Chapter\u00a0746\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0get\u00a0out.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0push\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0open,\u00a0but\u00a0Gavin reached\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0arm,\u00a0grabbing\u00a0it\u00a0gently.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0do\u00a0not\u00a0leave\u00a0my\u00a0side,\u00a0understood?\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0seriousness\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0expression\u00a0caused\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0to\u00a0skip\u00a0a\u00a0beat,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstood,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0repeated\u00a0softly.<\/p>\n
His\u00a0expression\u00a0softened,\u00a0and\u00a0then he\u00a0got\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car,\u00a0running\u00a0around\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0side to\u00a0open the\u00a0door\u00a0for me\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0He\u00a0helped\u00a0me\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car,\u00a0placing\u00a0his hand\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0small\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0back,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0shivered.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stared\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0dark\u00a0and brooding\u00a0manor;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0unlike\u00a0anything\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0ever\u00a0seen\u00a0before.\u00a0They\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0kidding\u00a0when\u00a0they\u00a0said\u00a0this\u00a0place\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0shadow\u00a0region;\u00a0everywhere\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0was\u00a0shadows,\u00a0and\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0almost\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0dark fog\u00a0that\u00a0rose\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0grounds.<\/p>\n
Two\u00a0footmen\u00a0in\u00a0charcoal\u00a0livery swung\u00a0the\u00a0doors\u00a0inward\u00a0before\u00a0we\u00a0reached\u00a0them.\u00a0The\u00a0entry\u00a0hall\u00a0swallowed\u00a0us\u00a0whole\u2013black\u00a0and\u00a0white\u00a0marble\u00a0underfoot,\u00a0a\u00a0chandelier\u00a0of iron\u00a0thorns\u00a0overhead,\u00a0portraits\u00a0hanging\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0walls\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0jury.\u00a0The\u00a0air\u00a0smelled\u00a0faintly\u00a0of\u00a0candle\u00a0soot\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0sweeter,\u00a0stranger\u00a0note\u00a0of<\/p>\n
herb\u00a0smoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cChairmen\u00a0Landry,\u201d\u00a0The\u00a0butler\u2019s\u00a0voice\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0blade\u00a0wrapped\u00a0in\u00a0velvet\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0greeted\u00a0Gavin.\u00a0His\u00a0sharp\u00a0eyes<\/p>\n
turned\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cMiss.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLuna,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0corrected.<\/p>\n
Buter\u2019s\u00a0brows\u00a0raised\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0took\u00a0me\u00a0in,\u00a0scanning me\u00a0head\u00a0to\u00a0toe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0apologize,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0aware.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0no\u00a0mention of\u00a0you\u00a0taking\u00a0a\u00a0Luna.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0am\u00a0not\u00a0a\u00a0Luna\u00a0yet,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0blurted,\u00a0giving\u00a0Gavin\u00a0a\u00a0look.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0frowned\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0are\u00a0my\u00a0mate.\u00a0Regardless\u00a0of\u00a0whether\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0done\u00a0the\u00a0ceremony\u00a0yet,\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0my\u00a0Luna.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0cheeks\u00a0flushed\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0words;\u00a0the\u00a0thought\u00a0of\u00a0being\u00a0a\u00a0Luna\u00a0had\u00a0weighed\u00a0heavily\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0mind,\u00a0but\u00a0now<\/p>\n
