AIDENAs I stared down at the body of the guard, a touch of numbness flooded through me, along with a tinge of guilt.I wasn’t a killer. I didn’t enjoy bloodshed, didn’t crave the feeling of a wolf crumpling under the savageness of my claws.And yet…When I glanced at young Ben’s lifeless form…“Did you not give him a chance to surrender?” Oakley’s voice came from behind me.I hated the playful sarcasm in his tone but didn’t indulge him with a response. Instead, I clenched my fists and kept moving.Now that the gates had been opened and the rebellion was in full swing, I needed to refocus on my mission.I marched ahead and headed back toward the castle. With every step, my mind replayed the moment I’d crushed the guard’s throat with my bare hands. The feeling of killing the guard made me sick— not because I wasn’t prepared for it, but because I knew how weak the guard had been. It had been all too easy to break his neck.Pushing the feeling aside, I swiftly passed through the front d
FLYNN“L-Lord Beta,” a guard burst into the room, breathless.I looked up from the stack of documents on my desk, rubbing the bridge of my nose with a sigh. I hadn’t expected company, as I hadn’t dispatched any guards on a mission, so this interruption obviously involved something within the walls of the royal palace."What happened?" I asked, rolling my shoulders back to center myself.“It’s L-Lady Addison,” the guard stammered, clearly flustered by the development. “She left the palace, Lord Beta. W-we couldn’t stop her.”My eyes narrowed at him as annoyance crept into my mind. “Where is she heading?” I asked.“We don’t know,” the guard admitted, cheeks darkening with embarrassment. “She didn’t say a word—”“Did you send someone to follow her?” I cut in, my voice sharp.The guard nodded quickly. “Yes, Lord Beta, they’re following her now.”“Which direction?” I asked as I glanced toward the window. Addison Madden was swift but so was I.“Southeast, I believe,” the guard replied.My
FLYNN“What do you mean?” I frowned. Interesting was one of my least favorite descriptive words and I could tell by the look on Westin’s face that this was bad news.As my mind considered the possibilities, Westin handed the report to me. “Lord Albert said it’s a very old poison made from plants that only grow on the land of...”“Crawford,” I said, reading the report.Westin nodded grimly, his expression serious as he stared down at the papers in my hands. .It wasn’t entirely surprising, considering Addison’s earlier speculation. If the Crawfords were pursuing a vendetta against the Maddens, poisoning Georgina wouldn’t be as far-fetched as we’d once believed.However, Cole and I had assumed it was a plot against Cole himself. Or...I looked up from the report, sensing that Westin had more to say. His brown eyes were too anxious for me to suspect otherwise.“What’s on your mind?” I asked him directly, brow raised as I awaited his reply. Surely this had something to do with the specifi
FLYNN“You’re right,” I exhaled as I took the report from the desk and handed it over to Leila.“Father sure thinks so. That’s why he’s heading here now.”Leila gaped at me, her light brown eyes widening at the very mention of him.“Father is coming to the palace?” she asked in shock. “This is the second most shocking thing I’ve heard this year. The first would be me joining the Luna Selection for Cole.”Just as quickly as they’d widened, those eyes of hers rolled and then fell to the report. She scanned it carefully, her brows coming together suspiciously, and then she frowned. “I’m sure this is Bhodin.”She placed the paper back on the desk and then sighed. “So, Father must have found something serious enough that he only wants to discuss it directly with the King.”I nodded.Leila seemed lost in thought. Her brows crinkled and her mouth drew into a thin line as she crossed her arms.“What are you thinking about?” I wondered as I glanced between her and the paper. “It’s strange,” m
JASMINEI panted as I finally stopped running.My paws were sore and covered with mud, and my legs ached from the long distance I’d traveled. I was quite athletic, but even the most muscular of wolves would have found the journey tiring.I took a little while to settle my breathing before shifting back into my human form. I winced as I wiped some dirt from my arms and then ducked down to stay out of sight.The palace gate was nearby, perhaps about fifty or so feet away, but I still didn’t want to risk anything quite yet. I crept closer and hid behind the hedges. Once there, I found an opening just small enough that I could peer out at the patrolling guards without getting caught.It might have seemed silly to go through all of this effort, but I didn’t entirely trust the coachman. He could be mind-linked to his accomplices in the palace, who might be lying in wait to ambush me. I needed to be careful here. I didn’t know who to trust and I didn’t want to gamble when my very life had b
JASMINEIt was even risker to bring up the King’s older brother, and I was surprised that these gardeners felt so emboldened.A mere mention of the so-called Usurper was enough to land one in the dungeon and be accused of treason.They needed to be careful.“I heard so,” the girl said, her voice trembling slightly. “They said he was stabbed by his uncle’s silver sword and then was engulfed in flames.”“Why would his uncle do that?” the young man asked, his voice half skeptical and half fearful. “That sounds so… violent. Especially against a family member.“Well, one never knows why,” the old man sighed. “Lord Frank always seemed to be the cruel, strange one in his family. He was never close to his nephew. Maybe he values power more than family.”There was another tense pause and then he spoke again.“We should get to work before the guards come over,” he suggested.“Speaking of which, do you know that Lord Frank hated the fact that his sister married the King?” the woman suddenly said,
