Chapter 126 "Don't let him hear..."

Chapter 126 "Don't let him hear..."
“Maya…”
The heiress’s voice echoed again in my mind.
Weak.
Distant.
“…he found you.”
My blood ran cold.
The shadows continued to slowly drift beyond the windows of the hall, almost imperceptible between the late afternoon light and the dark walls of the castle.
But no one seemed to notice.
Not the alphas.
Not Solange.
Not even Conrad.
I took a deep breath slowly.
Trying to maintain a neutral expression.
Calm.
I couldn’t make the situation worse.
Not there.
Not after that meeting.
Conrad was already close to his limit.
So I forced my eyes away from the shadows and returned my attention to the hall.
“The discussions are over,” Conrad announced coldly. “You may rest in the castle until tomorrow.”
The alphas began to rise slowly, still uncomfortable.
Steve was the last to look away from Conrad.
Defiant.
Suspicious.
Then he left without saying anything more.
The tension only eased when the large doors of the hall finally closed.
But even then…
I could still feel it.
The shadows outside.
Circling the castle.
Watching.
Like living smoke sliding along the magical walls.
They couldn't get in.
The barriers still worked.
But they were too close.
Conrad approached immediately when he noticed my silence.
“What is it?”
I shook my head quickly.
“Nothing.”
His golden eyes narrowed.
“You look pale.”
“I'm just tired.”
A lie.
Conrad clearly noticed.
But before he could insist, Solange slowly approached.
“The council won’t stop here.”
Conrad stiffened immediately.
“Then they can keep waiting.”
Solange observed me for a brief moment before turning her gaze to her son.
“You’re isolating your family.”
“I’m protecting my family.”
“There’s a difference.”
Conrad’s jaw clenched.
I could feel the irritation building in him for days.
Maybe weeks.
“Enough,” I murmured softly.
But neither of them seemed willing to back down.
“The kingdom is beginning to fear you,” Solange continued calmly. “And hiding the child only makes it worse.”
Conrad let out a humorless laugh.
“Funny to hear that coming from someone who called my son a catalyst.”
Her eyes hardened slightly.
“What I fear still exists, Conrad.”
The silence grew heavy again.
Then he took my hand and gently pulled me out of the hall.
“Let’s go.”
I didn’t answer.
Because I could still feel the shadows outside.
Following.
Waiting.
The walk to our chambers was silent.
Tense.
When the doors finally closed behind us, Conrad let out a tired sigh and ran his hands over his face.
“Do you really think hiding Lysander will solve anything?”
He looked up immediately.
“It’s started.”
“Conrad—”
“No.” His voice came out harder. “You heard what they said inside.”
“They’re afraid because they don’t know anything!”
“And you want them to know?” he retorted quickly. “Do you want to show our son to an entire kingdom that already calls him cursed?”
My chest tightened.
“He doesn’t deserve to live in hiding!”
“He deserves to live.”
Silence exploded between us.
Heavy.
Violent.
Conrad was breathing heavily now.
His golden eyes gleamed faintly.
“You think I don’t notice?” he asked. “The shadows have returned. I feel something watching this castle every night.”
My heart raced.
So he felt it too.
“Conrad…”
“I won’t lose you.” His voice faltered for the first time. “Not after everything.”
The anger inside me began to mix with fear.
Exhaustion.
Frustration.
“You’re suffocating us!”
Conrad stood still.
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
“No.” I shook my head, feeling tears burn my eyes. “You’re trying to control the inevitable.”
His expression changed instantly.
Pain.
Anger.
Despair.
“And what do you want me to do, Maya?” he asked louder. “Calmly accept that our son was born connected to a monstrous cleft?”
“He’s our son!”
“And that’s exactly why I’m afraid!”
The silence that followed was devastating.
Conrad’s words still echoed in the room as we both gasped for breath.
Anger.
Fear.
Despair.
Everything mixed together.
Lysander started crying in the next room at the same instant.
The sound pierced my chest like a blade.
Conrad closed his eyes immediately.
Regret crossed his expression as quickly as the previous explosion of anger.
But I was already walking away.
“I’ll get him.”
My voice came out low.
Cold.
Conrad didn’t try to stop me.
I quickly entered Lysander’s room and found our son restless in his crib, his little hands clenched as tears streamed down his small face.
My heart shattered immediately.
“Shh… it’s okay.” I carefully picked him up. “It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t.
Because as soon as I brought him close to my chest…
I felt it.
The room was too cold.
Too cold.
My whole body tensed.
Lysander stopped crying instantly.
His golden eyes moved slowly to the dark corner of the room.
My blood ran cold.
The shadows there were moving.
Not violently.
Nor monstrously.
But alive.
Sliding along the wall like liquid smoke.
A low voice echoed in my mind.
“Maya…”
The heiress.
Weak.
Terrified.
“He’s close.”
My heart raced violently.
“Conrad.”
He entered the room immediately.
His golden eyes scanned my face before following my gaze to the dark corner.
Then he saw it too.
The shadows instantly retreated against the wall as Conrad took a step forward.
Like cornered creatures.
But they didn’t disappear.
Conrad stiffened completely.
“Get Lysander.” My voice came out almost in a whisper.
Conrad hesitated for only a second before carefully taking our son from my arms.
Lysander immediately gripped his clothes, still staring intently at the shadows.
Then the baby smiled.
My stomach dropped.
Because the shadows moved in response.
As if they recognized that smile.
Conrad pulled Lysander closer immediately.
Pure instinct.
Absolute protection.
“This isn’t normal,” he murmured.
His voice sounded dangerously controlled now.
The shadows began to slowly slide down the wall.
Climbing.
Trying to reach the ceiling.
But there was something strange.
They didn’t seem to be trying to attack.
They seemed…
watching.
Then the heiress’s voice came again.
More desperate this time.
“Don’t let him hear.”
A violent shiver ran down my spine.
“What?” I asked aloud before I could control myself.
But it was too late.
Because at that instant…
Lysander slowly turned his face towards us.
And his golden eyes began to shine with the same intensity as the shadows around the room.