❤️ Nyxoria's Game (2) ❤️Tharros’s jaw tightened as he watched her. His heart was racing, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.“Please tell me you’re messing with me,” he said, his voice low, almost pleading. He climbed onto the bed, cupping her face gently with both hands. His thumbs brushed her cheeks. “I didn’t hit you that hard, I know I didn’t, right?” He was trying to convince himself more than her.Nyxoria opened her mouth to speak once again and when no words came out she frowned, looking frustrated, and pushed his hands off her face roughly. Before he could react, her fist landed hard on his shoulder, very hard. It was a real hit, and strong enough to knock Tharros off balance. He stumbled, losing his footing, and fell off the bed with a heavy thud.He rubbed his shoulder as he looked at her in surprise.Nyxoria got down from the bed and was looking around the room like she was trying to figure out where she was."You’re in my chamber, in my castle,” Tharros said, standin
❤️ His Promise ❤️Nyxoria wanted to argue, to tell him she wasn’t hungry and wouldn't eat with him, but right at that moment, her stomach let out a loud growl.Betrayer.She pretended like she hadn’t heard it, but Tharros did. His lips stretched into a grin, and that annoyed her even more. She glared at him, but he was already writing on the parchment. He handed it over to her."Your stomach just growls, which means we are both hungry. Where do you want to eat? Here?"Nyxoria snatched the quill from his hand, her face scrunching up in irritation. She quickly wrote back and shoved the parchment toward him in anger.“I’m not eating here or with you. In fact anywhere that doesn’t have you is fine.”Tharros read it, chuckled, and shook his head. He quickly wrote something again.“You know, I like your voice better than this ugly handwriting.”Nyxoria was about to grab the parchment and write another insult, but before she could move, Tharros lifted her into his arms like she weighed nothi
❤️ Mary's Arrival ❤️Nyxoria looked at him, not with pity, but with something else, something she couldn’t quite place herself. She picked up the parchment and started writing."Believe me Tharros when I say I have not seen you before, we may have met according to you but I don't remember. Truly there might be something wrong with my memory. And don't worry I will also fix whatever that is broken in you." She paused, biting her lip. She wanted to write more and tell him about Daisy and how the priestess is willingly to help her regain her memory but stopped at the last minute and passed the parchment to him to read.Tharros read her words. He let out a short, bitter laugh, his head tilting back slightly.“You can’t, Nyxoria,” he said softly, more to himself. “You can’t fix what’s already lost. You can’t bring back the dead.”His voice was low, filled with a pain he thought he had buried long ago. He didn’t realize he was speaking out loud, but Nyxoria noticed. She narrowed her eyes, p
❤️ Vyrelen's Investigation ❤️Nyxoria soon left the garden and made her way back to the chamber Tharros had brought her to earlier. She remembered the way clearly. When she entered the chamber, she noticed two doors beside each other. She opened the first one and froze, it was the room he had chained her in. Her chest tightened a bit, but she quickly shut it. She opened the second door and found it was a bathroom.Sighing in relief, she went in, undressed, and took a quick bath using Tharros’s soap. The scent was musky, a little stronger than what she was used to, but it wasn’t bad. After cleaning up, she slipped back into her old clothes—they were still the only ones she had.When she stepped out of the bathroom, she was surprised to see Tharros standing by the door, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on her. She raised her brows at him.He gestured towards the parchment and handed it over. She read his words:"I thought someone took you away when I couldn't find you in the garden."Nyxori
❤️ Sheba's Jealousy ❤️Vyrelen didn’t argue. He stood there for a moment, his arms crossed, deep in thought."You think, whoever this person is, they can actually take me out?" he finally asked.Tharros met his gaze and gave a small nod. "Yes, so we need to be very careful and very calculated," Tharros said."So we are not arresting them yet? I can quickly arrange their arrest for you now." Vyrelen pressed."Yes we are not and as a matter of fact, we leave Vyr and concentrate on Oberon."Vyrelen frowned. "Why not Vyr? Sometimes the small fish swimming beside the big fish, ends up learning the tricks and becomes the biggest fish, my Emperor."Tharros smirked a little at that. "Vyr is just a tool and for that, I am going to use my bride to reveal his true intentions so he won't be in the picture for long, because once my bride has cut ties with him, he will be a dead man."Vyrelen nodded slowly, seeing the plan clearer now. "I trust your judgement my Emperor, I will keep my eyes on Obe
