Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 51 - Chapitre 60

The headache is finally gone. The weight pressing against my skull has lifted, leaving only a dull ache behind. The past two days have been a blur of sleep, quiet conversations, and Valentine refusing to let me move too much. But now, my body is restless. I need air. I need to move.Stepping out of the bedroom, I take in my surroundings properly for the first time. The estate was old-world elegance, grand and gothic. This place is different—sleek, modern, almost futuristic. The floors are polished black marble, smooth and cold beneath my bare feet. The walls are dark, lined with recessed lighting that casts an ambient glow. There’s a quiet hum in the air, the sound of an energy source I can’t see.I make my way through the house, running my fingers along the smooth walls. The windows are tinted, seamlessly integrated into the design. They keep the sunlight out, making it impossible to tell what time of day it is.Pushing open the glass doors, I step outside.The air is crisp, f

I scramble to my feet, my body aching from the relentless force of Valentine’s attacks. My breath comes in sharp gasps, sweat slicking my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the frustration clawing at my chest.I glare at him, fists clenched. “I thought you loved me.”His expression doesn’t change, but something flickers in his eyes. A shadow. A hesitation. Then, quietly, he says, “I do.”“Then why are you doing this?” My voice cracks, my anger mixing with something rawer, something more vulnerable. “Why are you pushing me so hard? If you love me, shouldn’t you—” I swallow back the thickness in my throat. “Shouldn’t you be gentle?”His lips twitch, but there’s no amusement in it. “Sometimes love is tough, darling.”I stare at him, my heart pounding. “This isn’t tough love, Valentine. This is brutal.”He steps closer, tilting his head. “Then show me your light again.”I grit my teeth, dragging in a deep breath. He wants me to try again? Fine. I’ll try again.I concentrate, reaching fo

The night is still. Too still.I lie on my back, staring at the ceiling, lost in thoughts that refuse to settle. The Ascendants. The Council. The fact that time is slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.Every second that passes is a second closer to them finding us.A second closer to everything falling apart.I exhale, turning onto my side. The room is dim, bathed in soft moonlight filtering through the sheer curtains. The sheets are cool against my skin, but my mind is restless, my body tense with the weight of everything I can’t control.We need a plan. A real one. One that doesn’t involve waiting for disaster to knock on our door.My eyelids grow heavy, exhaustion creeping in. Just as I’m about to slip into unconsciousness, the bed dips behind me.I don’t startle.His scent—cinnamon, dark and warm—fills the air before I even hear the shift of his body settling in.I sigh. “What are you doing in my room at this time?”A beat of silence. Then, his voice, smooth and lazy.

“I still can’t believe it,” Achilles is saying, shaking his head in mock disbelief as he cuts into his pancake. “You—you—once jumped out of a three-story window just to avoid Valentine, and now look at you.” He gestures at me with his fork. “You can’t go a minute without thinking about him.”I scoff, chewing thoughtfully. “I did not jump. I… strategically exited.”He snorts. “You fell.”I roll my eyes. “Semantics.”He grins, leaning on the counter. “And now? Now you’d rather die than spend a minute away from him.”I purse my lips, pretending to consider it. “Mmm… I wouldn’t say die.”He leans in. “You literally left a warm bed with a naked Valentine just to sit here and eat pancakes with me. That’s love, North.”I shake my head, laughing. “You know what’s crazy? I used to be so angry when I found out we were mated. Like, irrationally angry.” I exhale dramatically. “If I could go back in time, I would give my past self three solid slaps across the face for even thinking about rejecting

The house is lit with bright artificial lightening, beautiful and soft, recreating the glow of the morning sun that is obscured by the tinted windows.My muscles ache from last night’s training, a dull soreness settling deep into my bones. Every movement reminds me of how much Valentine and Achilles pushed me, how far I still have to go.Achilles lounges on the couch across from me, one arm draped over the back, the other resting on his knee. He looks completely at ease, as if he didn’t spend the entire night fighting like a damn warrior under the manipulation of Valentine.Unlike me, he seems untouched, no tension in his body, no exhaustion weighing him down.I shake my head, still trying to wrap my mind around everything that happened. “You know,” I begin, stretching my legs out in front of me, “last night, Valentine barely took a sip of your blood, and suddenly, you turned into me.”He smirks, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement. “Yeah, sounds about right.”I scoff. “You don’t