Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 276

Chapter 276 Little Light

TESSA

In an instant, I was no longer in that throne room. Instead, I was inside a memory.

I was a child.

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I knew because when I looked down, my hands were small and soft. My legs were short, my steps light. I was… Ellana. The name bloomed in my mind like it had always been mine, and yet it wasn’t.

I giggled as I ran out of a large palace. I could hear the voice of my nanny calling after me, high and frantic, but I didn’t care. It was my birthday–my ninth birthday!

Mother never let me out. She always said it was safer inside the estate, that the walls kept away the ugliness of the world. But the sunshine had been too bright. I wanted to see it, just once, to know what waited

outside.

With that, I continued to run.

The gravel crunched under my slippers as I burst past the gardens, the sound of my laughter bouncing off the marble walls until they disappeared behind me.

However, just as I climbed out of the gates, the scenery grew into something I wasn’t familiar with.

The grass that had always been perfectly trimmed in our garden gave way to crooked trees, their branches sagged with rotten leaves. The laughter died in my throat as I slowed, feeling confused.

The deeper I went, the worse it became. Thin animals that walked past were creatures I didn’t recognize, their ribs jutting through fur and skin.

“You’re not from here.”

I froze.

The voice came from behind me. Turning quickly, I saw a girl around my age.

She stood a few steps away, still and quiet, with a stoic expression. Her clothes were patched and torn, her hair tangled, and her skin quite pale. Her eyes, despite being the prettiest shade of blue, appeared empty.

I hesitated. Then I forced a smile, because that was what I always did when I wanted to make new friends.

“Nice to meet you,” I said in a light voice. “I’m Ellana.”

The girl didn’t smile back. She just kept staring, her lips pressed into a thin line.

That’s when I noticed how frail she looked. She looked… hungry.

Just then, I remembered the small bag I had tucked under my arm before escaping. Inside were candy bars, wrapped in shiny paper. My mother’s friends had gifted them to me earlier that morning. I had so

many.

Digging into the bag, I pulled one out and held it toward her. “You want?”

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Chapter 276 Little Light

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Her eyes went to the chocolate, and for the first time, a crack showed in her expression. She bit her lip, as if trying to stop herself from reaching. I knew she wanted it.

I pressed it closer.

She whispered, “This is expensive.”

I tilted my head, giggling softly. “Oh, I don’t know. I have lots of it. You can have it.”

open with

For a moment, she hesitated. But then her small hands snatched the bar, and she tore it desperate fingers. The first bite she took was messy, her eyes closing tight. Then, as she opened her eyes, her whole face lit up.

I giggled again, relieved and delighted.

“What’s your name?” I asked eagerly.

Her chewing slowed. She hesitated, her eyes darting away before finally whispering, “Mina.”

“My name is Ellana,” I repeated, smiling.

She gave a small bow of her head. “Thanks for this.”

“You’re welcome!” I chirped, clasping my hands together. “What are you doing here?”

Her eyes narrowed, her chewing pausing again. “I should be asking you that.”

“Oh, I ran away from home.”

Her frown deepened. “That’s bad. You’re too young.”

I puffed up. “We’re the same age!”

“I’m just picking mushrooms so we have something to eat,” she said in a quieter tone, almost ashamed. “I didn’t run away. My house is just here,” she pointed to a small house a few meters away.

“How about you?” she asked curiously.

I quickly looked up and pointed to the palace that stood in the distance, its towers seen against the sky. “Over there,” I said with a bright smile.

Mina’s eyes followed my hand. Then, she stepped back from me. It was so sudden that my heart dipped. Her light eyes, which had only a moment ago softened while eating the candy bar, turned guarded again.

“In the big house?” she asked.

I nodded quickly, still holding my bag against my chest. “Yes. The big one over there.”

She didn’t even look at the palace; she kept her eyes on me like I was something dangerous.

“You need to go.”

“Huh? What? Why?” I asked, my voice breaking into confusion. “I thought we could be friends.”

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Mon, 29 Sept

Chapter 276 Little Light

She looked down at the half–eaten candy bar in her hands. “I can’t be friends with bad people”

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“Bad?” I whispered. My mind whirled. I didn’t think I was bad. I wasn’t bad. Mother always said I was special, precious, a gift. 1 gave her food, didn’t I? Friends gave each other food. Why would she

Before I could ask her anything else, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind.

“There you are!” a voice scolded.

I squeaked as my feet left the ground. My bag swung wildly against my hip. I twisted my head to see my nanny’s pinched face hovering above me.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you, young miss,” she hissed, hugging me too tightly. Then she finally noticed Mina standing there by the roots of the dying trees. Her eyes widened and then narrowed in disgust.

“Why did you run away?” she demanded, even though I hadn’t answered her first question.

“I-”

“You should not be with the likes of them,” she cut me off sharply. Her nostrils flared as she stared at Mina. “So dirty.”

My heart squeezed painfully. “Huh?”

I looked at Mina, but she was already retreating. Her eyes had gone flat, and she didn’t even say goodbye. “Wait-” I tried to reach out, but my nanny clutched me tighter, turning me away from her.

“Come now. Your mother is filled with worry.”

I craned my neck to catch one last glimpse of Mina, but she was gone, swallowed by the crooked trees.

The next moment, we were heading back toward the palace, my slippers brushing against her starched skirts as she carried me. The palace loomed closer and closer until it swallowed everything else.

Inside, everything was bright and golden.

Mother was waiting for me at the top of the marble staircase, her hands clasped, her long hair cascading like black silk. When she saw me, her stern face cracked into something softer–a smile of relief and reprimand all at once.

“Ellana!” she exclaimed.

I stiffened. My nanny set me down on the polished floor, and I shuffled forward, my head bowed.

“Where did you go, young woman?”

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