"When it happened, my father decided to take her to the priestesses and there we met a woman, one of the Ucrie," Elhias said, his gaze lost and his mind turned to those old memories. "A Ucria?" she asked in surprise. Elhias nodded. "She was, before she became a priestess herself." "You really saw a Ucria," Taryn said in disarray. "They're not three-headed monsters, Taryn. They are human beings like us," Elhias said with a laugh. "Didn't you ever think it could be dangerous? Could she be a spy?" "The Docria trusted her blindly, if the ancient priestess can trust a Ucria, I don't see why I shouldn't too," Elhias replied, shrugging his shoulders, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Do you realize that you trust others too much?" said Taryn in an exasperated tone. "What can I do, I like to see the good in people," he replied, winking. "What did the Ucria tell you?" Taryn immediately changed the subject. "She told us her story, but not before neutralizing me and Ai
"The Sunauras were majestic creatures and managed to defeat and seal the power of the Ucrie. They confined him, but made a small sacrifice. They also had to confine the power of all other men, they bound it to the lives of those who later became the Old Men. As long as at least one of them remained alive, that power would never be released. Left alone and defenseless, Werod had to deal only with the Sunaura. A face-to-face confrontation, but despite the great power they had, they could not defeat him. When they were almost completely annihilated, the Sunaura combined their powers and one of them collected them to defeat him definitively, creating their own Bringan. The elected used all the power in his body to seal Werod.""Seal?" asked Taryn, confused."Killing Werod was impossible, so the Chosen One simply sealed him along with all his demonic creatures," Elhias explained."But not the Ucrie.""The Ucrie were now powerless and no longer posed any threat, and then they were human. Af
AthelstanAthelstan's chambers were dark when he entered with a servant in his ribs. While Athelstan took off his belt with his sword and rested it on the wooden table, the boy moved silently from one side of the room to the other, quickly lighting candles placed throughout the large space.After finishing with the candles and lighting the room thanks to them, the servant took leave leaving him alone.Huffing, Athelstan took off his tunic from above his head, remaining with his chest uncovered, sat down in the chair and poured some wine into the cup, emptying it immediately afterwards with a single sip.He raised his head to the ceiling and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. In a few days he would come face to face with Nathan Fannil and would have to swallow all the resentment and hatred that would certainly fill him. Pretend nothing, perhaps pulling out one of his brightest smiles, trying to control the impulse that would tell him to punch him until the prince had lost consciousness
Victoria opened her lips and Athelstan slipped his tongue into it, beginning to make her play with his as he placed his hands on the girl's hips and pushed her towards the bed. Meanwhile, Victoria ran her hands over his bare chest until she reached the laces of his pants which she began to untie frantically. Arriving near the bed, Athelstan pulled his mouth off hers and made her turn her back. He moved her hair to the side and lowered the tiny shoulder strap of her dress, as he bent down to kiss her bare collarbone, unfastening her bodice with his fingers. Victoria reached out and dipped her fingers into Athelstan's red hair as he continued to lick and suck the bare skin of her neck. When he finally finished with the last lace, the dress loosened and Athelstan slid it down from her body, slowly stroking with his palms the skin that was gradually freed from the light fabric. His mouth continued his fiery battle with the skin of her neck, kissing and sucking gently while with his hand
TarynTaryn slumped to the ground, her hands between the grass, as she breathed heavily, as if she had run all the walls at least a dozen times."It is not enough," Elhias said behind her, looking at the stone giant Taryn had created."Not enough?" asked Taryn, floundering for air."Don't get me wrong, aesthetically it's nice, but you get tired too easily and you can't bring it to life. Form doesn't count if it doesn't move," replied the king, approaching the figure of motionless stone.He touched it with a fist, dropping some soil. "But maybe I asked you something too complicated," he continued, reflecting to himself.Taryn got back on her feet and summoned all the power that vibrated within her body. As Elhias watched the stone giant with a raised eyebrow, paying no attention to her, Taryn took that power and placed it inside the stone giant, praying that it would begin to move.In response, the giant moved an arm trying to hit Elhiàs but quickly dodged him, moving to the side. The
"I hadn't considered this new situation," he admitted after some silence."The brilliant mind of Aeris who didn't think of this?" asked Taryn, pretending to be upset. "What a disgrace," she continued, mocking him."I admit my lack," he said, making a blatant gesture."If you weren't too busy shaping your muscles, you'd have thought about it sooner." Taryn folded her arms to her chest and looked at him with innocence.Elhias gave a mischievous smile. "And deprive yourself of such a view?" he insinuated, pointing to his body. "Never allow me not to satisfy a lady."Taryn laughed and punched him lightly on the arm."So you're going to try again?" asked Taryn, changing the subject."Better. We will try," Elhias said, his eyes shining."But I don't know how to do anything," Taryn declared, frowning."It won't help. It will be enough for you to be there so that I can channel your power and use it as I please. Maybe the two of us can destroy that damn barrier," he said, nodding to himself."
