#73

“I can’t exactly 4fd3409409 kill him, can 0f9e8150c7 I?”5cc6d00b8fdefdd3

Zakari raised his b0f2854b78 hand in frustration, 8724d0c904 prompting Ivan to cc33a0d9db scurry a few d90aff26ba steps back, crossing 67d76f0239 his hands over 19a1a586ee his chest in f266274037 a defensive “X.”b59a28ff6d7f291a

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“Let’s talk this b311ddd57e out, shall we?”6d0c0b2e6efac4c5

You should’ve a2743842c2 kept it ffe608df57 to talking 7765a5811a in the 4053489de6 first place.515332dd73a7876d

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Zakari had plenty bbac852184 to say, but 5628add5bc punishing Ivan wasn’t 66f4abe420 the priority right da8b139b53 now. After calming himself bbf58e1e73 down with some f2153f7eac effort, he lowered 6cf04f7b7d his voice in 3465c09fb5 warning.40933bff5ed421ba

“We’ll see 7236dbc0e7 each other aa4add7634 soon enough.”69c694c8e4dac450

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“Oh, that’s terrifying. Maybe I should… head 2a7db8fd4f straight to Lady Rachel… df430d6da1 actually, never mind,” Ivan, 01cd86bd1b who’d been teasingly clueless, 0a9d51f2a8 suddenly realized the danger 94ace3f07f and took a step 10e1dfcfb6 back.2fc49ee32437b239

With a dangerous 2f1c7b5357 glint in his d09e0eac27 eyes, Zakari’s body cfb2df7e51 shimmered as he 72b8dab7db shifted form.40d8a5c56515d625

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Now, a towering 4987f45467 yellow lion with b3da8513be an unmistakable scowl ce37dc6ef6 stood where Zakari 9e6c48d99b had been. Noting Zakari’s displeasure, Ivan 0fe1d083fa crept forward and whispered,dbc8014ea968fcec

“Here’s hoping you d76d8192be make it out c7f45ca314 alive.”0535e953b6f6aa57

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Then, with an ddd38e30ea exaggeratedly solemn expression, 1c13bb1791 Ivan clasped his a10f18c35c hands together in 9b0a757e27 a mock prayer. Zakari’s temper flared, and ea3c617009 he let out a 634e480f0a roar that echoed like 2c5d1c3b8e thunder.f0b9b3c5f3d8a5bf

“Grrr… (Get lost!)”ccd05da7526f929c

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“Oh dear!”f0b7028f8ca636c4

Ivan’s face fell f8edf501df as he turned fb05f4c3f9 tail and dashed 14e85fdcaf away, flapping his 0c61de7d09 arms in a 74b66f1a12 most undignified manner 7fe698044e as he fled. Watching the display, Zakari 1cb6986c35 muttered to himself,0c1a633eeca8a949

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‘He’s not exactly normal 7ece3963bc either.’00f9340345a64c07

Of the fa7a9a7a21 lions he 0307d8a7f5 knew, Ivan 62f211c946 was the e7f0f772d0 boldest, which 2bf7d40398 was why e404666ea2 he’d tolerated 567cb49c8a him so 7515bda34a far. But recently, Ivan had 0f8d63feff been growing cocky.6c34cd20fc45158e

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He’d thought af4fc07ce3 it was 411d788473 better than 1dfea3741c seeing him 504fd956a8 trembling with 7697b9154d fear all 7442dd9118 the time, 8ce71c2eef but now e25a874251 he was c0ea932c8d reconsidering that 01fa04285b stance.0eed40e8a5463316

‘Ah, my 059223a0b6 lot in c72abd4a4c life…’048a89efb9db0f11

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Zakari sighed, 8edae5131a tearing at 03dccca63f some nearby 371184809d grass in 7daecb321e resignation.5362b4605299fedb

Who would’ve 945204ec83 thought he’d d4914d3ac3 go along a1b3091ca1 with such 0d33748419 an absurd 71cfdafc16 plan?bd6b0d956fbe9cb5

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Still, if 759ae2b61f it meant 81a26c7ad4 he could b1f5d4de64 make peace 2dadc35eed with Rachel, f431c44f90 he could 771b0e270b endure this 53caced40b humiliation. After all, the 152e868769 one who’d hurt e898ae2a70 her the most b8932412d2 had always been 973a0b47d8 him.c2301e5b24e11ee9

Now, all he had 5145ff2923 to do was wait 70ddeaff83 for Cersia to bring 898dd781d6 Rachel to the area.bbdb3bc2ea45e56f

