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CHAPTER 79
~Valerie's POV~
I obeyed, my body moving on instinct even though my mind was anywhere but here.
The letter—the name, my name—Valerie Violet Sapphire Snow.
I shook my head sharply, trying to dislodge the thoughts, but they clung like wet vines around my brain.
Kai noticed. Of course he did. He straightened slightly, lowering his hands for a moment. "You're tense."
"I'm fine," I said, a little too fast, a little too sharp.
His gaze narrowed. "You're lying," he said simply.
I pressed my lips together, refusing to answer. Inside my mind, Astra stirred.
"Tell him," she urged in a soft but firm voice. "He's your mate. He can help."
"No," I snapped back. "Not yet. I can't. You should know I cannot disclose my identity."
Trust was not something I could hand out right now. Not with someone clearly playing a deeper, more dangerous game against me.