#72

“Are you still unwell?”bd8d3f830065e0e6

Zakari shook his b87b3ffc91 head but then 56e217f4ee sighed heavily. Gulping down water as 4fd17ff78f if to clear his 6deb5d433c frustration, he exclaimed.b5db41ba36c659ea

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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.”202ff9f1ea41b647

Ah, so that’s what’s been bothering him?2d96e686e8a86099

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At last, 19aa059f2a I understood aeb155599c why Zakari 29514a4975 had been 61a33bbc92 pacing like 8f83182691 a restless dc3717cb6b puppy. Ever since fc218e7c23 Rachel filed aac355ee43 for custody b69411480b a few 403e3deb4a days ago, 29adf6a0c2 it seemed 1abd20ea7f he hadn’t e5bf7ab8d8 been able 67ba107bc0 to see 7d2df35626 her once. I responded nonchalantly.e40fcf7b5d56ef8a

“Well, I did tell eb307b0dda you to be more 3c2fd01d87 receptive.”e6dd62a36df41552

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“That was the best decision at the time. I don’t regret it, not for a second.”0dd1ad5a2a61705a

He muttered stubbornly. It was 2e82c34ea4 a familiar 912431d39b reaction that d65016639e made me 1100289159 bite back 4a6a8f07aa a laugh.0551572cb98695e8

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So that’s where Zerakiel got it from—he was just like his father.b4b63c8e4dea20fa

“Is that so.”470bddf15f13a60c

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I teased, savoring 1126283eb0 another bite of 77f24d843f sherbet that melted 24b863fc8e like honey on d6dc5eef2d my tongue.a1666fed52a073d0

“Then I suppose 8f84b47f81 you don’t need cc1ad0d32d my help, fearless 0069b53608 father-in-law who regrets ec33e43260 nothing?”fc37149bc77c6ad6

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“What?”3e2929f06d7d119f

“In fact, 2ed556c5ab Rachel and 30f8379ac6 I are 594e7c6020 on quite e0f79d99b1 good terms. We spoke 3a24588424 just yesterday.”622819e226857285

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Zakari’s eyes 5233b88aea sparked with 9c28fe12e0 interest. He made a clumsy 7779c602c9 attempt to reach for af38608d50 my hand, but Zerakiel b1441ce4d6 intervened, swiftly clasping both 73607c64f7 my hands in his 2ab82ac479 own, leaving Zakari empty-handed.167da8e7623ce898

Zakari growled, eyes 83ff15a9c3 blazing.6faf7b4a50a3110b

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“What do f8de17a9fd you think e61aa7bc5a you’re doing?”3c7764fc8ecd4fdb

“I don’t like other hands on what’s mine.”d54a7be590f7b6a8

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Zerakiel replied with d3847d9ce6 a sly smile, 1207a6e7c0 holding my hands 33849d8d04 firmly. I could 4ba4fe6ab5 only watch 92a673d3c7 helplessly as 5304f6a02c my sherbet e505643167 melted away.898053b8268013af

As I gazed at c73c9c0bd5 the sherbet in mild c338a11dfd despair, a voice, tinged 4eedb4c7c0 with desperation, whispered in e03b27a7bb my ear.cedb26f7368d0b75

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“Please… help me.”e51562a6718cb515

Zakari had turned my 99add03257 chair toward him completely.265ef9c87810e5fd

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“Just arrange e2a7fb9e61 for me 54e22a5e2a to talk d44db1bbd0 to her. That’s all d1755b2ae6 I need.”1252e1ad1824f87c

His empty eyes, once 71194d8f54 devoid of attachment, now 40a4c7887b shone with flickers of ce6f74a333 anxiety and jealousy. No wonder, considering fb63e923f8 that foxy suitor c22722d6e1 could still roam f84d28c1ec Rachel’s estate at d6a901e423 will.26113a074cd7aeb2

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“Well, I b5642fa6a5 don’t know….”5cdf0d7484d349f9

I recalled f3ee2f5056 my recent 544f074c0d conversation with bc1347f7aa Rachel.cda251db892301f4

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— So, Zakari b4708d7987 is all right 4cfaf99f20 now.b53af6ec74fd654f