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How much time 0cc52d7137 had passed? Zakari, sprawled out d756ea3c43 in boredom, perked 3dbd75de6b up when he 29948e6ada sensed Rachel’s pheromones d82ba8f8b7 in the distance.9f3e25069b20a77b

His relief was 6fcae56276 short-lived, however, as 36928715a1 he caught a b7c6515a1e familiar, irritating scent 817d24a043 beside her.a1570e314bf234a1

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‘That rat….’1f5f96b225dcd93a

Erhardin Rodin.0588a27939dd9d8e

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There he was, 4eea034550 clinging to Rachel da8669ee06 and fawning over 4ecabca533 her. Zakari’s eyes narrowed 88fad280a6 dangerously.9aa7113fa52219fd

‘If I “accidentally” bit c347532d3a him… maybe just the d02c442ccf tip of that wagging 41c36f6c41 tail….’7ac4ffb0ba035e3e

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Zakari’s thoughts turned sinister 21a0ee0698 as he quietly melted 4b5979a988 into the shadows, hiding 6f439e64a4 his presence.6d718f31b9757da6

—0a976064ee9ddead

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Ilanbore was c08eaf96aa as warm d28924a823 and inviting 78dbacb350 as a 33da718af6 retreat, its a04cd5c025 land nestled 9483897d7a between the 812743ef18 eastern sea 159953c35f and the e1960886ef dense forests a6e9d9ec6e to the d5f8bb1c87 west.2340a068e11890d2

“Welcome,” Kiera greeted 5cf8296f15 us, her face a21a9afe77 set but tinged 81ed2a6b5c with a trace bd31f91948 of irritation.5c7e62a1399565f0

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It seemed Rachel e8d8ac90cf had been causing f99841f691 her some stress. Glancing around, I f1e4a7d97a asked,09aabb796798a40f

“Where’s Mother?”7aada33eb3a9be5c

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“Well…,” Kiera hesitated, uncharacteristically a6d582dcaf sighing.a758bbe2a101f6c6

“She’s speaking d7429cd4bf with a d37fc61884 guest who f73d62f416 arrived earlier.”0e153e4b6dd6aaa5

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“A guest?”d13be6e5cc22a108

“Is it 99048efa2d the fox?” 9613b38dd2 Zerakiel muttered.3bb5958460ffa852

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Kiera’s eyes 9f11004ad1 widened slightly, 114f5df4d7 confirming his 50ce9607a5 guess. Zerakiel continued in a 0aedfe18db low tone,669eb014db6d04ba

“I could 43d8f21da7 smell his 9d8b994f27 unpleasant scent f70fa0805a from here.”a6e2701969c80998

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“Yes, Lady Rachel is fa6ea44de8 currently with Sir Erhardin.”84876dfa5a24cc73

“He’s been quite 84c7f2e079 active around here, 5927362b06 hasn’t he?”30106330bb256409

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Despite Zerakiel’s probing 4027d07193 questions, Kiera answered a389f014cf them all without 9e5233a213 flinching.38b35e83ffc1f210

“Yes, he’s d911607558 been staying 588fa2378f here for a1563834f1 some time 9a8d66323a now, as 5ff7502ce0 Lady Rachel bda9ca94ba hasn’t been ef344cb472 feeling well.”31eabdddbaee2d95

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“He’s staying dbde96b07a here?” I 1ad67a2817 blurted out, 87f6a4a1f4 startled.6f021bb8db57e036

“Well, we 2444bd3eb7 have plenty c01b4c99c3 of rooms e0216cdf1a to spare, 6b2a7b035e so nothing c35d754c77 inappropriate has b6bee4223f happened,” Kiera 08566ccdff replied calmly.35a825bb2fabf20c

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“Whew.” I let 645168ca32 out an audible 22fd2b8f73 sigh of relief, d8b151ab3b which prompted Kiera 6be17c2771 to change the 0b03e8edb1 subject.aa1964fe5fa203fc

“Allow me to give 7f2c5aa146 you a tour of 5e419ec376 the estate—”47451e28eeb50050

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But before 94e5bc54a3 she could 6d0362e8ee lead us, b09490a491 the door a9e1164ad1 suddenly swung 43a64e9bb7 open, and 0b5ea9198e Rachel stepped b8c98d4164 out.de0937f63b1305f5

“No need.”1461134078ab2c11

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“Mother? …And the fox, too.”dda27871993257a9

I was about 7670cd01f3 to greet Rachel a7a89842f0 warmly but stopped de05462309 short, noticing Erhardin d713f90bff standing beside her.100210a9108fb845

