The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 201: The Reveal (1)

Jessamyn reached out, her fingers brushing against the rough yet strangely comforting surface of the tree. The bark, though weathered and gnarled, carried a warmth that belied its age.

As her fingers traced the intricate patterns, a sudden zip of shock sparked at the tip of her finger, startling her. The sensation sent a shiver up her spine.

For a fleeting moment, her vision blurred and then sharpened, and she saw the eyes of the woman in the tree open. They were luminous, ancient, and filled with a depth of emotion that spoke of eons past.

Jessamyn’s heart raced, and she stumbled back, her breath hitching in her throat. The fleeting image vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving her in stunned silence.

"Did you see that?" she asked the wolf, her voice a whisper of awe and fear. She walked away from the tree, rubbing her finger that still tingled with a lingering pain, akin to frostbite.

The wolf turned his head away from the tombstone, his gaze curious. "See what?" he asked, his voice a soothing rumble.

When he looked at her, his eyes widened in surprise. The moon hung bright and full in the sky, casting its silvery light over the clearing. But in the wolf’s eyes, Jessamyn saw a reflection even brighter—a glow emanating from her skin.

She was glowing.

Her skin shimmered with a soft, ethereal light as if the moon had bestowed its radiance upon her. The glow was not blinding but gentle, casting a halo around her that made her appear otherworldly. Her hair seemed to sparkle with stardust, and her eyes, now wide with wonder, mirrored the brilliance of the moonlight.

Jessamyn’s heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her veins. She raised her hand to her face, watching the light dance across her skin, feeling the warmth of its embrace. It was as if she were holding a piece of the moon itself.

"What’s... What’s happening?" she stumbled back, panic rising in her throat.

Back then at their wedding too something similar happened. This time... She looked around. She couldn’t believe what was happening.

She was nothing but an ignored and abused daughter of a Baron. All she wanted was a quiet life and peace. She didn’t want these extraordinary events to occur around her.

The wolf approached her slowly, his gaze never leaving her luminous form. "You are glowing," he murmured, his voice filled with reverence and a touch of awe.

Jessamyn tripped, her foot catching on a root hidden in the shadows. She almost fell, her arms flailing to regain balance. The sudden movement seemed to disrupt the fragile magic surrounding her. In an instant, the glow vanished, leaving her in the dim light of the moon.

She stood there, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her skin now just skin, and the warmth that had enveloped her fading into the cool night air. The wolf continued to watch her, his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

Jessamyn looked down at her hands, turning them over to find a trace of the light that had just moments ago made her feel ethereal. The shock of what had just happened left her reeling. The tree, the glow, the ancient eyes she had seen—everything seemed to blur into a surreal dream.

"Did... did you see that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

The wolf nodded slowly. "Yes, I saw it. The tree, it... responded to you."

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart. "Why? Why did it happen?"

The wolf took a step closer, his eyes softening. "There are ancient magics in this world, Jessamyn. You seem to be connected to them in ways we might not yet understand."

"We..." Jessamyn muttered, that word he said echoing in her mind like the sound of hammering. "This is not right..." she waved her hand.

The wolf took a step toward Jessamyn. "Jessamyn, we can~"

"Stop!" Jessamyn took a step away from the wolf. "Do not say that... We... We have nothing..."

"Wait, wh-"

"No, stop!" Jessamyn shook her head and covered her ears. She thought she might forget what she wanted to say looking into the eyes of the wolf; he had tender eyes she couldn’t look away. She closed her eyes.

"The other day too... It was supposed to be my husband... He wanted to... Anyway, there is no we, no us. I am me. I am married and~"

"Is there trouble in your marriage?" the wolf asked.

"What?" Jessamyn opened her eyes to look at the wolf.

He was looking at her. Although both were standing, and the wolf only reached to her shoulder, his aura was too imposing. His question seemed out of place but what rattled her was his eyes.

She wouldn’t lie. She remembered Jerrick saying Imogen’s name and she did think of it when the wolf asked that question.

"Wh-why should I talk to you about my marriage?" she gulped and looked away.

She was mad at Jerrick but she didn’t want to talk about her marriage with a stranger.

"So, there is trouble. Does your husband know?" the wolf asked.

Jessamyn scoffed and walked away. Her fingers trembled and her throat hurt as she reeled back her sorrow. But she sure was not willing to talk to him about that.

Although every fiber of her being urged her to stop and take a moment to look into the eyes of the wolf, she walked away.

"You can trust me. I~"

"I do not care who you are," Jessamyn stopped and looked at the wolf. "I do not care if you are trustworthy or not. I do not want to do anything with you. I am married, with another man. Do not bring me to..." her eyes ended at the tree.

She felt a pull as if the tree was beckoning her; it wanted to interact with her. She cleared her throat and forced her attention toward the wolf.

"I..." her voice hitched and her eyes clouded. "Jerrick wanted to take me to the ocean. He wanted to show me the glimmering waves. He wanted to bring me to the Iron Mountain. And yet you... I..." She let out a deep breath.

"You’re blaming me?" The wolf asked. Somehow he looked brighter under the moonlight, his eyes glimmering with understanding. "No, you’re blaming yourself."

"Yes, I am blaming myself! I shouldn’t be going around with someone else to these weird~"

"Is that why you cried that night? Because you didn’t go there with me -uh- your husband?" The wolf asked.

Jessamyn sniffed and wiped the tears rolling down from her eyes. Thinking that she had done it again made her heart sink and she kneeled on the ground.

"I am the worst..." she mumbled as she cried covering her face.

"Jessamyn..."

This time, the voice sounded different. She heard it in her ears. And that meant, he had turned to his human form.

Lub-dub... Lub-dub... Lub-dub...

Jessamyn’s heart pounded. She could see who it was if she opened her eyes.