EVELYNAs I was cleaning a room the next morning as a part of my daily tasks, my mind wandered. Though physically, I felt much better than the day before, I was still quite tired and sore.Mrs. Porter had assigned me to a small room near the end of a corridor, a little guest room that would be occupied soon. She was a little less stern with me than usual but impressed upon me that the room needed to be spotless.After ten minutes or so had passed by, I began to think about the night before and my shoulders tensed.Why did Cole flee from my room last night at the mere mention of Aiden? Why did he behave so strangely? Was it not my delusion that it was the Alpha King who saved me rather than Aiden?I glanced out the window at the rising sun. Though I was in a wing far from the Alpha King’s, a small part of me wished he would rush in here and explain himself. Of course, that was a ridiculous thought. Cole wasn’t known for his apologetic nature, so the mere notion of him returning to fin
EVELYN"Come on, Elsa," I encouraged my friend.We were hurrying toward one of the larger halls in the palace, and Elsa was lagging behind. She caught up without question, and together we hustled to where Mrs. Porter had ordered us to go. It was an important day.Today, the candidates for the Luna Selection would be choosing their personal maids.The past week had been grueling. Although we had never met the ladies in person, our workload had increased due to their demands. They had high standards for accommodations, some requiring blankets of a specific texture while others requested special foods be prepared exclusively for them.We were all exhausted. Many of us many had dark circles beneath their eyes for lacking sleep. Unfortunately, our workload was only going to increase further.Today, the maids and servants the ladies brought from their houses would be dismissed, and they would select a personal maid from the royal palace staff. According to Mr. Barrett and Mrs. Porter, our p
EVELYNThe tension in the room could be sliced by a blade. I stiffened, ready for her to reveal my surname and bring shame upon me in front of all of the maids.To my surprise, a smile formed on Leila’s lovely face.“I choose this one,” she said.Mrs. Porter’s cold eyes widened slightly in shock. She hesitated, and after glancing in my direction, the older woman cleared her throat.“My Lady, perhaps this choice would not be the best,” she advised politely but insistently. “There are other maids who might satisfy your needs much better than her. She is new to palace life and you might require someone more seasoned-”Despite the head maid’s comments, Leila remained smiling, but her tone changed. “Areto challenging my decision, Mrs. Porter?”There was a quiet ferocity in her voice and a shiver ran through me. She was more strong-willed than I’d anticipated. Mrs. Porter’s face paled. “No, My Lady. My apologies for questioning you. My intentions-”“Very well then,” Leila interrupted her,
EVELYNLeila’s sharp words left me completely and utterly speechless.The “fool” she bitterly referred to was unmistakably the King, and I was shocked to hear a competitor in the Luna Selection speak so boldly about Cole. Anger seethed so strongly from her words that I couldn’t find the right response. I didn’t wish to annoy her further, but if someone were to overhear her, things would become dangerous.For both her and me.After a long moment of silence, I spoke up softly, warning her against speaking so freely. “Lady Leila, you shouldn’t refer to His Majesty in such a manner while in the palace.”She shrugged, seeming unconcerned. I was both impressed and terrified by her nonchalance. All were fearful of the Elrod family, but Leila didn’t seem scared or particularly worried about being overheard.Perhaps it was because Cole owed the Hart family a great deal.From what I knew and had learned over the years, Cole had been frail and sickly when he was young. His constant illnesses and
EVELYNLater that night, all the ladies and their maids were invited to a party in the ballroom which would mark the official start of the Luna Selection.It was their first time meeting the Alpha King, and it was impressed upon all by Anastasia Elrod and Mrs. Porter that first impressions always mattered.The ladies were to put all their efforts into looking as attractive and captivating as possible, making it a competition even among the maids. Each of us was instructed to dress and assist the ladies with their hair and makeup.Our candidate needed to win the King’s affection and interest straight away, so we had to do everything possible to help them succeed.Though I had been forced into wearing ugly maid’s uniforms and plain dresses over the past year, I felt I had a certain advantage over the other maids. Back when I was a high-born woman, I loved putting myself together. I was skilled at styling beautiful clothes and when I had access to the proper tools and supplies. However,