was\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0to\u00a0dwell\u00a0on\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome\u00a0this\u00a0way,\u201d\u00a0the\u00a0butler\u00a0said,\u00a0clearing\u00a0his\u00a0throat.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0butler\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0tall,\u00a0lanky\u00a0man\u00a0with\u00a0hair\u00a0so\u00a0dark\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0like\u00a0charcoal.\u00a0He\u00a0walked in\u00a0long\u00a0strides,\u00a0his\u00a0head\u00a0held\u00a0high,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0hands\u00a0clasped\u00a0together\u00a0behind\u00a0his\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
Pictures\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family\u00a0lined\u00a0the\u00a0walls,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0finding\u00a0Zachary\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0wife,\u00a0Selene.<\/p>\n
1\/4<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0746<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0gorgeous\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0photo\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0midnight,\u00a0silky\u00a0hair,\u00a0threaded\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0single\u00a0silver\u00a0clasp\u00a0that\u00a0glinted\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0star.\u00a0Her\u00a0eyes,\u00a0a\u00a0piercing\u00a0gray\u00a0with\u00a0shards\u00a0of\u00a0silver,\u00a0remained\u00a0sharp\u00a0as\u00a0though\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0even\u00a0though\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0only\u00a0a\u00a0photo.<\/p>\n
Their\u00a0sons,\u00a0Emmet\u00a0and\u00a0Noah\u00a0Blackwell,\u00a0Noah\u00a0being\u00a0the\u00a0eldest,\u00a0stood\u00a0beside\u00a0the\u00a0two.\u00a0Emmet\u00a0with\u00a0his\u00a0smiling\u00a0face\u00a0and\u00a0dimpled\u00a0cheeks,\u00a0and Noah\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0stern\u00a0expression\u00a0as\u00a0though\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0smiled\u00a0a day\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0life.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0perfect\u00a0mix\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0two.\u00a0They were\u00a0much\u00a0younger\u00a0than\u00a0their\u00a0current\u00a0age,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0this<\/p>\n
portrait\u00a0was\u00a0an\u00a0old one.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0Selene\u2019s\u00a0arms\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0baby\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0Lila.\u00a0There\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0about\u00a0the baby\u00a0that\u00a0made\u00a0it\u00a0hard\u00a0for\u00a0me\u00a0to look\u00a0away;\u00a0there was\u00a0a\u00a0slight\u00a0familiarity\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0that\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0furrow.\u00a0Lila\u00a0has\u00a0blonde\u00a0hair,\u00a0but\u00a0this\u00a0baby\u00a0looked\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0traces\u00a0of\u00a0dark\u00a0hair,\u00a0though\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0hard\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0in\u00a0this<\/p>\n
painting.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst\u00a0painting\u00a0after\u00a0Miss\u00a0Lila\u2019s\u00a0birth,\u201d\u00a0the\u00a0butler\u00a0explained,\u00a0startling\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0realized\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0stopped\u00a0walking\u00a0or\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0waiting\u00a0for\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0blinked\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0times,\u00a0getting\u00a0my\u00a0bearings\u00a0straight.\u00a0Gavin\u00a0was\u00a0looking\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0concerned\u00a0look\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0okay?\u201d\u00a0He\u00a0asked\u00a0me,\u00a0keeping\u00a0his\u00a0voice\u00a0low\u00a0and\u00a0soothing.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0sorry,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0portrait\u00a0one\u00a0last\u00a0time,\u00a0the\u00a0light\u00a0blue\u00a0eyes\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0staring\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0me,<\/p>\n
like\u00a0a\u00a0warning.<\/p>\n
