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
ADDISONAddison froze.The soldier screamed as he stumbled closer, pointing a trembling finger at the rabbit’s corpse on the ground.“It’s definitely the same rabbit,” he cried, his voice cracking. “The mountain must be cursed! Haunted!”His jaw clenched, and a whisper escaped from his lips.“We’re going to die here…”Addison’s lips pressed into a thin line, the grimness in her gray eyes sharper than ever. This strange, creepy mountain was eating away at their nerves, it unsettling mysterious pushing the group to the edge.Several soldiers whispered anxiously, their panic growing contagious as the distressed soldier continued to unravel.Addison knew she had to squash this before it spiraled out of control. Fear and panic would only make things worse.“That’s enough,” she barked, her voice firm and demanding. “Ghosts don’t exist. The rabbit is just a coincidence – nothing more.”“It couldn’t be a coincidence!” the soldier shouted back, shaking his head vehemently. “There’s no way this
EVELYNThe next page contained two detailed sketches. The first depicted a monstrous figure labeled The First Alpha of the Werewolves, Alpha Elrod—a nightmarish fusion of man and wolf. His expression twisted in eternal agony, his heart pierced by a silver dagger.The second sketch, in stark contrast, portrayed his daughter, Moon. The artist had been far more merciful in painting her. Unlike her father, she was drawn with an ethereal beauty—her features fierce yet strangely soft. Cascading hair framed her delicate face, resting elegantly on her shoulder, and she wore a dress woven of moonflowers. Though faded with time, her features carried an eerie familiarity, strikingly similar to the woman in my dream.My fingers traced the contours of her face, almost as if moving of their own will. For a moment, it felt as though she were gazing back at me, whispering something just beyond my grasp.But truth isn’t always comforting. Sometimes, it is agonizing. Horrible. Sometimes, you wish you h
EVELYNIt was well past noon when I finally had a moment to stretch my overworked body. I devoured a sandwich and drained a full cup of strong tea that the servant had brought me before I finished reading the last three petitioning papers on my desk.One might assume that being a queen promised endless luxury, unchallenged authority, and an insouciant existence. But in reality, this had been my daily routine ever since I was crowned the Queen of Hescor three months ago—gorging down cold sandwiches and fueling myself with cups of strong tea between work breaks. Still, even that was preferable to enduring extravagant banquets filled with pompous lords and prying officials.I pushed the tray aside and reached for the two letters on the cabinet. Both bore an indication of the sender—a seal at the corner of the envelopes—marking them as messages from Tiryn. I pried the first one open and pulled out the folded parchment—it was from Leila.Over the past months, Leila had sent me five letters
EVELYNIf storms were made of reporting sheets, endless queues of petitioners, and nagging lords filled with complaints and unrealistic pleas, then my life after the coronation could only be described as stormy.I rubbed my temples as I put down yet another ridiculous petition—this one requesting justice for a missing kitten. According to the petitioner, the kitten had disappeared while he was visiting the main market of Halian, and he suspected that a human foreigner had used some “nasty” trick to steal it away.Thanks to the Ozora-Eanica Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation—signed by Hescor, Tiryn, and the two other werewolf nations of Eanica half a month ago—the number of foreigners traveling from Eanica to Ozora had been steadily rising. Though other nations remained cautious, Cole and I were expecting to receive their diplomats in the coming weeks. Tiryn’s example had piqued their interest, and they were beginning to see the great potential in establishing trade and dip
EVELYN“You don’t believe us, do you?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them, sharper than I had intended. “You don’t believe in our determination.”Oakley studied me for a long moment before a grin flickered across his face, his usual cavalier attitude returning. “Let’s just say I’m afraid. Or maybe I’m tired of fighting for myself. Time to seek something else in life, isn’t it? Perhaps an exotic beauty in a foreign land. I hear some human girls have a particular taste for fluffy animals—”“Don’t change the subject,” I cut him off, glowering. “You’re not someone who scares easily.”“I wasn’t,” he admitted, inhaling deeply. “But I am now.” His smirk faded, replaced by a hardened expression. “Her husband has erased her past to give her a new life, a paradise of his own making. And I won’t be the one to destroy it.”It took me a moment to understand who he meant. Maria.“I saw her three days ago,” Oakley continued. “I imagined she’d be suffering under the hand of some lord, a