❤️ Dika ❤️Tharros noticed the slight doubt in Nyxoria’s eyes, and he knew it was because of his last words. He quickly picked up the quill and wrote:"I’m not joking, Nyxoria. If you can remember when we met, I promised you I would marry you."Nyxoria took the parchment from him, read it, then grabbed the quill."I don’t doubt you Tharros. I just wish I could remember you the way you remember me."Tharros smiled a little, but his hand moved fast as he wrote his next question:"So that means you don't hate me even though I am the cause you can't speak or hear?"Nyxoria read his words, shook her head, and wrote back:"I don't hate you, I just wished you had believed me when I told you I don't remember you the first day we met at the Arcane, maybe all those threats and fighting wouldn't have happened."Tharros sighed, feeling guilt wash over him. He quickly wrote:"It's my fault Nyxoria, from now henceforth, I promise to always listen to you."Nyxoria read it and gave him a small nod,
❤️ Dika (2) ❤️For a moment, there was silence. Then, Vyrelen chuckled, shaking his head.“You’re bold. I like that,” he said. “But you’re lucky I’m not in the mood to fight today. Besides, I don’t fight women.” he added.“Well, unlike you, I fight men,” Dika shot back, her eyes narrowing.Vyrelen’s smile widened, but his eyes darkened a little. “You’ve got a sharp mouth, I’ll give you that. But let me give you some advice. When you face someone stronger than you, sometimes the smartest move is to back down.”Dika stepped forward again, her chin raised."The first rule of the Amazon is that we fight till death and even if I am dying, I will be taking you down with me."There was a brief pause before Vyrelen let out a low laugh, impressed. “Alright then, let’s settle it. We’ll make it quick.” He cracked his knuckles, his dark veins faintly pulsing. "If you can draw out a single drop of my blood from me in the next five minutes then I will personally take you to see Nyxoria, but if you
❤️ Vyrelen Rules ❤️Vyrelen pointed at her, struggling for words as the small cut on his arm slowly healed. "You—You cheated.""Ah, you said I should draw out your blood which I did," Dika said, showing off the blood in her sword. "And these two vampires stand as witness to my win and also you didn't add any rules and no, I call it strategy instead of cheating. You just assumed you couldn’t be beaten, and that was your mistake. The blame is on you." she huffed out.The two vampire guards standing nearby exchanged glances but said nothing."You cheated," Vyrelen accused once again, he exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. "If you have nothing else to say, please lead the way to where my friend is." Dika uttered.Vyrelen’s jaw clenched. "This isn't over, you just don't know what you've done, when you do, I won't back down."Dika shrugged. "And I don’t care. Are you taking me to Nyxoria, or do you want another round? Maybe this time I’ll make sure the cut doesn’t heal so fast."Vyrelen
❤️ The Nightweaver’s Dance ❤️“Dark fire against dark fire,” Vyrelen said, voice low but mocking as the flame that had hovered between them, the one that had waited patiently for Oberon’s command, began to fade and died, dissolving into the air like it had never been there.King Oberon was still frozen in place, his eyes wide, clearly not expecting Vyrelen to carry the same darkness he thought was his alone. Dark fire was a rare one from his ancestors and wig years of perfecting it, it became his strongest power.Recovering from the shock, Oberon forced a smirk and spoke through clenched teeth, “May the best of them win.”Vyrelen’s smirk widened. “Are you telling me that... or trying to encourage yourself?” With that, the flames in Vyrelen’s hair died out.Oberon’s expression twisted with fury. A low snarl rumbled from deep within his chest, and suddenly dark fire exploded from his palms. It wasn’t a calm flame, it was rage turned alive. The flames hissed with black embers, the heat s
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins (4) ❤️King Oberon clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his hands bulged, and without thinking, he slammed one of them down on the armrest of his seat. A loud crack split through the wood, drawing startled glances from a few nearby people, especially his elder of councils who are close to him. But no one dared speak. They all felt the fury rolling off him like heat from a wildfire.He was livid.Not just because he had lost, but because of how it happened. The fight he had put so much hope in, two warriors he had trusted with his reputation, his pride, his revenge, had ended in humiliation. The Cindercloak warrior, Legion, who once burned through battlefields without mercy, had fallen without Vyrelen even breaking a sweat. And the cursed spirit of Ashland, an ancient being said to hold the wrath of the land itself, was destroyed like it was made of sand, not stone.Oberon had thought at least one of them would wound Vyrelen. Just one injury.
