- 6 days ago
Reborn Luna’s Vengeance - FULL MOVIE on Movie Box
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00:00When I bowed before the Alpha, my sash snapped, my undergarments, my chest exposed, in front of
00:05everyone. My birth parents had just found me, brought me home to compete with my adopted
00:10sister Alice for the Alpha's bond. Before we left, Mother fixed my collar, then quietly pulled a
00:15thread from my sash. Indecent! Shameless! Alice swept off her jacket and draped it over my
00:22shoulders. Everyone praised her. The Alpha chose her. I knelt before my parents when we got home,
00:30swore it wasn't intentional. They didn't believe me, Father scoffed. You pulled that stunt for
00:34attention. You disgraced this family, and now you want to blame someone else? Mother sighed.
00:41You lost a bond, that's all. Don't be so dramatic. Alice married the Alpha in glory. I was exiled to
00:47the Frost border, and I died there frozen. Before I took my last breath, I found out Mother hadn't
00:53pulled that thread. She had cut it. On purpose. Then I was reborn. Mother smiled and re-earned.
01:00Reached for my sash. Let me tighten this. We can't have you embarrassing yourself. Her fingers slipped
01:06toward her sleeve. A blade that blade. I knew it. The one that ruined my life the first time. I
01:12could
01:12still feel the Frost border kneeling in the snow, freezing Alice standing over me in her fur coat.
01:17Eva. All I told Mother was I was afraid you'd outrank me. I never imagined she'd go that far.
01:24The cold never left me. I stared at her soft, well-kept hands. My heart hammered. She was
01:29still smiling. The blade already out, moving toward my sash. I let my knees buckle, threw myself
01:38forward, straight into her. She didn't see it coming. Her hand jerked. The blade cut through
01:42the air and caught the back of her own hand. The blade clattered to the floor. Ailey stood nearby,
01:48waiting for the show. She wore a gown of shimmering silk custom made by Mother. Her sash tied perfectly.
01:53Before she could react, my fingers found her sash, one quick pull. It came loose. I straightened
01:58up fast and put on my most panicked face.
02:02Mother! Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I slipped.
02:06Kissing through her teeth.
02:08Clumsy girl! We're about to walk into the Alpha's estate and you can't even stand on your
02:12own two feet!
02:16Alice stepped forward with a handkerchief and dabbed at the wound. She shot me a look of pure
02:20contempt, then turned on the sympathy. Don't be too hard on her mother. She was raised in
02:25a backwater farming pack. She's just not used to all this.
02:29Father stood in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back. He checked the hourglass,
02:34frowned.
02:34Enough! Do you have any idea what it means to keep the Alpha waiting?
02:38He didn't glance at me once. His eyes went straight to Alice, soft.
02:42You look beautiful today, Alice. Dignified. Keep an eye on your sister when we arrive. Don't
02:48let her embarrass this family.
02:50Of course, Father. I'll take good care of her. She lifted her chin like she'd already
02:54won. I kept my eyes down and smiled.
02:59Mother's hand was still bleeding. The handkerchief had soaked through. But we were running out
03:03of time and she never got around to my sash. Instead, she reached for a velvet box.
03:07Alice, this is the Hale family heirloom. Priceless.
03:12She lifted out a necklace, crystals catching the light, and clasped it around Alice's neck
03:16herself.
03:16Thank you, Mother. I'll wear it with honor.
03:19I stood to the side, empty-handed. Nothing around my waist but a plain white ribbon. Mother
03:23seemed to remember I existed. She rummaged through a corner drawer and pulled out a fistful
03:27of hairprings. Old ones. Most of them, the gold paint was already flaking off.
03:31Here, Eva. Put these on. Don't go saying I play favorites. Your dress is so plain anyway.
03:36These will match just fine.
03:38She dropped them into my hand without even checking if they'd work. Father watched from
03:42across the room. Not a word of objection. He nodded.
03:45Alice was raised with us. She has refinement. Grace. The heirloom suits her.
03:51Eva spent years in the farming pack. Putting something fine on her would just look out of
03:55place.
03:56I squeezed those cheap pins as my fist until the metal bit into my palm. The farming pack?
04:01Why was I even there? Because when my parents were running from their enemies, I was deadweight.
04:05So, they left me behind.
04:07They only brought me back. Because the Alpha came calling.
04:11His family had an old betrothal agreement. The firstborn Hale daughter. Alise was beloved.
