JASMINEIt took a moment for anything to be heard through the wall, and Sylvia remained close to it, her ear pressed tightly. Her expression, even in the darkness, was one of patience and determination.Finally, a voice came through the wall, not nearly as muffled as it should have been.“My lady, we should leave.”I knew at once that the voice belonged to the beautiful, arrogant maid, whom I now recognized as Skyla’s personal maid in the palace. I believed her name was Melanie, and if I remembered correctly, she was lovely but terrible.Much like Lady Skyla Fox.“No,” Skyla said harshly. “I’m fed up with acting. How long will it be before the King wakes up?”Melanie attempted to reassure her. “Lord Marcel promised that the King would be able to attend the engagement party—”“You know, my father refused to tell me what happened exactly,” Skyla cut her off, bitterness lacing her tone. “And I’m tired of waiting. The longer I wait, the more uneasy I feel about the whole situation. You ne
The disjointed voice of Augus laughed, a gravely, almost ancient noise that sent a shiver down Sylvia’s spine.“I’m too old to remember those details,” he remarked. “How are you, Syl? Have the years been treating you well?”“I could be better,” Sylvia spoke, her sharp tongue as sharp as ever as she addressed her uncle. Despite the threat, she remained unfaltering and strong. “The years haven’t always been easy thanks to your constant attempts to hunt me down, Uncle.”She observed the dark room, seeking his familiar tall yet thin form. When she didn’t find him, she suspected that he wasn’t actually anywhere near.He must have placed an enchanted sapphire here to keep an eye on everything, Syliva thought, her mind steady as she continued to study the area. Still, she didn’t expect that he could communicate with me through the jewel… his power must have significantly improved over the years.Augus laughed again, the sound sending a chill down Sylvia’s spine.“You misuse that word, my pre
Sylvia’s heart raced in her chest as she acted quickly. She grabbed Skyla Fox by the arms, turned her around so her back faced the door, and smoothed her hair to make it appear as though she wasn’t unconscious at all.Before she could do anything further, the trio of guards barged into the room.“Lady Sky-” They froze mid-sentence, shocked at the sight of Skyla.Skyla had been in a state of undress and wore little above her waist. Much of her bare back was exposed in front of the guards.“Begging your pardon!” Sylvia gasped, disgust evident on her face as she stepped in front of Skyla to shield her from their view. “Do not look at the lady while she is vulnerable! Barging in unannounced—”.“We announced ourselves,” one of the guards tried to explain, but Sylvia cut him off sharply.“Not adequately,” she snapped, then pretended to address Skyla. “Remain silent and covered, my lady. I will ensure they leave immediately.”The guards looked flustered, quickly lowering their eyes out of em
JASMINEI fidgeted in the meeting room as I waited to see him. A maid brought water and tea to ease the exhaustion from my journey while I waited, though my nerves made it impossible to feel refreshed.I had just returned to the palace and wasted no time requesting an audience with him. But doubts began to creep in as I leaned back in the chair. I longed to see him, but I was nervous to speak with him about the King. I didn't want to add to his worries and see him hurting. Maybe I should have given myself more time to think about how to organize my words. I felt stupid acting like a love-struck fool.The door clicked open, and I was jolted upright.I quickly stood and saw Flynn. He paused at the door, staring at me. My breath caught in my chest as I met his intense gaze. I didn't know what he was thinking of. The moment seemed suspended in timeI swallowed and called him gently. "Flynn, I..."But before I could finish my sentence, he strode across the room and pulled me into his arm
EVELYNI felt myself floating like a ghost, untethered to my body, as if I’d never had a true form before. My surroundings were both familiar and strange. I could tell I was in the palace, but not the palace where I had once stayed. I didn’t recognize any of the maids or servants, and their uniforms were old-fashioned, different from the gray dresses I used to wear when I worked there.As I drifted, I overheard a small group of maids gossiping in the corner, just as Melanie and her friends had once done about me. But instead of the maids teasing, joking, and spouting cruelties about my position in the King’s bed, they were gossiping about someone else this time, though only marginally.They were gossiping about Cole Elrod.Though they referred to him as Prince Cole, it was clear that these women had no respect for him.“The Prince was left alone again,” one of them said, leaning in closely to let the whispers spill out. “King Theodore only brought Prince Jack with him on their huntin
EVELYNNot long after I woke up, Crystal knocked on the door and walked in. She opened the curtain and window, letting fresh air in. The room was well-lit, and combined with the scenery outside, I was reminded that I had left the old palace- the Gods Peak, several days prior.We had been traveling nonstop for the past few days when Jack decided he wanted to stop and take a rest.I had no idea where we were now since I wasn’t allowed to get out, but I could see that Jack was very cautious.The cottage we stayed in was far from villages or cities, so far that I could see no strangers around. Jack had only taken two guards and Crystal with us. Our entourage was light, more so than I was used to.Aiden had wanted to follow. He had a fierce fight with Jack about it that ended poorly. It was a painful event I didn’t want to recall. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt for me anymore.Still, I didn’t know if what I was doing now was correct. I felt uneasy, not only because of my dreams but also
