Chapter 190: What I want
Natalie~
The moment the mist cleared and I saw their eyes—their blank, serene eyes—I knew it had worked. Everyone in the ballroom who had witnessed the chaos, the blood, the broken glass... even those outside the ballroom who had sensed something, anything at all—it was gone. Erased. Like ink wiped clean from a page.
But there was no time to celebrate.
I reached out instinctively, fingers locking with Zane’s. "Hold on," I whispered, pouring my magic into a single, fluid command.
And then we were gone.
We reappeared in Zane’s bedroom, wrapped in the warm hush of midnight velvet and shadows. A gentle breeze fluttered the curtains. Moonlight spilled across the floor like spilled milk, soft and silver. I barely breathed.
My body was still shaking. Blood clung to my skin, sticky, metallic—but it wasn’t mine. I whispered the spell, just under my breath. Magic surged over me like silk, washing the blood away, healing my clothes, smoothing every trace of battle. Even the faintest scar was erased. I stood tall and calm... on the outside.
Inside, I was still breaking.
Before I could even speak, Zane pulled me into a crushing embrace. His arms were steel bands, holding me together when I thought I might shatter again.
"Thank you," he whispered hoarsely into my hair. "Thank you for saving my son."
I clung to him, letting my fingers twist into the soft fabric of his shirt. I could feel his heartbeat pounding wildly against my cheek.