It felt like a dozen furnace was lit in Dakar's chest when he awoke after almost a week of being unconscious. He couldn't lift his arms, neither could he shift in his bed. But mercifully, he could move his head sideways with little difficulty. A gasp from his bedside got him almost jerking up.“My Prince,” he heard a surprised whisper.“Oh goodness,” the maiden rasped again and ran off without another word.Minutes later, she returned with the Beta who looked like he had seen the greatest miracle of all time.“Prince Dakar," he rasped and sauntered to his side.“Did I get hit by a car?” he joked in a very hoarse voice.“That would have been preferred,” Federico replied and placed a hand over Dakar's arm. He was shirtless, and had series of tubes connected to his arms, his chest and his nose. His chest where the dagger went through was bandaged clean.“What happened?” Dakar inquired. His mind was foggy, and it felt stressful to think deep.“Hmm, a terrible event. The kingdom has been t
Avril sobbed as she raced down the hallway, down the flight of stairs and into the living room. Her cries were increasing with every step she took. She didn't know where she was going, but she was going. The air was too choked up for her to breathe. She had to go. She had to find a place she could breathe.“Fiorella! Shit, you scared us!” Camper called as she made her way to the front oak doors. She didn't look back at him, didn't comprehend what he said. She grabbed the door handles and pulled them apart. A gust of wind slapped her hood off her face, and whipped her hair behind. Yes, this was what she needed. Air. She stopped crying and ran into it.“Fiorella!!” Camper cried from behind.“Told you that girl was crazy!” Ñiraka shrieked as they bolted after her. The four guards in front were on high alert now, after the alarm went off. They couldn't leave their post to join in the search because they had to protect their prince.Avril sprinted beside them, and they let shock wash over
“I don't want to stand before him or any Remusian arsehole,” was Avril's reply to Verona. The girl shrugged and walked to Avril's armoire. She flung the doors open and scanned through the dresses hanging there.“Get out of my room, Verona,” Avril grunted and stepped out of the bed.“I don't think you should wear anything fancy to see the Alpha. You're feeling like a bitch right now, so wear black.” She pulled out a short sleeved, knee-length ball dress with tiny black stones on the skirt, and laces on the upper part.“I don't feel like a bitch. I am a bitch,” Avril replied and made her way to the bathroom.“That's the spirit,” she heard Verona say behind her.After showering and feeling less like a ghost, she reentered her room in a pink bathrobe. Verona had left the dress on her bed, and she got dressed reluctantly.She stepped down to her living room, and found Gia setting the table. The maiden looked up and gasped, the jar of orange juice almost spilling over in her shaky hands.“H
Avril wrapped her last floral gown in a roll, and placed it in the bag. She closed it and looked around her room. She sighed and rolled the bag out of the room. As proud as she was, she still knew she had come to see this place as home. She would miss the banters they all had in this room. Nana sprawled on the bed and telling stories about the cute neighbour who she couldn't stop staring at, Xiao Wei and Chidi exposing her lies, she laughing at their attacks while Verona sat on the floor chewing gum loudly and looking bored.As Avril approached the foot of the stairs, she saw Camper leaning against her door frame while the Palace guards stood outside waiting to escort her out. They were two, wearing normal clothes and looking like the men who had brought her and the girls to Remus in the first place. Those clothes were simply for them to blend in. But Avril doubted they would with that body of theirs, and their rigid faces.“Stop looking at me like that,” Avril reprimanded Camper. He
The morning of the next two days, a loud squeal in the living room jerked her up from sleep. She recognized that squeal, and she jumped down and ran out the door. Her girls were standing right there, Nana shouting her name. She screamed as they sighted each other, and ran into an embrace that was so hard it might have broken their bones.“She's alive!!!!” Nana screamed and the three of them nearly squeezed the life out of her.“Ouch, I can't breathe,” Avril groaned and they let go of her. They laughed and sat down together on the only couch.“Verona told us everything. Goodness, babe,” Nana rasped and squeezed Avril's cheeks.“She told you about...about...”“Yes. We're so sorry and pissed about that. He better have explanations because I swear I don't mind putting a bullet in that head of his, and chop that killer hair of his off!”“Nana!!!” the three other girls screamed her name and she frowned.“What? You think I can't do it? I don't care who he is. He ignored my girl, treated my g
“I've lived in pain, pain you can not imagine just because...” he paused and looked away from her. His chest buttons were still undone, his eyes a blazing shade of rage and fear, his hair was still very unruly.Avril stood still, listening to him with an expressionless face. He reached forth his arm, as if to place it on her shoulder but he stopped halfway then withdrew his hand.“I'm sorry,” he said again and shut his eyes.“I'm so sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry,” he repeated and Avril exhaled. She took several steps back in order to breathe wholesomely but Dakar took it as a gesture of her not accepting his apology and determining to leave him, and it broke his heart.“To be honest, I'm not comprehending anything right now. I can't think. So if you would just...let me be for some time. Maybe my brain would be working by then to listen to you,” she finally spoke up. Dakar looked like he had just lost a million dollar contract he wanted so badly.“Avril... I—”“It's obvious you also need