EVELYNI knocked firmly on the door of Jack’s room while Crystal tried to hold me back.“Lady, please, the Master would be deeply displeased.” She begged me to stop.“Out of my way,” I growled, shoving her aside. “Open the door! I need to talk to you!” I slammed my fist against the wooden plank as if it were a sparring dummy.The door was finally opened before I had the chance to break it.Jack stood on the other side and looked at me lazily. He was wearing a loose shirt that exposed his chest.Crystal dropped her head at once, her cheeks and ears flushing. She stammered. “M-m-master. I-I’m sorry that I can’t stop Lady Evelyn.”“It’s not your fault, Crystal.” Jack said as he glanced at her and smiled softly. “Could you bring us some tea?”“S-sure, Master.” Crystal nodded. She glanced up at Jack and blushed again before skittering away.Jack yawned lightly as his gaze locked with mine.“Morning, Eva. Did you have a good sleep last night?” he asked.I ignored his question. “I need to ta
ADDISONAddison looked into the distance as she felt a chill run through her. She tightened her coat.The Gods Peak loomed ahead.The summit of the steep mountain was veiled by thick clouds. Surrounding it were virgin forests—plush, thick, and unmarred by anything else. The wind blew strongly, making eerie noises through the trees.Addison wondered if anyone could even survive under such harsh conditions up there.She glanced behind her, one arched blonde brow rising as she noticed the soldiers all looked exhausted. She couldn’t blame them though. They had traveled non-stop from Halian to the most remote land of Hescor.“Is everyone ready to climb?” she asked.“Yes,” the soldiers answered in unison.However, Addison noticed one voice missing from the collective response:Lord Albert Hart.Turning to face him, she saw his frown as he stared at the mountain. Addison’s lips curled in faint, cruel amusement. “Are you afraid, Lord Hart?” she asked, her brow arching even further. Her disda
EVELYNI kept a wary eye on Jack as Stephanie rummaged through her pocket, pulling out the crumpled page of her mother’s script—the one she had tried to share with him earlier in a desperate attempt to convince him.“I thought you didn’t believe,” Stephanie’s voice carried both suspicion and caution as she handed Jack the papers. It was hard to tell what she expected from him.Jack didn’t reply. His expression remained distant as his fingers deftly flipped through the pages.We all stood in tense silence, uncertain of what to do next. Leila nudged my side, shooting me a fierce look. If I wasn’t mistaken, she wanted me to act while Jack was distracted.But I didn’t move. Part of me knew it would be futile to launch a sneak attack against someone like Jack. He was far too skilled, and we were at a clear disadvantage. The other part of me wanted to understand his motives—why he had come alone, what he was truly after.Behind him, the dim alley stretched into darkness. There were no soldi
EVELYN"Tell me what the hell happened, Melanie?" Leila demanded, sprinting beside me, her expression sharp and tense. She grabbed Melanie’s collar and dragged her closer. Melanie, struggling to keep pace as we pursued Aiden down the alleyway, yelped at the force. "I-I-I d-d-don’t know," she stammered breathlessly, her words slurred from panic. Her wide eyes still brimmed with lingering horror. "I d-d-didn’t do anything! Sir Moran just… turned like that—" She clutched at the deep bruise on her neck, a reminder of how fiercely Aiden had tried to end her.Leila scoffed. "Remind me to kill you when I have the time," she muttered, unconvinced. Letting go of Melanie, she turned to me with irritation. "She has to be playing some kind of trick. Maybe she’s a spy sent by the Fox.""I don’t think so," I muttered, pressing my lips together.Ahead, Aiden’s silhouette streaked through the dim alley, his speed so fast that no matter how hard we pushed, the distance between us only grew. But my m
EVELYNMelanie was startled at the sight of us. She stumbled back the moment her wide blue eyes locked onto mine, panic flashing across her delicate features. As she retreated, something she had been clutching tightly against her chest slipped from her grasp.She scrambled to pick it up.It took me a moment to recognize what she was holding—fine jewels, far too exquisite for a mere maid of a high lady like her. The glimmering facets and rich colors of the precious gems sparkled under the dim light.A long pearl necklace snapped from her hurried movements, scattering the pearls across the ground. The small spheres bounced and rolled in all directions.“Skyla’s maid?” Leila whispered cautiously, barely audible. “What is she doing here? And those…where did she get them?” She turned to me.My gaze swept back to Melanie. I hadn’t noticed when she disappeared in the chaos, but she must have seized the opportunity to escape and hide here. After all, no one had paid much attention to a fright
