Page 17 of Chains of Love

"The lake path starts behind the cottage," Serra says. "You should apologize."

I shift uncomfortably under Serra's scrutiny. "My sister has mood swings sometimes?—"

"That sweet girl is your sister as much as I'm Turo's nanny." Serra's words slice through my lie with surgical precision.

The pieces click together in my mind – Turo's human features despite his Minotaur heritage, Serra's assertive nature in front of the boy's father, the way he lets her do whatever she wants. The same nose, the same laugh.

"You're his mother."

"And you're observant... when you want to be." Serra stands, her chair scraping against the wooden floor. "Go find her and apologize so she can get some proper sleep."

I simply nod, turning for the door.

My boots crunch against the fallen leaves as I make my way down the narrow trail. The full moon bathes everything in silver light, reminding me of Lirien's hair. A gentle breeze carries the scent of water through the trees, and within minutes, I spot the lake's surface rippling under the stars.

Lirien's pale shoulders break the lake's dark surface, her silver hair gleaming under the moonlight. My mouth goes dry at the realization she's bathing. The water ripples around her bareskin, and I force my gaze upward, focusing on the back of her head.

"I should have known better before all of this." Her voice cuts through the night air, sharp as a blade. "You Dark Elves are never satisfied, using and discarding human women like toys. I don't know why I thought one would be different from the rest."

The accusation stings more than it should. "I've never used you, Lirien."

Water laps against the shore. Crickets chirp in the darkness. She doesn't respond, doesn't even acknowledge my words.

"Come back to the house." The words come out gruffer than intended. "You need sleep."

More silence. The bond between us pulses with a cold emptiness that makes my chest ache. The water continues its gentle rhythm against the shore, and somewhere in the distance, an owl calls out into the night.

Her continued silence weighs on me, heavy as armor. The moonlight catches the droplets on her shoulders, making them shimmer like scattered stars.

I let out a deep sigh and drop my sword onto the bank. The water laps at my feet as I wade in, my trousers growing heavy with each step. The moonlight catches the ripples spreading out from where I disturb the surface, creating dancing patterns across Lirien's bare shoulders.

She wraps her arms around herself, hunching forward. "Don't come any closer. I wouldn't want to offend your refined tastes with my unremarkable body."

The words slash into my skin. Shame burns in my chest, mixing with disgust at my earlier behavior. "I never should have said that."

"But you did. You've made your feelings very clear." The water splashes softly as she shifts away from me.

"No, I haven't." My voice comes out rougher than intended. Our connection is carrying waves of hurt that make my temples throb. "But I will now. Serra is Turo's mother. I have no interest in her."

She lets out a bitter laugh. "Too scared to fight off a minotaur to have your way?"

"By the Thirteen," I mutter, running a hand through my hair. "I wasn't interested in Serra. I was being an ass because..." The words stick in my throat like thorns. "Because I wanted to see you react."

The water ripples as Lirien shifts away from me. The moonlight catches the droplets running down her back, and I force my gaze up to the stars.

"I shouldn't have done that." The words taste bitter, foreign on my tongue. In over a century, I've rarely apologized to anyone. "I'm... sorry."

She doesn't respond. The crickets chirp louder, filling the silence between us.

I reach for her shoulder, but she jerks away, water splashing between us. "Don't."

"Look at me, at least?"

"Why? So you can mock my unremarkable features again?"

I clench my jaw.

"I've never felt like that. Like this. In all my years..." Her voice trails off, barely a whisper above the gentle lapping of water.

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