JASMINEThe corridor was empty as usual, except for a few guards. As I approached, holding the tray I had taken from the knocked-out maid, the guards barely glanced at me before allowing me to pass. I’d blended in so well that I just appeared to be another palace staff member rather than a competitor of the Luna Selection.I went directly to Anna’s room. I took a short breath and then extended my claws after I knocked on the door.“Come in,” Anna’s voice called from within.I braced myself for whatever was about to happen but didn’t flinch. I pulled open the door and upon entering the brightly-lit chamber, I found Anna alone, sitting on her bed with her head resting against the headboard. Anna looked paler than usual, her eyes closed. Even her thin, mousey brown hair was limp and dull.She didn’t seem to notice it was me at first. As I placed the tray on her bedside table, Anna dismissed me.“You may leave now,” she remarked curtly.But I didn’t leave. Instead, I locked the door behi
JASMINEI froze, but only for the briefest of instances as I absorbed her words.Cousin Jack.It could be no one but the infamous Jack Elrod.My speculation had been confirmed, though I had no idea how he had survived. All in Hescor knew that the War of Princes had ended in death and bloodshed. How had Jack Elrod made it out alive? And why had he suddenly decided to appear and cause all this chaos? It had been a year since his supposed death.Why not stay hidden and far away from this palace?Far from the eyes of Cole Elrod?Anna’s face whitened as she realized she had slipped up. Her eyes grew watery and her frail frame shook.“No, no...I said it wrong,” she stammered, desperately trying to deny it. “I didn’t give him away.”I raised my eyebrow as I studied her closely. She was obviously lying but there was something about her despair that made my heart feel strange.“I didn’t,” she murmured, fear and desperation flooding her features.I felt a sudden pang of sympathy for Anna Crawfo
EVELYNMrs. Lance had been lying. I didn’t know why. But there were only two reasons people lied—out of fear or as part of a calculated scheme. And I didn’t think Mrs. Lance feared us.I charged up the stairs, two steps at a time. then sprinted down the corridor. Kicking open Emma’s door, I was thankful that my instincts had pushed me to act.A tall, muscular figure, draped in a black cape stood at Emma’s bedside, his hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries into low whimpers.Rage ignited in my chest.“Get away from her!” I snarled, extending my claws and lashing out at the figure without hesitation.The man staggered back, startled by my sudden movement. His motion was slow, clumsy, and clearly not skilled in combat. He barely managed to dodge my first strike, and as I slashed again, he toppled to the floor, struggling to rise.“Evelyn!” Emma cried, and I rushed to scoop her into my arms. At that moment, Oakley burst through the doorway, breathless. His confused expression qu
EVELYNI love him too, I thought. I had loved him since our first kiss, since the first flutter of my heart, from the first delicate stir of butterflies in my stomach. I loved him even in the moments I hated it—when I cursed him, when I cursed myself for falling into him, for letting the intoxicating euphoria consume me.I wanted to tell him this, but my teeth clenched too tightly around my lip to speak, and the lump in my throat choked my words.“I’m a jerk, Evelyn,” Cole muttered, rubbing his face with a heavy sigh. His back remained to me, still honoring his promise. “I didn’t understand what love was. I spent my life denying I even needed it. There was a hole inside me, and I tried to fill it with anger, with hatred, with indifference. But you… you were the one who showed me what I was really craving. Even when I was terrified of being controlled by Augus, I found some twisted happiness in knowing how hard you tried to save me.”“And how do you know I wasn’t doing it for some othe
EVELYNWe spent the rest of the morning discussing potential resolutions for Augus’s future attack. Mrs. Lance kindly brought us breakfast: scrambled eggs, slices of ham, and nettle tea for Emma, who had woken briefly but fell back asleep after a few sips.Sylvia joined us shortly after checking on Lord Albert and Elsa. She said that while Lord Albert's condition was stable and he was expected to wake soon, Elsa’s state was far more complicated – and less hopeful. Her nervous system had been severely damaged by long-term manipulation of magic, and her desire to recover was minimal.“The effectiveness of healing magic depends on one’s will to live,” Sylvia had said.I found Oakley sitting beside Elsa’s bed when I went to check on her. She lay motionless, pale and unconscious, visibly more emaciated than I’d seen her last. Bruises marred her face and neck like dark, painful flowers.When Oakley heard me approach, he looked up, his face etched with a rare grave expression. I wondered if
