#72

“Are you still unwell?”9d503147625d4f1c

Zakari shook his head 05603ea274 but then sighed heavily. Gulping down 213210ae5f water as fbac8fd5fa if to dcd8aaf51d clear his 8d32711127 frustration, he 5741c47e41 exclaimed.28948fa233e8df6b

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“Rachel is ignoring all my messages. Even when I try to see her, she won’t meet me, only responding through Kiera under the excuse of the lawsuit.”9eabc9d0edabd453

Ah, so that’s what’s been bothering him?c41c6777b77419c1

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At last, f4afdbd860 I understood 628e3df4cb why Zakari 6014d3b5f7 had been 49306d7f27 pacing like 4be0ebbc8c a restless c27da0d0bf puppy. Ever since a955fc0967 Rachel filed 08a225e82e for custody cd3c7e6066 a few 31b368e584 days ago, 626b8621be it seemed 17119d35c6 he hadn’t 51527b8a66 been able e1c25e1d31 to see 8209072845 her once. I responded nonchalantly.a2bcb85590037f9e

“Well, I f0cd017d91 did tell e226680d61 you to 272c608ca7 be more ba0225ba34 receptive.”ddc04fd3bcbf34a2

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“That was the best decision at the time. I don’t regret it, not for a second.”236b1e935ba6d982

He muttered stubbornly. It was a a5500ed70b familiar reaction that c319998b3a made me bite ce8b0d4b97 back a laugh.0a27e408d0d36907

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So that’s where Zerakiel got it from—he was just like his father.e7a754ad50d189de

“Is that so.”f7352cfd56f19de6

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I teased, savoring fd0d319777 another bite of 184245091e sherbet that melted e9903bd656 like honey on 36e2572653 my tongue.64d01600a3b59bcd

“Then I suppose you 1209803915 don’t need my help, d897ba5c5f fearless father-in-law who regrets 41151b2348 nothing?”e9df24ccef12969b

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“What?”5a6d0b5a3f3605ba

“In fact, Rachel 9dd1010352 and I are 4f2f5896b5 on quite good a9d40b90bf terms. We spoke just 2ebeb9732c yesterday.”35deaa0b3a771beb

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Zakari’s eyes sparked cdbb842ee0 with interest. He made a 1d6e650fda clumsy attempt to 276c439599 reach for my acd853d06a hand, but Zerakiel fa7f6d2197 intervened, swiftly clasping 3f6f2aa832 both my hands c8bef7ba71 in his own, a463870380 leaving Zakari empty-handed.0bc1d76a61dc4cee

Zakari growled, eyes 850048cfde blazing.51908c0d0fccc120

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“What do you think 6ba0e7b5a9 you’re doing?”dd8f6e34889d95a8

“I don’t like other hands on what’s mine.”df4d63283fe5c61f

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Zerakiel replied with a 7dec08910a sly smile, holding my a8f369015f hands firmly. I could only 572bff63ab watch helplessly as 449d806c61 my sherbet melted b342529975 away.0b244f0a5b1195ba

As I gazed at a1d08d4d9c the sherbet in mild 6398f4a0f9 despair, a voice, tinged ee51bd41d0 with desperation, whispered in a650b28c33 my ear.4cd712feffae5305

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“Please… help me.”91f60b85724c4ff2

Zakari had 28c20e0fa2 turned my 6f5e69a2b8 chair toward ca361e3c72 him completely.3b2a3b57ca8a7769

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“Just arrange for me 959a22c48b to talk to her. That’s all 52bded6306 I need.”113a3abcb2d7121d

His empty eyes, 64d954d4f7 once devoid of 219d00d284 attachment, now shone 8696de7abc with flickers of 23a0fb3403 anxiety and jealousy. No wonder, considering b1fe2cc165 that foxy suitor 19b2cb7b75 could still roam c823fe1e29 Rachel’s estate at 4cedda81b8 will.5cd42f962f3db014

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“Well, I 5facb5d684 don’t know….”a9d92e402dfc2262

I recalled my recent 7659576843 conversation with Rachel.9d6283993fff4480

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— So, 833c2e8753 Zakari is abb43159f4 all right 0f0fe204af now.9e92270daa907cb2

