Ten days later, they finally let me out, and I noticed right away that Dusty was gone.

I searched the entire courtyard, calling out for him, but there was no sign of him anywhere.

He never wandered off on his own.

A sinking feeling settled in my chest. Something was wrong.

Then, behind a rock formation, I spotted a small gray figure.

“Dusty!”

He was lying on the ground, covered in wounds and barely breathing. His body felt cold to the touch. I tried pouring my spiritual energy into him, desperate to save him, but it was like trying to fill a bottomless pit.

No matter how hard I tried, it didn’t work.

Dusty died in my arms. His little body stiffened slowly as the warmth faded away.

I buried him under the magnolia tree in the yard, the spot where he used to love playing the most.

I closed my eyes, and memories came flooding back—Dusty curled up in my lap, warming my feet… The way he would turn his head in a huff when he got mad…

The pain in my chest felt like something had been torn apart. Eyes burning, I gripped my sword tightly.

I swore Maisie would pay for this.

I kicked open the door and found Maisie laughing with a maid, completely unaware of the storm about to hit her.

“I heard your little gray fox died,” she said with a smirk. “He was so weak. I barely played with him, and—”

Smack!

I slapped her across the face before she could finish that vile sentence.

“What…” Maisie clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief.

“You think you even deserve to say his name?” I shot her a cold glare, a murderous aura emanating off of me.

I raised my sword and pointed it straight at her throat.

“Stop!”