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins (3)❤️"I should make a move? Did you not see what he just did to the Cindercloak warrior?" the spirit's voice echoed through King Oberon's mind, filled with hesitation. "You’re not blind, are you, my Lord? That man didn’t even lift a hand to win.""Are you defying me?" Oberon snapped back through their mind link, his fists clenching tightly on the armrest. His eyes stayed locked on the arena. "You made a promise to fight my opponent. And you know well, the Fae never go back on their word.""A promise is a promise," the spirit replied calmly. "I will fight. But you could’ve told me your opponent was Tharros." There was silence for a moment. "Fighting someone connected to him is not like you fighting a warrior."Oberon ignored the warning and returned his focus to the arena."The winner of this round goes to the Emperor’s warrior," High King Vyr’s voice rang across the silent crowd, breaking the tension. "According to the rules, the fight continues until
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins (2)❤️Ashland:Ashland, the sacred battleground where Kings and Queens came to prove their strength, was packed with people. Each section was divided by species, the werewolves sat with their council of elders, King Vyr and Princess Nasa seated at the front. Next came the vampires with their queen, followed by the mermaid queen and her people, then the witch king, and more.Everyone was seated and was anticipating the fight that was about to happen, it was as if nearly every kingdom was present in Ashland. At the center of it all was the arena, a place where only one could walk away. A fight to the death.Tharros sat above the rest of the rulers, in a seat made for the Emperor. He had made sure seats were prepared for Nyxoria and her friend Dika. When they arrived, Vyrelen dropped Dika off before heading to the arena. Tharros made sure Nyxoria sat beside her. He turned his seat backwards which faced the arena and sat down.“You’re not watching the figh
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins ❤️Early The Next Morning:Elyria Kingdom:King Vyr, who had fallen asleep in his throne room after another failed search, was woken up by his daughter, Nasa.“You didn’t sleep in your chamber, did you?” Nasa asked, helping him to his feet. “Something’s bothering you.”Taking his seat and nodding his head. "Yes, something is truly troubling me." King Vyr admitted."Whatever it is, it can wait," Nasa said which made Vyr to look up at her."It can't wait, Nasa. Don't you care about my feelings anymore? Or do you not realize I will die if I don't find it?" He asked."I am not saying it's not important, but I am saying whatever it is can wait because we have a fight to watch," Nasa said. "Everyone is talking about it in the Arcane, we have got to go." She added.It was as if someone poured cold water on Vyr's body and it drew him to what today is."Today is the day of the fight?" King Vyr asked standing up to his feet, the tiredness gone.Nasa nodded her h
❤️ The Night Before Ashland ❤️"I don’t get it, Tharros. I know Vyrelen is your right-hand man, but calling him your shadow? That’s a little hard to believe," Nyxoria said, frowning."I know it’s strange, my love. But one day, you’ll understand," Tharros replied gently."So, he’s really fighting Oberon tomorrow?" she asked again to be sure and when Tharros nodded his head, she continued. "Where is the fight taking place?""Ashland." Tharros responded.Nyxoria's eyes widened in shock. "Ashland? The same Ashland that is at the outskirts of all kingdoms, the land that is forbidden to enter? That same Ashland?"Tharros nodded his head once again. "That same Ashland.""Why would Oberon choose such a cursed place? I heard there is an evil spirit that lives there who has a Fae blood and is very dangerous. If Vyrelen fights there, he’s walking into death. And we don’t even know who his opponent is.""You’re worried?" Tharros asked, smiling softly."Of course I am! Aren’t you? Vyrelen could di
❤️ Thousand Years To Love You ❤️Nyxoria noticed Tharros was leading her toward the garden. Once she sat down, a servant girl arrived with a bowl full of apples and grapes, placed it on the table, gave a small bow, and quietly left, just as Vyrelen and Dika walked in. Dika took a seat, while Vyrelen remained standing beside Tharros."What did she mean by ‘they… and you know them’?" Nyxoria asked Tharros.Tharros snapped out of his thoughts and gave her a small smile. "I might have an idea of who she was talking about, but I can't be too sure if it is them.""And what if it really is them?" she asked again.Tharros let out a deep breath. "They won’t hurt you, Nyxoria. I promise. I won’t let them. Trust me, they can't.""But why are they after me? I haven't hurt anyone and people that I don't know of are trying to hurt me," Nyxoria said with a frown and picked up an apple, biting into it angrily, nearly taking half of it in one go."When she’s upset, she eats like that," Dika commented,
❤️ Fefe's Fall ❤️Nyxoria had her bath. The water was warm, likely brought in by a servant, so she didn’t waste any time. Once she was done, she slipped into one of the long dresses Tharros had gotten for her that fit her.Not long after, they left for the throne room. This time, they didn’t use Tharros’ shadows. Nyxoria wanted to walk, to stretch her legs a bit.Taking her sword with her.††Throne Room:Fefe, still pretending to be Daisy, was getting frustrated. She had been standing for nearly an hour, and Nyxoria was still nowhere in sight.But what really annoyed her wasn’t the wait, it was Vyrelen.He had left the throne room briefly, returned before she could even blink, and told her Nyxoria and Tharros were on their way. When he first brought her in, she’d tried to sit in one of the empty seats around the round table, but Vyrelen stopped her.“Those aren’t for you,” he’d said flatly. “I’ll bring you a chair.”That was a lie.Instead of fetching a chair, he went to sit in one o
❤️ Unveiling Fefe ❤️Dika's Dream:Dika saw herself in an empty large room that could pass for a palace, The walls were painted red, but something about the color made her uneasy, it looked too much like real blood. She was alone, yet she felt like someone was watching her. Then, a woman appeared in front of her, tall, striking and beautiful, with two horns on her head."Who are you?” Dika asked immediately, eyes narrowing as she took a defensive step back. Theme first thing she noticed was the two horns in Bana's head.“I am Lady Bana,” the woman said smoothly. “I’ve come to offer you a proposal.”“So, I’m guessing you’re the one who pulled me into this weird dream?” Dika asked.Lady Bana nodded her head. “Yes. Like I said, I have a proposal for you and you will like it.”“And what’s that?” Dika asked, her tone sharp.“Join me,” Lady Bana said simply. “Help me destroy Nyxoria.”Dika blinked. “Wait—Nyxoria as in my friend Nyxoria? That Nyxoria?”“The one you know,” Lady Bana confirme