04:16But on paper, she was adopted. They needed me just long enough to put Alice in the Alpha's
04:20bed.
04:20I never understood in my last life how my own parents could do this to me. Not until
04:24the very end. Dying at the frost border. Two guards stood nearby talking. They didn't
04:28know I could still hear them.
04:29Hale is cold-blooded. Leaving his own flesh and blood here to die, all for some adopted
04:34girl?
04:35That's his mistress's daughter. His actual blood. His wife found out years ago and she brought
04:39the girl home. Called her adopted. Then spent every year since grinding the real daughter
04:43into the dirt.
04:44So that was the truth.
04:50Mother sacrificed her own child to keep her husband. Father looked at me and saw nothing
04:54worth keeping. I crushed those pins in my hand and let them bend. Right in front of me,
04:59Alice on Mother's arm. Father looking on with nothing but warmth. A perfect, happy family.
05:03And then there was me.
05:07Father. Mother. We should go. Father's eyes cut to me. Nobody asked you to hurry us along.
05:13Have some manners. When you're in front of the Alpha, keep your mouth shut. Watch Alice.
05:19Follow her lead. If you ruin this, I will have you sent to the frost border myself. I said nothing.
05:25The frost border. I'd already been there. Already knelt in that snow until I couldn't feel my
05:29legs. Threats lose their edge the second time around. The carriage rolled toward the Alpha's
05:33estate. It was not a quiet ride. Alice had taken the best seat. She kept touching the necklace,
05:39turning the crystals in the light, admiring her own reflection. The Alpha's head steward,
05:44Zoe, was riding with us. Officially, she was there to attend to us. In reality, she was watching.
05:49Taking stock of who we were. Alice didn't seem to notice, or care.
05:53Zoe. What do you think of the necklace? Mother had it set aside just for me.
05:58Zoe said nothing. She was pale. An unhand pressed to her temple jaw tight. I recognized it immediately.
06:03In my last life, Alice had done the same thing. Talked the whole ride over. Loud and relentless.
06:09But she'd gotten lucky. By the time we arrived, Mrs. Walker's migraines had flared up. And Alice
06:15had been ready. She'd stolen my remedy formula months earlier, passed it off as her own.
06:19Mrs. Walker loved me for it. This time, Alice wasn't getting that chance.
06:26I reached into my sleeve and pulled out a small lacquered box. Inside were a few dark brown pellets,
06:32a remedy I'd learned from an old farmer back in the farming pack. I held them out to Zoe.
06:36You don't look well. These are cooling relief pellets, my own formula.
06:41Let one dissolve under your tongue. It should help. Alice's head snapped toward me.
06:46Excuse me? What is that supposed to be? You're gonna feed her some backwater remedy you cooked up
06:51in a barn? Zoe had been on the edge of nausea the whole ride. That shriek nearly pushed her over.
06:56She shot Alice one withering look, then turned back to me. Her nose twitched. A faint drift of mint
07:01and aged wood had already begun to fill the carriage cutting through the stuffy heat.
07:05She took the pellets, placed one under her tongue. Within moments, the tension left her face.
07:12She exhaled. Long and slow, color crept back into her cheeks.
07:16Where did you learn that, Eva? From a healer?
07:19I shook my head. Heat stroke was common on the farm. You learn what works. Nothing impressive,
07:25I'm afraid. Zoe smiled. If this is nothing impressive, our pack healer back at the estate
07:30should be embarrassed. Alice twisted her handkerchief in her lap.
07:33My sinless searing nest. She just got lucky.
07:38Zoe didn't even look at her.
07:39Mrs. Walker values silence. She has no patience for noise.
07:42That shut Alice up. Zoe lured her voice and turned to me.
07:45Today, the Alpha will also be present. He runs cold. He has no interest in women who perform for
07:50attention. And Mrs. Walker, she judges character above everything else. She has no respect for women
07:56who use their looks as currency.
07:58I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Zoe. The carriage slowed. We had arrived.
08:12The moment Alice stepped out, every head turned. That shimmering silk caught the sunlight like it
08:17was made for exactly this moment.
08:19Is that Alice Hale? She's stunning.
08:21The whispers rippled through the crowd. Alice soaked up every word. She glanced back at me,
08:26slow, deliberate. A smirk, I was wearing a simple white dress, standing next to her.
08:30I looked like her handmaid. I wasn't worried. The best part of any trap is the waiting.