Pulling\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0picture,\u00a0we\u00a0followed him\u00a0down\u00a0a\u00a0corridor\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0pair\u00a0of\u00a0doors\u00a0carved\u00a0with\u00a0roses\u00a0and\u00a0vines\u00a0devouring\u00a0one\u00a0another.\u00a0The\u00a0entire\u00a0manor\u00a0gave\u00a0me\u00a0an\u00a0eerie\u00a0feeling.\u00a0My\u00a0heart\u00a0thudded\u00a0against\u00a0my\u00a0chest,\u00a0a\u00a0nervousness\u00a0clouding\u00a0me\u00a0despite\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0presence\u00a0beside\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0butler\u00a0opened\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0stepping\u00a0inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha,\u00a0Chairman\u00a0Landry,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0Luna\u00a0have\u00a0arrived,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0announced\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0unseen\u00a0figure.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuna?\u201d\u00a0A\u00a0deep\u00a0tone,\u00a0tinged\u00a0with\u00a0an\u00a0accent,\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0taken\u00a0one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHis\u00a0mate,\u00a0Sir,\u201d\u00a0the\u00a0butler\u00a0explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0see.\u00a0Allow\u00a0them\u00a0entry.\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0butler\u00a0stepped\u00a0aside,\u00a0letting\u00a0Gavin\u00a0and\u00a0me\u00a0pass\u00a0him.\u00a0A\u00a0table\u00a0of\u00a0black\u00a0wood\u00a0carved\u00a0the\u00a0space,\u00a0set\u00a0with\u00a0crystal\u00a0that\u00a0winked\u00a0like\u00a0fangs.\u00a0A\u00a0chandelier\u00a0with\u00a0candlelight\u00a0hung\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0center,\u00a0its\u00a0presence\u00a0giving\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0dimmed\u00a0lighting.<\/p>\n
At\u00a0the\u00a0head\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0table\u00a0sat\u00a0Zachary\u00a0Blackwell.<\/p>\n
His\u00a0presence hit\u00a0like\u00a0cold\u00a0iron\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0blood.\u00a0Not\u00a0loud.\u00a0Not\u00a0showy.\u00a0Just\u2026\u00a0absolute.\u00a0A\u00a0man\u00a0carved\u00a0from<\/p>\n
2\/4<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0746<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
midnight\u00a0and\u00a0old\u00a0oaths.\u00a0At\u00a0his\u00a0right\u00a0sat\u00a0Selene\u00a0Blackwell;\u00a0the\u00a0portrait\u00a0and\u00a0photos\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0corridor\u00a0did\u00a0her\u00a0no\u00a0justice.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0even more\u00a0beautiful\u00a0in\u00a0person,\u00a0and my\u00a0heart thudded\u00a0rapidly\u00a0against\u00a0my\u00a0chest\u00a0at\u00a0the<\/p>\n
sight\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0gorgeous\u00a0couple.<\/p>\n
Emmet\u00a0also\u00a0sat\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0table\u00a0beside\u00a0Lila,\u00a0who stared\u00a0at\u00a0us\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0predator\u2019s\u00a0poise,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0sharp\u00a0and<\/p>\n
unyielding.<\/p>\n
And\u00a0then\u00a0beside\u00a0her\u00a0sat\u00a0another\u00a0woman,\u00a0much older.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0wheelchair\u00a0with\u00a0snow\u00a0white\u00a0hair,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0fixed\u00a0on\u00a0me.\u00a0My\u00a0breath\u00a0caught\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0throat\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0sight\u00a0of\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0a\u00a0step\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0deceiving\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u2026\u00a0could\u00a0it?<\/p>\n
That\u00a0was the\u00a0same\u00a0woman\u00a0who\u00a0appeared\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0dreams\u00a0only\u00a0a\u00a0night\u00a0ago.\u00a0Her\u00a0words\u00a0echoed\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0head,\u201d<\/p>\n
Blood\u00a0calls\u00a0to\u00a0blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruby is a master of holiday romance and slow-burn love stories that warm the heart like a crackling fire. Her novels weave festive magic with lingering glances and tender moments, drawing readers into cozy worlds where love unfolds one snowflake at a time. Off the page, she\u2019s baking cookies and dreaming under twinkling lights.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 746 Chapter\u00a0746\u00a0 \u201cWe\u00a0get\u00a0out.\u201d I\u00a0nodded.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0push\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0open,\u00a0but\u00a0Gavin reached\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0arm,\u00a0grabbing\u00a0it\u00a0gently. \u201cYou\u00a0do\u00a0not\u00a0leave\u00a0my\u00a0side,\u00a0understood?\u201d The\u00a0seriousness\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0expression\u00a0caused\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0to\u00a0skip\u00a0a\u00a0beat,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0nodded. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21815\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}