Doreon The port of the city where they had arrived, after days of walking, was full of ships departing and even offshore. Doreon looked at the surface of the open sea and all he could see were hundreds and hundreds of ships of different sizes. Some were gigantic, capable of carrying hundreds of people, others had compartments to transport animals. The sails were colorful. Some were green, like the banners of Haefest, others were gold, like the banners of Aeris, still others blue like those of Locrand and in the distance Doreon could also see some white and gray sails like Devian's sigil of arms. "Unbelievable, isn't it?" said Pix, leaning his back against the fence and his gaze towards the ocean. The light breeze ruffled his hair. Doreon, with his elbows resting on the fence, watched the men load huge wooden crates onto the docked ships. Pix was next to him, dividing them was the fence, while the lord breathed deeply. "It looks like a fleet too big for simple reconnaissance," Dor
WildHarbor was located on the border of Locrand, a region almost forgotten by the king himself, and the lord in charge of the city practiced the dark cult, as did most of the people who lived there. It was like the neutral place for its people, where no one hunted them and where they did not have to hide the statuettes of their Gods under the floor, despite everyone hiding their nature from the king who was completely unaware of what was happening there. Pix had explained to him that the lord would be the one to perform the rite, but that he would not leave with the others, not when he was so close to the capital and when it was in turmoil. In return, he had donated ships and men so that they would have more means at their disposal. The voices of those present were muffled, and both Doreon and Pix turned their heads towards the stone stairs leading down to the pier. One man, probably Lord Manor, was descending slowly, his face solemn. He wore a milky white tunic, which he rubbed t
Aislin shook her head. "It's like talking to a wall, do you ever listen to what I tell you?" she asked, turning to him. "Of course, but there's a gulf from there to agreeing with all your decisions. You'd solve half your problems if you decided to exterminate Werod's followers from the first to the last," Doreon said honestly. Barclay arched his eyebrows, but nodded as did Blake and Lyza. Everyone felt the same way, but no one had ever dared to say it openly. Doreon didn't understand exactly what they feared. That she freaked out? That she had a temper tantrum? As if she hadn't had enough in those last few days. Aislin, stunned, looked first at her warriors, then at Doreon. "Shut up, Doreon," she repeated again, this time angrily. Silently they reached the ship they were going to use for the long journey. A rope ladder had been thrown from the bridge. As soon as their boat approached the ship, Doreon got up and rushed to help Aislin, who turned away and climbed the ladder alo
Doreon The priestess had just finished the rite and in the sea other girls were fished out by the men on the ships, ready to sail. Doreon found himself at Aislin Neyer's side, silently watching the ocean as the last rays of the sun shone on them, reflected on the crystalline surface. Behind them the warriors were silent, except Barclay who was noisily chewing a piece of dried meat, not caring in the least for the hateful noise he was making. Pix had already boarded his ship, on the orders of the commander. There was no need for all the men to be present at the ritual and then, according to the commander, that way they would arouse less suspicion that she did not want to see the men coming from Aeris. Aislin loved to play games and keeping her identity a secret for as long as possible was the game she enjoyed the most. She had sent some of the allies to the other port villages, where the other two commanders were waiting for them along with some of their men. Doreon hadn't met t
Both came out of the council chamber, while behind them she heard Kyros giving orders to go and call Queen Reanna. Sumon stood beside Nathan, as they proceeded down the corridor to the main gates from which the two rulers of the west and north would come. "What was that reaction from Athelstan?" she asked Nathan softly. "During the Summit five years ago, Taryn Fahan sneaked into Althea in secret... I think to be able to get the support of some king, but she ended up in the bed of Athelstan. Aislin told me that her brother had completely lost his mind for her, then I don't know what happened," Nathan explained, as they turned into another corridor. "Hadn't Elhias Ackard and Athelstan grown up together?" asked Taryn. Nathan shrugged. "And Elhias married the woman he is in love with?" Her husband shrugged his shoulders again. "A fiery encounter is on the horizon," Sumon reflected after a while. "And Kyros? Why that reaction?" "I have no idea, nothing good, Sumon... nothing good,"
