“Remember who you are. What is your name?” a figure kept asking from the shadows.
“Emily. My name is Emily” I answered and the place I was standing shook violently. “no..no..no.That’s not who you are. Remember who you are!” the voice went bizarre thundering in a loud voice and then I woke up. “Emily wake up” Aunty May shook me out of my nightmares, “Tell me what was it this time” she added as he handed me a glass of water. “Aunty am scared every time this person keeps asking me to remember who I am. Whenever I say Emily it always gets angry” I narrated my whole encoutner and I watched as she remained silent. “Baby I don’t have much information on any of this but I heard that the Dragon King Tharros is here. You can go and ask him for the answers you seek” She patted the back of my palm as she told me this. I guess now was the time to meet him. I haven't had much time to discuss anything with any of the people ever since I learned that the cold vampire Lucien was my mate whatever my Aunties said. I have no knowledge of the supernatural community but I picked that mates cherish each other and protect each other,and its like an arranged marriage but it decided on by the Moongoddess. “Okay, I will go and talk to him and see if they can help me with these painful dreams and visions I have been feeling lately” I stood and told her. I went inside my bathroom and took a quick bath because I wanted to meet this Dragon King to get answers and I was feeling anxious. This anxiety made me feel energy surging in my veins threatening to burst out. I slid into one of the gowns provided by my so called mate.Three days have passed since he found us in the forest and I havent seen him and his subordinates respect me but I always felt like deep down to want to peel off my skin . I walked downstairs and I asked one of the guards where they were at. I was pointed to a room that had this huge door and it required two people to open it. As I walked towards the door, my heart started to pound violently in my chest. Was this the feeling of being closer to my so-called mate? The guards at the door opened it for me and I thanked them and entered the room to see the Vampire King with his cold eyes looking at me with his raw desire not concealed on his face. What a pervert I guess he is even undressing me with those cold eyes. Besides him was a man much older than him and looking poised and elegant.He was chaarming and he exuded this aura of wisdom around him .Every slight gesture he made was well carried out and elegant. “How do I address you both am sorry I am not familiar with the hierachy of this world”I opened my mouth slightly and murmered and I was feeling nervous and the atmosphere was weird. “Please Emily just call us by our names.I hope you are okay with me calling you by your name”he stood up and offered me a seat,very gentleman.I looked at the Vampire giving a hint that arent you my mate this is what you should have done, “Well am Tharros and you already met my friend here” he added. “So Emily I was just about to ask Lucien to send for you.I hope you are aware about the power you possess and the prophecy which surrounds you .Dear”Tharros said in a very polite way. “Yes and for the past days, I have been having several visions and dreams.I want them to stop because they are painful, so I was hoping to get some insights from you.My Aunties said your kind are knowledgable” I said whilst playing with the hem of my sleeves. For a moment after I narrated my story everyone looked at him and he stroked his beard looking for answers. “So far I have no knowledge about that but I know a place where we can find those answers,” he said after the pause. “Where is that?”Lucien asked with urgency in his tone. “We have to go north to the Ancient Temple of the Moon” After he said the doors to the study were violently opened from outside and an elegant tall and handsome man walked in exuding an aura of nobility. “MATE!” he suddenly said the very moment he entered the room which surprised everyone in the room. Two mates, was I going to have two husbands? “What brings you here Kiran?”Lucien asked coldly and I could feel that there was animosity between the two. “Well, I heard you were housing witches in your palace. So I had to come and see for myself and what are you doing with my mate here?” he asked. “You must be mistaken here, she is mine,” Lucien said exuding this terrifying aura. “Kaelos just recognized her as his mate. She is mine” he said and I saw the two about to fight each other. “STOP!” I said but it gained much momentum and the whole building shook that is all I remember and I passed out. ….… When she screamed the whole palace shook and a gush of wind was formed and it spread everywhere that every neighbouring pack felt the tremours.Behind Lucien’s palace a shadowy figure the Harbinger of Shadows watched from the palace grounds and smirked….Lucien POV“Tharros, will she be okay?” I asked with anxiety evident in my voice.“Don't worry pal, she is fine. Her body is just exhausted from the power she holds. Until she can master her powers and her body grows accustomed to the power, she will feel weak every time she uses it. Her whole life the power has been domain so it takes time for the body to adjust accordingly to such great power but don’t worry she is fine” Tharros scholarly explained and it made me calm down a little then I realized another matter we needed to discuss and it was that werewolf claiming my mate as his.“One more thing. I can understand what you are plotting in that head of yours, and I have been thinking for a while. At times, one is indeed paired to two mates.”I cut him off before he could finish his statement.“Are you saying she would have to choose between the two of us?” I asked alarmed by his philosophical approach to this mate thing.“In that case, she will be choosing me. Get ready to lose old b
