Malrik’s POV
"Maybe it wasn't her mate," Vladan suggested, voice level and calm. "Could've been a parent. A guardian. Someone else entirely."
He was trying to divert my obsession with Dravina’s mate, tossing out alternatives to soften my fixation. But I wasn’t biting. Instincts like mine weren’t so easily swayed.
"Her back is lined with silver whip scars," I said, voice quiet but hard. "He was smart too damn smart. Made sure not to damage anything people could see."
That was all the proof I needed.
Vladan leaned back in his chair, giving me space to speak.
"Any common abuser would leave marks anywhere, not caring who noticed. But the back? That’s methodical. That’s strategic. Hidden. Invisible to everyone else."
I paused, jaw clenched, the weight of the truth heavy on my chest. "She