EVELYNThe Alpha King entered the room, and for a moment, I was just as in awe of him as everyone else. He looked devastatingly handsome tonight.His golden hair had been perfectly brushed, and his dark eyes didn't seem as predatory as usual. His tall, muscular form was clad in a black shirt and matching pants. His usual gold cloak hung off one shoulder, but it looked freshly pressed. A gold pin with his family's insignia gleamed on the other side of his chest.Leila's brother strode in behind the King and gave her a small nod as he walked past.I tensed as Cole glanced around the room. It had been a week since I'd last seen him in my chambers, and it seemed he had lost interest in me. I hadn’t been summoned to his chambers since, but I couldn't let my guard down.The King frown slightly as he scanned the room. He appeared discontent, as if he were attending a particularly difficult meeting rather than a party to meet his future Luna.As he approached the group of ladies, I lowered my
EVELYNAs the soup was served, Georgina looked the most excited. She whispered sweetly to the King before beginning to drink the soup voraciously.Evelyn noticed a difference in the food being served.While most guests were served seafood soup, Leila received a different type.I frowned at it, wondering if it was a mistake, but Leila accepted the bowl.“I’m allergic to seafood,” she explained politely. “I informed the kitchen in advance.”I nodded and then stepped back in line with the other maids.At the front of the banquet table, Georgina supped happily, and her behavior drew quite a few glares, not only from Skyla but also from Mistress Anastasia.As she ate the soup happily, Anastasia rolled her eyes and gave Georgina a sickly smile.Her turquoise eyes were cat-like and her expression was kind but underscored with meanness.“Had we known Lady Georgina was so hungry, we might have shortened the dance party,” she remarked with a raised auburn eyebrow. She too, had dressed beautiful
EVELYNI couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. My eyes locked with Elsa’s, who looked equally as shocked by this sudden outburst. This was a severe betrayal, one that there was no coming back from.Melanie had never been an honorable woman, but this was on another level entirely. I was no friend of Jessica’s, but I was prepared to fight on her behalf just off principle.“No!” Jessica shrieked; her voice filled with frenzy as she bared her teeth at Melanie. She appeared more like a wild animal than a woman and for a moment, I wondered if she would shift into her second form and pounce on her now likely former friend. “You’re the liar! You’re a nasty bitch! Who supported you every time you slandered Evelyn-”Cole’s jaw tightened as his brows furrowed further. He glanced at me with a look of anger and confusion, unsure of my part in this, and I stiffened and quickly dropped my gaze. I was embarrassed to be mentioned in front of all these people, and I silently cursed Jessica for bringing
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
EVELYNThe clouds shielding the moon finally drifted past, and as the silvery light bathed the alley, the blue crystal dagger lodged in Leila’s chest gleamed with a piercing brilliance. Leila’s eyes widened, shock and confusion flooding her features. She looked down at the dagger, watching it being pulling from her chest with an invisible force. Blood seeped through her dress, spreading out in a crimson circle.“Lei!!” Jasmine’s scream tore through the air as she rushed to Leila’s side, pulling her into her arms. Stephanie followed, her movements urgent.At the same time, Cole charged at Augus. Augus, however, was already retreating, vanishing swiftly among the soldiers. He mumbled an incantation, and with a flick of his wrist, more soldiers fell under his control, becoming mindless puppets. Cole struggled to get close, forced to fight his way through the soulless figures that filled the space between them.I gripped Sylvia’s arm, my breath shallow, my chest aching with every inhale.
EVELYN“For the past year, I’ve been wondering what you truly wanted,” Cole said, his gaze locking onto his brother. Their features mirrored each other’s—different yet undeniably similar. Both carried the sharpness of their father, Theodore Elrod. “I won the war too easily, didn’t I? With unwavering support from House Caddel and the other Houses maintaining an ambiguous stance, neither openly opposing me nor aiding you, you could have defeated me with a mere flick of your fingers. You could have taken everything. But you let me win. You faked your death. You remained in the shadows, pushing me onto a throne I never desired. You have always been the Crown Prince; the throne was always yours. You could have ordered my death and married Evelyn if that was your goal. So why go to such lengths?”“Is this supposed to be a riddle for me to solve?” Jack snorted. “I’m afraid I’m no bard.”Cole took a step closer. “Do you remember the time you showed me a moth you had dismembered? I asked you w