THREADS OF THE PAST
LYKAINA’S POV
The fortress’s steel gates groaned open, and I stepped into Vallancia’s crisp morning air, my sneakers crunching on gravel.
Zarek strode beside me, his woodsmoke scent steadying my nerves, though his “wildfire” nickname still made me want to punch him in the nose.
Behind us, Lucien and Phillip, Zarek's friends and members of the royal guards, bantered about pack rankings, their laughter easing the knot in my chest.
We were headed to the mall they have here to shop for clothes. My wardrobe’s practically empty anyway. Shopping wouldn't have been necessary if I was allowed to pack a bag before coming here, but here we are.
My mind wasn't exactly focused on the dresses we were going to buy. It was on my grandmother, and the parents I’d never known. I
