Emily stood by the desk in the dimly lit library, her hands meticulously arranging candles and herbs on the desk. Her eyes narrowed in concentration; each movement deliberate. With a soft sigh, she stepped back to survey her makeshift altar, her brow furrowing in dissatisfaction."This doesn't look right," she muttered, frustration creeping into her voice. She slumped into the nearest chair, her shoulders sagging as she stared at the altar."Good day, Emily," Trevon greeted her from behind, his voice smooth and laced with a smile.Emily's brows furrowed at the sound, and she stood up from her seat, turning her back to him as she resumed arranging the altar, deliberately ignoring his presence.Sensing the tension in the air, Trevon circled the desk to face her directly, maintaining his composed smile. "What are you making?" he asked, trying to engage her.Emily glanced at him briefly, her expression unreadable, before turning her attention back to her work, dismissing him without a word."I could help," Trevon offered, his smile faltering slightly as her silence continued. His brows knit together in mild frustration, clearly noticing her coldness.Emily scoffed loudly, her hands pausing over the candles as she finally looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" she asked harshly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "I need to concentrate if I'm going to help you kill innocent people, after all."Trevon sighed at her words, a hint of exasperation slipping into his demeanour. "When you say it like that, it sounds wrong," he replied, trying to soften the gravity of the situation with a lighter tone."It sounds bad no matter how you try to word it," Emily snarled, her patience clearly wearing thin. She straightened up, facing him fully now, her expression hardened."Your plan will leave people—and children—fending for themselves all over again," Emily continued her voice calm but laced with the weight of her conviction. "Just like you and Lucas had to."Her eyes searched his, trying to reach the part of him that might still care. "Do you want that to happen again to innocent people?" she asked sincerely.Trevon averted his gaze, his eyes settling on the flickering candles and herbs on her makeshift altar. "When you communicate with Hecate, she'll ensure none of them will survive," he responded quietly, almost as if trying to convince himself more than her.Emily chuckled, the sound bitter and disbelieving. "I'm a magic user, and I don't agree with eliminating them," she said, her voice steady. "And I'm sure there are thousands of other magic users who won't agree with your plan either."She paused, letting her words sink in. "You'll cause a riot among your own people when they see the pain you're about to unleash." With a heavy sigh, she sank back into her chair.Trevon sighed too, her words echoing in his mind. He finally met her gaze, his eyes filled with a mix of frustration and contemplation. "You're just like Lucas," he muttered, the comparison slipping out without a second thought.Emily's eyes softened further at the mention of Lucas, though she maintained her firm stance."He always cared for everyone, even when they didn't deserve it," Trevon continued, watching her reaction closely, sensing her calmness at the mention of Lucas's name.Emily nodded slightly. "He also cared for you," she added, noticing the way Trevon rolled his eyes at her words. "I'm sure he'd be disappointed in you for agreeing with this plan."Trevon's expression hardened, his voice turning cold. "I don't care for him," he said bluntly, dismissing the sentiment. After a brief pause, he continued, "What do you suggest, then?"Emily furrowed her brows, uncertain of what he was asking. "What do you mean?"Trevon sighed; his tone now more measured, almost resigned. "For us, magic users, to live in peace. What do you suggest?"Emily blinked, taken aback by the question. It wasn't what she had expected from him. But she quickly composed herself, realizing the gravity of the moment. "Goddess Hecate could be of help," she replied, though her voice carried a note of uncertainty."King Ronan was able to create these islands to help thousands of people," Emily added, her voice steady. "He could do the same in other parts of the land, and in time, we magic users will become the norm."Trevon nodded slowly, mulling over her words as if he were truly open to considering an alternative. "It will be hard to convince the King, Emily," he admitted, his tone cautious.Emily met his gaze, noticing the uncertainty in his eyes. "Are you scared of him?" she asked, her voice soft but probing.Trevon's eyes widened in surprise before he scoffed, dismissing her question