EVELYNI ran as fast as I could through the alleys. Aiden and Oakley were ahead of me—Aiden carrying Cole on his back, while Oakley guided us.It had been a while since we’d escaped the fray, but we still didn’t dare slow down. My heart hammered wildly in my chest. It wasn’t just from the speed. It was a mix of shock and fear.I was certain Sylvia had just mind-controlled me, though I had no idea how. My arms shot out subconsciously to grab the others, pulling them along to run with me without making much sound. My legs moved on their own, weaving swiftly through the soldiers as if someone else had taken control of them. We maneuvered through the post while the soldiers were overwhelmed by Sylvia’s magic and Augus was still laughing at her incompetence, our eyes squeezed shut against the burning sensation on our bodies. Fortunately, for werewolves, we didn’t need much vision to navigate. We could rely on our keen sense of smell.And so, we succeeded.The winding alleys felt like a maz
EVELYNThe beautiful blue light from the sapphires surrounded us like a divine aura. My breath caught, and my eyes widened in a mix of fear and awe.As the sapphires hung suspended in the air, Sylvia let out a roar. The sound reverberated through the sky like thunder, and an unseen wave of power erupted from her.The soldiers were immediately thrown to the ground. They writhed as if scorched, and the wave continued to pulse, spreading its force.Jack knelt, digging his claws into the earth to steady himself, but he faltered, his body tumbling. Pain twisted his face, and he gritted his teeth. I almost felt sympathy for him, but that sentiment was fleeting. I couldn’t feel sorry for Jack Elrod—not now, not ever.For a split second, I thought I saw Cole stir, but when I glanced at him, his eyes were still shut, and his face was devoid of any expression. Before I could think further, the sapphire suddenly dropped to the ground with a sharp clink.Sylvia coughed, a stream of blood spilling
EVELYNI saw Aiden dash through like lightning, cutting down the soldiers who were trapping Leila. With a swift, brutal motion, he tore through the soldier who had been tightening the rope around Leila’s neck, severing his thumb in the process.Something tightened in my throat. I had never seen Aiden like this. His dark blue eyes, nearly black in the night’s shadows, carried an intensity I found unfamiliar, and his face was streaked with a fierceness that seemed out of place.When the soldiers reorganized, trying to corner him, Oakley sprinted over, kicking them away. Aiden gave him a brief nod of before he moved toward Leila, scooping her into his arms. His face softened as his eyes met mine“Aiden,” I said, my voice stiffer than I intended. My gaze shifted to Leila, who let out a faint gasp.She curled tightly in Aiden’s hold, her eyes shut as she struggled to breathe. Blood seeped from her right shoulder, and I realized she’d been pierced.Aiden gently lowered her to the ground.“E
EVELYNAugus seemed rather surprised by Jack’s unmoved demeanor. His green eyes scanned him intently, as though searching for a flicker of doubt or deceit. When he apparently found none, he shrugged with indifference. “That would be for the best.”Jack gave a curt nod and turned to the soldiers behind him. With a wave of his hand, he issued a clear order: “Seize them. Alive.”Without sparing Stephanie so much as a glance—as though her outburst had never happened—Jack strode away to join Augus. Together, they stood watching as the soldiers swarmed toward us, their expressions coldly detached. Augus, in particular, seemed to savor the unfolding chaos, as though it were nothing more than a game of siege.Stephanie looked utterly lost, her chestnut-brown eyes widening in disbelief before becoming vacant. The crumpled paper slipped from her hand and fluttered to the ground.“Why…” she murmured. “He’s not him…He’s not my brother…”I grabbed her arm and pulled her back as the soldiers advan
EVELYNA chill crept down my spine as I locked eyes with Augus. Rationally, I knew better than to believe him. Everyone in Hescor knew magic was vile, filthy, despicable—banned in every form. How could we possibly be born with magic blood?Yet my gaze lingered on the sapphire dagger in his hand, now glistening faintly after absorbing Skyla’s blood. Deep down, my intuition whispered that Augus’s words might hold a grain of truth.Stephanie’s fists clenched, her voice rising with fury. “How dare you! You’re defiling the name of werewolves with your lies!”“Defiling?” Augus let out a booming laugh. “You should acquaint yourself with true history, Miss Elrod. Like your brother has.”My eyes flicked to Jack. His expression was grim, impassive—yet unsettlingly unsurprised.Stephanie turned toward him, her lips trembling as she struggled to contain her emotions. She failed. “Is that what you believe? Is that what you want? To let this outsider trample on our land, to tarnish our country?”Ja
EVELYNSkyla didn’t let out a single cry before the blade pierced her chest. The bashful smile she’d worn just seconds ago froze on her face. Her bluish-green eyes widened ever so slightly in shock at the sudden action.Augus slowly withdraw the blue blade, and Skyla’s body crumpled to the ground with a hollow thud. Blood poured from her wound, spreading like a dark, gruesome carpet beneath her.Melanie, standing just behind Skyla, stumbled back with a shrill. Piercing scream cut through the air like a thunderclap. It was a sound of pure, unfiltered anguish.Marcel Fox stood paralyzed, his face drained of color. He stared in mute horror at his daughter’s lifeless form. His trembling lips parted as though to speak, but no words came.I felt as though the world had stopped. My body locked in place, my breath caught in my throat. The crowd around me stood in stunned silence, the weight of the moment pressing down on us like an invisible hand. Even Jack’s hand on my arm tightened briefly,