After the girls' picnic was over, they went back to the apartment building. None of them said anything about the meeting with Dakar, but Avril knew they were just waiting to get back to the apartment. Surprisingly, the girls said nothing still even when they returned to the apartment. They continued the rest of the day normally.The next day, Avril had to rush to the coffee shop to begin her shift after being ten minutes late.“I'm so sorry, ma'am. I woke up a little bit late after having nightmares so I'm here ten minutes late,” she apologized to her boss.“Oh, it's fine. Just grab your notepad and take the orders while I return to the kitchen now,” the kind woman replied. Avril smiled sweetly at her and did as she was told.She took orders for a few customers, and was going to a private booth to take the customers order. She reached the booth but looked down at her notepad and ticked off the previous customer's order before taking the present customer's own. As she looked back up, h
Dakar drove the Ferrari to an apartment complex two streets away and parked in their parking lot.“You left here to come have breakfast at my place?” Avril asked him as he helped her out the door.“I don't regret it,” he replied in a sideways smile. That one that usually got her heart ricocheting rapidly in her chest.He placed his hand firmly over her waist and walked her to the elevator which took them to the very last floor—the penthouse.“Let me guess, another Remusian property,” she stated as he led her into the brown and white aesthetic living room with little light infiltrating.“I can't keep count of them,” Dakar replied.“That's what happens when you're dangerously wealthy.”Dakar chuckled and led her straight to the cream marble kitchen.“What would you like?” he asked.“Wow me,” she answered and smiled at him. He smirked and washed his hands in the motion sensor sink. Avril watched as he gently got a sweet smelling brunch ready for her. When he was done, he laid a pretty lo
“No! No! Give me those!” she screeched and flew at Camper who didn't move an inch. But before she could reach him, she was blasted off into the cage Avril's friends just vacated. Camper hurried over to Prince Dakar.“You came right on time. They've hurt Avril,” Dakar said. Camper looked at the white fog and clenched his teeth.“Verona will help. She's coming. They are coming.”Dakar nodded and took one of the clear crystal balls and lifted it up.“Camper feels emotions more than anyone else can. Which is why he's a playboy, he enjoys the pleasure a hundred times than an average person. And when someone is overexcited, or is hiding something where they've channelled all their protective information... Camper can trace where all those emotions are headed,” Prince Dakar said as Athena began to rise.“Where your treasure is stored, there will your heart be,” Camper recited. “While you were busy flirting and trying to make him take you there on your garden floor, he was looking deep into
Avril had only just slept for a half an hour when she heard a masculine scream pierce through the serenity of the room. She jerked awake, causing a terrible headache to erupt in her head. The scream continued on. Obviously, that person was in deep agony. She rubbed her weak eyes with her weak fingers and realized this agonized person was right there on the floor in front of her. Then she realized it was Dakar.“Dakar!” she screamed and ran out the bed, only to fall on the bed because of how numb her legs were. She groaned but crawled on foura to where he lay. His scream and cries were terrible. She grabbed his arm but he shoved her off as he continued to twist and contort in pain.Avril burst into tears when she noticed he was bleeding from his nostrils, mouth and ears.“Help, please!” she tried to shout but no way her voice could be heard above his.She crawled back to the bedside, grabbed the pitcher of water and tossed it over him. He stilled immediately and lay unconscious. Avril
“Gently get the girls to wake up. We're leaving. Pick up everything. Leave no personal belonging behind,” Dakar warned strictly. The two men nodded and darted into their room.“Where's Verona?” Avril asked.“I'm here,” she replied and showed up too. Verona looked agitated and vigilant.“I can't believe I was such a fool to bring you all here,” Dakar said to himself and looked her he could slap his own cheek. The candlelights were enough to show the look of regret on his face. He held Avril's good hand and led her out while Verona also darted inside the room. The others were already frantically moving and packing stuff.In less than ten minutes later, everything had been packed as affirmed by Camper. They then quietly started out without a word or sound from anyone.They got to the throne room which was empty and dark too. Instead of them to go through the main entrance, Prince Dakar turned them to a different direction. He tugged gently on what was like a door and a secret passage ope