08:36The banquet began. Alice moved straight to the harp and played for Mrs. Walker.
08:40She was good, and she knew it. Mrs. Walker gave a small, measured nod. That was enough for Alice.
08:47She floated off the stage, spotted me at the edge of the room, and made her way over,
08:51wine glass in hand.
08:52Eva, stop hiding in the corner. Come toast the ladies with me.
08:58I knew exactly what she was about to do. Last time she had stumbled right here, or pretended
09:03to, she'd thrown wine all over me. Dragged me down with her, and my sash had snapped on
09:08the way down. Sammy sat up. Sammy smiled. Sammy two steps away.
09:12Oh, Eva, watch out!
09:14She lurched toward me. I stepped aside. She caught nothing but air. The momentum took her
09:18straight down hard onto both knees. And the sash I had loosened back at the house, the one she
09:22never noticed. Finally gave way. That beautiful shimmering skirt slid straight down, all the
09:28way to her ankles beneath it. A pair of pink underwear embroidered with little devil motifs
09:33in plain view. Of everyone, the entire room went silent.
09:37Alice froze. She felt the cold air first. Then she looked down. And screamed.
09:44Chaos erupted. Women screamed. But above it all, I felt it. A gaze. Heavy. Cold from the shadow
09:51of the second floor balcony. He was watching.
10:00Alice scrambled to grab her skirt. Wine splashed up across her underwear. If it could have gotten
10:06worse, it just did. The ladies around her recoiled. Fans raised. Faces turned away. Mrs. Walker's
10:11expression went stone cold. What exactly does the HAL family teach their daughters? I was already
10:16moving. I picked up an outer jacket and draped it around Alice's shoulders before she could catch
10:21her breath. Oh, sweetheart, how did this happen? I sighed. The kind that says I love you, but I told
10:25you so. I warned you about this dress. The fit was too tight. I said it would give way. But
10:33you wanted
10:33the silhouette. And now look. Alice looked up at me, pure venom. You did this. I know it was you.
10:41I blinked. Spread my hands wide. Alice, I was across the room. Everyone saw you walk over.
10:45Everyone saw you fall. The women around us were already nodding. She made a spectacle of herself
10:50for attention and now she wants to pin it on her sister. Lovely upbringing. Alice had nothing left
10:55to say. She covered her face and wept. The room dissolved into chaos. Maid swarmed Alice and rushed
11:05her off to change. The commotion had done exactly what I expected. Mrs. Walker's migraine had returned.
11:10She sat with two fingers pressed to her temple, face drained of color. That is when Lady Allen
11:15appeared. A family friend of the Hales. Father had personally asked her to smooth things over
11:20for Alice today. Please don't be upset, Mrs. Walker. I'm sure the dress was simply ill-fitted.
11:28Alice actually brought a gift for you today. Why don't we have her present it now? As an apology?
11:35Alice came back red-eyed but she straightened up at that. She snapped her fingers and a maid
11:40brought out the gift box. I already knew what was inside. I knew this family too well. Whatever it
11:45was, it would be extravagant and entirely wrong. They measured worth in gold and gemstones. They
11:50assumed everyone else did too. What they didn't understand about Mrs. Walker, a woman who had lived
11:54in wealth her entire life, was that nothing irritated her more than excess for the sake of it.
11:59Alice lifted the lid with a flourish. Mrs. Walker, this is a ruby crystal crown, custom crafted just
12:07for you. The artisans worked through the night for an entire month. Mrs. Walker stared at it.
12:13You had craftsmen lose sleep for a month over something completely useless? What a waste of people.
12:19Alice's confidence collapsed. She sank to her knees, trembling. Mrs. Walker pressed her hand harder
12:25to her temple and said nothing. I only wanted to show you how much. The silence stretched. I stepped
12:30forward quietly. Mrs. Walker, if you'll allow me, I may be able to help with the headache.
12:36She looked at me skeptical. You practice medicine? Just some calming herbs. Something I picked up along
12:42the way. I lit one end of the incense powder and set it on the table beside her. The scent
12:49unfurled
12:49slowly. Delicate, cool herbal. Mrs. Walker drew a breath. The pain didn't vanish, but it pulled back,
12:54enough to breathe, enough to relax the furrow between her brows. That's lovely. What is it?
