Chapter-85. Hormones

[Raven]

This was the first time Ezra had been this vulnerable with us, and now everything felt painfully awkward.

Honestly, I preferred it when Ezra would just lose his mind and burn down the world. The nauseating, smoky stench of boiling blood and burning flesh was far more tolerable than the suffocating silence in Asher's chamber. Before, disemboweling a conscious immortal was enough to lift his spirits. Now, I didn't have a clue what might work.

Food?

Rum?

Flowers?

Cannibalism?

Women?

Torture?

Poetry?

I am an alchemist, not a poet.

What am I even supposed to say?

Gold is yellow, Silver is blue, Oh, my dear brother, You've lost all your screws.

Instead of cheering him up, my poetry would torture him. And I didn't want him to crave death even more. So, poetry was clearly a bad idea. I let out a sigh and even that echoed. Maybe I'll just ask the obvious. I cleared my throat.

"You knew who posted that news blog online, didn't you?" I asked Ezra.

"Cedric." Ezra replied in a voice weaker than a whisper, almost lifeless.

"When you knew who it was, why didn't you reveal his identity before the council?" I asked, my frown deepening when he didn't react and just stared into nothingness silently.

I contemplated him closely, curling my fingers into a loose fist, feeling a restless frustration grow inside me. Something heavy in my chest wanted Ezra to react like the Ezra I knew instantly. Because this version of Ezra...

My fist tightened, nails biting into my palm.

It felt as though Ezra had already been consumed by some curse worse than death, leaving behind someone I barely recognized. The thought hit harder than I expected, tightening the ache in my chest.

I clenched my jaws, resisting the urge to smack some sense into him. To yell at him and tell him to get his shit together.

But his silence... his unnerving calm... this complete lack of action - it tested my patience to its breaking point.

But no. I couldn't lose my brother. Not because of two women.

"Ezra, I asked you a question," I demanded, my glare cutting through the silence.

He finally spoke, his voice hoarse and exhausted. "Cedric is our little brother."

The words hung in the air, but they didn't sit right with me. I mean, yeah, biologically Cedric was our half brother, but did we ever consider him as 'our' little brother?

"Not just that..." Ezra looked up at me, his gaze heavy. "If we fail to fight this curse, Cedric will succeed us. Isn't that why Asher is grooming him as the back-up Alpha?"

I ran my tongue across my inner cheek, my gaze drifting to Asher's empty chair behind the desk.

As much as I hated this idea, it was for the best. The generational curse affected only the legitimate offspring of the curse bearer.

That was why the curse didn't affect Nesryn and Cedric - they were the illegitimate children.

My father may have given his second and third concubines the status of wives, but he never formed a soul pact with them. That was why, when he finally succumbed to the curse, our mother was the only one who suffered due to the breaking of the soul pact.

I never understood my father. Even now, I can't make sense of his actions. Did he know about the curse? Was that the reason he took concubines, hoping his illegitimate children would survive?

Was it some twisted form of protection?

What was the origin of such a complex curse?

What words were used to forge its malignancy?

Who created this curse and why?

of such questions, but never found a link that could connect all dots. And whenever I thought I was close to figuring things out, either the link disappeared or I found Asher blocking

he has it all figured out. But

Ezra. They somehow bond better, but no - Mr.

could possibly be more important than Ezra right

all alone as well, and then I

doesn't care. Just

Damn him!

Screw him!

picked up

I'd burn half the blood in my body

I activated my butterfly surveillance, which was supposed to

council shit, I couldn't monitor her first day at all. Then again, the first days

gave Ezra a quick side

this would cheer

surveillance from

oblivion, stirred the moment Xanthea's voice filled the room. It was like watching a spark reignite in him

Luna candidates?" Xanthea's voice wavered as she looked at Nesryn, insecurity dominant in

her gaze when Nesryn affirmed with a nod. Her brows

fidgeted with her phone and

Alpha Ezra's

And that is why I'll train you for the meeting while you dress up,"

requested Ezra to officially introduce Xanthea to them. Once she completed the paperworks required to be a candidate, the jury would begin monitoring and judging

Nesryn to bring Xanthea to the council, he instructed her not to disclose that Xanthea was his chosen Luna

Luna candidate

voice. "She'll panic on the spot. You'll make a fool of

smiled faintly, his eyes lingering on Xanthea's image on the screen. For a moment, the

might just be a formality for the jury, but for me, it's important. And this is the best way to get her most unadulterated answer. So, if she says no... I'll respect

my eyes,

face remained

Who is she texting?

looked at Ezra and was about to ask him to hack her phone, but

Lana?" Ezra asked, busy on his phone. "And what's

000005s.org for the full experience. You won't find

"Squirrels?"

looked at the Lana's

worry. I

there asap.' Xanthea's reply was brief, and then it was just Lana updating Xanthea

make sense

healers use squirrels

not squirrels," I said, handing

Lana?" Ezra looked

healing partner," I said, and Ezra silently peered

healing partner," Ezra said after some

"What about her?"

want you to give the were-cat a chance. I know she's dangerous, but Xanthea wants

"How much did that omega pay you to threaten me to

you. It's a request. Give weak

all sentimental again. Asher's not here and I am not hugging you, even if it's the end of the world. So give it a rest. As for a chance, I have already given all of them

my attention to Xanthea, Ezra's gaze lingered on me for an

help that cat even if I threatened to kill her if she did. So I taught Lana the way to protect Xanthea from Zosha. I have forbidden her to help the cat, but aside from the exams, Lana will have plenty of free time to train

looked at Xanthea as she peered out

Xanthea to figure out how she can use the resources you gave her

cat is powerful, but until she learns to control her powers, I'll not allow her to be

He nodded. "I suppose."

the world's top designers come together to create history through their dresses, curated exclusively for the Luna candidates." Nesryn

is not just fashion, Xanthea. It's a statement of the candidate's elite status, a clear mark of their superiority over all other women in the

I expected to see the same spark of excitement in her eyes that I had seen when she visited the Glass Palace, but her gaze was rather dull

candidates be offended if I wear a dress from here? They might find

out a sigh, shaking his

and get your ass here. Isn't

calculative. She doesn't want to outshine the other candidates to avoid coming under their

her to think an omega can outshine two alpha demonesses!

landed a quick glare

I am just stating facts!" I

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