Chapter 3

The steward was visibly stunned.

“Leaving Olympus?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end, he only lowered his head.

“Then please leave the palace key and the Whitecliff sigil here.”

After packing the last of my things, I had just stepped out of the room when the palace doors were pushed open.

Theron and Daphne walked in together, laughing and talking.

“It’s settled, then, Theron.” Daphne tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft and coy. “After your marriage covenant, I’ll stay in the Erebius palace for a few weeks. I want the room near the garden, and the curtains must be changed to my favorite rose pink.”

Theron did not object. Instead, he smiled with indulgent warmth.

“As long as Selene has no objections.”

Daphne immediately looked at me and blinked.

“My sister has always taken care of me. How could she object?”

She said it so naturally.

As if my future marriage palace had always been meant to have a place for her too.

A dull ache pressed against my chest.

“And if I say I don’t want that?”

The smile on Daphne’s face froze.

The next second, her eyes reddened.

“Selene, I only wanted to be closer to you. If you don’t want me there, then forget it. I won’t move in.”

Theron frowned.

“Selene, what’s wrong with you?”

I looked at him.

“That is our marriage palace. It is the place meant for the future consort. Who exactly are you entering this covenant with?”

Theron was choked into silence by my words.

Daphne immediately lowered her head and whispered, “Sister, I really didn’t mean anything else.”

Disappointment showed in Theron’s eyes.

“Selene, you’re making a fuss over one room?”

I smiled faintly.

“I’m not making a fuss.”

“Then what do you mean?” His voice darkened. “She’s your sister, not an outsider. The palace is so large. What’s wrong with letting one more person live there?”

“She wanted to enter my palace, and you agreed.”

I looked at him and said, word by word, “She wanted to change my robe, and you agreed. She wanted to change my hymn, and you agreed too.”

“Theron, in this wedding covenant, what is still mine?”

Theron’s brows lowered in displeasure. “Enough!”

The air fell still.

Daphne’s tears fell. “I was only trying to help you…”

His voice turned cold. “Daphne stayed among the divine houses because of you. I take care of her for your sake. Do you have to be so petty?”

Petty.

That word again.

Suddenly, I no longer had the strength to explain.

Daphne tugged at his sleeve and said softly, “Theron, don’t say that. Sister is probably just in a bad mood.”

Theron’s tone softened, but it remained unquestionable.

“I’ve already decided. If you two sisters live closer together, you can look after each other. Selene, stop making trouble.”

I looked at him and slowly nodded.

“Fine.”

Fine.

I would be leaving soon anyway.

Whoever wanted the Erebius palace could have it.