EVELYNWhile Cole and I proceeded toward my family's room, Oakley and Sylvia turned right at the staircase, separating from us to check on Lord Albert and Elsa, who had been placed on the other side of the corridor. Sylvia offered to assist them with her healing abilities, and Oakley expressed a reluctance to get involved in any private conversations.I had expected Aiden to follow us, as he seemed as deeply concerned about my family as I was. But instead, he trailed behind Oakley. When our eyes met for a brief moment, he quickly looked away, lowering his head to avoid my silent question.It was clear he was trying to avoid me, even though I hadn’t directly asked anything. His behavior had been distant ever since he awoke from the enchantment. Silent for most of the time, and when he did speak, it was never to me. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but I didn’t have the strength to press him for answers—not when I was so consumed with the anxiety of seeing my family, and w
EVELYNThe air grew chilly as we ran through the forest in our wolf forms. It might have been the morning dew dampening my fur, or perhaps the panic surging through my veins. I forced myself to focus on the solid earth beneath my paws, trying to push away the creeping dread gnawing at the edges of my mind. If I didn’t, the fear that my little sister might already be in the wizard’s grasp would overwhelm me.We slowed as Aiden sniffed the path, tracking the path to the safehouse where my family was being sheltered. Oakley dipped his wolf head low, allowing Sylvia, who had been riding on his back, to dismount. She clutched her chest and leaned against a nearby trunk, taking a deep breath. Her face was pale from the speed of the ride. I wondered if she had ever ridden a werewolf before, even though she had lived in Hescor for so long. But judging by her retching and the greenish tint to her face, it was clear she wasn’t fond of the experience.Oakley joined Aiden, studying the trail as h
EVELYN“But if you’re wondering why Augus…” Sylvia spoke up again, but she quickly paused, frowning as if considering the words she was about to say. Then, with a deep sigh, she added, “I have no idea why you werewolves seem to carry magical blood or what Augus has discovered about it.”I looked at her, pursing my lips. The unease I felt when Augus called werewolves magical weapons lingered in my chest. I didn’t think he had just meant to sneer and degrade us as mere objects.“He found it behind the Chamber of Secrets,” I said.Sylvia’s frown deepened. “How do you know…”I turned my gaze toward the flickering firelight and explained what had happened earlier—how Augus had disguised himself as Seb and tricked us all, how Leila had brought a book with a ruse that only the King of Tiryn could read. My heart ached dully as I recounted the memory. “I think the ruse confirmed Augus’s theory, and that’s probably why he acted so boldly afterward, to prove his suspicions.”I fell silent for a
EVELYNI gazed beyond the campfire. The sky was still dark, as if every single star in the heavens had been wiped from existence, never to return. As if dawn would never come.“Apparently, not everyone in Tiryn supports their King’s ambitions,” Flynn said, tossing more dry twigs into the flames.After we’d escaped the alleyway, we had reunited with Flynn, who’d discovered the trick Augus had played to distract him. Now, hidden behind the thickets in the forest near the House of Fox—guarded by his troop and without any blue-eyed soldiers lurking to catch us off guard—we could finally rest and contemplate our situation. We perched on a pair of logs in a circle, the campfire lighting our faces.The flickering flames illuminated our eyes as we listened to Flynn’s revelation about what he’d learned. In the firelight, everyone’s faces seemed ghostly.I shifted on my perch, stretching my stiff legs when Cole spoke up.“Where’s the informer?” His hand tightened around mine, and a crease forme
EVELYNPerhaps we should keep an eye on Augus, wait for the right moment to strike—surprise him when he’s unprepared. But we were too stunned to act. Jack’s death seemed to stir something in the air around us. The draft that had once been light in the alleyway grew stronger, though, in that moment, I wondered if it was still just a draft.The sky suddenly shrouded in thick clouds, obscuring the moon entirely. A storm seemed imminent—a storm that could hardly be a natural occurrence. I wasn’t sure if it was relevant, but I recalled the time when King Theodore died, and a tempest raged for days, as if the world itself mourned the loss of a monarch.The stomping of footsteps broke the tension. I turned my gaze toward the soldiers. The puppets began marching toward us, their blank faces and eyes gleaming with a sinister flash.“He’s running,” Oakley shouted, pointing at a flicker of blue light moving swiftly in the opposite direction, away from the approaching swarm of soldiers. “Should w
EVELYN“I’m no gambler,” Cole said sharply.Augus snorted. “I’m afraid that’s a gamble you can never refuse, young King.” He stepped back a few paces, muttering a spell under his breath, and the sapphire dagger rose into the air.My body tensed as I grabbed Stephanie’s arm, bracing for the attack. My nerves were on high alert.But instead of the mindless onslaught I expected, the uncontrolled soldiers closed in around Augus, encircling him like a protective wall.Confusion twisted in my gut, but before I could make sense of it, I felt Stephanie’s body stiffen beside me. She pulled away, shrugging off my hand with startling coldness, and rose to her feet.“Stephanie—” I called out, but my words died in my throat when I saw her eyes. There was nothing left in them. Just emptiness. Just like the soldiers.I remembered Augus’s words.What makes you think I didn’t control one of you to lead you here?The realization hit me like a physical blow. Stephanie... she was under his control. A rus