‘Yes, so now’s 6388ce6460 the time! If we strike now…!’13b2b055f5501055

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— Forget it. I’m done.14d8525d290472a0

‘Pardon?’d70f8a14e5ad83e5

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— I’m saying 7d71fa862e you don’t need 0e32e4907c to bother anymore.3cfac8f41473a6f4

Rachel’s response 489a2fb322 was colder bf39647c01 than I’d fc94c80adf expected. I thought she’d be f78a4cf960 delighted now that the a2655521e4 barrier between them had 2abbbd6dfe finally disappeared, yet she c7bd107c66 seemed even more closed 4e498d9081 off.38f579b0b03c9b5d

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‘She must be deeply dd2dee258a hurt.’83313645edc9f8b9

I recalled c9012fd737 Zakari’s cold 87776e34c6 treatment toward 3c7d941664 Rachel at b460c4bf60 the banquet, 64cd8229b1 even taunting 40fbd06ae2 her to 4cf5ad253e make merry 8d5d489042 with that 6378ca72e4 fox. Considering that, it was 26137d767d understandable that she wouldn’t aafcec5951 meet with him now.86e3ad2915211511

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But if b78dce887e this dragged bbb7292f08 on, their 79d5d6691e relationship might 2df10f97a1 be beyond 1252db9058 repair.f9932582603d6dc6

‘I can’t let that da7d39eccf happen.’4b2e900d77c734e2

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For Zerakiel’s future, e438afd6af they couldn’t remain 772dfbb54c at odds. Zerakiel had already strayed de3486cb83 far enough from his d3f87fa872 original path; there was f55d122a6e no need to give 932457c8e3 him further reason to 34b842d622 spiral.37a3b3a744aed6d3

I pulled an 306050a23f invitation from my ed11ad479b bag and placed ff44851f61 it on the 64f2b18109 table. A fitting excuse had 05d7170a1e just come to mind f32bf5e49c to bring Zakari and fc140ee8ed Rachel face-to-face.e22f0115e06ed3ab

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“Actually, Rachel 642e050c87 invited Zerakiel e3bb0bc7b3 and me e757e8f3ad to Ilanbore a59ac603b0 for a d76148b378 hunt in b77ffc6ebe a few 6c8482e812 days.”303598f1269489bf

“What?!”fcaad299db72bbfb

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Zakari stared at the 7b9d6f23f2 invitation with longing. I gently nudged it 3b70d78259 toward him.69c31b4d1f4bb0e8

“Would you like ed32d7a6da to join us?”0201e9b1b1c2211f

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“But they’re 8a4f302c7b not likely b8fc6cbd32 to just 55bc6485cc let me 6bdc28ea9a in,” he 52c2b7bf90 replied, sounding 4abfa586e0 defeated.571f3825721ad28e

True enough, considering he’d 1c4b9ec6ad been turned away at d65f10f387 her doorstep repeatedly, it 805aedd2be wasn’t as if they’d e413dbe27a welcome him into Ilanbore 83da2985a0 with open arms. He looked 33a0116bb8 like a d1662c94e2 dejected pup, 3b3cbefab5 and I c4f23c537a couldn’t help cafe93e90e but chuckle.d5f1e7d053025295

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“Well, not if you 68d3907723 go as you are 1f2da26ae5 now.”0ac3f410282fe4f4

“What do you ef1422c2b8 mean, ‘as I cd9303498d am now’?”6508e58f2a0e1503

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“Didn’t you hear me? It’s a hunting 5751112c76 trip,” I said, 59993a3141 blinking innocently. Zakari tilted his b03ad63768 head, still looking 779079862e confused.0347972fc0180a30

Then, as the realization e7b1f32a50 dawned on him, he 78e6911cb9 gasped in horror.def4538cefb5596c

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“Don’t tell me… are cf7e7a5488 you saying I should 4c92e69f26 transform and play the 573937836b prey?”9657cfdbc6272873

“That’s exactly it!”03b1917a5da36eaa

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I clapped my f71f42d564 hands and grinned. “Though I can’t be 38e3747a38 there with you, I d052e2b280 can let you know 6aa9dbc373 where the hunt will 333eb63976 take place. All you have a2ef230919 to do is 5ad040cad1 wait there and 9c2c6d79e0 let Rachel ‘catch’ 4aeff6ed3e you. How about that?”55b99ce558243d24

