I stood over Samara, watching her breathe evenly, her face softened in sleep. She'd fallen asleep in my arms as I carried her back to her room. Whatever had happened to her had drained every ounce of energy she had left. Was it the aftermath of Celeste's blessing—if you could call it that—that had taken its toll? Just thinking about those two meddling again made my blood simmer, threatening to boil over.I brushed a stray lock of hair from Samara's face, my fingertips barely grazing her skin, before I turned and left the room. Outside, leaning against the wall like a guilty child caught in the act, was Belmont. He straightened as soon as he saw me, his usual cocky grin wiped clean by the glare I shot him. I must've looked ready to murder because he looked back at me with the same expression he had when we were kids, and he'd been caught with something of mine."What happened?" I demanded, my voice low and cold."I don't know. I saw her heading to the library, so I stopped to chat. That's all." He paused, searching my face for some clue to what he'd done wrong."She didn't just collapse from a conversation," I pressed, trying to keep my temper in check. "What were you talking about?""Well..." Belmont hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was all normal until I found out her real name was Samara. I might have mentioned how excited I was that you finally found her after all these years...and that I couldn't wait to see the look on Silas's face when you two announced your engagement."I felt my blood turn to fire. "You told her about our engagement?" I could barely keep my voice down.Belmont raised his hands defensively. "Was I not supposed to say anything? You didn't tell me it was a secret!"I clenched my fists, the urge to throttle him nearly overpowering. But it wasn't his fault. I should have warned him, should have told him about Samara's memory—her lack of memory—before this mess unfolded."What did she say?" I forced the words out through gritted teeth, trying to tamp down the fury building inside me."She looked...shocked," Belmont replied, his brow furrowing in thought. "Like she had no idea what I was talking about." He paused, the realization dawning on him. "She doesn't remember you, does she?"I sighed, the weight of the truth pressing down on me. "No, she doesn't. It's like I'm a stranger to her. She has no memory of our time together."Belmont's eyes widened. "How is that possible? Didn't you cast the betrothal bond before you returned?""The bond's been troublesome for years. I figured it was due to the long distance and years of separation that had been triggering it. I didn't question it beyond trying to manage the occasional pain." I shook my head, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. "Something must have happened during the fifteen years we were apart. Something that weakened the bond."Belmont looked at me, his expression serious. "I thought only death could affect a bond?""Death is not the only way," I answered him solemnly, "Betrayal, such as infidelity or falling out of love, would also do it."I caught the sympathetic look on Belmont's face, and my chest tightened. I knew what was coming even before he spoke, but hearing the words made it real in a way I wasn't ready for."Brother," he began cautiously, "did you ever think that she might have fallen in love with someone else during all this time?"The question hit me like a dagger to the heart. It was the one thought I'd been desperately trying to avoid, the fear that had lurked in the back of my mind for years. Samara's world was so different from ours, especially when it came to love and courtship. But I had clung to the bond, to the hope that she still held me in her heart as I had held onto her for over a decade."The pain from the bond subsides whenever I touch her, Belmont. She might have forgotten me, but she has not stopped loving me." I answered, but his gaze did not change. He felt sorry for his love-stricken brother."Summon Aldric," I ordered Belmont. "I want him to check if any magic was used on Samara."Belmont hesitated, and I noticed the conflict in his eyes. "Aldric and the others are busy devising a plan on how to catch Houndly."I clenched my jaw, torn between my responsibilities and my desire to protect Samara."We could take her back to Aeloria," Belmont suggested cautiously.I shot him a glare, but he quickly added, "Aldric could examine her there, and... we need her in Aeloria to help catch Houndly. We could use her as bait.""Why not use the other Xoltecans in Aeloria?" I countered.Belmont's expression darkened. "They haven't been seen since that night in the pub.""What do you mean they haven't been seen?""No one's seen them," Belmont repeated, his voice grim. "Not even Aldric can find them through scrying."The weight of everything pressed down on me—Samara's lost memories, the