with a wave of his hand. "No," he replied sharply, though there was an edge to his voice that hinted at something deeper."You're the King's advisor," Emily reminded him, her tone firm."Emily," Trevon said, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "Ronan hates them—he hates them with his soul."Emily froze at his words, the weight of his statement sinking in."I thought I hated them," Trevon chuckled bitterly. "But no, King Ronan takes the cake. The main reason he created these islands was because of his dead mother and sisters. He mentioned that they always planned on creating a place safe for magic users."Emily listened intently, her heart heavy with the realization of what drove the King's actions."This was the dream his mother envisioned," Trevon continued, his voice tinged with something almost like regret. "But his vision was different. He wanted death for them, pain. His mother wanted us to live with everyone in peace."Emily's eyes softened with sympathy, sensing the deep pain behind the King's hatred. "What happened to his mother and sisters?" she asked gently."They were killed when he was a child," Trevon replied, his tone now sombre. "He said empathy is a weakness—that's what he believes caused their deaths. They were caring, and it made them vulnerable."Emily felt a pang of sorrow for the boy Ronan once was. "So, he created these islands in their memory" she whispered.Trevon nodded; his expression sombre. "To him, in order for us to live in peace, we need to live apart."Emily's gaze softened as she absorbed his words, her eyes searching his face. "Do you believe that Trevon?" she asked gently, her voice holding a note of sincerity.Trevon flinched at the question, his eyes dropping to the floor. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he finally met her gaze again, his voice barely a murmur. "I don't know," he admitted.✨🌙✨Emily walked through the castle hallway, lifting her long dress with a hint of irritation as she moved. Her steps paused when she heard the distant sound of screaming. Instinctively, she followed the echoing sounds through the hallway.Reaching a door where the noise seemed most intense, she noted the absence of guards and sighed with relief. Gently, she pushed open the door and peeked inside, her heart pounding as she braced herself for what she might find.King Ronan stood in the middle of the room, his face contorted with rage and irritation. He loomed over a man Emily recognized from the forest—his familiar face now a mask of fear and desperation. Lucinda and Trevon stood close by, their faces pale and strained, a stark contrast to the king's fury."How useless can you be!" Ronan bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. "For months, you haven't found her!"The man's eyes were wide with terror as he stammered, "I—I tried, Your Majesty. I—"Ronan cut him off with a thunderous roar. "You ruined my plan! Do you have any idea what that woman will do? You've jeopardized everything!"Trevon stepped forward; his voice steady but urgent. "Ronan, you need to calm down," he said, his hand reaching out in an attempt to steady the king's outburst. The man shuddered in fear, stepping back instinctively at Trevon's intervention.Ronan's eyes flashed with anger as he pushed Trevon aside, his rage unabated. "Get out of my way, Trevon!" he screamed, his voice a cutting edge of fury.Trevon stumbled back but quickly regained his footing. "Emily's interaction with Hecate could still help us with the plan," he said, trying to redirect Ronan's anger. "There's no need for punishment.""Punishment?" Ronan spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you think a simple conversation will mend what's been broken? There's no room for mistakes here!"Emily's heart raced as she watched the confrontation. The intensity of Ronan's anger was overwhelming, and the sight of the man's fear was deeply unsettling."You!" Ronan snapped, his gaze locking onto the man once more. "I did say I would deal with you if you failed... and I meant what I said."Trevon's eyes widened in fear as Ronan extended his hand toward the man. His body was frozen, caught between his desire to intervene and the king's overwhelming presence."Stop!" Emily's voice cut through the tension, firm and resolute. The room fell silent as everyone turned toward the door, where Emily stood—her expression a mix of anger and shock.Ronan turned slowly to face her, his rage simmering beneath a facade of calm. "Turn around, Emily. This does not concern you," he said, his voice strained but controlled.Emily stepped forward, her anger burning bright. "Not only do you want to murder a non-magic user, but you're willing to kill your own people. How can you justify that?