Lucien POV When I saw the arrow that missed Emily my heart stopped for a while and rage coursed through my veins. Who was after her life and what did they hope to achieve with her death? I opened a portal and sneaked on the attacker. I caught him when he was just about to escape and he happened to be a vampire but his strength was far inferior to mine. I dragged him back with me to the place and he committed suicide then.“It seems like this war involves not only witches but everyone, " Kiran said, and my mind was all focused on Emily’s safety.I went beside her and squatted down and caressed her cheek to see if she was not injured. Whoever wanted her dead must first go through me.“Tharros where is this temple?” I asked.“ Deep inside the woods on the Northern forest…” he answered but was not given the time to finish his sentence as the werewolf stopped him mid-sentence.“I know the Northen forest like the back of my pal but I have never across any building talk about a temple,” he
Emily POVWe arrived at the temple gates, and a shadow tried to attack us. What happened before then surprised me. I held, and I felt this course of energy flow inside my bloodstream, and it changed from deep night black to grey. The shadow bowed down before it dissipated into the air.Before we could even go inside the temple we were surrounded by these mysterious creatures or people but when Lucien heard the woman’s voice his hand which was holding me flinched. He was nearly crushing my bones with his grip.“Priestess Azara! What are you doing here? Didn’t we destroy you a long time ago? Well, I would be even happier to kill you over and over” he said looking at the woman who had stepped outside the shadows now being illuminated by the moonlight.She wore a black cloak and her subordinates were covering their faces. She had the most terrifying face I have ever come across. She had black hair and her face was adorned with jewels and it was tatooed.“Lucien Valois we meet again .You s
Emily POVI slowly opened my eyes and found myself sleeping in a small cottage. The air was tense, filled with rotten objects and several potions. Where was she? Did the Priestess Azara capture her and take her to her sanctuary? I woke up and walked out of bed ready to find my way to escape when the door to the cottage was opened from the outside. An old lady walked in who had a hunched back. The lines on her face showed the wisdom and years she had lived. Unlike Azara, he did not have a scarry carving like those which her subordinates had. “You are finally awake, " she smiled, holding my hand while directing me to go back and sit on the bed. “Where am I ?” I asked. “Somewhere Azara wouldn’t even dare to look for you. I have waited my whole life to meet the Destiny Child and finally, I have seen you. Am very happy” she sweetly replied. “I remember fighting with Azara at the Moon temple and I passed out how did I end up here” I asked with great confusion on my face. “Well, your sh
Emily POVMy heart was in a rollercoaster of emotions. I could feel some energy channeling within my body and for the very first time it felt like home.The shadows were now closing in on us when I saw Lucien , Tharros and Kiran arriving and quickly getting into a bloodbrawl with the shadows.The world suddenly became ghost-quiet with tension hanging. I felt the rays of the moon shining on my hair and the ends of my hair became needle sharp.I was feeling an urge to scream and I decided to scream. This unleashed a sound that traveled for about 20 kilometers. The once white and grey moon was slowly turning to red. An eclipse was happening.One thing caught my attention, in the lurking shadow a being taller than all the shadows with a robust figure stepped out into the rays of the eclipsing moon. I felt my voice cracking and stopped screaming looking at the being who was walking steadily towards me.I started walking backward until I hit the cottage wall behind me. Was this going to be t
Lucien POVOne moment we were fighting with Azara and the next we were in a near-death situation with the shadows. I tried to search for Emily’s scent after we had managed to defeat the Blood Moon cult which sent them running away. My heart suddenly started viciously pumping blood and I felt my fangs inching. My mate was in danger.I rushed to the temple at my vampire speed, and I saw that she was not there. Kiran arrived, and when he saw that Emily was not there, I saw his eyes turn golden. Like me, and with our connection with her, we picked up that she was not there and maybe in a far more dangerous situation.I decided to follow my instincts and I found my primal senses drowing me deeper in the forest o a place that seemed like a mountain.I placed my hand on the mountain and it happened to be a disguise spell cast by witches.I used my magic and a pathway formed and we walked, everyone drowning in our thoughts.Maybe since we had the same mate I could pick Kiran’s heart racing.We a