Athena plastered a too wide smile on her face as she smoothly walked towards them like she was gliding and not actually taking steps. Her outfit was all gold, blending too much with the throne room itself. If her visible skin and hair were also gold, she would be invisible in the hall.“Pleased to meet you again, Athena,” Prince Dakar said with courtesy. Athena turned her full attention to him as she stood a few feet away.“Ah, my handsome nephew. You look amazing despite everything you've been through. I guess strength and good looks runs in the family. How is your father?” she asked and cocked her head to the side.“He is doing very well. Sends his kind regards,” Prince Dakar answered. Athena grinned and moved closer to him. A little bit too close. She looked up into his eyes and tucked loose hair behind his ear.“When this is all over, I would love to see his final look,” she said then grinned again.Avril frowned but quickly tucked her face right. What did she mean by ‘his final l
Prince Dakar got up, then jerked his jacket by the lapels to get it aligned with his body. He took a deep breath, relief flooding in that Avril was not dead. And she was right at the other side about to come over. He heard a feminine gasp like the one had made and made a quick turn to see the person who had come out. But he was disappointed to see the slim, black friend of Avril. Chidi. She wasn't crouched down like he was, but she was standing straight and breathless.“Are you all right?” he asked as she stood rooted to the spot, oblivious to him standing there. After he spoke, she raised her eyes abruptly and saw him. Then she looked back at the innocent look archway.“Congrats. You got out. Come over, let's wait for the others,” he said again and walked a few feet from where he was standing. Chidi followed silently and leaned against a tree with her eyes closed. Dakar was tempted to ask her what she saw, but he didn't want to intrude. Chidi however surprised him.“T saw Avril fall
The Porta Metus was situated in a vast region of land that was very mountainous. Solid, smooth rock was the ground and scorpions could be seen tittering around. Flying, giant bee-like creatures swarmed about and scared the living daylights out of the traveling group.The gateway itself was an archway of smooth grey rock that began on the ground but went over to cover the small bridge. There was a deep ditch dividing the rock terrain, and earthy terrain.“We have to be very careful. The Porta Metus is the archway. It doesn't come up this time of year so I'm worried about you all. The Porta Metus brings out your greatest fear. Between you and your greatest fear, only one will make it out. To reach your destination, you must defeat your greatest fear against all odds.”After Prince Dakar's information, everyone stared still at the harmless looking archway of rock.“What if you do not have a greatest fear but just little little fears?” Xiao Wéi asked.“Then I consider that person the luck
“What in the world are those thing?” Nana yelled amidst the screams. The horses that were at the far end of the cave startled up and began to neigh and thump around.“Stealth wraiths. Half-dead creatures but more dead than alive. Which means you can't see them. They're very rare!” Camper shouted out.“How do you kill what you cannot see?!” Avril shrieked as Camper sliced through the air again and black blood poured out of nothing.“They are as cold as ice. You feel their chill and strike,” Verona answered as she trotted to the entrance to assist Camper. The rest shifted back but didn't lose their guard. The horses were causing a scene on their own and Avril instinctively ran over to calm them down. It didn't work.A cold chill was taking over the entire cave, the entrance had turned into a battle ground. Camper and Verona were fighting invisible, shrieking creatures that seemed to be pushing them backwards and not the other way around. Whatever does things were, they were plenty and t
They trespassed through the Soot Forest, as Camper had called it, for five hours straight. They only rested at most ten minutes while standing because of the human girls who were not as tire-proof as the wolves. Avril and her girls even surprised Prince Dakar. They didn't tire as easily as other humans.“One more hour and we'll be out,” Camper announced to the group.“I hope there's a place we can sit our butts down?” Nana grumbled.“Well, I see sitting your butt down is very important to you. Seeing you carry a lot over there of course,” Xiao Wéi joked and the girls burst into laughter except Verona who had not smiled since the journey began. As was usual of her.“If we don't sit soon, I'm afraid I'll lose all my assets,” Nana replied. Avril slapped Nana's butt.“Nope, you're still good even if you walk the whole day,” she teased and Nana butt-kicked her. Avril wasn't expecting that move and it pushed her, making her feet unbalanced on the ground. She yelped as she felt herself desc
Avril laughed loud again and everyone rushing food at the table looked over at them. “Is there a comedy show going on there, Fiorella?” Verona asked grudgingly. “Are there any tickets left? I need a good laugh also,” Nana spoke and Chidi elbowed her. “Don't mind them. Just talk and laugh all you want. You're not bothering us,” Chidi said and glared at Nana who shrugged. She looked away and her eyes caught Camper staring at her friend in amusement. He had his fork twirling in his salad as he stared at Nana. “It's going to be too obvious that you like this girl. Put that face straight,” the new guy ordered with a frown. Everyone at the table frowned except Camper who smirked at him. The way he spoke was so authoritative and haughty. Who was he? Avril's laughter rang up again but nobody looked back at them this time. “Why are you all looking at me like I said something bad?” he questioned. “That's because you sound like a nagging mother. It doesn't suit you,”