37: WE FOUND HIM!

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Zara sat in her chambers, staring at her reflection in the polished mirror before her.

Her face looked different, cold and detached, like a stranger's face, a mask she had to wear every day.

The weight of the love bind was heavier now, pulling at her heart, twisting it into painful knots with every thought she had about Erythian.

The magic, the dark, suffocating magic that forced her to feel love for Alaric, was a torment she could not escape.

Every time she tried to break free, it clung to her like a chain, dragging her down into the depths of her own weakness.

The truth was clear now: this fight against Alaric was not just about power or politics. It was about survival.

He was not the man she had once imagined him to be.

The man she had married was ruthless, dangerous, and willing to do anything to keep his grip on the throne.