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear she felt."Emily, go—" Trevon began, but Ronan cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand."Mistakes are not to be made," Ronan said, his frustration bleeding into his tone. "You should take note.""He helped you so far, and this is how you want to repay him?" Emily's voice cut through the room, her hands gesturing toward the man, who stood frozen in shock.Ronan's lips twisted into a cold smile. "Your empathy is not needed here. You still act like a child," he chuckled darkly, his eyes flicking dismissively toward her.Emily's anger surged. "Your mother would be disappointed in you," she blurted out, her voice filled with a raw intensity that echoed through the room.The comment landed like a thunderclap. The room fell into a heavy silence, each person's expression shifting from shock to fear—though their concern was less for themselves and more for Emily. Her bold statement seemed to ignite a new tension.Her eyes swept across the room, searching for any sign of support or understanding.When Emily's gaze finally settled on Ronan, his face transformed into a storm of anger and frustration. His eyes darkened, and his control seemed to crack. The air around them crackled with his mounting fury, his demeanour shifting from cold detachment to an explosive rage."What did you just say?" Ronan's voice was steady, but the sudden darkening in his eyes betrayed the intense anger within, his eastern powers flared, making the room feel charged with menacing energy.Emily's boldness faltered as she took in the full force of his fury. Her confidence evaporated, replaced by a growing sense of dread.Ronan advanced toward her with sharp, deliberate steps, causing everyone in the room to flinch. He grabbed her harshly by the arms, his grip painfully tight. His gaze was unrelenting, a storm of rage and control."You will learn not to speak back to me!" Ronan's voice roared, echoing off the walls. His grip caused Emily to squirm in pain, her eyes filling with tears."Ronan, please, just spare her!" Lucinda's voice cut through the tension, her tone pleading as she approached him with cautious steps."You better stop right there!" Ronan snapped, his command halting Lucinda in her tracks. Her face was etched with fear, her eyes wide as she watched the scene unfold."Ronan!" Trevon's voice broke through desperately. "I told her about your mother. Please, just let her go."Ronan ignored Trevon's plea, his rage blinding him as he dragged Emily roughly toward the door. Her cries of pain and distress filled the room.Desperately trying to free herself, Emily twisted and pulled against Ronan's grip. In her frantic struggle, her hands accidentally removed his glove. Her eyes widened in shock as she glimpsed the dark ashen skin beneath, pale and almost ghostly in its appearance.Emily's mind raced, an image of Lucas's hands flashing through her thoughts. Though Lucas's own hands bore marks of his power's side effects, they were nowhere near as severe or unsettling as Ronan's.✨🌙✨Trevon followed closely behind as Ronan dragged Emily through the corridors. The scene that unfolded was distressing. The guards and maids watched in shocked silence as Emily struggled, her cries of pain echoing through the hallways.Ronan reached a heavy wooden door and shoved it open. With a rough push, he forced Emily inside. She stumbled into the dimly lit room, her hands still reaching for the door, her voice trembling with desperation. "Let me out! Let me out!"The door slammed shut behind her, and Emily's frantic banging and pleas were muffled by the thick, reinforced wood. Trevon's gaze was filled with sorrow as he looked at Ronan, his face a mixture of anger and concern. "Ronan, just let her—""No!" Ronan's voice cut sharply through the air. "She will stay there until I am satisfied."Trevon's face fell, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness as he met Ronan's gaze. "She will starve," he muttered a note of helplessness in his voice."Good," Ronan said coldly, his attention shifting as he noticed his missing glove. His brow furrowed in anger. "She fucking pulled my glove off," Ronan snarled, his temper flaring. "I don't fight with ladies, so you better be grateful I gave her this punishment."He turned to face Trevon, his eyes demanding loyalty. "Your loyalty is with me," Ronan said with a commanding tone.Trevon glanced back at the door, the sound of Emily's continued cries piercing through his composure. He nodded slowly, his voice betraying a hint of sorrow and resignation. "I'm loyal to you," he said, his voice steady but his shoulders slumped in sadness and fear for Emily.