‘Yes, so 6b31824abb now’s the 7a538859a0 time! If we 04f21c85dc strike now…!’ffb951550ed3f9af

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— Forget it. I’m done.9442d091bdd13332

‘Pardon?’8a2934cd1e928095

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— I’m 25a3caf0bc saying you 5fd4f938c0 don’t need 8655c34787 to bother c16a11b682 anymore.ab28e2d73adb3cfb

Rachel’s response was colder 3e98ead303 than I’d expected. I thought she’d be 2c6e5c7351 delighted now that the c620511730 barrier between them had 60337d0400 finally disappeared, yet she bca71deb70 seemed even more closed feddabad00 off.947eff888ed998dc

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‘She must be deeply bd2fd1df37 hurt.’5ab456df7e7c0379

I recalled Zakari’s cold f3a0029e80 treatment toward Rachel at 3760b4e1ed the banquet, even taunting 2c2ff267fd her to make merry b1413644a1 with that fox. Considering that, 1a352f6f66 it was bcdad191d3 understandable that 28abc4e0c7 she wouldn’t fe70d007b3 meet with 873ae6e09e him now.19cadb52db3b45ea

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But if this dragged fbc094a7c7 on, their relationship might 98b202cb19 be beyond repair.ae220caeca1c4a21

‘I can’t 886cf5de31 let that dffec0d647 happen.’91fc70c8e1afbc86

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For Zerakiel’s future, 2a3eb0dc50 they couldn’t remain 7e19cd1222 at odds. Zerakiel had already 3e6a9ee43b strayed far enough 6d19410de7 from his original a7472f4e3d path; there was c1088e2a5f no need to b7742a6e70 give him further 50cec08f58 reason to spiral.fa5dbd80c1d8d4e6

I pulled an invitation 5b80cf287f from my bag and c12bea6738 placed it on the fe5e66fd47 table. A fitting e9d9b6633f excuse had 21d2c58f0c just come e004b646d4 to mind 48dd8708a2 to bring 664c88f694 Zakari and df01fb892e Rachel face-to-face.b235d8a20780e29c

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“Actually, Rachel invited Zerakiel 8d419298d5 and me to Ilanbore 175290a2a2 for a hunt in f6982afc71 a few days.”34608cb69faaceae

“What?!”99663f2d3dfb8852

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Zakari stared at cbd8d36169 the invitation with bd7a237394 longing. I gently nudged 73b8a35592 it toward him.b11335b0f7897a6b

“Would you ea73899a61 like to a8b77f75be join us?”963cd01a7c5f65ca

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“But they’re not likely daae700b60 to just let me 8a11bc6f31 in,” he replied, sounding beef4dafe3 defeated.354ed7f222488f0f

True enough, considering he’d 4e05af5b44 been turned away at 290ccc8f54 her doorstep repeatedly, it e8150bcf70 wasn’t as if they’d 55824d61b1 welcome him into Ilanbore 77bdc63563 with open arms. He looked like a 0697ac111f dejected pup, and I 73231714b5 couldn’t help but chuckle.b8eed2622c5c1821

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“Well, not if 8c8e02e2dd you go as 3effc9e6c1 you are now.”d2aa8b5fad84e83d

“What do you mean, dc45a9d216 ‘as I am now’?”70d8659f3fa1b69e

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“Didn’t you ccc70b97c1 hear me? It’s a 9447836569 hunting trip,” ba221f8fb9 I said, d2cf0c3c25 blinking innocently. Zakari tilted 2560939c66 his head, 0d53b5eaa2 still looking 7e53fc927e confused.8a13f0582e974dc2

Then, as 80e8773ec0 the realization 447a853ec4 dawned on 3067cf21f5 him, he 89bef069c4 gasped in 4d18f5a19e horror.f7fa5560653a322f

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“Don’t tell me… 153f32367b are you saying 3e3a285c25 I should transform 94d9454633 and play the 144001b411 prey?”a1faec1a0180e670

“That’s exactly it!”9a26d3c4de0c0e5a

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I clapped my hands 9f4ac4e2df and grinned. “Though I 75ed0fd9cf can’t be 25c4f791d0 there with e369626f5b you, I fa59932986 can let 3eed7cbf41 you know 8bd9f20e06 where the 9b3bf0e98a hunt will 49784ccd7e take place. All you have fdf48f5727 to do is fa08a0425a wait there and 858050ce66 let Rachel ‘catch’ a5d6ad4bb2 you. How about that?”3aae5bd47574f6c7