missing Xoltecans, the looming threat of Houndly, and now the Church. My mind whirled, trying to piece together a solution, but all I wanted was to bring back Samara's memories."Fine," I finally conceded. "Get Henry and meet me in my study. We'll finish debriefing there."Belmont nodded and disappeared down the hallway. I opened the door to Samara's bedroom, stealing a glance at her sleeping form. She looked peaceful as if the storm brewing around us was just a distant dream.Gently, I closed the door and headed to my study, my mind already racing with the decisions I'd have to make.I trudged back to my study, my mind a tangled mess of thoughts. Finding Samara was supposed to be the endgame, the moment I'd held onto for years. I'd imagined her eyes lighting up, a spark of recognition, a smile that said she'd been waiting just as long as I had. But instead, I got a blank stare. No flicker of recognition in her beautiful eyes—nothing. It was like being punched in the gut.How could she not remember me?Magic. The world suddenly popped into my head, but Samara's world didn't have magic. They had science and technology. I'd spent years there, fascinated by what made her world run. Could her parents have created something to erase her memories? The thought made my fists clench until my knuckles turned white. That man. I never trusted him, and I never liked the way he looked at Samara and me like we were just another experiment, another puzzle for him to solve.The more I thought about it, the darker my thoughts became. A low growl rumbled in my chest as frustration simmered just below the surface, threatening to boil over.The door creaked open, pulling me from the dark spiral of my thoughts. Belmont, Henry, and Theo filed into the study, their faces solemn. I caught a glance between Theo and Henry—a silent exchange I couldn't quite read—but I shoved it aside for now."What is your plan to capture Houndly?" I demanded, my voice cold and sharp.Henry stepped forward, looking grim. "Houndly's been seen in Dampshaw, more agitated than usual. We suspect his agitation comes from not being able to get his hands on a Xoltecan woman."Belmont spoke next, his voice steady but tinged with concern. "There's a rumor going around Dampshaw that Tabitha's frustrated too. Some of her goons have apparently skipped town, leaving their debts unpaid. The four charred bodies found in the alleyway are likely her men."I pieced the puzzle together, my mind working quickly. "So Tabitha sent those men after Samara and her friend when they were in Aeloria." My eyes narrowed. "But who ordered it? Houndly wouldn't go to Tabitha; he has his own men for that."Henry nodded, his face dark with thought. "It's possible Tabitha found out Houndly was after a Xoltecan and thought she could beat him to it."The idea clicked into place, but it left too many questions hanging in the air. If it wasn't to one-up Houndly, then who else in Aeloria wanted a Xoltecan woman so badly they'd risk crossing him?"So what's the plan, exactly?"Belmont and Henry exchanged a look before Belmont spoke, his voice cautious. "As I mentioned earlier, we'll need to take Samara back to Aeloria and put her up as an item for sale in the black market auction. We're positive Houndly will attend, and he'll definitely bid for her."My immediate reaction was to shut down the insane plan, to demand they come up with something less dangerous—the thought of using Samara as bait, at a slave auction at that, made my blood boil. But I knew, deep down, that the plan would work. Houndly wouldn't be able to resist, and it might be our only shot at catching him and whoever else was pulling the strings."When's the auction?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me."At the end of the month," Belmont answered, his tone somber.I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the decision settle on my shoulders like a dark cloud—a week. I had a week to prepare, to protect Samara, and to unravel the tangled mess we were caught in."Get everything ready," I finally said, my voice firm. "And make sure Samara doesn't find out until it's absolutely necessary. I won't put her through more stress than she's already endured."Belmont, Henry, and Theo nodded in unison, their eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. They turned to leave, but I stopped them with a quiet word."Belmont."He paused, turning back to face me."Make sure Aldric is made aware that I want him to examine Samara. I need to know if magic was used on her."Belmont nodded, catching the urgency in my tone. "I'll see to it."As the door closed behind them, I sank into the chair behind my desk, my mind racing. The following week would test us, pushing us to the edge of what we could handle. But one thing was clear—I would do whatever it took to protect Samara and bring back her memories, no matter the cost.