Avelina woke up feeling strangely full.
For the first time in a long while, her body wasn't aching with hunger. Her limbs felt light, her head clear, her stomach warm. She sat up slowly, running her hands over her belly in surprise.
She had eaten before — of course she had — but this was different. It wasn't just eating to fill a hole. This... this was satisfaction. The kind that lingered in the bones. The kind that made you smile without realizing.
There was a difference between eating and actually eating.
This morning, she finally understood it.
She bathed quickly, humming under her breath. A rare smile curled her lips as she wrapped a towel around herself. The taste of last night's meal still lingered on her tongue like magic. Warm bread. Spiced meat. Honeyed fruit.
She was still tying her hair back when someone knocked.
"The young ladies request your presence," a soft voice called.
She straightened immediately, drying her hands and slipping into her plain gray dress. "I'm coming."
---
Far above, in one of the castle's shadowy towers, Dreken stood by the arched window, the cold air curling around him. His cloak billowed slightly, and beside him perched his raven — a silent sentinel.
"She liked it, didn't she?" Dreken asked, not looking away from the mist-covered cliffs.
The raven gave a quiet croak in response.
Dreken's lips curved, faintly amused. "Good."
The bird shifted, feathers rustling.
"No," Dreken said softly. "We won't interfere yet. But keep your eyes on the little witch. Nothing must happen to her."
The raven spread its wings and disappeared into the fog.
---
When Avelina entered her cousins' room, the air changed instantly. She stepped carefully into the lavish chamber, head low, hands folded in front of her.
Lady Rhoswen sat near the hearth, her jeweled rings glinting in the firelight. Iridessa, dressed in ice-blue silk, sprawled across a velvet chair, while Calla leaned against the windowsill, arms crossed.
"You're late," Iridessa said with a cold smile.
Avelina bowed slightly. "Forgive me."
Rhoswen didn't waste time. "We have a task for you."
She straightened. "Yes, my lady?"
"The other noble families have arrived," Calla said, her voice sharp. "Nine of them. All ambitious. All desperate."
Iridessa tilted her head, blonde curls spilling over her shoulder. "We want names. Faces. Secrets."
"We want to know which houses were summoned," Rhoswen added, sipping tea. "Why they've come. What they want. And most importantly…" Her gaze pierced Avelina. "Who they want."
Avelina nodded slowly.
"You're invisible, Avery Grimveil," Rhoswen said coolly, using her true name like a blade. "They think you're no one. Use that."
Avelina swallowed hard. "I understand."
---
Later that evening, she wrapped her shawl tightly and slipped into the kitchens. The smell of roasted lamb and herbs clung to the stone walls. She moved like a servant — quiet, unnoticed. She lifted a jug of milk from the corner tray, added a cloth-covered loaf of bread, and made her way toward the western guest wing.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she passed the tall stained-glass windows.
Then — voices.
She paused behind a column, her back pressed to cold stone.
"…and if the demon chooses you, daughter," a man said, "what would you offer?"
"I want to marry him," a young girl answered breathlessly. "He's powerful. Feared. If he chooses me, our house will rise."
"You don't bind yourself to a creature like that for romance, Isolde Eldareth" the man said sharply. "You do it for gain."
Isolde, Avelina repeated in her mind.
"But what if he helps us get the powers?" the girl asked. "What if he can awaken them?"
A long silence.
The man's voice dropped. "You mean her powers?"
"Yes," Isolde said. "Hazel Grimveil powers"
Her mother then asked,'What about her daughter'
"She's dead," the man snapped. "Avery Grimveil died with her traitor mother. Everyone knows that."
Avelina froze.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"She was the key," the man muttered. "If she were alive, the power of Grimveil could be brought back under our banner. But she's gone."
"And if the demon could help us claim it anyway?" Isolde asked softly.
Another pause.
"Then let him choose you," he whispered. "If the Raventhorne heir chooses you....we will gain a lot from that demon'
Just then — a creak.
A door opened near her.
"Who's there?" the man barked.
Avelina stepped forward quickly, pretending to fumble with the tray. "Milk, my lord?" she asked in her most pitiful voice.
Isolde's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
"Kitchen girl, milady," she mumbled. "I was told to bring refreshments."
The man waved his hand, uninterested. "Leave it. Go."
Avelina placed the tray on the side table and dipped low in a clumsy curtsy before hurrying away.
But inside, her mind raced.
The House of Eldareth.
Their daughter, Isolde.
They wanted Dreken — and her mother magic.
They still believed Avery Grimveil was dead.
Good.
Let them keep believing.
Let them stay blind.
Because now… she had names.
And her aunt would be very pleased about information that concerned her
She wouldn't even care if they wanted her powers which she doesn't even know if she has or her sister power.
She is just focused on one thing
"Her daughters"
Every parent want the best for their children don't they...so Aveline was only going to tell them the part that concerned them.