NARRATOR

Under the moonlight, in that clearing, the Selenia faced her deepest regrets.

"Isabella, what are you doing here?... How did you get out of the palace? Aidan was hurt..."

"Why can’t I be here, Nyx?" her voice growled through clenched teeth. "Are you scared I found out about your betrayal?"

Nyx started shaking her head, her mind scrambling for excuses—her bond with Aidan, soulmates, how hard she fought against that love…

None of it felt like enough, and the accusing look in the sorceress’s eyes cut deep into her conscience.

"Isabella, I… I…"

"You… you what?... Bitch!" the witch stepped out of the shadows, taking a few shaky steps toward her.

Nyx was so wrapped in her guilt that she couldn’t see the obvious signs, the logical questions.

"I treated you kindly, welcomed you when you arrived in an unfamiliar place. All I asked was for you to help me with my mate, and you used my weakness to seduce him!"

"That was never my intention! I never wanted to hurt you, let alone seduce him