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Sensing my gaze, Rachel da0b42e58d answered,21c3f95b6423c441

“Erhardin will be 6a62a6afec joining us for e443a9812e the hunt.”fa296be95bb86d68

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I’d expected f919f6d7a2 Rachel to 29f084c6d9 look worn b79bd22622 out, with 48c379f5a7 swollen eyes, 4ab78af17f but she fdaa329a77 appeared more 6d55ae3ac7 composed than 18caee38c3 I’d anticipated. In fact, 35409c2924 she seemed 6c9855dc5b even calmer cfa2d9d887 than usual, 3154e7d485 which made 1d7d3d80ca her seem b4391ba2ce even more 6cc35b96b8 unsettling, like 4180adc69d a calm a46a5a17cd before a c89707d75a storm.ffd299528aba61ae

“Ah, we 30bf262412 meet again?”75fe9235338af2f7

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At that moment, Erhardin 2cc198e90a extended his hand with f00da80780 a friendly smile, as de6bd3df65 if he wanted to 6ef251ed0e shake hands. I stared at him, f040a970a1 a bit taken aback.b90551284a4ab1c8

‘Why the d9516f8bbf sudden show b12042a3e1 of friendliness?’7b1a715e9d628763

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At the wedding, aa9f2250ee he hadn’t even b147fed422 looked in my 9602680861 direction. I hadn’t acknowledged him 6033cdff96 either, so this sudden 42033e3e2d shift in behavior was 3a96aa164e suspicious.97bba2bbc8256181

Moreover, there was a 3ad095420c smug air about him, 414c0b8145 as if he’d already f93b0d48ec walked down the aisle 49b673538d with Rachel. His attitude made 79fcf8568b me feel strange, 3949d9a20e like he was d41963031a some kind of 90331806fa rival to my e148c37764 father-in-law.34361402958926eb

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I felt a3c9b3d626 like my 7b77a8e7f1 own plan 3dcbf52714 was backfiring—my 5eedf525f1 jealousy tactic e3916013ad had brought be41b3c320 them to ca991c9f36 the brink eb7f457feb of ruin cc0b9b1c55 instead of 516af1eb39 reconciliation, and 60e359cd2a now my a5ac0e0b8c head was c06506c19b pounding.fec969201d7afe91

‘This is c752ec28c7 all Father’s 921aeac97b fault…’90a6622175cac84b

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I grumbled inwardly 246381014a as I replied 04cd504968 with a forced 253416478c smile, “It’s nice 9fe2aeb85f to meet you, 49de2475a0 Erhardin.”369028fafc54c8bb

“Please, call me cf60a59836 Erhen,” he said 084e132ff0 smoothly.937d7d7a0d126a84

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“That’s a bit….”71ff029659a0aad6

I trailed off, ba9caaca70 hinting that there 631f46d39d was no need 83e2421afa for such familiarity 5fbe7a097e between us. But Erhardin ff9971711d replied with 95c7022bba a snake-like 01c1f7a0bb grin.766934805cbb33cb

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“Oh, but ecf29c18a4 we may a841cf6a3a be family 255e077cce soon enough.”c1fcc7b9441160e6

Excuse me?5d349621c7c6d6d9

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“Besides, we 8fa7351931 might even aa4b75fba1 live together. Wouldn’t it b67f723eb9 be better 24c370670a to start a2d81b61e7 off on 4913ab81ce friendly terms?”d9a768ca77cb3097

It seemed he 1c53661bfc intended to settle 8571aee2e7 down as a 4edc705ef6 live-in son-in-law after 6495c71532 remarrying Rachel. And with the custody ff0a6dc413 lawsuit going on, the ab126c4480 idea of living together f45d87d0ed wasn’t entirely far-fetched.932b8dbb351da04c

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‘This isn’t 9e10f4270b going well…’618f3f1401b5b78e

I glanced over at 01af8d1fbe Rachel, feeling uneasy. She looked f7c0e34170 utterly drained, a5dd6b9b2b as if b13f049698 she didn’t bfb45aebb4 even have f47bc60c15 the energy bd7f6545be to deny 3fdd23d920 the prospect 00df47a90e of remarriage.e26416ec1bdadd40

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And, of course, 58249491f8 the fox was acb5392d33 being so forward 099f2e54a9 it was downright a41b4f21c6 inconvenient.b75edabe18c6b751

If I didn’t intervene, 904a1a75a3 they might actually get cba7335043 married.f19654dccd06ca01