12:59I heard you've suffered with headaches for years. I brought this back from the farm. It's what I
13:04always used. Nothing fancy, but it works. Mrs. Walker nodded slowly. The way she looked at me had
13:09changed. You're a thoughtful girl. Out of the corner of my eye, a tall figure had stopped at the moon
13:14gate at the edge of the garden, still watching. That had to be Nathan the Alpha himself. Alice was still
13:20on her knees behind me, eyes fixed on my back like two burning coals. Lady Allen whispered
13:24something to Mrs. Walker, who finally waved a hand. Alice could get up. She was directed to a
13:29seat in the corner. By the middle of the banquet, Mrs. Walker had my hand in hers, asking about my
13:34life, my interests, what I like to eat. She was already looking at Maliki, a daughter-in-law.
13:38She called over a maid to bring me a better pour of wine. The maid crossed the room and stumbled,
13:43just slightly, just enough to flosh wine across my sleeve. My sincerest apologies, Miss Eva.
13:49Clumsy fool! Get out of my sight! The maid scurried off, head bowed, and as she passed Alice,
13:53their eyes met, quick, deliberate. The next second... My necklace! My necklace is gone!
14:00The family heirloom! Mother's necklace! Where is it?
14:07Every head in the room turned, Mrs. Walker's expression soured.
14:12Stop shrieking. If it's lost, have someone look for it. Alice turned to me, tears already
14:17forming. Just now, Eva was the closest one to me. Could it be that she... She let the sentence
14:24hang. Lady Allen stepped in, right on cue. If something valuable has gone missing, perhaps
14:31we should search everyone present. It would clear Eva's name, if nothing else. I held out
14:36both arms. By all means, search me. I won't have anyone saying, I put myself above my own
14:43sister. A flicker of satisfaction crossed Alice's face. She nodded to the maid, the same one who had
14:48spilled the wine, to come forward and search me. The maid ran her hands along my sides, patted down my
14:52sleeves, then reached into my inner sleeve pocket. She pulled something out. The room leaned in. It
14:57wasn't the necklace. It was a man's handkerchief, deep blue silk, embroidered with cloud patterns.
15:01The room erupted. Alice pressed a hand to her mouth. Eva, do you have a secret lover? Our family
15:08holds a bedrothal with the Alpha. Do you understand what this means? A man's hand to catch, his most
15:13personal item. If father finds out, you'll hang for this. Eva, I would not have expected this of you.
15:21The ladies around me had already begun to whisper, eyes sharp, heads shaking. Ailey snatched the
15:25handkerchief. Wait, there's writing on it. She snapped it open and read aloud. I want to be tangled
15:33with you on every night the full moon rises. She looked up at me, triumphant, waiting for me to
15:40crumble, to drop to my knees, and to beg. I stood exactly where I was, calm. That's quite a performance,
15:45Alice. But you've overplayed it. I turned to face her. Since when do you have the gift of prophecy,
15:55Alice? She went. What? I don't know what you're talking about. The handkerchief was folded. The
16:00writing was on the inside, completely hidden. So how did you know there were words on it before
16:05anyone unfolded it? Did you write them yourself? Or did you prepare this whole thing in advance?
16:11Alice's face went rigid. Her pupils shrank. A bead of sweat traced down her temple.
16:17I... I... Nothing came out. And you. We both know you slipped that handkerchief into my sleeve
16:22yourself. So let's skip the act. Who do you belong to? Where did you get it? Who told you to
16:27plant it?
16:28She had already collapsed to the floor. She looked up, and her eyes went straight to Alice. Alice's
16:33composure shattered. Don't look at me! Your hands are dirty, not mine! Then a voice cut through the room
16:39from the doorway low, unhurried, absolute. Something went missing from my stables a few days ago.
16:45So that's where it ended up. The entire room turned. Nathan walked in like the air
16:50itself had decided to move out of his way. He stopped beside me, reaching... My words,
16:55embroidered in my hand. Tell me, Miss Alice. How exactly did you come to recognize them?
17:03Alice's knees gave out. She caught herself on the edge of a chair. You bribed a servant in my own
17:07estate.
17:07You stole my personal propriety, and you used it to frame my guest.
17:12Nathan said it quietly. That made it worse. Alice opened her mouth. Closed it. There was nothing to
17:17say. Mrs. Walker rose from her seat, her whole body shaking, and slammed her palm on the table.
17:22She ran her schemes all the way up to the alpha himself. The audacity. Someone deal with her.
