Natalia hesitates when Andrei asks her a question, instead borrowing a leather jacket from a nearby Ashmoor warrior to assert her independence. She deliberately wraps herself in the stranger\u2019s jacket, signaling to Andrei that she does not seek comfort from him. Andrei, after a moment of silent observation, puts his own coat back on and accepts her stance with reluctant acceptance. They continue walking along a narrow cliffside path, tension thick between them.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, they hear the plaintive cry of a helpless baby, which leads them to find a wounded, starving fawn hidden in the undergrowth. The fawn\u2019s deep gash and fragile state evoke a strong emotional response from Natalia, who kneels beside it, realizing it won\u2019t survive without its mother. Andrei agrees quietly, acknowledging the fawn\u2019s suffering and the inevitability of its fate.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a surprising display of tenderness, Andrei offers to end the fawn\u2019s pain quickly and mercifully. After a brief moment of hesitation, Natalia consents, and Andrei swiftly ends the fawn\u2019s suffering. He then carefully wraps the small body in his jacket and suggests they bury it to give it dignity. Together, they dig a small grave, and as they work side by side, a subtle connection sparks between them.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once the fawn is buried, Andrei breaks the heavy silence by asking Natalia a deeply personal and unresolved question about whose body was burned during her funeral years ago. The question carries unspoken emotions and history, leaving the moment charged with tension and anticipation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t answer Andrei\u2019s question right away. Instead, I shifted my gaze toward one of the remaining Ashmoor warriors standing nearby. \u201cCould I borrow your jacket for a while?\u201d I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, though inside I felt a flicker of defiance.<\/p>\n
Without hesitation, the warrior shrugged off his leather jacket and held it out to me. \u201cOf course, Laina,\u201d he said with a gentle smile. I returned the gesture warmly and slipped into the coat, relishing the sudden warmth it provided against the crisp air that nipped at my skin.<\/p>\n
Turning back to face Andrei, I deliberately wrapped myself tighter in the jacket, making sure he noticed that I wasn\u2019t seeking comfort from him. If anything, I preferred this stranger\u2019s jacket over anything he might offer. It was a small, subtle act of independence\u2014a quiet rebellion.<\/p>\n
Andrei studied me silently for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a faint shrug, he pulled his own coat back on. \u201cSuit yourself,\u201d he muttered softly, his voice low but carrying a hint of reluctant acceptance.<\/p>\n
We resumed our walk, the tension between us thick and palpable. The narrow path we followed clung precariously to the edge of a steep cliff, the dense forest pressing in on the other side like a dark, silent wall. Suddenly, a faint, plaintive cry drifted through the trees, sharp and heart-wrenching enough to make me stop in my tracks.<\/p>\n
Andrei immediately halted, raising a hand to signal silence. We all froze, straining to catch the sound again. Moments later, the soft wail came once more\u2014an unmistakable cry of a helpless baby.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver there,\u201d Andrei whispered, pointing toward a dense thicket just off the trail.<\/p>\n
We moved cautiously forward, his Beta and the other warriors flanking us protectively. As we drew closer, I spotted a tiny shape curled up among the undergrowth, trembling as it let out that pitiful sound.<\/p>\n
It was a fawn\u2014a newborn deer, no older than a few weeks. Its spotted coat was fresh and delicate, and its legs looked fragile, barely able to support its weight. But what caught my attention was the deep gash on its side, crusted with dried blood, and the sharp outline of its ribs beneath the thin skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s starving,\u201d I whispered, kneeling down beside it. \u201cAnd hurt. Someone must have killed its mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fawn tried to stand when it saw us, as if desperate to escape, but its legs gave out beneath it. Weak and trembling, it let out that heartbreaking cry again\u2014a desperate call for a mother who would never return. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.<\/p>\n
Andrei crouched beside me, his voice low and gentle. \u201cIt won\u2019t survive,\u201d he said softly. \u201cNot without its mother, and not with that wound.\u201d<\/p>\n