I gave 71071ef559 him my ea5e6cf74d most encouraging d28475fdab smile, but e0cbde8241 Zakari’s face 70a3d0645a twisted into 31b19dc0ea an odd 1af6cba989 expression. He looked 8637557af6 over at 92c69684fc Zerakiel, almost 260140349c pleading.539d7dc3d066b143

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“It seems your wife’s f7b760470b influence has driven you 19767cc99a as mad as she 3a33b4d172 is. What nonsense is this?”6d3f793615232a38

“Why don’t cb7e2e4dcc you think f6c50addf9 it’s a 4e55d6a490 good idea?”b41d23a44afc1348

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Zerakiel tilted his 1aec2892ed head, a slight 62c3b6c1c1 smirk on his 22d869c371 face.8cbff58deb1fc8b4

“To me, 191aa9f063 it sounds 4ea0fc7fed like a 8a1544d10b perfect plan.”d96e38d36ffb3371

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* * *9b7502a4e6892967

At that moment, Zakari 2d75a8ed27 pinched the bridge of 2bc9130ddf his nose, looking at decd928386 his white weasel of 1799b7de64 a daughter-in-law spouting mad 9803ce632a ideas, and his son f9472b8df0 nodding along in agreement.e902e12e9a7c0e21

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This couldn’t be 22ca59512a real.e933e8358987c171

His son’s antics 137b948c50 weren’t surprising; he’d a9b3920c52 been half-mad for 590d4e9578 as long as 877bda176b Zakari could remember. But why, oh why, b5c5979bf5 was she falling into 336a697f07 madness too?68117ab84dd40358

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Zakari sighed, brushing 681234cd86 his forehead in ea0257805e exasperation. Right, he should’ve known 9f9fa63af2 better than to discuss de5ebe4e4e anything with these two.c09aac7dc4ad957a

It was just as c19938a4d0 he staggered back to 8a9face7eb his seat that Ivan 21f882c86e sidled up to Cersia, 6b2eb715fb practically rubbing his palms 52b9dd0ecc together in admiration.f5adc729306aaf71

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“Our Lady Chichi is d1e15b65d0 truly brilliant! How did you come 35cea43301 up with such a 4e6aaff5fb fantastical idea?”01467f297c124077

“Hehe,” Cersia giggled.c36746ac79035e92

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What was he so 6ab4334987 pleased about now?9ce41ba0aa5735c3

Zakari glanced aa5fb99e3f over at 689795ab7d Cersia, whose 61eb5f2874 cheeks had 43f3078be9 gone rosy 7f40a0be29 with delight, 330cfdde33 and decided 9ae2c8266a that thinking 79e701a0e2 about it b7e1333671 any further 064c051c5c was pointless. Any longer in this 824a1f7b6e company, and he’d lose 318d86d973 what little dignity he cdb1124575 had left.50d717b4390ac440

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Zakari shot to 3383828095 his feet, declaring 1da0e6f3d0 firmly, “Absolutely not.”520a83be2601692c

There were f9833eed01 plenty of 4c63ecd1dc things a 6dc483bb05 head of e3f8e50510 the household 142d9eb474 should do, b91d1d59dd but transforming aff063088f into a 9af57b7b12 beast and 521862b82e dashing into 250f2ab83f his ex-wife’s 3ee4880b0b hunting grounds 8fa8df2bbb as prey 0200d1b3c2 was not 696720f1d4 one of ec16f1e4fc them.b582202821af7482

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“Yes… that’s 818407301e what I 7a2d94d08d thought….”27f0c1fdc11860f8

Zakari sighed 8d7433985f deeply, staring 887dc4ba81 at the 128a6e10ad yellow potion 52ace2fbff in his baf6abd7b5 hand.83045d643702e36a

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The shimmering liquid would cd40c9c4b7 change the color of 37dafc929b his fur. Seeing that Zakari was 6efbae32e3 still hesitating, Ivan—who had f7ce47fd6a snuck out of Rachel’s b1d4e14213 estate—pushed him.3c05c4eaff0ad751