17:28But two older women moved in fast. They grabbed Alice by the shoulders and didn't hold back.
17:32The sound of it echoed through the hall. By the third strike, Alice's face had begun to swell
17:37blood at the corner of her mouth. Hair coming undone. She was sobbing, gasping, calling for her
17:42parents. I watched without moving. For the first time, it felt satisfying. Nathan glanced sideways
17:48at me just for a moment. I inclined my head. My respects, Alpha. Thank you for clearing my name.
17:54What had started as a proper banquet had been reduced to rubble. When it was finally over,
17:58Mrs. Walker took my hand in both of hers and walked me to the entrance herself,
18:03apologizing the whole way, making sure everyone saw. The message was unmistakable. We're now
18:07circling back, all warmth and flattery. Funny how quickly the room turns when the Alpha's mother
18:11is holding your hand. I settled into the carriage and glanced at Alice. Her face was swollen on both
18:19sides. She glared at me from her corner. One hand pressed to her cheek. Somehow, my parents had
18:24already heard. They were both in the carriage. Father sat with his chest heaving, jaw set,
18:28saying nothing. Mother was dabbing ointment on Alice's face, tears streaming down her own.
18:34You're a curse on this family. Wasn't it enough? Did you have to destroy your own sister? You knew
18:38what she was doing. Why didn't you say something earlier instead of letting the whole family be
18:42humiliated? I leaned back against the carriage wall and closed my eyes. That's interesting, Mother.
18:48When Alice was planting stolen evidence on me, did she stop to think of me as family? If that accusation
18:54had
18:54stuck, it would have been the hall name dragged through the dirt, not just mine. Father's hand
18:58shut up. I turned my head. His palm cut through empty air. He held it there for a moment, suspended,
19:03then dropped it and looked away. We'll deal with you at home. The carriage. Then it started moving
19:09along, the road had narrowed. The turns were sharper. We were climbing cliffs on one side, a sheer drop on
19:14the other. The horses screamed. Something had screwed up, or worse, and suddenly they were bolting. Full sprint.
19:20No control. What's happening? Stop the carriage! Someone stop it! Alice was thrown sideways,
19:25tumbling across the carriage floor, screaming. I grabbed the window frame and held on. The driver
19:30was gone, jumped, or thrown either way. No one was at the reins. My stomach dropped, and not from the
19:35road.
19:36This hadn't happened in my last life. They were moving faster than I'd expected. I'd rattled them today,
19:40and they were improvising. The horse had been drugged. I was certain of it. A staged accident.
19:49A body at the bottom of a cliff. But something didn't add up. Father valued his own life above
19:54everything. So did Mother. So did Alice. Known of them would ride this carriage off a cliff unless they
20:00had a way out. Then I saw it. Father had already pulled Alice and Mother close. His hand reached beneath
20:06the bench, a hidden compartment, and came out with thick padded cushions. They came prepared. The
20:12plan wasn't to die with it. The plan was to throw me out and walk away from the ground. The
20:17carriage
20:17lurched. My grip slipped, and I went through the door. The fall never came. An arm caught me mid-air,
20:23iron solid, and pulled me hard against a chest. I knew that scent before I saw his face. The alpha.
20:29The carriage had ground to a halt behind us. A wolf had come out of the tree line and taken
20:34down the
20:34horses, hanging with the sights, dropping them to their knees. I looked up. Nathan looked down.
20:40Those dark eyes held mine for a moment. Eva, it seems there are quite a few people with an interest
20:45in your life ending. He set me on my feet and stepped away. Not far from us, the three of
20:53them
20:53were crawling out of the wreckage, scraped, shaken, alive. Nathan walked to the nearest horse, ran a
21:00finger along its mouth, and brought it to his nose. Stimulant poison. Drives them into a frenzy.
21:06The horse would have been dead within 10 miles. I stood and watched my parents check themselves
21:11over with trembling hands. Relieved to be breathing. Relieved their plan had almost worked. Whatever had
21:16been left, whatever small, stubborn part of me had still wanted them to be my family. It went quiet.
21:22For good, Nathan came back to where I stood and held out his hand. Get in my carriage. I'll take
21:27you home.