Sumon The servants quickly placed food on the table and disappeared from the door, while Athelstan Neyer and Nathan continued to argue about the different abandoned ports of Haefest. They had been arguing for five days now and until then they had made great progress, thanks also to the fact that on the second day Kyros Neyer had arrived, something had changed and it had happened. First of all, at the head of the table, on the opposite side from Nathan, sat no longer Kyros Neyer, but his son. Athelstan seemed to have taken the reins of the situation and, since that morning, had done nothing but talk and talk, discussing peacefully with her husband, while Kyros had stood aside to listen. He had spoken a few times in the debate and had not made much of a contribution. The lords of Athelstan listened to him looking at him with devotion, nodding at whatever the prince said or proposed. Devotion that had not escaped Kyros who observed everything with a stern look. Sumon did not unders
Doreon looked at her for a moment before that name entered his mind. He froze, his breath seemed to die in his throat, while images of Nathan were going through in his head.His gaze when, under duress from Doreon himself and Damien, he had begun to tell what had happened between him and the princess of Locrand, the way in which his eyes had remained empty, after finding out about his departure. And also all the suffering of Sumon in not feeling enough, in not being able to fill the void left in Nathan.All the years he had spent watching his best friend, his brother, disintegrate before his eyes.A shiver of anger ran through him, but Doreon stopped him, so he immobilized and looked at the commander carefully."It's not possible," Doreon said in a whisper. "It's not possible. She's dead. She died five years ago." He shook his head."Do I look dead to you?" she said, bending her head to the side and pointing at herself.Doreon shook his head
DoreonDoreon sat on the ground, his back resting on the log in front of the fire, as he took the bag with wine and brought it to his lips."Damn witches!" exclaimed Barclay, sitting next to him and pulling the wine out of his hands, before bringing it to his lips.Doreon snorted annoyingly and watched as he threw himself on the ground noisily."And you'll have to put up with them all the way to Mihdel," Doreon pointed out.Barclay went through the water and began to cough, Doreon took the wine back to his lips taking a large sip."Stop complaining and provoking them, you will only increase their hatred and desire for revenge," Doreon said quietly, as she passed him the wine."Doreon is right," the commander declared behind him, before sitting down next to Doreon. "They're already uncontrollable, if you get bothered by them, I won't be able to keep them out of your throat." Doreon took the wine and pass
"Accompany him to his accommodation," he then ordered the servants, who immediately nodded.The man made a half-bow and then quietly exited the tent.As soon as he left, Elhias stood up and stepped down from the platform, running a hand through her black hair and ruffling it."What do you want to do?" asked Taryn, passing the letter to one of the lords of Elhias, before she too rose."We must go to Sierra immediately. If what I think is happening, we need to start preparing everybody.""Everybody?" asked Taryn, puzzled.Elhias nodded."And the men who will go north?" asked one of Taryn's lords."The plans will remain the same until we have certain information. The usurper will soon fall, however, and as soon as he does, we will recall the army," Elhias replied."What about marriage?" Taront asked, arching an eyebrow."We have a master in the camp, and we will celebrate him this very evening."
TarynThey had stood still for a day, waiting for the messenger from Locrand to be brought to them. Elhias had not the slightest intention of taking a step without first finding out what Locrand wanted from him.Taryn suspected that Elhias wanted to find an excuse to meet Athelstan. Surely he hoped that the message would be an invitation to Locrand, so that he could finally meet his old friend again. She knew what kind of bond united them, that they had grown up together and adored each other as brothers, and she was also aware that being forced to close ties with him had made him suffer greatly. Although Elhias never showed his emotions on the outside, Taryn could see beyond his façade. She had learned to understand it, she knew how his little head worked, and in their time together she had observed the relationship between the two princes a lot.They had always been a shadow of each other. They never separated and their thought
Nathan turned around, grabbed her by the hips and sat her down on the table, before joining their lips. Aislin immediately brought her hands into his hair and wrapped his waist with her legs, while returning the kiss passionately. Their tongues intertwined, their breaths mingled. Nathan pushed himself at her, trying to be as close as he could, as she moaned in his mouth. When they were out of breath they broke away. Nathan rested his forehead on hers and opened his eyes, meeting her sweet gaze. Aislin rubbed her nose against his and Nathan got goosebumps as his heart pounded. "I missed you," Aislin said gently, looking him in the eye and running her hands through his blonde hair. "You too," Nathan admitted, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, intoxicated with his scent. "Where did they move you?" he asked, stroking her behind her back. Aislin pulled her forehead off his forehead and Nathan opened his eyes. The princess bent