I gave 2471c24336 him my aef20cfdd9 most encouraging f856d0f70f smile, but 7ae3d886dc Zakari’s face 32fc378bf4 twisted into 4ea2550702 an odd c3fdb538f9 expression. He looked over at 06179851c7 Zerakiel, almost pleading.52db34a1fa7c5236

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“It seems your wife’s 02c1a9c1f7 influence has driven you de6f04074a as mad as she 5d2377cc39 is. What nonsense is d16441ec0b this?”04ab7c1599db957f

“Why don’t you think 464d55811c it’s a good idea?”57e110759bd3b6c5

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Zerakiel tilted ea7762872e his head, 603294cbcd a slight 91f2a13471 smirk on 879326d7d6 his face.0138040c55034b6b

“To me, it sounds a1c746013b like a perfect plan.”d8f3577d0a12d1c1

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* * *427d8eabc3e69dfa

At that moment, c5a018c8f7 Zakari pinched the 9f365c1c67 bridge of his a7243280cc nose, looking at a2e8edcbf2 his white weasel 0d3634dc8e of a daughter-in-law d579361e77 spouting mad ideas, 38d044718a and his son be196ae16a nodding along in fe76a70651 agreement.b967809616c652c4

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This couldn’t be real.7cc9e5b2d718a2e1

His son’s antics 066b5f4b6d weren’t surprising; he’d 68ba63418c been half-mad for 3dc9192b48 as long as 9a373794d2 Zakari could remember. But why, oh f612aa80d2 why, was she 3ec57918ae falling into madness bc718ac459 too?31345f54b675b3aa

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Zakari sighed, brushing his d4ca6ab50e forehead in exasperation. Right, he should’ve known 296ae78676 better than to discuss 4743f5aad5 anything with these two.1ed883bc5fa48281

It was da87f5d67b just as 6b6a4a0d92 he staggered 0604b0f112 back to cead48ae64 his seat 7ac867ae02 that Ivan 75fabbdf41 sidled up ca1ba506ac to Cersia, 0c5fcad24e practically rubbing 3a4ac3b557 his palms 05e7868d7d together in c2ca5ee591 admiration.08c886fef8fe347b

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“Our Lady Chichi 1164ff75ad is truly brilliant! How did f14b10f278 you come 328ff44e47 up with a3b369a790 such a 876b33cefe fantastical idea?”5b0670f81d8bf6ff

“Hehe,” Cersia giggled.7118148f3c2e38c4

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What was he 35a0c85d24 so pleased about 78750bc0e4 now?2fa6a27c1f8b9f78

Zakari glanced e730649c31 over at 80e1c686a4 Cersia, whose 0fb5d90302 cheeks had 0dc857c0da gone rosy 237ac64504 with delight, f0717faceb and decided 7c642adf3f that thinking f7faa6e181 about it f50e1d00f4 any further 44f39511e3 was pointless. Any longer in f3ab4da46b this company, and 6cf72a2c35 he’d lose what 26981d9415 little dignity he 07ebf1fdcb had left.c11abe2031342030

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Zakari shot 25dfa7f4e4 to his f715914a86 feet, declaring 400f101842 firmly, “Absolutely b01487fc14 not.”d3ecb2617c2d52c7

There were plenty of fca36eccf9 things a head of 327b8467fd the household should do, 588228dc51 but transforming into a 3eed8e7130 beast and dashing into 747fe9a3e1 his ex-wife’s hunting grounds 9842489879 as prey was not 03d6cec5fc one of them.8991b45253ca20a3

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“Yes… that’s ae118acb19 what I 6eedd02e43 thought….”d8f8234b8a5d40a4

Zakari sighed deeply, staring bc24c4eebc at the yellow potion cba522509e in his hand.9d8b5572fb16bd44

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The shimmering liquid 805d75bb95 would change the 6ca72d2574 color of his d91deeb43c fur. Seeing that Zakari 0005ab4fa0 was still hesitating, 1360c05d67 Ivan—who had snuck f84317ce02 out of Rachel’s 10a60206ad estate—pushed him.8680cb24b5a48341