His words were a painful truth. The little creature was suffering, slowly fading away, and the injury was likely infected. Knowing this didn\u2019t ease the ache deep in my chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t just leave it here to suffer,\u201d I said firmly, my voice trembling with emotion.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Andrei agreed quietly. Then, to my surprise, he reached out and gently stroked the fawn\u2019s head with one large hand. The animal flinched at first but then seemed to relax under his touch. \u201cI can end its pain. Quickly. Without cruelty.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked up at him, caught off guard by the tenderness in his eyes. \u201cYou\u2019d do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d he replied, his green eyes steady and sincere. \u201cIt\u2019s the kindest mercy we can offer now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded slowly, stepping back to give him space. Andrei murmured softly to the fawn, his hand soothing its trembling body.<\/p>\n
Then, with a swift, merciful motion, he snapped the fawn\u2019s neck. It was over in an instant; the small body went limp in his hands. I blinked back tears and turned my gaze away, unable to watch.<\/p>\n
After a moment, he removed his jacket again and carefully wrapped the tiny form in the leather.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing now?\u201d I asked quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should bury it,\u201d he said simply. \u201cDon\u2019t you think it deserves that dignity?\u201d<\/p>\n
His thoughtfulness caught me off guard once more, but I nodded without a word. Andrei stood and handed me the wrapped fawn.<\/p>\n
I watched in quiet amazement as he knelt down and began digging with his bare hands, scooping away the soft earth beneath the trees. Even the other three men exchanged surprised glances, clearly unaccustomed to witnessing such a raw, personal gesture.<\/p>\n
When the hole was deep enough\u2014it didn\u2019t need to be large, given how small the fawn was\u2014Andrei took the bundle from me and gently laid it in the grave. He began covering it with earth, his movements slow and reverent.<\/p>\n
Without thinking, I knelt beside him and helped push the soil into place. Our hands brushed briefly as we worked side by side, and an unexpected spark of electricity jolted through me at the contact.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatalia,\u201d Andrei said suddenly, not looking up from the grave, \u201cthere\u2019s something I\u2019ve been wanting to ask you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stiffened, wary of where this might lead. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He finished patting down the last of the dirt, then finally met my eyes. \u201cWhose body was burned during your funeral all those years ago? I deserve to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The question hung heavily between us, loaded with unspoken history and emotions neither of us dared to voice.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The quiet act of mercy they shared in burying the fawn revealed a tender vulnerability beneath the hardened exterior both Natalia and Andrei carried. In that moment, grief and compassion intertwined, softening the distance between them just enough to kindle a fragile connection. The small, wounded creature became a symbol of their own broken pasts\u2014fragile, wounded, and in need of care\u2014mirroring the unspoken pain that lingered between them.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the earth settled over the fawn\u2019s grave, so too did a new weight settle in the space between Natalia and Andrei. His question, heavy with the promise of truth, opened a door to the past that neither could ignore. The silence that followed was charged with anticipation and a quiet hope that, perhaps, through understanding the wounds of time, they might begin to heal the fractures in their own hearts.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the shadows of Natalia\u2019s past, as Andrei\u2019s question opens a door long kept closed. The weight of unspoken truths and buried memories will stir emotions that have been simmering beneath the surface, threatening to unravel the fragile balance between them. As they confront the lingering ghosts of that fateful funeral, the tension between them will only grow, mixing pain with a reluctant yearning for understanding.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the quiet moment of shared grief over the fawn\u2019s fate hints at a subtle shift in their relationship\u2014one that might challenge the walls they\u2019ve built around themselves. Yet, with so much left unsaid, the path ahead is uncertain, and the question remains: will uncovering the past bring them closer or push them further apart? Readers can anticipate a chapter rich with emotional complexity, where every glance and word carries the weight of history and the fragile hope for reconciliation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 59 Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 59 Summary Natalia hesitates when […]<\/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":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-throne-of-thorns-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30578","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=30578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30578\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}