Melinoe sat by the window of the lavishly decorated room she was confined in, staring out at the moonlit gardens of the Hissandale estate. It had been days since she was locked away, showered with extravagant meals and luxurious silks, yet she felt more trapped than she had ever been in her life.
The golden embroidery on her Hanfu sleeves shimmered under the candlelight, but her hands clenched into fists and trembled with frustration. This wasn't where she belonged. This wasn't the life she had planned for herself. She was supposed to be back on Earth, living as a newly graduated nurse, searching for her first job, and making her family proud. She was supposed to be celebrating her achievements with her two older brothers, bickering over who would pay for their next family dinner. She missed them so much it physically hurt.
Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of her mother's gentle voice calling her "baby girl," and her father's warm laughter whenever she told him about her dreams of becoming an independent woman.
And now, what was she?
A prisoner.
A woman destined to bear children in a world she barely understood.
Her fingers instinctively pressed against her lower abdomen. It didn't feel real. None of this did. The mere thought of being pregnant sent waves of anxiety through her. Back on Earth, she had never even been in a serious relationship. How was she supposed to accept this sudden reality? Her body didn't even feel different yet, but she knew—deep down—something was changing.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips, her emotions swirling uncontrollably. One moment, she was furious, the next, she was unbearably sad. Was it the pregnancy affecting her? Or was it the overwhelming chaos of her situation?
Melinoe shut her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool wooden window frame. She remembered the last time she had dinner with her brothers before she graduated. They had teased her mercilessly about finding a boyfriend after university. "Who knows, Mel? Maybe you'll meet someone crazy and passionate like in those dramas you watch," her eldest brother joked, making her groan and roll her eyes.
She had laughed then.
Now, she wanted to scream.
She thought back to Nyxpanther and Havvaris. They were out there, searching for her, weren't they? She imagined Nyxpanther's golden-blue eyes blazing with determination, his powerful frame storming through the lands to get to her. She pictured Havvaris, with his sharp, calculating mind, orchestrating every move to ensure her safety. The thought of them made her heart clench. She missed them. Their presence had been a strange source of comfort, even if their world was unfamiliar to her.
And Xyphor…
She hated that she couldn't bring herself to despise him. He was manipulative and cunning, and yet… a part of her knew he had tried to protect her in his own way. He was fighting his own battles, shackled by a family that saw him as nothing more than a tool. Just like her, he was trapped.
Her vision blurred with fresh tears.
What if she could go back home?
Would she?
Could she really leave them behind?
The suffocating walls of her room seemed to close in as her breathing turned uneven. Desperate to calm herself, she pulled her knees to her chest, rocking slightly. She tried to focus on the rhythmic sound of the cicadas outside, the gentle rustling of the night breeze against the cherry blossom trees.
She couldn't break down. Not now. Not when she needed to be strong. Not when she had lives depending on her—both within her and outside these walls.
But gods, she just wanted to go home.
Her fingers dug into the fabric of her dress, her frustration peaking. How much longer was she going to be imprisoned here? How much longer until she completely lost herself?
The sound of footsteps outside her door made her body tense. She quickly wiped her tears away, straightened her posture, and hardened her expression.
She was overwhelmed. She was suffocating.
But she would not be broken.
Not yet.