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“Rise and shine, Celestia! You have a lot to do today!” Adelaide said as she opened the window.
Sunlight filled the room, making it bright and warm. Celestia stretched her body and let out a small sigh. After days of sleeping beside the road or in the forest, the soft bed felt like the best thing ever.
“What time is it, Aunt?” she asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“It’s time for you to get up, wash, and eat breakfast,” Adelaide said with a smile. “We have a lot to do,” she added.
Celestia laughed a little and sat up.
“Yes, Aunt,” she said.
After they got ready, they stepped out of the room. Celestia saw Kieran leaning against the wall, waiting for her. When he saw her, his face brightened with a smile.
“Good morning,” he said as he stood straight.
Adelaide saw the way they looked at each other and smiled.
“I’ll go ahead to the dining room,” she said, leaving the two alone to let them talk and have some time together.
Kieran walked closer, tucking Celestia's hair behind her ear.
“How are you feeling? Did you sleep well?” he asked. Celestia nodded.
“Yes. I slept really well. The bed was so nice,” she said and chuckled.
“I’m glad,” he said and smiled. “You needed rest. Today might be busy again,” he added. Celestia grinned.
“I’m ready,” she replied.
They stood quietly together for a moment before walking down to join Adelaide for breakfast.
“So, what are your plans today?” Jeremiah asked as he took a bite of food from his plate.
“We’re planning to check out the merchant stalls first and visit a few shops,” Kieran replied.
“I’d love to come with you all, but I’m swamped with work today,” Jeremiah said with a small sigh. “Being the Governor of the North keeps me very busy,” he added, glancing around the table.
“How about you accompany me, Adelaide?” he asked with a grin.
“Oh, please, Jeremiah,” Adelaide said, clearly not in the mood for his teasing.
“Aw, such a mean witch,” Jeremiah said playfully, shaking his head. “Anyway, I’ll see you all later. If you need anything, just let Mark know. I’ll head out first,” he added as he stood from his seat.
“Adelaide,” Jeremiah called out, making her pause mid-bite.
“What now?” she asked, already sounding annoyed.
“Still beautiful as ever,” he said with a wink before walking away.
Adelaide let out an annoyed groan while Celestia and the others laughed quietly. Celestia couldn’t help but wonder what history her aunt had with the governor—and why she seemed to hate him so much.
Later that morning, the group left Jeremiah’s house and headed out to explore the market. The streets were lively and full of noise. Merchants called out to people, selling clothes, potions, herbs, and other goods.
Dwayne stayed close to Celestia, always watching the crowd, making sure she was safe. Adelaide walked beside Kieran and leaned in to speak.
“I want to visit someone while we’re here,” she said quietly. “She’s a witch—an old friend of mine. She knows about the prophecy. I want to see if she can tell us more… especially about the Nightmare Wolf,” she added. Kieran nodded.
“That sounds like a good idea. Just be careful,” he said.
“I will,” Adelaide said. “Take good care of her while I’m gone.”
She and Kieran both turned to look at Celestia at the same time.
“You got it,” Kieran replied with a small smile.
Adelaide walked away, disappearing into the busy street, while Kieran stepped closer to Celestia.
“Did you find something you like?” he asked, glancing at what she was holding.
Celestia nodded and showed him a necklace with a small half-moon pendant.
“You want that? Let me,” Kieran said, gently taking the necklace from her hands and putting it around her neck. “There. Beautiful.”
Celestia’s heart skipped a beat at his words.
“How much for this?” Kieran asked the vendor.
“I’ll pay,” Celestia said quickly.
“Darling, I know you have your own money, but let me pay for this one, okay?” he said warmly.
Celestia pouted a little but gave in with a nod. Kieran smiled and handed the payment to the seller.
They continued walking through the lively market until a sudden noise caught their attention. People ahead started shouting. There was a commotion.
Before they could react, a young man—probably around their age—rushed past them and snatched the necklace right off Celestia’s neck.
“Hey!” Celestia yelled in shock, her hand flying to her bare collar. Without thinking, she took off running after him. Kieran cursed under his breath.
“Dwayne! Let’s go!” he shouted, and both of them ran after her.
Celestia chased the thief through the crowd, her eyes locked on him. He turned sharply into a narrow alley, but it was a dead end. Panting and angry, Celestia stopped a few feet away from him.
“Give it back! That's my necklace!” she demanded, her eyes blazing.
The man laughed and pulled several necklaces from his pocket.
“Which one’s yours, princess?” he teased. “They all look the same to me. I think I’ll just keep them,” he said.
Celestia felt something stir inside her—raw power she felt the first time she tried to fight Ophelia. She raised her hand and started chanting a spell under her breath. The thief’s smirk faded as the wind around them began to swirl.
But before she could release her magic, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.
“Hey… it’s okay. I’ve got you,” Kieran said softly, calming her. “You don’t need to do this,” he added.
Celestia’s breath slowed as Kieran held her close. Dwayne arrived seconds later, grabbed the thief by the shirt, and pulled the necklace from his hand.
“Got it, Alpha,” Dwayne said.
“Let’s go back, okay?” Kieran said. “Leave him be, I'll let Jeremiah handle it now that I have known his face,” he added and glared.
Celestia gave the thief one last look, then turned away as Kieran led her out of the alley, his arm still around her.
- Writer