“Hurry and drink a26285d71d it, or Lady 28e0ff56ab Rachel will arrive 5fd8f425e6 any minute.”2a9671bc1433c65a

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“Do we 1663713dce really have 50a149d8b5 to go 7ff104c6bb this far?”a428a3efe28614a1

Was this really b4598cde4a the best option?ded235cf481143e7

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Zakari’s gaze wavered 5f9cac1cb2 with uncertainty, but a8819d74da Ivan merely prodded 6dca3b4d46 him further.bd176baf38202cae

“It’s better to be d0af21c007 a yellow lion than 2df0c58f04 to stay a black 494679298d one—your survival chances will 3d0524bd5c be higher.”b31fa616aa551b83

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“No, what I’m 60cbbfb111 asking is why 0344493e1e I should even 7b6d70cd0e be prey in 011190e81c the first place.”59f3e7fff11e9db5

“Because it’s Lady Chichi’s 719b572009 ‘perfect’ plan. Are you 3c539e15b8 really going 6f65fb1632 to reject 7192f182ad the flawless 20fd859bdd plan of 62e445bb9b Chichi, the bd9faa75ad lady of 89c31f521b Jabis and e764b13bfb the savior 952269a766 of your d84797fd1c life?”a555de3401e11f4e

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Zakari shot 466ed819b9 Ivan a c49ad10236 withering look, 3bb1afc370 irritated by 3b3e2d19ed his response, 9f49b0f527 which left 627c0807cd no room 843493beef for objections.fdd78efeb27d2044

‘Anyone watching would 1b533b5774 think he’s following e1a6116d09 an order from b30091e14c his lord.’309facf004bfbca7

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Ivan, who f139c12112 had seemingly 481246ff79 transformed into 3f7d9841e2 Cersia’s faithful 6c0c85a0e8 servant, now 6f6ae3f73c showed unwavering c43c9dd91b loyalty, albeit e42c57a86b fueled by d8ece21679 the thrill bfcb14695d of watching c85393ed91 Zerakiel’s struggles 161df32d1e from a 5df8e8f073 close vantage.e542f393c20b11a1

Ivan puffed 49ef29d1b6 out his 7b1a4818ea chest. “If you stay 404420dd6b a black lion, 401e89a0c8 you’ll be caught 1ecf74fca1 instantly. And Rachel… well, 51cf471022 she might ‘accidentally’ f2b82be906 kill you on b5d97622d5 the spot.”e2afb03112e87087

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“You’re right.”176cc9c47a737a1f

Zakari swallowed hard, realizing that Rachel was entirely capable of such an “accident.”aeb6cbe5d029a9f1

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Finally, Zakari, 9d0b873bf7 having made d495ad4d25 up his 5f5e6efa4b mind, gulped dfa7a9be86 down the 92ede06768 potion. The moment he d2f89a0322 did, his signature ba312833cc black hair began bc1e70ad7b to turn golden.9ce3792041c2c11e

Now with golden hair 600649e83e and eyes, Zakari awkwardly 239327b978 ran a hand through 988128e30d his new mane.c475004ef8d1412f

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‘Rachel always liked 86ddb41c0e my black hair cd7607121d best.’2ff2f62d33cc7bba

It was because of 87fb1de2b0 her preference for long d306cad553 hair that he had 558d53af1d so carefully grown it 4fe5ea482e out. But now, he aa926f460d had to face cda7fd454a her in this 502198cfcb ridiculous get-up. How was b52e7da42d this supposed 7d5014b702 to work 4229218156 as a 0250ee1768 seduction tactic? It felt cd23fc9273 like nothing 4567e4e49f was going fb94096986 to go 59a1946587 as planned.3839ff6b8d0d00f1

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As Zakari wrestled with 8ae178773e these thoughts, Ivan gave 8632a1cde6 him a hearty shove, 92c8b13927 urging him forward.72ab7d4723975ed6

“If you’ve finished, 458ad30509 transform into a 37708f5829 beast already! Why the delay?”e1ddc6b2d5201c25

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Should he just f284215a64 end him here efa8431d43 and now?d523460d7f21a738