SERAPHINA’S POVIn a trance, I find my way back to my dorm and don’t realize I have arrived until I'm standing just outside the door. The 15-minute walk here was engulfed with thoughts of the vision, the story of what was, and the premonition of what will be — what I won’t let happen, regardless of what she says. Hatred cannot be passed through generations; I don’t hate the wolves. I could never hate Artemis.I push the door open, filled with exhaustion, expecting to be greeted with an empty bed. Instead, when I walk in, there's Olivia talking with the same person who was just on my mind a second ago. “Artemis?”“Hey,” he smiles, immediately getting up from my bed and coming over to me. He wraps me up in a bear-tight hug, his wide arms encircling me in mere seconds. At first, the sudden embrace catches me off guard, but then his familiar scent envelops me, tenderly drawing me closer. In that moment, I melt into his arms, letting his warmth caress my soul and melt away the frost o
SERAPHINA’S POVWARNING: CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF SELF-HARMI’m petrified for the first few seconds, unable to say or do anything but stand and be horrified by the sight of what I’ve done to him. I swore over and over again that this wouldn’t happen, that no one else would get hurt, and yet I did it. He groans painfully, pulling himself out of the indentation in the wall and dusting off the bits of wall debris clinging to his clothes before he looks at me again, more confused and shocked than ever. I can see the wheels in his head turning, the questions brewing in his mind about what's going on, how and why I suddenly threw him off like that. Questions I have no answer to, and worse, I don't think I can offer any because of the fear of what he might think of me. I’m scared. I’m so scared, Artemis.Hands rest on my shoulders from behind me now, and I freeze in place, feeling the instant chill of her presence, this lady, the guardian of my destiny. "He's judging you right now,"
ARTEMIS’ POV:She pushed me away. Words can’t describe the anguish I’m in, the pain ripping through my chest as I unwillingly relive those seconds again. The look on her face, the fear, the terror I couldn’t understand. And then that whiplash of energy, like a whirlwind. Nothing makes sense anymore, but what I fear the most is the subtle feeling of her withdrawal. I’m losing her bit by bit, and this overwhelming feeling of helplessness chokes me even more. The seconds I’m away from her are like torture; I can’t imagine not being able to hold her ever again. The more I find a way out of this, the more walls I run into, all because of a prophecy that might hold no truth behind it and my father’s overwhelming desire to control me. In a final attempt to salvage something, to reach an agreement, I find myself seeking him first, walking towards his office. Desperation oozes off every hurried step that draws me closer to my destination until I’m standing right in front of it. I kick
SERAPHINA’S POVThe next time I’m conscious, I’m waking up in a room similar to mine but different in so many ways. The amount of pink lights and glitter and paint is enough to make anyone barf their breakfast out, and yet it’s recognizable. But how did I get here? Memories of the last few seconds before I passed out fill my mind, and I sit up too fast, being hit with so much realization at once. The pain in my back stabs the second I stand faster than I should have, and I suck in my breath before the throbbing in my head makes itself known. I feel like utter shit and like I could actually barf right now.“Sera?” I look up and meet familiar faces, Alice and Juliet. It hits me that it was Alice who opened the door before I passed out, and she had probably dragged me back here with all the blood. Both of them run to me, forcing me to lay back down together, and I don’t fight it. I’m too weak or numb to do anything. And when I’m down, they’re both silent, looking at me with pitifu
SERAPHINA’S POVI'm outside, near the bushes and trees surrounding the school, staring at an open flame that burns brightly. The yellow light flickers with vibrant life, and in the center, a small blue flame burns. I imagine the fire would feel warm, as opposed to the much colder evening, and that the wind moving through the leaves would bring a chill with it, but I feel nothing. My heart is frozen over like pure ice. Everything hurts, and yet I feel nothing. I’m numb to the world and all that it offers; my only company is the reverberating darkness in my chest, the hollow feeling of loss.“This is the eighth time… it’s not going to burn; you can’t change what you are,” the spirit appears to me again, referring to the book I stole from The Obsidian Library now beneath the flames. Again, she appears behind me, out of thin air, putting in her opinion without being asked. I kind of preferred the times when she was just a figment of my imagination, hovering around and only being able
SERAPHINA’S POVI look away too fast, forcing air into my lungs and panting hard from not breathing in the last five seconds. I’m not ready to face him, for him to look at me like that while standing next to her. I thought I was, but I’m not. The reality of it hits me too hard, and the pain in my chest becomes more and more unbearable.“Are you okay?” Jasper asks, holding me up so I don’t fall forward, while Juliet pats my back silently, all while I catch my breath. I take a second before I can stand on my own again, and when I do, they're already on the same level with us, talking with some people on the other end of the hall next to King Silvan. His laughter is the loudest, the rest of them just smile, including Artemis. Did he notice me, or was it my imagination?“Maybe we should leave now,” Jasper suggests, but I stop him. “No, I’m seeing this through. I want to be here.” He looks at me, worried and reluctant to give in, but I plead with him with my eyes until he sighs. “Fi
SERAPHINA’S POVThe music stops abruptly in a messy way, and all eyes instantly turn to the brawl happening right on the dance floor in front of me. Faces display shock, horror, and confusion. No one knows what happened, except me. I'm petrified as I watch Artemis attack Lucian like a rabid dog, seemingly out of control. I hadn't thought he was watching, hadn't thought he'd notice or care. But he did.After a few blows straight to Lucian's face, which explodes with vibrant red liquid, I snap out of my reverie, realizing I need to stop him before it gets worse, before he kills Lucian. It looks like he wants to. The look in his eyes, the way he pulls his fist all the way back and swings so violently, seems feral. He's unleashing everything he's felt over the past couple of days on Lucian and more."Artemis..." I take a cautious step forward, but he doesn’t respond, breathing hard like something not human. I catch a glimpse of his eyes, now shifted to bright gold with thin slit iri
ARTEMIS’ POVThe plan for tonight was to play the part of the perfect son.The perfect prince.The perfect fiancé. To deceive the crowd long enough to think that I’d finally given in, that the marriage was really happening, and then not go along with it in the end. It was all to buy more time, to convince Sera to run away with me. Everything was going perfectly well until I saw her.Descending the stairs with Kamila on my arm like a bedazzled accessory, I felt her presence long before our eyes met. I felt it from the fire in my heart, from the wild flames that always came to life whenever she was present. I knew she was there instinctively, and our eyes met easily amidst the thousands of people waiting for us. She shone the brightest, like a dazzling star. The world paused for a moment, and I longed to be where she was, standing right next to her instead of her friends, holding her in my arms so no one else could see her perfection the way I did.I had to hold onto the reigns of c