Chapter Eight

The sun's gentle morning rays filtered through the ornate windows, casting a warm glow across my face. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I stirred in my comfortable bed, the feeling of both luxury and confinement settling over me. Today's dress hung neatly, an indication that they were taking care of me. The shoes, always placed with precision, awaited my feet beside the bed.

As I slowly rose from the bed, I couldn't help but wonder how I had become accustomed to this mysterious place. I knew that staying here indefinitely wasn't an option; I had to unravel the secrets and discover who I truly was. Thoughts of my loved ones back home tugged at my heartstrings, especially Kat and Nathan, who were surely worried about my sudden disappearance.

"Shoot... I totally forgot about him," I muttered to myself, realizing with a pang of guilt that Nathan was my boyfriend, and we were deeply involved with each other. I had to find a way out of this place sooner or later; otherwise, they might assume the worst.

I proceeded to the bathroom to start my day. The need for answers weighed heavy on my mind.

Walking through the corridors of the palace, I stumbled upon Dairon in the courtyard. He was deeply engrossed in some kind of training, harnessing his mysterious powers. Beads of sweat glistened on his bare chest as he wiped them away with a cloth.

"What are you staring at?" Dairon's mischievous grin caught me off guard.

"Nothing," I replied, attempting to divert my gaze, but it was too late; he had already closed the distance between us.

"Really? Nothing," he probed, that grin still intact. His laughter was infectious, but I couldn't let him know what had truly captured my attention.

"Nothing," I reiterated, trying my best to focus on anything but him.

Dairon's allure was undeniable. His brown hair framed his face perfectly, and his piercing green eyes complemented his features.

"What about Livian?" I inquired, curiosity getting the best of me as I wondered about the other person he had mentioned.

"Probably in his training room," Dairon replied. "Is he good?" I asked

" What do you expect?" he asked instead of answering my question.

"I don't know," I admitted, gazing at the ground and absentmindedly kicking some stones.

"You're not bad either," I reassured Dairon with a smile before pausing his training to sit down. "But not as good as him, no matter how hard I try."

I frowned, pondering his words. "But you know something? He always felt like I was loved more than him by our parents."

"More loved?" I asked, surprise evident in my voice.

Dairon nodded. "That explains his attitude toward you."

"Not only me, but also toward our parents?" I inquired, delving deeper into this family mystery.

"My parent, to correct, and no, it's not Lord Kin, neither is it Lady Altheda," Dairon dropped another bombshell.

I was shocked; I had never heard anyone address them as "Mom" or "Dad," but I had assumed it was a formality. "My mom died years ago," Dairon explained, his eyes clouding with sadness.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, reaching out to hold his hand in a gesture of empathy.

"Raisha was responsible for her death. Mom took the hit for Livian and died," Dairon continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "Since then, Livian blamed himself for her death and swore to avenge her. He's carried that guilt with him."

"What about your father?" My curiosity got the best of me, and although I sensed I shouldn't pry any further, I had to know more.

"He's in the main palace, far from here. We left because after Mom's death, he took another woman, who made life difficult for us," Dairon explained. "Our father started having issues with us, so we left him and came here."

"We used to write to him, but he never responded to any of our letters, so we stopped writing altogether," he added with a hint of bitterness.

I couldn't help but wrap my arms around him, offering a comforting embrace. Dairon had been carrying this heavy burden for years, and the strained relationship between him and his father, then his brother was evident.

"Lord Kin and Lady Altheda did a remarkable job raising you two," I commented, attempting to lighten the mood. "You're like the children they never had."

Dairon's response took me by surprise. "What makes you think they don't have children? They're out there fulfilling their duties while we're here, with nothing. Our new mother has made sure we have nothing, so we won't be in line to the throne."

As I struggled to make sense of the situation, Dairon added another piece to the puzzle. "She was my father's concubine before becoming his wife after my mother passed."

Confusion swirled within me. The complexities of his family and the dynamics at play left me bewildered. However, one thing was clear there were deep-seated tensions and secrets within this household.