Emily POVI woke with a splitting headache and felt thirsty, but the jug inside the cottage was out of water. I went outside in search of a water source when I heard the conversation between the others.Amidst the conversation, I heard Kiran talk about me being a hazard and deserving to be executed which was devastating given that he was my mate.“Even if it's your mate?” I asked and witnessed the puzzled expressions of everyone in their small council.“Emily it's not what you think ….” Lucien wanted to explain but I gave him a sign that I had heard everything and there was no need to listen to any justification.My heart felt at a loss and as turned back to the cottage , the headache intensified and I heard a low husky voice in my head saying ‘I know you can hear me Emily.If you want to know all information about you come to The ruins of Nightfall’, the voice said and the connection quickly disconnected and the next moment I passed out.This time I opened my eyes to the worried expre
Emily POVWhoever disturbed us was going to die surely. Don’t underestimate the power of a horny she-wolf. We quickly swam ashore where our clothes were and put them on each running towards the cottage.“Where is she, Deloris? Either you speak or I will continue killing every member of your hideous coven” We saw Priestess Azara and her members standing at the burning cottage with some of the witches slaughtered. Since she was looking for me I felt guilty for bringing trouble to these innocent people.“I don’t know” the old witch replied and I guess this reply enraged the priestess as she signaled her minions and another witch was killed.I couldn’t take it anymore and I wanted to run into the situation but Lucine stopped me.“Wait who knows if she is not playing some tricks with us” he said in a voice lower than a whisper.Suddenly we heard the rustling of leaves behind us and Tharros appeared. I was wondering where the old dragon was.“It’s good that it's you , we were wondering wher
Kiran's POVAlthough we had successfully crossed into the Veil, the air was thick with tension. Tharros’s expression didn’t help—it screamed trouble. I glanced around, spotting those familiar eyes watching me again. The same ones that stared at me from mirrors... eyes buried in darkness, paired with a crooked smirk.“What is it, Tharros?” I asked, already dreading the answer. Magic was never my thing, and this place felt like a cursed dream.“When we entered the Veil, we cracked its protective barrier,” he said gravely. “And now, something evil has slipped through. The Unforgotten have been summoned back into the land of the living.”That stopped me cold. My stomach twisted. We’d just unleashed an ancient nightmare—and someone out there was planning to start a war while we were stuck here.“What do we do now?” I asked, already moving faster.“We get to Emily,” Tharros said. “She needs to finish her final trial. After that, we return—fast.”As we headed for the celestial gates where Em
Priestess Azara“What do we do now?” Rhaegos, the old vampire, grumbled, his voice heavy with impatience.I didn’t even turn to look at him. “What do you mean, what do we do? We wait, obviously,” I said, moving toward my bookshelf. My fingers skimmed the aged spines until I pulled free a thick, dust-covered tome.I placed the ancient book on the wooden table and blew off the layer of dust. The musty scent of old pages and ink wafted into the air, oddly comforting. As I flipped it open, my fingertips brushed along the fragile paper until I found the section I needed.Rhaegos narrowed his eyes as he caught the title. “What are you doing with the Book of the Damned?”“What does it look like I’m doing?” I muttered, not looking up. “I’m seizing an opportunity.”“Opportunity? Does Maledicta know about this?” His questions came rapid-fire, his nerves clearly getting the better of him.“Of course she knows,” I replied sharply. “Do you really think I’d risk messing up her grand plan?” I continu
Lucien’s POV"There must be something we can do, Tharros!" I clenched my fists and paced before the Veil. "We must support Emily in some way; we must be by her side."Kiran said softly and anxiously, "She's absorbing energy from a soul inside the Veil." "We can't just stand here."Tharros's golden eyes flickered as he crossed his arms. "Neither of you is seeing the wider picture. The Veil is more than just an opening we can prod. Even attempting to open it or tampering with it could cause uncontrollable chaos. I apologize, but I don't believe we should take the chance. I felt a wave of frustration. I struck the invisible barrier that separated the Veil from us. It vibrated menacingly as it shuddered under the force.“Yeah, we get it—you’re the oldest and the wisest,” Kiran said, stepping forward, eyes blazing. “But don’t hesitate now, Tharros. Think of the lives we could save if we bring Emily back. Even if monsters spill out of the Veil, we’ll deal with them. But if we lose her agai
Kiran’s POVRhaegos and Azara fought a vicious battle, but as usual, their cursed soldiers were defeated and had vanished into the night. "Guys, what do we do now? Lucien? I inquired, becoming more confident in him every second. A change occurred between us, a mild release of the tension that had always existed. Things had started to change as they fought side by side.Lucien's words rested in the air, confusing me: "Rhaegos told me before he disappeared that when Emily returns, she won't be ours." It didn't make sense, but I knew enough about the magical world to know that this meant something significant. I looked at Tharros, who had an anxious look on his face.“It could mean a lot of things,” Tharros said, his voice tight with worry. “As I told you before, there are dark forces at play. If it’s what I think, we might be losing Emily.” He clenched his fists.“What are you thinking? Stop speaking in riddles, man,” I snapped, frustration rising in me.Tharros met my gaze, his eyes