21:32Maybe the carriage accident had simply been too terrible. Three days later, the Alpha's wedding
21:37gifts arrived at the Hale House. An entire procession through the front gate. Boxes carried
21:41by uniformed attendants. The kind of display the whole street would remember. In my last life,
21:46this moment had belonged to Alice. Now it was mine. Zoe stood in the main hall and read from the
21:51gift
21:51register item by item. Unhurried, with every entry, Alice lost a little more color. Mother kept shifting,
21:58in her seat, throwing father-pointed looks. He cleared his throat and cut Zoe off mid-sentence.
22:03Zoe, regarding this marriage arrangement, is there any room for the Alpha to reconsider?
22:09Alice made some mistakes, yes, but she's accomplished. Well-bred. Eva grew up in a
22:14backwart farming pack. She doesn't know our ways. It's a lot to ask of her, carrying the role of Luna.
22:19Perhaps Alice could accompany Eva to the estate, as a companion to the Alpha.
22:28She could support her sister from within the household.
22:32A companion, so Luna was off the table. Now they were angling for mistress. Sammy goal,
22:37different door. Get Alice inside the estate, let her work her way up, and find a way to put me
22:42back
22:43at the bottom. Zoe closed the register. The look on her face made her opinion plain.
22:48If Mr. Hale truly wishes to put that forward, Alice will need to answer a question first. On behalf of
22:53Mrs.
22:53Walker, if a servant at the Alphas' destate is found to be lazy, dishonest, or worse,
22:59disloyal to their master, how should they be handled? This was her moment. Forgiveness,
23:04of course. Servants are people too. The right approach is patience and reform. Casting them
23:09out would only make the Alpha look cold and unforgiving. She glanced at me when she finished,
23:15satisfied with herself. Father nodded along beside her. Zoe turned to me, Miss Eva. Your thoughts.
23:29Disloyalty is not a mistake you forgive. Once a servant betrays their master, they are a liability,
23:34not a person to be reformed. It doesn't matter how close they are to the Alpha himself. If they break
23:40faith, they go. No exceptions. How can you be so ruthless? These are the Alpha's own people.
23:49That's exactly what Mrs. Walker wanted to hear. That's the kind of Luna this pack needs.
23:55Mrs. Walker's exact words. The second daughter of the Hale family is never to set foot inside the
24:00Alpha's estate. Not once. Not ever. And just like that, I walked into the Alpha's estate as the one
24:06and only Luna Dot. Alice's hatred could have set the house on fire. That night, she broke everything
24:12she could get her hands on Dot bases. Ceramic jars, decorative plates, screaming and screaming and
24:16sobbing until her voice gave out between the crashes. Peasant. Worthless. Enough. Useless.
24:27Get a message to Mr. Allen. The old Duke is looking for a new mate, isn't he?
24:32Send Alice. I heard about this later. Mr. Allen was not simply an older man with a preference for
24:39young women. He was past 70 violent by nature. At least three women in his household had died under
24:45his roof. What I couldn't understand even knowing everything I knew about about my father was why
24:49he would throw his beloved an elder at a place like that. There was something he wasn't telling anyone.
24:55Not yet.
24:59The day of our bonding ceremony, the Alpha's estate was lit up from every window. It was exactly grand
25:04and notto draw every eye in the region and cover what was happening down the hill house at the
25:08same time. A plane carriage slipped out the back while no one was watching. Alice was inside Dot,
25:13found. Gagged with a silencing tonic. Father had made sure she couldn't make a sound. The official
25:18story, she'd been sent to the Moon Temple for reflection. The truth, she was delivered to the old
25:22Duke through her back entrance like something being returned. In my last life, I was the one in that
25:26carriage. I had sat in that dark, jolting the claw hand under the Moon Temple. Now it was Alice.
25:37Turned I thought of the way she had stood over me in the snow and I felt nothing but cold
25:41satisfaction.
25:42Your own fears give to you, Alice. I hope you receive it well. The estate gates opened. Nathan stood in
25:48full ceremonial armor torches lining the path behind him. He was always severe, that face,
25:53those eyes, Dot, but in the amber light of the altar something in him softened, just at the edges.
25:57We completed the bonding ceremony.
26:02Dot afterward. I sat on the edge of the bed, gripping the sheets, my heart louder than I wanted it
26:06to be.
26:07I had clawed my way back to this moment, reclaimed everything they had taken from me.
26:12Dot, but this part I had no memory to draw from. No experience.
26:16No, Nathan looked at me.
26:19Eva, from tonight. If the sky falls, I'll be the one holding it up. You are my only Luna.