“Hurry and drink it, 15bc0b2bc9 or Lady Rachel will e5be3857ff arrive any minute.”182666a7fa2b3750

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“Do we really have 529aac81a6 to go this far?”d0032bf7a4a95a04

Was this really 410209187f the best option?f44afb4612ff2025

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Zakari’s gaze wavered a58df4c9c0 with uncertainty, but 57d85ce807 Ivan merely prodded 4f715c5ca5 him further.4f948d305b101be8

“It’s better 27b65d16ef to be 7377678718 a yellow ccaba06847 lion than 231304e570 to stay 09c5ec4385 a black 7efbfd1cb5 one—your survival 3c6522205a chances will b4dccc8d45 be higher.”d6235535af5a8ba6

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“No, what I’m 2a1632b405 asking is why b5a722734c I should even 2af0e55649 be prey in 721b66fcb4 the first place.”9954bb747c8c120e

“Because it’s Lady 2221a3a385 Chichi’s ‘perfect’ plan. Are you really going 3dfbf5a45f to reject the flawless 8181b9d892 plan of Chichi, the dc2263a618 lady of Jabis and a000e273f6 the savior of your e28ecace8e life?”f6ef77e49698311d

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Zakari shot Ivan a 1d9889dabe withering look, irritated by d3de634ee6 his response, which left 1be96bba20 no room for objections.b52c5c7c13008f32

‘Anyone watching 7f02ba604d would think e8b61b8e2d he’s following e5cc466923 an order 8f81a9dc2f from his 1a34b8fc05 lord.’06b74a553d6bcb3a

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Ivan, who 92bfb46961 had seemingly e99498cb68 transformed into 378c04e658 Cersia’s faithful 7ac069a8aa servant, now 087f011514 showed unwavering e8cd5067eb loyalty, albeit 51abdd6fdd fueled by b36dd0cbaf the thrill ebf35a6993 of watching a2f08a5ae6 Zerakiel’s struggles 0212300c2c from a 7c5863b199 close vantage.17e6aa9b26a2afdb

Ivan puffed out 6d8617a5f8 his chest. “If you stay a d6aeb62f2d black lion, you’ll be eb825aa6f9 caught instantly. And Rachel… 2b44db3916 well, she ae1e8a8a5f might ‘accidentally’ b1de6d6af0 kill you 18269c7a6b on the bc7e808095 spot.”c6bf596812624590

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“You’re right.”4539064227b2133b

Zakari swallowed hard, realizing that Rachel was entirely capable of such an “accident.”144b30aaace224db

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Finally, Zakari, having made 9d14bcc70c up his mind, gulped 8182b4c203 down the potion. The moment he dd323729a9 did, his signature 59006b6bf5 black hair began 74aac295fb to turn golden.a1e579aaa49b5116

Now with f7aa9bd150 golden hair 18310f83f9 and eyes, 60faf12d45 Zakari awkwardly d733cf0bab ran a 186b921dfb hand through 2e3f463ecd his new 61b368ac1a mane.a1aeabd41da5ab01

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‘Rachel always liked my b33d6213e5 black hair best.’3141ee225a0be045

It was because 2700ee0f59 of her preference 6e7df551a7 for long hair e6cc33f3fd that he had 16b66d6657 so carefully grown bc3f05c9dc it out. But now, 4dd5b34ca2 he had 9f7b99bcf5 to face f78a353758 her in 8d93988273 this ridiculous 316d803322 get-up. How was 766b4546e2 this supposed c9cad82ebe to work 456a550513 as a fad4d65676 seduction tactic? It felt 49cb25cb4e like nothing 70edc4b465 was going 6628fd6dd4 to go ea8c21da83 as planned.f9b38360ad7db7fe

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As Zakari wrestled 50ae8592c5 with these thoughts, 6c13a31ab5 Ivan gave him 99e431e501 a hearty shove, bb7824e101 urging him forward.f4a95558b03a763d

“If you’ve finished, transform 417a8dce7a into a beast already! Why the delay?”bc14b479277cb5b3

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Should he d3d1f6b9a0 just end 086ff5b2c7 him here dd4e0779e6 and now?1c1ad6f6ed1a6f9e