and the attention around us becomes more focused at the mention of Alana’s name.

"But I will not leave until I have done what I came here to," I conclude, and silence settles heavily between us.

I watch as she looks behind her at Rhydian. I raise a brow as they share a look... They are communicating via mind link. W-what could they be talking about??

And since when did these two get... cordial??

She turns back to me, and I blink at her.

"What made you believe something was wrong?" she asks, and I inhale slowly... Because this is the part that does not make much sense when spoken aloud.

"I wrote to her... More than once." I say, and Aunt Liandria raises a brow.

"And?"

"No reply."

Her expression remains controlled as usual, but I see her interest sharpen.

"And that alone is not reason enough—"

"It is when you know her," I cut her off, and once again she falls silent. Like she’s evaluating my logic.

I need her to understand that something is wrong!! I need her to believe me!

"Alana would never ignore me... Not without reason." I whisper almost desperately to my aunt, and she blinks at me. Still maintaining her silence.

"And even before the letters stopped... something felt... wrong," I add, and I look past her, at Rhydian, and I feel his gaze sharpen slightly.

"It’s not something I can properly explain or prove. But it is something I could not ignore." I add as my stomach twists in misery.

The bond between Alana and me hasn’t been sealed. But it exists, and it has not been at rest.

"I dismissed it at first," I admit. " I thought it was distance. Or my imagination... But it did not fade. It grew. Persistently... Until staying where I was felt like a sin. The worst kind. Please, Aunty. I need to ensure she is well. Nothing more." I add, and Aunt Liandria watches me in silence.

Her gaze remains steady and unreadable. Then she exhales slowly, as though acknowledging something she does not agree with but cannot dismiss.

She steps closer, and my heart skips a beat as she cradles my cheek.

"How was your journey, child? You look like you haven’t slept in days. You journeyed through the nights as well, didn’t you?" she says, and I freeze.

Since when does Alpha Liandria show warmth... or care?? And that too... so publicly.

"There’s an Alana here. You’ll meet her. But I honestly suggest you rest first. Meet her when you’re in perfect mind." She says, and my brows knot.

An Alana? What does she mean by that??

Just then, from the corner of my eyes, I see a small figure push through the crowd.

My head turns and my eyes dart immediately towards it.

Past movement, past faces, past everything that suddenly no longer matters.

And then... I see her.

Everything else fades as I take her in.

She’s in a white milk maiden dress, her adorable rabbit ears are flopped over, and her head is slightly tilted. She has a basket of fruit in her hands and so many flowers in her hair— That’s new.

My eyes travel up to her face, and relief hits first.

Immediate, and strong enough to steady something in my chest that has been restless for weeks.

She is here. She’s really... My Alana!

Oh, she looks so small and—

My eyes travel up to hers, and in that exact second... as our eyes meet... Something shifts.

Not enough to break the joy of finally seeing her... But enough to disturb it.

I do not move immediately.

My gaze stays on her, tracing the details that should settle this completely... but... don’t... quite?

There is nothing visibly different about her... Nothing that should make me hesitate.

And yet... Staring at her, that pressure beneath my ribs does not ease.

If anything, seeing the blank... distant way she’s looking at me, causes me unease.

I take a step forward, past Aunt Liandria... and then I take another step.

The space between us closes slowly, and the sounds of the crowd fades away with each step I take towards her.

She’s right there. She’s so close... yet why does she feel so far??

Our eyes meet, and there’s recognition there.

Clear... and undeniable.

But still... something is not right.

Something just... doesn’t feel right.

"...Alana? Is it... is it really you?"