Chapter: Chapter 86“The watch is hot, but it was cold when it was first given to me. The heat from the watch is a type of energy, but what does it mean?!” Fury was trying to help me. She was giving me tiny hints the best way she could. I needed to think about everything she had told me. Every word could be a tip.“Gujin is a messenger. Was that his way of telling you the watch is a message?”It made sense. Maybe even Gujin was trying to leave me a clue. I guess neither one was able to tell me anything, which was frustrating, especially when they may have been involved. That would mean that Gujin knew what happened to my father. I know I’m meant to figure it out on my own, because it seems like this is the type of game the gods enjoy.“You know what? One mystery at a time.” I sighed and brushed my hair behind my ear. “So the guards have found some evidence of brainwashing?”“Evidence of ... manipulation. Mind games. Enough that it has convinced my father. He’s with mom now. He decided to talk with her an
Last Updated: 2025-04-25
Chapter: Chapter 85AllissaI thought that becoming the queen would make me feel different. But I was still just me. Lyle followed me everywhere and was always helping me. There were a lot of boring things I had to read and sign. I wonder how Darren managed to stay awake. I honestly felt myself dozing several times. Luckily for me, I could blame the pregnancy.“Issy, look, this just arrived from Darren!” Lyle ran to me with childlike excitement.My fingers moved so fast as I dove into the letter. It had been days since I’d heard from him. I felt my eyes watering up. His words reflected exactly how I felt. I wish I could see him … I wish I could hold him. I wonder if he knew I was the queen now? At least I knew he was okay, but it did little to heal the aching pain in my chest.“He’s okay.” I smiled, glancing up at Lyle’s relieved eyes. “Sounds like the battles have been steady. I’ve been so worried—” The tears welled up in my eyes as I held his letter to my chest. I had barely been hanging on. My mate was
Last Updated: 2025-04-23
Chapter: Chapter 84DarrenI dragged another fallen enemy across the blood-soaked earth, my body screaming in protest.“Another one,” I grunted to myself, tossing the limp form atop the pile with a dull thud. I wiped the sweat from my brow as I looked over the battlefield. It had been a non-stop onslaught for days. I haven’t even had time to send a message to Ally. I can imagine her blue eyes as she sits in our bedroom. She was probably worried and each day without contact would make it worse. I have been fighting to the brink of exhaustion. Collapsing for an hour or two of sleep and then right back at it.There were so many vampires … many were new. When they took over these towns, those who lived there either became food or new vampires. They were building their army. If that wasn’t enough, the demons who have joined them were also well prepared.I was barely able to catch my breath and another battle would arrive. I surveyed the chaos around me, that had become a frequent sight. In all honesty, we nee
Last Updated: 2025-04-19
Chapter: Chapter 83I had no clue who or what I was looking at. A small, delicate person? Or something more like a fairy? The figure was small, no taller than a child, but it radiated an otherworldly power that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Delicate, translucent wings fluttered behind her, her skin as white as ivory. She wore a white, shimmering gown that flowed around her. Her face was impossibly beautiful, with high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes that seemed to glow with an inner fire. But it was her expression that truly captivated me. A fierce determination and cold detachment that sent a shiver down my spine.The way she was staring at me almost looked aggressive, which made me defensive.“Who are you? What do you want with me?” I demanded, injecting as much authority into my voice as I could muster.“I haven’t decided yet.” Her voice was cold as her eyes fixated on mine.“You haven’t decided who you are, or you haven’t decided what you want with me? I asked you two questions
Last Updated: 2025-04-16
Chapter: Chapter 82“Is this really necessary?” I pouted as I felt the heavy robe draped over my shoulders. It was not only heavy, but I felt like I was in a sauna.“It’s traditional. All of the crowned royals wore this robe.” Lyle’s blue eyes sparkled in amusement as I grumbled. “The weight represents the burden of leadership. Besides, you look rather fetching in it. Like a true queen.”“A sweaty, irritable queen,” I muttered, but then a realization came over me. “It’s never been washed … has it?”Lyle boomed out a loud laugh. “No, it’s not washed. It’s only worn for a few hours for the ceremony, and—”“I’m caked in a stranger’s sweat.”“Darren wore it last.” Lyle smirked at me.“It doesn’t have his scent.” I sighed, staring at the mirror. There was still no message from Darren. He knew I would be worried, and I knew he would reach out to me as soon as he could. I knew he was alive, but that was the extent of it. How bad were things for them right now? “It feels weird to be doing this without him here.”
Last Updated: 2025-04-14
Chapter: Chapter 81My first night away from Darren was torture. I tossed and turned,missing his warmth next to me. I was so dependent on him. Every day away from him was going to be hard. I knew that, but I guess I wasn’t fully prepared for the loneliness. I was missing a piece of me, and I couldn’t be whole without him.Lyle stayed with me until the early morning hours, trying to keep my mind off Darren. He put on movies and told me stories. But as soon as he left, Darren was all I could think about. How was the battle? Was he resting? Did he get hurt? So many questions, and there was no way to get answers. I had to wait for him to contact me.I looked at myself in the mirror as I finished applying my lip gloss. Today, I was going to be crowned queen. I didn’t look like a queen … I didn’t feel like a queen. I was just me. I wonder if all leaders felt like this?“This is as good as I get,” I said to myself with a shrug, looking at my reflection. I opened the door to my bedroom and there was Lyle, leaning
Last Updated: 2025-04-08