BOLD AND DARING, ALTAIR.

Chapter: 74

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TALON:

The days went on, stretching into a void that swallowed me whole. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the darkness pressing down like a suffocating weight. My thoughts spiraled, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the image of Altair’s hurt eyes. They haunted me, flickering in the back of my mind like a candle struggling against the wind.

I had once relished the quiet hours, slipping out into the night to hunt, to feel the thrill of the chase as I stalked rabbits in the moonlight. But now, the thought of stepping outside filled me with dread. Each time I considered it, I pictured Altair, the way he looked at me during training—his gaze flickering with hope, only to be extinguished by my indifference. I had tried to remain distant, to keep him at arm’s length, but it was a futile effort. The more I avoided him, the more I felt my spirit wither.

During the day, the sunlight poured through the training grounds, illuminating the laught