Chapter 330 Chapter 329: Maps of Flesh and Forest Sophia lay with her back against Orion’s chest, warm and pliant, the steady rise and fall of his breathing grounding her as much as the arm draped loosely around her waist. His fingers traced idle patterns against her skin, unhurried, familiar.
Chapter 329 Chapter 328: Promises and Gentle Ground “Orion,” Sophia said, already sighing as she lifted her hands in surrender, “calm down. It was just a little pain. Nothing major p> He did not calm down, neither did he look calm. In fact, he looked like he was one poorly
Chapter 328 Chapter 327: Of Fangs, Venom, and Tests Sophia stared at him for a long moment, her brows drawn together, eyes flicking from Orion’s face to the pale blade still resting in her hand. “Skylur fangs?” she repeated slowly. “How did Mary even… use them p> Orion shrugged, one
Chapter 327 Chapter 326: Gifts She Appreciates Sophia froze. For a heartbeat, she simply stared into the open box, her eyes wide and unblinking, breath caught somewhere between surprise and disbelief. The room felt suddenly very quiet, as though even the walls were waiting to see what she would do
Chapter 326 Chapter 325: Ink, Blood, and Other Misunderstandings Orion stared at her like she had personally betrayed him. “Shorty… what is—” Orion shook his head, then readjusted his words. “Is this,” he asked slowly, lifting the book again as though it might bite him, “what you enjoy reading p>
Chapter 325 Chapter 324: Pale Steel and Quiet Revelations Mary gave him a nod as she reached for the second box. The wood creaked softly as she slid it closer to herself, fingers calloused and steady—the same hands that had shaped steel and bone and stubborn ideas into something usable.
Chapter 324 Chapter 323: Measures of Steel Brenda walked ahead of Orion with quick, respectful steps, guiding him past the main work floor and toward the narrower passage that cut along the back of the building. The noise dulled as they entered the hallway, stone swallowing sound until only the
Chapter 323 Chapter 322: Matters of Duty and Home Garron leaned back in his chair the moment the door closed behind the trainees, the tension finally draining from his shoulders. He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face. “Well,” he muttered, then looked at Orion. “Should we start making
Chapter 322 Chapter 321: The Weight of Words Holly swallowed. The room felt too quiet, too tight around her chest, as if the walls themselves were listening. For the first time since Orion had begun speaking, she didn’t have a sharp retort ready. Her confidence—what little remained—had finally cracked. “I…
Chapter 321 Chapter 320: Choices and Consequences Holly stared at him. Her mouth hung open, shock written plainly across her face as if Orion had just spoken in a language she didn’t understand. “You—” she tried, then stopped, swallowed, and tried again. “What did you just say p> Orion didn’t
Chapter 320 Chapter 319: Lessons She Refused to Learn Orion gave her a bored look. It was an indifferent gaze that stripped away whatever confidence Holly had left. She hated that look. He should not be looking at her like that. He should not be gazing at her like she
Chapter 319 Chapter 318: People Holly Thinks Shouldn’t Train Her Holly swallowed. The silence in the office pressed down on her, thick and uncomfortable, and for the first time since she walked in, she looked uncertain. Her gaze flicked from Orion to the floor and back again, fingers twisting together.
Chapter 318 Chapter 317: The Truth Beneath Orion nodded. He hated that Holly did something like this. “She feels like we are not to be speaking with her and that we are below her. I know I was wrong for pointing a sword at her, but she was giving off
Chapter 317 Chapter 316: Questions and Echoes By home, Orion had meant his, and Sophia wasn’t even surprised when they arrived there. She could walk on her own without support, but Orion didn’t want that…they argued. Sophia told him she wasn’t that weak or sick, which was why Marta let
Chapter 316 Chapter 315: Marta’s Lecture Morning arrived quietly. The snow outside continued its endless fall, pale and constant, muting the world beyond the medical facility into something soft and distant. The room itself was warm, faintly scented with dried herbs and clean linen, and for a few precious moments,
Chapter 315 Chapter 314: Marks and Meaning The kiss didn’t soften. If anything, it deepened—grew heavier, slower, charged with the kind of intimacy that came not from urgency but from familiarity. From knowing exactly how the other would respond. Orion’s mouth moved against Sophia’s with a quiet hunger, unhurried but
Chapter 314 Chapter 313: Dessert Before Dinner (R18) Orion didn’t rush, and that alone made Sophia’s pulse increase. His movements were slow, deliberate — the kind of slow that meant he wasn’t holding back because he was unsure, but because he intended to savor every second of whatever was about
Chapter 313 Chapter 312: Be Careful What You Wish For, Shorty Sophia didn’t even blink after the kiss she’d just given him — that wicked little mouth-to-mouth ambush with the drink still warm between them. She only smiled at him afterward, small and innocent, like she hadn’t just upended the
Chapter 312 Chapter 311: Sharing Food With Orion The moment Orion’s teasing drifted into the air — that careless little jab about the medical facility “fitting her” — Sophia stared at him like he’d just grown horns. He swallowed his last bite, looked up, and froze under her glare. “Oh?”
Chapter 311 Chapter 310: The Weight of Confession Micah must’ve sensed the moment was about to collapse under its own awkwardness, because as soon as the last syllable left his mouth, he moved. There was no reason for him to stay behind anyway. It was already dark, and he had