EVELYNI had never known there was a secret room attached to the Alpha’s Study, hidden behind the towering bookshelves that lined the wall opposite the long marble desk. A concealed passageway linked the two, its entrance masked by books that Cole now pushed aside. He twisted a small, inconspicuous knob, and the hidden door clicked open.I followed him inside, ducking low as we maneuvered through the narrow, dark passage. When he opened another door at the end, we stepped into a small chamber. It was even tinier than the room I had once lived in as a maid, furnished only with a round desk, a few chairs, and a cabinet against the wall.Despite its minimalism, the chamber exuded opulence. The desk was inlaid with jade, and each chair gleamed with embedded gemstones that caught even the faintest light.Clearly, this space had been intended for secret meetings—perhaps even assignations. Against one wall sat a low love seat, large enough for one person to rest comfortably. Or two, if they
EVELYNSkyla blinked.For the first time since I had stepped into her cell, she looked truly caught off guard. Her lips parted slightly as if to form words, but no sound came out.I could understand why she was so shocked. According to the traditional Hescorian law of crime and punishment, as the heir of a rebellious Great Lord, she would be sentenced to death. If not death, it would be a life-long sentence of heavy labor and exile – just like the punishment my family had received.Personally, I wanted her to suffer that fate. I had no intention of showing her mercy – mercy she neither deserved nor ever would. But as the future queen of Hescor, I couldn’t. I couldn’t let my personal hatred dictate justice. I was determined to change Hescor’s wretched, severe penal system, and I wouldn’t allow myself to become a hypocrite in the process.Collective punishment had a long history in Hescor. It’d be difficult to abolish, as many lords firmly supported it, or so I had been told.I recalled
EVELYN“So he punished him—made him kneel on the cold stone floor of the Great Hall, day and night, with the servants as witnesses. He kept him there until he was exhausted, starving, and on the verge of collapse,” Stephanie said. “And still, Jack never gave him an answer. He only said it was a girl from a dream. That was all. In the end, Father had no choice but to give up. But before he did, he tore the painting to shreds and warned Jack—if he ever dreamed of that girl again… he would find her, dig her out, and destroy her.”A shiver ran down my spine.I could almost see King Theodore’s looming figure, feel his hands closing around me, tearing me apart as he had done to that painting.I felt paralyzed by Stephanie’s words. And angry. Why was she telling me this? What did she expect from me? This had nothing to do with me, did it? It wasn’t my fault Jack had drawn a picture of me.And yet, beyond the anger, there was something else. A deep, inevitable sorrow.I didn’t know why.I tri
EVELYNI searched Stephanie’s chestnut-brown eyes with scrutiny, trying to make sense of her words. I was relieved she wasn’t lying, but I couldn’t understand why she had bothered making such a request after everything that had happened.Her expression remained composed, as if she saw no issue with her decision. But even at my most optimistic—even if Cole ever found an excuse to forgive his brother—Stephanie’s request to move Jack’s body to the Royal Crypt was absurd.Crypts held deep significance for every noble family in Hescor, and the Royal Crypt was the most sacred of them all, reserved for the royal bloodline. The people of Hescor believed it was a resting place only for revered monarchs who had contributed to the kingdom, rulers whose legacies were honored by both history and the people. Only the purest souls were meant to be laid to rest there. Of course, that was an exaggeration—one could hardly call King Theodore a saint, considering his debauched ways in his later years.As
EVELYN“Sometimes, I can’t tell if you’re supporting me or siding with those who oppose my ascension,” I muttered, lifting my head from the stack of documents to glower at Flynn. Across the room, he met my gaze steadily, unfazed.“Why don’t you go bother your King instead?” I snapped. “If anyone’s to blame for my ignorance of these documents, it’s him! If he hadn’t—” I bit off the words, heat crawling up my face as memory surged forward, unbidden and all too vivid.Cole had been unbearably possessive last night after I returned from my conversation with Aiden by the river. He had exhausted me until dawn – until the first golden rays of sunlight spilled over the horizon, peering into the room to find our bodies tangled in the damp sheets.Flynn arched a brow but returned his attention to the report in his hands. “I’ll remind him to exercise restraint,” he said coolly. “He shouldn’t wear you out when your schedule is this full.” Then, without a hint of emotion, he added, “Tell your maid