I spun around.

Darius had appeared silently behind me.

He stood just outside the balcony door, like a figure condensed from shadow, his eyes like chips of ice.

The lingering pain from the energy clash had made me forget—a Prince’s hearing can cut through walls.

Thank the Night Goddess he hadn’t heard everything.

“A healer from the Southern Coven,” I said smoothly, not breaking stride as I walked past him. “She’s leaving for the Amazon to study primal bloodlines.”

Darius followed me, sitting back down. “Which friend?”

“You don’t know her.”

“Her name.”

“Why should I tell you?”

Livia coughed delicately. “Darius, don’t be so hard on Isolde. A girl’s secrets are important.”

Her words seemed to pacify him.

“Sorry,” he said to me, though his eyes were still full of suspicion.

But he didn’t press further, seemingly unwilling to sour the mood again.

His gaze softened as he turned to Livia, pulling a beautiful box from his jacket.

“What’s that?” Livia asked curiously.

“For you.”

Inside was a ‘bond amplifier,’ fed by his own heart’s blood and engraved with complex runes.

I could read them clearly: Darius and Livia, Eternal Blood-Kin.

“It’s exquisite,” Livia breathed, her fingers tracing the runes as she fastened it. “A betrothal gift?” she asked, her eyes wide with a perfectly rehearsed innocence.

“Mmm-hmm.” Darius fastened the clasp for her. “I’ve infused it with my princely power. It will protect your soul.”

He took out his comm and snapped a photo of her in the mirror.

“Smile.”

She smiled like an innocent child, her eyes sparkling with pure happiness.

Darius immediately sent the photo to her with the caption: My soul’s guardian.

“It suits you,” I commented.

Darius looked at me, a flicker of distance in his eyes.

The next afternoon, I went to an antique shop for some last-minute travel supplies.

As I approached the door, I heard a familiar voice from inside.

“Check the bond strength again.”

It was Darius.

Through the glass, I could see Livia lying on a diagnostic table, Darius standing anxiously beside her.

“Everything is normal,” the blood-healer said. “The bond is very stable.”

“Thank you,” Darius said, taking Livia’s hand. “The healer says our power will be very strong.”

I turned to leave, but the bell on the door gave me away.

“Isolde?” Livia called from inside. “Are you here to shop too?”

“Just passing by.”

“Wait, we can walk together,” she said, turning back to Darius. “I’ll be right out.”

Ten minutes later, they emerged together.

“How are the ceremony preparations going?” Livia asked innocently. “I hear it’s going to be grand.”

“The ceremony will proceed as planned,” Darius answered for me. “It’s just been slightly delayed.”

I looked at them and said nothing.

“Isolde, I know you must be terribly upset,” Livia said, taking a step closer to me. “But I hope you won’t give up on Darius. The one he truly loves is you.”

Her voice was sincere, her eyes brimming with tears.

“I don’t deserve a man as good as him. You are his fated mate.”

People on the street started to whisper.

“That girl is so kind.”

“She’s willing to suffer for someone else’s happiness.”

“Why does that Isolde woman look so cold?”

I turned and walked away.

“Isolde!” Livia called after me. “Please don’t misunderstand, I really don’t want to take him from you!”

She ran up, trying to grab my arm.

“I know you’re angry, but please, give us a chance to explain—”

“Let go of me,” I said, shrugging her off.

The moment my hand touched her, her gasp was pure theater. She didn’t just stumble; she launched herself sideways, a missile of calculated fragility aimed directly at the blessed silver crosses hanging from the antique shop’s doorknob.

“Ah!” she let out a piercing scream. Puffs of black smoke rose where her palm made contact with the silver, as if it were being eaten by acid.

It was a holy power a low-level vampire couldn’t withstand.

“Livia!” Darius roared, rushing to her side.

He saw her on the ground, then looked at my outstretched hand, his eyes burning with a rage I had never seen directed at me.

“What the hell did you do?!” he snarled, kneeling beside her. “She shares my blood!” he roared, his voice cracking with fury. “How could you lay a hand on her?!”

“I didn’t—”

“Enough!” Darius cut me off. “Apologize to Livia, in front of all these people! Now!”

“I will not apologize.”

My voice cut through the murmuring crowd.

Darius froze. “What did you say?”

“I said, I will not apologize.” I pointed to a nearby building. “That building has a magical playback crystal. It recorded everything. Shall we review it?”

Livia’s face went white.

“No… no need to bother,” she said weakly. “It was probably just an accident…”

But her words were cut off by a pained groan.

“It’s a holy burn!” she cried, clutching her palm, her face growing even paler. “The power from that silver is too strong!”

Darius immediately swept her into his arms. “Hold on. I’m taking you to the healing center.”

He dashed across the street toward the center without a single glance back at me.

The crowd began to disperse, but the whispers continued.

“That Isolde is so cold-blooded.”

“The poor girl is hurt, and she won’t even say she’s sorry.”

“No wonder the Prince prefers the gentle one.”

I stood there, staring in the direction of the healing center.

Then I turned and walked away.

The next day was the final day before the ceremony.

In the morning, I had all my luggage shipped.

All that was left was a small backpack with essentials and my ticket.

The ship was scheduled for 3 p.m.

At ten that night, Darius finally returned.

“How’s Livia?” I asked.

“Stable,” he said coldly. “The blood-healer said if I hadn’t brought her in so quickly, her soul could have been permanently damaged.”

“That’s good.”

Darius walked toward me, his eyes still burning with rage.

“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous command. “At the ceremony. You will apologize to her. In front of everyone.”

“What ceremony?”

“Our blood-oath ceremony.” He frowned. “Did you forget?”

I looked at him and suddenly wanted to laugh.

“You really think there’s still going to be a ceremony?”

“Of course there is. I’ve already notified all the elders.” Darius’s tone grew impatient. “For the honor of the Coven, you need to see the bigger picture.”

His comm suddenly rang.

“Darius, I don’t feel well,” Livia’s voice came through the speaker. “Can you come be with me?”

Darius shot to his feet. “I’ll be right there.”

He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

“Nine a.m. tomorrow. Don’t be late,” he ordered without looking back. “The ceremony will start on time.”

The moment the door clicked shut, I let the silence envelop me.

Then, I walked to the window, and into the void, I chanted the vow I had rehearsed a thousand times in my heart, in the ancient tongue of the first vampires.

The air began to thrum, unseen magic gathering between my lips.

“I, Isolde, of House Volkov, do cast off the bond with Darius, of House Aleron.”

“Blood to blood, soul to self. By my will, the covenant is broken. By my heart, the tie is severed.”

As the final syllable fell, I felt the dull, pulling sensation in my chest snap.

He was gone. Completely.

I waited until dawn.

Sitting at my desk, I took out the ancient bloodline registry.

In blood-red ink, I drew a single, clean line through our names, and below it wrote one word:

Annulled.

Then I grabbed my bag and walked out of the place I had once called home.

On my way to the docks, I sent a message to the Head Elder.

Initiate the severance rite. The blood-oath ceremony is cancelled.

At 9:30 a.m., my ship had already left the port.

Behind me, the city—the Coven, my past—shrank until it was swallowed by the sea mist.

I imagined Darius in that moment.

He would be at the sacred altar by now.

Dressed in his most splendid ceremonial robes, waiting for his bride.