𝐒𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 | 𝟏𝟖+

☽♡ 13 ♡☾

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

𝕽𝖔𝖜𝖆𝖓 𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖒'𝖘 𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖊𝖗

❝Weaving webs of secrecy, a tangled dance of trust and deceit, all masked beneath the cheerful strains of 'Happy Birthday'❞

As Saphyrine vanished before his eyes, Rowan felt a pang of longing and worry. He wished she would stay, spend time with them, and then somehow gather her belongings and run away from the school for good with him; even though they had finally devised a plan for tomorrow's gala.

But they didn't stay together and now he just wished she would arrive safely at the academy — unwanted attention was the last thing they needed.

Turning to his sister Brianna, he managed a strained smile, but his mind was elsewhere. "Hey, Brianna," he greeted her, trying to mask his inner turmoil.

Brianna's deep green eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked, "Who was it?"

"Don't start please," he pleaded.

"Why the secrecy?" she asked arching her brow, leaning closer to the doorframe as their little brother Nolan dashed further into the house with cheerful laughter.

"Rowan is heeere," he echoed already in the kitchen — hyperactive little pal.

Rowan hesitated for a moment, torn between secrecy and the urge to confide in his sister — Brianna was always his best friend among their siblings. They had never had too many secrets between them, always partners in crime even with the four years gap between them. And there was a chance she had recognized Saphyrine and was testing him. Finally, he leaned closer to her and whispered, "It was Saphyrine."

Brianna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in surprise. "How long you two—"

"Just a few very long days," he muttered, revealing the stark truth of them having another chance just this shortly. "Please, don't tell anyone for a while. I need to ensure we'll be safe—"

"Rowan, you're scaring me," Brianna interrupted him, her hands unexpectedly resting on her chest and stomach. "What are you two up to?"

He scoffed with irritation, more at the situation than at his sister, but he knew she always delved too deeply into details. "I shouldn't have told you, Bree."

"No, it's okay, I won't—"

"Rowan! There's the birthday boy," Saphyrine's brother approached them, and Brianna quickly composed herself, then turning to her husband with a smile.

"Emeraldyn, long time no see," he greeted his brother-in-law, finally stepping into the house and putting an end to the flow of fresh March air inside.

He came to Rowan, darting his hauntingly familiar deep blue eyes on his frame and hugged him firmly as always, a gesture that Rowan found refreshing and grounding, especially during times when he had been anxious and longed for Saphyrine. Roselights were always appearing firm and overly professional.

While Rowan knew Saphyrine to be kind and gentle, as she had been healing from her traumas thanks to her much older brothers and later on to himself, he understood that Emeraldyn was different from his sister.

Rowan was certain that Emeraldyn and his twin brother Onyxine hadn't been as fortunate as Saphyrine. Their demons were sometimes lurking around, because they hadn't had older siblings to guide them through childhood, taking them under their wings like she had. Escaping the manipulative tactics of the privileged families was undoubtedly not easy — breaking the cycle wasn't a common occurrence among those bloodlines.