Natalia confronts Andrei with a heavy question about whose body was burned at his funeral years ago, revealing her need for the truth. The moment follows a somber scene where they laid to rest a baby deer, highlighting the theme of death that permeates their conversation. Though Natalia considers lying, she ultimately admits that the burned body was a female rogue who had tried to kill her, and that she placed her wedding ring and scarf on the body to deceive Andrei.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Andrei reacts with a tense but controlled demeanor, questioning Natalia about the deception and the accident that led to her abortion. His inquiry about her past pain and loss stirs difficult emotions in Natalia, who struggles with the memory of the car accident and the trauma it caused. Despite the emotional weight, Natalia remains guarded, sensing that Andrei\u2019s questions may be a sign he is uncovering hidden truths about her and the twins.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Determined to protect her secrets, Natalia shuts down the conversation abruptly, refusing to share more and insisting they continue their patrol. She maintains a cold and distant front, aware that some truths are better left undisclosed. The chapter closes with Natalia walking away from Andrei, leaving unresolved tension and unspoken pain between them.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Natalia & Andrei<\/p>\n
Natalia<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me\u2014whose body was burned at your funeral all those years ago? I have a right to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sank back onto my heels, my gaze fixed on Andrei. The question wasn\u2019t entirely surprising\u2014he\u2019d been bound to ask someday\u2014but the timing still caught me off guard. We had just laid to rest a baby deer, one that Andrei had mercifully ended with his own hands. The quiet solemnity of that moment made the transition to such a heavy question feel almost natural.<\/p>\n
Death had a way of stirring thoughts of death.<\/p>\n
Andrei waited patiently, his eyes steady and sincere, silently urging me to speak. I toyed with the idea of lying, but what good would it do? He already knew I had faked my death. The finer details no longer mattered, as long as he remained unaware of the twins or my suspicions about him being behind the attempts on my life. What difference did the truth make then?<\/p>\n
Still, a small pang of guilt gnawed at me. I couldn\u2019t forget how Andrei had stood by the pyre, his face crumpling with grief. I remembered the way he\u2019d drowned his pain in alcohol afterward. Even if his anguish was only for the loss of his pup and not for me, watching him suffer was unbearable. He had endured so much already\u2014the disappearance of Lilith years ago, the loss of his Luna and unborn child\u2014it was every male\u2019s worst nightmare.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a rogue,\u201d I finally said, rising to my feet and brushing dirt from my palms. \u201cA female who tried to kill me. She was my height, similar build.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andrei\u2019s jaw clenched tightly. \u201cSo you put your wedding ring on her finger and let me burn her body?\u201d His voice was surprisingly flat, devoid of the anger or confusion I\u2019d expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wedding ring and my scarf,\u201d I admitted, looking away, the guilt creeping back again. \u201cI did what I had to.\u201d<\/p>\n
He remained silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. But then, in his eyes, I thought I glimpsed a flicker of pain\u2014quickly masked, but there nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cWere you badly hurt in the accident?\u201d he asked, rising to his feet. \u201cIs that why you had the abortion?\u201d<\/p>\n
His question twisted my stomach into knots. Of course he would ask.<\/p>\n
Even now, four years later, the memory of the car plunging over the cliff was vivid\u2014the stomach-dropping terror, the searing pain as water filled my lungs. Though it was water, it burned like fire inside me.<\/p>\n
I winced, unable to hide the discomfort. Andrei tilted his head, watching me closely.<\/p>\n
But why bring this up now? Had he uncovered something about the twins? Was he piecing together clues or hearing whispers I hadn\u2019t anticipated?<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t risk it. I wouldn\u2019t give him anything that might lead him to Max and Jane. I had to keep up the cold, distant fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s none of your business,\u201d I said sharply, turning on my heel. \u201cWe should finish the patrol. The eastern quadrant still needs covering, and I want to be home before sundown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without waiting for his reply, I strode ahead, signaling the Ashmoor warrior to follow. I felt Andrei\u2019s gaze burning into my back, but I refused to look back.<\/p>\n
Some truths are safer left buried.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The weight of unspoken truths hung heavily between Natalia and Andrei, a fragile barrier forged by pain, loss, and the desperate need for survival. Their shared history, marked by grief and sacrifice, shaped the delicate dance of honesty and secrecy that defined their connection. In this quiet moment of confrontation, the past\u2019s shadows loomed large, reminding them both of the sacrifices made and the wounds still healing beneath the surface.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet, despite the distance Natalia maintained, the flicker of vulnerability in Andrei\u2019s eyes hinted at the lingering hope for understanding and reconciliation. Their journey is one of cautious steps, where the heart\u2019s yearning battles the instinct to protect and conceal. As they move forward, the silence between them speaks volumes\u2014some truths must remain hidden, but the bonds forged in pain continue to hold them together, fragile yet unbroken.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the fragile tension simmering between Natalia and Andrei, as unspoken questions and buried emotions threaten to surface. Natalia\u2019s guarded demeanor and the weight of her secrets hint at a growing chasm that may prove difficult to bridge, especially as Andrei\u2019s probing suggests he\u2019s beginning to unravel pieces of the past she desperately wants to keep hidden. The emotional stakes are high, and the reader can expect moments charged with vulnerability and restraint.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the same time, the shadow of loss and the ghosts of what once was continue to loom large, setting the stage for a confrontation not only with external dangers but with the internal battles both characters face. The lingering mystery around the twins and Natalia\u2019s true motivations will likely come into sharper focus, raising questions about trust, loyalty, and the sacrifices made in the name of survival. Prepare for a chapter that deepens the emotional complexity and tests the fragile bonds between Natalia and Andrei.<\/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 60 Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 60 Summary Natalia confronts Andrei […]<\/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-30579","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\/30579","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=30579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}