A problem kept returning no matter how many times Cel tried to solve it.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ej7mYi7iN
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Lyra’s birthday approached. And he had no gift. Worse - he had no way to give her one that wouldn’t immediately expose his deception.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR1eTLOM3u
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The identity he’d given her was fake. The so called Heir to the Moon from a village in Storm Clan territory.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlWR6rKAa8
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That identity couldn’t possibly know when she had been born. Couldn’t know her well enough to warrant celebration. Any attempt to acknowledge her birthday would raise questions he couldn’t answer without unraveling everything.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuJKQPSQUz
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But ignoring it felt wrong. Worse than wrong. She was his sister. His actual sister. The only family member who’d ever shown him genuine affection. And she had no idea who he really was. Thought him dead, mourned him while he walked past her weekly in a face she couldn’t recognize.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfzlltXzpw
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He could leave the present anonymously. Slip it into the church somehow, unsigned and unexplained. But that felt cowardly. Distant. Like treating her birthday as an obligation to check off rather than something that mattered.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxe6Q2h8Xt
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“So what do you think?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxvTfvB2jp
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Lior’s voice penetrated his thoughts. Cel’s gaze snapped up, finding sky-blue eyes watching him with expectation.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNwbtHuF1w
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“About what?” 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbwyvZvo3b
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Lior’s expression shifted. Not quite suspicion, but close. “About what kind of present would be fitting for my parents.” He paused, head tilting slightly. “Were you listening?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiqN6Xw7sD
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr36jmKGe8
Heat crept up Cel’s neck. He’d been completely absent. Not heard a single word Lior had said for however long they’d been sitting here.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZKxMdJijc
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“I was listening,” he said.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCoW828sXu
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The lie landed with all the grace of a stone thrown at a wall -  flat and obvious. 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HMGhAr29u
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Lior’s eyes narrowed fractionally. 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxuuO78z0e
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Cel pivoted, giving the suspicion nowhere to land. “We should go to the market together.” The suggestion came quick, practical. “Look for something. I need to find something too.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg7EpuBLy6
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The suspicion in Lior’s expression dissolved immediately, replaced by brightness that transformed his entire face. “Really? You’d come with me?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyAOSMMCPw
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“Of course.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNBIy98Pr2
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“That would be...” Lior’s hands moved restlessly, trying to organize enthusiasm that clearly didn’t want organizing. “That would be perfect. I have no idea what to get them. My mother likes - well, she likes a lot of things, but I don’t know what would be special enough, and my father is...” He trailed off, then started again. “I don’t think he would care actually."162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtuQgrAxXC
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Cel nodded once. The market trip served multiple purposes then. Help Lior choose gifts. And finding something for Lyra.  162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0SnOzxZ1Q
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Movement in his peripheral vision.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKjscKPO7h
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Both of them went still.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAVfZwEsT1
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Kyros Solgrand walked past their table, fire-red hair catching morning light from the high windows. His posture carried the same absolute confidence it always had - chin raised slightly, shoulders back, moving through the dining hall like he owned every stone in the floor. Two followers trailed behind him, nobles whose names Cel had never bothered learning.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoV7tsbS3hu
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Their eyes swept across them. Not quite looking at them directly. More like a gaze passed over their table the way it might pass over furniture - acknowledged as existing but unworthy of real attention.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwMZnW5yMw
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They kept walking. Didn’t stop. Didn’t speak. Just continued toward their usual seats.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaV4E1v2Hp
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Cel’s jaw unclenched slowly.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn83rnUTTVP
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Beside him, Lior released a breath he’d apparently been holding.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmzM3qVA49
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“He hasn’t bothered us since...” Lior’s voice dropped low. “Since what happened.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RQ7hWaI0V
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“No,” Cel agreed quietly. “He hasn’t.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfskcyDfrY5
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But his behavior hadn’t changed. The arrogance remained intact. The casual contempt for anyone he deemed beneath his station. The certainty that birth and blessing made him inherently superior to commoners who shared his breathing space.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zrNzgNyca
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Had he learned anything? Or just decided that targeting them specifically carried more risk than entertainment value?162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNfXheBPxg
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Impossible to know. And ultimately irrelevant. As long as he maintained distance, Cel could tolerate his attitude.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBRpTaH6uw
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They finished breakfast in relative quiet. The dining hall gradually emptied as students filtered out toward their next obligations. Eventually Cel and Lior rose too, departing to the lecture hall.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTia7kl1mB1
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The off-day arrived quickly. 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLpwqQUk53
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Cel changed into his commoner clothes - simple shirt and trousers that had become comfortable through constant use.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeru7tbgcri
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUC9mjYL3Cb
Lior met him at the Academy gates wearing similar clothing. His outfit looked slightly worn around the edges, patches visible on one knee where fabric had torn and been mended. Not poor exactly. Just used. Practical.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfacA7qicWX
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sN0TphIIX
They walked through Stella’s streets without speaking much at first. The capital spread around them in its usual organized chaos - market stalls appearing wherever space permitted, vendors calling out their wares in voices that competed for attention, people moving in streams that somehow avoided collision despite everyone appearing to occupy the same narrow pathways.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDkMi40ic9
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Cel found he didn’t mind it. The crowds provided anonymity. No one looked at them twice. Just two young men in common clothes moving through the market like hundreds of others.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVEpfeIEM8
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“I was thinking maybe a shawl for my mother,” Lior said eventually. His gaze tracked across the stalls they passed, taking in displayed goods with careful assessment. “She’s always cold in the mornings. Complains about it every day even though she pretends she doesn’t.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrlxJZw7vZ
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“That sounds practical.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvZO3wTQYr
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“But is practical special enough?” Lior’s worry returned, creasing his forehead. “I want to give her something that shows...” He gestured vaguely, trying to articulate feeling into words. “Something that shows I was thinking about her. Not just buying whatever seemed useful.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk1jyB22GL
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Cel considered. “Practical things can be special if they solve a problem she actually has. Especially if you put thought into choosing the right one.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIdCinwCtk
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Lior’s expression eased slightly. “You think so?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3VMImFE6i
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“I do.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgqPjQl0bC
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They continued walking. Passed vendors selling vegetables and meat, others displaying tools and household goods, a section dedicated entirely to fabrics in colors that ranged from dull browns to vibrant blues. The market sprawled without clear organization, each vendor claiming whatever space they could secure.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj9BBHEqRJ
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Eventually they found themselves in a quieter section. Fewer people crowding the stalls here. The goods shifted from necessities to luxuries - jewelry, decorative items, things that served no practical purpose beyond looking pleasant.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsT24QqbXf
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYLRO573Ux
A small shop caught Cel’s attention. Not a stall exactly. An actual structure, cramped and narrow, squeezed between two larger buildings. The front displayed necklaces hung on wooden stands, each one bearing a different symbol worked into the metal.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HqK8ncY08
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEeWYuq8C8
Lior noticed his pause. “What is it?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKS1nm6wAo
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“Maybe something here.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ym8dt3f0M
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They approached together. The necklaces varied in complexity - some simple designs, others elaborate enough that reading the symbol required close examination. The metal looked like silver or something similar, polished to a dull shine that caught light without reflecting it directly.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQ7V1S2UR0
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Cel’s gaze landed on one in particular.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfCFgmoL3V
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A crescent moon. Small, elegant, the curve precise. Nothing excessive. But undoubtedly made with passion.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9DlbPGzgK
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His hand reached out without conscious decision. Fingers brushed the metal. Cool against his skin. Smooth.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtWEb9YNrv
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“That one?” Lior had moved beside him, following his attention.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdBM1ibNTF
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“Maybe.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP0GYCiGLo
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The symbol felt right in a way he couldn’t articulate. The Moon Goddess had marked him. Had given him new life when his old one ended. Had provided Selina as guide. Giving Lyra something that represented that connection seemed…162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMRF7kq1vx
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Appropriate. Meaningful without being obvious.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPL60EsZ3D
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Lior examined other necklaces on the display. “My parents would probably like something simple too.” His fingers traced across the symbol. “Maybe matching ones? So they both have the same thing?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTqLDJOMTE
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The shop owner emerged from the interior - an older woman with gray hair and shrewd eyes that assessed them immediately. “Looking for gifts?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0lrmhG1UV
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“Yes,” Lior said. “These crescent moon ones. How much?”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWk2d6Tu6U
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakVaKRPEYI
She named a price. Not excessive but not cheap either. Lior counted coins from his purse carefully, then selected two necklaces. Cel purchased one, the transaction simple and quick.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLVta2s4i4
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The woman wrapped each necklace in cloth, then handed them over. “May they bring joy to whoever receives them.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZlFspSjVc
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They left the shop with their purchases secured in pockets. The market felt lighter somehow. Less oppressive. Mission accomplished, pressure relieved.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEztme5gmMZ
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“Thank you for coming with me,” Lior said as they started back toward the Academy. “I would have spent all day deciding if you hadn’t been there.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuwPnju6pg
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“It was no trouble.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbuTsfHP5n
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“Still. It was fun.” Lior smiled.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ2ogHhyIV
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The walk back passed pleasantly. Conversation drifted between meaningless topics - observations about the city, speculation about the upcoming journey to Life Clan territory, small complaints about Academy training that held no real weight.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99sEH7kmIv
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Then someone bumped into Cel.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxdfd6t79k
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A young boy, moving fast through the crowd, dark hair flying behind him as he darted between adults who barely registered the collision.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuvT37zBcY
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Cel turned to look after the retreating figure. 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXsa1DhU0O
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Something felt wrong.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdpc5SGgcc
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His instincts screamed warnings he couldn’t name. Not danger exactly. Not threat. Just wrongness, immediate and sharp, crawling up his spine.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB8961QrCN
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His hand moved to his pocket.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKS2Jnxn4F
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Empty.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV5st9c2EB
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The necklace. The coins. All of it gone.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BY3xXVxex
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Understanding crashed through in the space between heartbeats.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2YtIQDTLW
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Cel’s head snapped around, tracking the child’s path through the crowd. They’d already put significant distance between them, weaving through bodies with practiced ease.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroKg2bq2Qq
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“Go ahead,” Cel said to Lior. The words came clipped, urgent. “I’ll catch up.”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbQOvvw72S
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“What? Why—”162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHbAVgUGR2
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But Cel was already moving.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Lkf2hZTr2
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His enhanced body cut through the crowd with speed that normal people couldn’t match. Not running exactly - that would draw too much attention, cause too many problems. But fast walking that covered ground in strides that shouldn’t have been possible.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Wmq3zFZUD
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The child glanced back. Saw him coming.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCUUq58AdY
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His eyes widened. Then he ran.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbcDTQLfrj
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Actually ran, abandoning all pretense of casual movement. He shot between vendors, ducked under a table displaying fruit, vaulted over a low wall with agility that suggested long practice at exactly this kind of escape.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTwPsWo5l6
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Cel followed. His body moved with the ease, each obstacle cleared without thought. A cart rolled into his path - he sidestepped without breaking stride. A vendor shouted something about watching where he was going - the words barely registered.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmNubrfy8U
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The chase led away from the main market, down narrower streets where fewer people traveled. The buildings pressed closer here, creating alleys and passages that twisted without clear direction.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEah4BQAoaR
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The child took a sharp turn. Disappeared into an opening between structures that barely qualified as an alley - more like a gap that shouldn’t have existed, too small for normal passage.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Cd4FiejIz
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Cel reached the entrance moments later. 162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgYp0Qo3qa
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The alley extended perhaps twenty steps, ending at a blank wall. No exit. No escape route.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPppHDAMjOm
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And standing in the center of it, was someone Cel recognized immediately.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1Q8QYyumt
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Theron.162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKRS0eJg3h
1234 copyright protection158ＰＥＮＡＮＡth2oeA6vgk 尼

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