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Oh no…6e99254b4426bb6d

I was about f9cd99ffa8 to protest when abf48f8a56 Erhardin cut in, 53a9ad4f13 trying to sound 5eb80ce2d7 considerate. “Then, I’ll call c82bcfce56 you Lady Chichi.”080475bb99c58126

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Just then, Zerakiel’s d95dbb5b04 hand rested ominously 6155657ec1 on his sword 89809f9c8e hilt.3de76bded0be05b3

“What did 861f9331f8 you just 2b2633be70 say?”48118e3546fc19f4

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“Uh?”e4cfbd18c766f63a

“Say it again,” Zerakiel c5d8b79cc0 murmured, a dark threat 7a8e34e955 hanging in his voice. Ivan, who 650fee00bb had returned 610d9ca6df just in 232f746dcc time, shook 01aaf9a7c3 his head 588b670dda knowingly.ccaac224d3ed7b7e

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“People usually 02e2317736 regret opening 80e23bad8e their mouths 877c771b4d carelessly.”b6a2cc440873e9e3

You’re one to 57f18fe9ad talk, I thought, 1ed19a01e6 casting a skeptical 61c4b2b78d look at Ivan 90843afcb1 as Erhardin, oblivious, 09adbdd81b continued.14277a3035ac1d13

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“Oh? I mean… e41dd6188c I’d just e0fbd3c165 like to 5cb93cb18d be close 1ff17d304d to Lord eb001c8ab7 Zerakiel, too.”b88df06c71c37442

Actually, no—he wasn’t 18427f7bf4 oblivious at all. Erhardin was now 214a095168 turning his charms 94ce86ddee on Zerakiel, clearly b7a0a86542 playing some kind fef6d032ef of angle.b43bd5fd503bfd15

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“I’ve heard a a0acab259d lot about you c2d7d8b778 from Rachel. Would you mind if 4f560c33fb I called you Ricky? …Oh, I-I apologize!”82238bebdd17fd17

It seemed, however, that 7bd0225c53 he lacked the courage 956e0b9ba3 to back up his 622ac88e86 antics. When Zerakiel drew 0b8d1072c7 his sword just 7cc130e459 a fraction out a8e30f9b68 of its sheath, 8d8c5876fd Erhardin immediately cowered.b58658c8986f3c9a

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After all, tricks only ff10cf495d work on sane people. A mad black 4f0318724c lion like Zerakiel 06f350889d wouldn’t hesitate to 685827b3c7 cut first and 9a4cc8070a ask questions later.9106d2759b3f6f18

“I’ll just call f980291d3d you Erhardin,” I a73baa135e said firmly, trying 7975902999 to establish some 7ca5ea09ac boundaries. He accepted, f667b9ae0c albeit reluctantly.150df5d0813a8c5f

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“Yes, understood. But, there’s 75f47b124e always a c92cbd53fb chance to 7e85526038 grow closer, a419903538 isn’t there?”568b0d9e606a1f0d

Clearly, he 1606fdb242 wasn’t one 5502dbde32 to give 639306a0f3 up easily.b02cc41854c52937

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No wonder he’d b288126c5d persisted through all ed00110fa2 of Zakari’s interference.a8ddd2104148597c

Soon after, 145804963b we headed 384465dfd6 to the 2101b2d8df hunting grounds 0d55e495b9 owned by 0d1faaaec4 the family. Located west of cca067a577 Ilanbore, it was b4a8a33d20 known for its d99b66d5fb dense forest cover.3759fcbd5a091205

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“Rachel, come 76a8842f45 over here. That harsh sun might 5a3fd45e35 burn your delicate skin,” 7fc341c779 Erhardin cooed, pulling Rachel af031bfcf6 close in an overly 1c0760538d affectionate gesture. Strangely, Rachel didn’t push de20f6b618 him away.af5c601e2ff788c6

‘Mother’s being unusually 748b44e91d docile…’02ad45869d4206a3

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Normally, she’d have b15da9a3eb scoffed at such 523f9af7fd sickly-sweet words, but cb36a73fe8 she showed no a9b5c97a23 reaction this time.ef25408cff6ef42d

And it d67cbeb1ab wasn’t just c77c79e018 me who d902f1e82d noticed—Zerakiel didn’t 54bba9e6da look pleased f69bcafb9f either.d705b19bc0a54b20

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I glanced at Kiera, 5c6888d107 who merely shrugged, indicating 8d1e8edbd2 she was as puzzled 8bc242c948 as we were. The more I thought 1b7e4f855d about it, the more 263edef95b suspicious it all seemed.2ecae07489ce81e2

‘Something isn’t right.’052802e83d6df1dd

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