Theodore's head throbbed, his consciousness foggy, when a faint chime of bells stirred him. Memories swept through like a summer breeze, pulling him back to a lotus-scented day in early summer. The sun blazed like molten gold, the fragrance of lotus flowers drifting into the boat's cabin.
Laughter from young she-wolves carried from a nearby vessel. "Daphne, you won't believe it—I saw Cordelia give Theodore a pouch at the Blossom Feast," one said.
Theodore's hand paused mid-chess move, his gaze lifting. A figure in scarlet leaned against the boat's prow, her jade-pale foot teasing the water's surface. A gilded anklet with bells jingled with her movements, sending ripples across the lake.
Daphne scoffed. "Don't mention her. She's a buzzkill."
She stopped playing with the water, her brow