26:27He tipped his head back and drained his cup. I watched his throat move.
26:32Why did you help me?
26:34Because you're sharp. And you don't flinch.
26:39I don't need someone to stand behind me, Eva. I need someone who can fight beside me.
26:46That day. Till dawn. He didn't sapping down.
26:57Next morning, Mrs. Mocker took one look at the shadows under my eyes and beam.
27:02She sat me down, lifted a crown from its box, and placed it on my head herself.
27:09This was mine once. It suits you better.
27:13I heard about Alice. Apparently she's been causing chaos at the old Duke's estate.
27:19Robert Allen. That man is... well, she'll survive. Probably. But... but it won't be comfortable.
27:31I had stopped wondering about Alice. Whatever she was living through, it wasn't good. That was enough.
27:37Life inside the estate settled faster than I'd expected.
27:40I moved through the household methodically. One by one, I found the one skimming, betraying me,
27:45and smiling to hide it. I dealt with each of them cleanly, Dot. After that, this graph ran like water
27:52downhill. No one tested me twice. But Nathan had been off for several days running gray skies.
27:58Steady rain, his study light burned past midnight. He came to meet me, or not at all.
28:02His temper had a shorter fuse than usual. When I brought food to his study one evening,
28:07I found him with two fingers pressed to his temple.
28:13Face. The same look I'd seen seen on Mrs. Walker a hundred times, Dot, so it ran in the family.
28:18This headache that never quite left. I went back to my room and opened my remedy books.
28:23I adjusted the formula, added a measure of Sacrahead pack spring water,
28:26and spent the better part of the night stitching a small sleep pillow by hand,
28:30packing the herbs inside myself. The next afternoon, while Nathan was out,
28:34I slipped into his room and swapped his pillow for mine. That night, Nathan came home late.
28:39I was already in bed, pretending to sleep. Half conscious, I felt the mattress sink beside me.
28:51When I woke the next morning, his side of the bed was already empty.
28:55From the outer room, I heard Zoe, surprised.
28:58Alpha! You slept in today? Nathan's voice was unhurried.
29:03I slept deeply. No headache.
29:06I smiled to myself. The pillow worked. At dinner, he reached over and placed a piece of fish in my
29:11bowl.
29:12The pillow. You made it?
29:13I nodded. He looked at me for a moment, something unreadable in his eyes, and then the corner of his
29:20mouth lifted.
29:22The stitching is a bit rough, but the scent, I like it.
29:25The stitching was fine. He just wouldn't say what he actually meant.
29:29After that, the pillow was his alone. No one was permitted to touch it.
29:32He stopped walking around with that permanent scowl. Some evenings, he'd call me into the study and teach me calligraphy.
29:40My characters had always been crooked. I grew up on a farm, not in a classroom.
29:46He'd wrap his hand around Maneem Guide each stroke his chest against my back. One evening I knocked over the
29:51ink.
29:52He moved without thinking sleeve down to catch it and the cuff soaked through black.
29:55I grabbed a cloth and dabbed at it. It spread worse.
30:01Leave it. It's just a robe.
30:03I took it back to my room anyway and stayed up embroidering a cluster of valyrian grass over the stain.
30:08Nathan saw it and scoffed. How childish. Then wore that robe every single day.
30:18I wasn't looking for news about the Hale family. It kept arriving anyway. Alice was miserable at the
30:24Duke's estate. Robert had particular tastes. The smallest inconvenience earned a lashing.
30:30Alice was covered in marks but she was alive. Running entirely on hatred. All of it pointed at me.
30:37She had found her pudding though. She gave the Duke a tonic called it a stimulant. Something rare.
30:43It worked well enough that he became very attached to her after that. I laughed when I heard what it
30:49actually was. It was the same compound used on the first day of the carriage. The frenzy drug just
30:54watered down. Enough to make an old man feel young for an hour. He was devoted to her after
31:00that. But my informant sent different news. Alice's people had been quietly buying cinnabar
31:06and liquid mercury. Separately. Both medicinal dot combined. A lethal poison. She wouldn't use it on
31:12Robert. He was her only shield. Which left one other target. I set the letter down and tapped the table.
31:20Nathan's birthday was the 8th of next month. So that was her move. If she wanted to come for me,
31:26I'd make it very easy for her. I called my trust mate over and spoke quietly in her ear.
31:33She nodded once and left.
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