Malrik’s POV

"I never imagined the day would come when I would be the one to unveil her secret."

Ysolde’s voice trembled with sorrow, each word dragging as though it cut her to release. "But I know she is in safer hands now. And my time… my time is numbered."

She let out a long, weary sigh before meeting my eyes with a quiet resignation that pierced deeper than words. "So I will pass it on to you."

For a heartbeat, silence wrapped around us, heavy and unyielding, before she went on ...