Emily's POVMy whole body hurt. I struggled to raise my eyelids. Still, I attempted to pry them open, only to find that every single thing had changed once more.The second trial. My heart fell. Now what? The Harbinger showed up like a wraith out of the darkness before I could even collect my thoughts, his voice as steady and icy as ever. "Emily, this is the Trial of the Body." The ground beneath me suddenly transformed, and I could feel my bare feet sinking into muddy, cold soil. I raised my head. I could see figures approaching. Not strangers. No. They looked like all of the enemies I had ever came across. It was she, the Princess Azara, who led them.She came straight at me, sword raised, her eyes glowing with a cold, cruel fire. The blade gleamed in the dark as she swung at me. I managed to duck, but not before it sliced off a lock of my hair.She looked exactly like the Priestess from the Blood Moon cult—same aura, same fury. No, this wasn’t a coincidence. This trial want
Lucien’s POV“That’s bullshit! So what, we’re just supposed to sit here and do nothing? Let her go through all of that alone?” I snapped, my voice louder than intended. “Tharros, we have to go in there—we have to save her from the Veil.”“You must understand,” Tharros said calmly, “the Veil is a place of illusions and deceit. Even if we could enter, there’s no telling what awaits us inside. Most who venture in never return. We have to trust that Emily is strong enough to face whatever trials lie ahead.”His words, meant to soothe, only ignited my frustration further.“I’m with Lucien on this,” Kiran added firmly. “Emily is our friend—our mate. We can’t just stand by while she faces danger alone. If there’s even the slightest chance she’s in trouble, I’d rather walk into the unknown than sit here with a restless heart, wondering if she’s still alive.”I glanced at him, seeing Kiran in a new light. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of sharing a mate, but I couldn't deny that hi
Emily's POVThe longer I remain in this cursed land, the more I feel my sanity slipping. It’s as if the very air is laced with madness. But worse than the creeping dread is the question that haunts me: What if I fail the trials? What will become of me then?The last grain of sand dropped in the hourglass, and once more, the setting shifted.Now, I stood on soft pink fabric beneath my feet, delicate and oddly familiar. Beside me, as always, the Harbinger emerged from the shadows like a lurking specter."Congratulations, Emily. You passed your first trial," he said, his lips curling into a smirk. "But be warned—the further you go, the harder it gets. And remember—don’t trust anything you see. Memories lie." With that ominous chuckle, he vanished into the darkness.Another door appeared before me—tall, ancient, glowing with flickering strands of old magic. My hands trembled as I reached for it. Here goes nothing, I thought, grasping the cold handle and pushing it open.A gust of wind slam
Emily POVAs I gradually regained consciousness , a high-pitched sound echoed in my mind. The darkness was thick, inhumane, and absolute when my eyelids fluttered open. Where had I disappeared to?Where had I been taken? As I tried to adjust, I blinked and observed an insufficient glow flickering in the distance,the sole light source. My fingers scraped the rough stone as I crawled toward it, but before I could get there was a low, intimidating giggle resounding above me. The scene changed once again, and the air around me twisted.I muttered, "Please let me go," but no one replied. Nevertheless, I sensed them—eyes waiting, watching, lurking in the shadows. Then he showed up. The Harbringer. Once more.Cloaked in shadow, he floated out of the darkness like a ghost. I was unable to see his face. I was never able to. He was always covered in layers of cloth, as if he were hiding something too dreadful for me to see. Yet when did monsters start giving any thought about appearances? "
Emily POVI saw us standing in front of what looked like an old temple, with forms like ghosts and souls maneuvering unbothered by our arrival.“Thank you, Emily. If you had not reached out for me, I don’t know if I would have survived the nightmare.” Kiran came and hugged me, expressing his gratitude.“You are my mate after all and one of the main jobs or a mate is to look after your mate isnt it” I said and watched Lucien with a disturbed face.“Are you okay?” he coldly asked and came and looked for the wound on my hand but it had long healed on its own. One of my abilities I have recently discovered, when I get hurt I will quickly recover.“ Thank you,” he said and I think the nightmare made him remorseful again. I decided not to ask about the woman he was crying for.“Are you not going to ask me about what you saw?” his question threw me off balance.“Lucien being your mate means I trust you and care for you. I wouldn’t want to force you to talk about anything until you are ready