Estella’s POV:
When I returned to the Academy, I thought nothing could ruin my happiness. The memories of my birthday at the palace were still vivid—the vow Darius made to me and his ancestors, the magical tree born of our bond, his hands, his mouth, his love that lasted through the night. I wished we’d had that from the start—without the lies, the running, the heartbreak. My life could have been peaceful. Content.
Or so I thought.
I was halfway to class when Felix found me. His usual lazy grin was gone, replaced by a pale face and wide, frantic eyes.
“It’s Cali,” he said before I could ask. “There was an accident in the workshop. Something went terribly wrong.”
I grabbed the front of his shirt. “What do you mean, wrong? She’s not…”
He shook his head quickly.
“No, no! But there was
