Violet The day of the trial came sooner than I expected. The grand courtroom was cold, its marble walls reflecting the light filtering in through the large stained glass windows. The judgment panel sat in their elevated positions, with Owen at the center, his expression unreadable. Beside him, the
They kissed passionately, ripping clothes off. He shoved her against the wall. On the other screen, I found myself walking to the back room and sinking onto a set of chairs. I looked in pain. Light circled around me and turned dark. The lights flickered. I looked terrible, losing all color in my fac
Violet Owen looked furious as the lead judge continued to speak. “Lucas of Twining River is ordered to formally reject Violet Donovan as his mate at temple,” the judge declared. “Furthermore, Darkmoon will be returned to her effective immediately. Any holdings or assets wrongfully transferred to
“Thank you,” I said, inclining my head respectfully. Owen’s frustration was evident, though he said nothing. Lucas, on the other hand, looked furious. His eyes darted from side to side nervously. The court session ended with Owen’s decree to hold the judgement for further review. My lawyers requ
Violet The ride back to Midnight was uncomfortably quiet. Theodore’s presence beside me only amplified my irritation as I scrolled through the latest headlines about the court case. He was silent and oddly brooding. To be fair, I wasn’t that happy either. The images were everywhere: Lucas’ smug
“... I hear the Uncrowned King is all kind of adventurous,” she teased. My face heated. Theodore glanced at me, he smirked. His eyes gleamed and I scowled at him. “Not funny,” I said. She laughed in my ear and I sighed. “Keep looking. And find out who facilitated the purchases. I want names. The
Violet Before I knew it, the day of the Luna ceremony had arrived, and the entire Midnight Park hotel was alive with energy. Guests from across the nation, and even a few international figures, poured into the grand venue. It was an opulent spectacle—lavish floral arrangements in deep Midnight blu
A part of me wanted to laugh at how different this was from the last time I’d been in a bridal suite. By comparison, preparing for Lucas had felt like walking into a trap, my heart warring with the unease of it. Back then, I’d just wanted to make my father happy at last, but I wasn’t sure if he was
Violet’s POVPart of me wondered it not worrying Theo was an excuse. If the years with Lucas not being the partner I needed had subconsciously trained me to stay independent. To never lean on anyone, even temporarily, because they couldn’t be trusted to hold me up. Even still, Theo was right. So I
We pulled out of our kiss, my head dizzy with love and hope. We would find the answers we needed. We would find a future together.“You said there were answers to four questions.” I looked between the two of them, tallying the three they’d already shared. “What’s the fourth?”Violet thought for a mo
Theodore’s POV“Alari, please wake up!”I held Violet’s head in my lap, her jaw terrifyingly slack. I dared a glance at the High Priestess who had collapsed in a heap at the same time that Violet’s body had gone completely limp. “High Priestess?!”This wasn’t happening.I reached for my phone, thank
Theodore’s POVIn one breath, the love of my life laying still in the grass let out a gut-wrenching scream and the High Priestess dropped to her knees. I lunged for my wife but was thrown back by an invisible force. When I pulled myself upright, the High Priestess had a hand outstretched, clearly us
Auntie folded her hands in front of her. “Altrosis is an attempt to control magic enough to pin it down and examine it. One could more easily pin down the wind.”As if to illustrate her point, a cool breeze swept through the clearing, though not a hair on Auntie’s head swayed in its drift.“Magic is
Violet’s POVThe jungle outside the village my family lived in was beautiful. It was lush and alive, humming with magic like the air itself was breathing. I had only visited this village and its surrounding area a few times in my life, but I’d always made time to come stand among the ferns and frond
By the Goddess, Violet had been right to send me down here. When we pulled out of the hug, she cupped my face in her hands, worry clouding her eyes. “Are you safe, boy?”My brows furrowed in confusion. She sighed and let go of my face.“I’m sorry, I’ve just always worried for you so, especially aft
Theodore’s POVIt felt wrong walking away from Violet when we had so little time together as it was. But she did need to rest. And she had made a good point about whoever knew my mom possibly having answers we needed.Marcy led me to the front porch and the woman who waited there. “If you’d like to
Theodore’s POVMy chest constricted at Marcy’s words and at the sympathy in her eyes that I hadn’t seen before this moment. Someone who knew my mother…My stomach churned with emotions: the pain of my mother’s loss, the joy in possibly finding out more about her, and the fear of Violet’s and my futu