The mansion gradually fades from view as we ride farther away, the distance providing a semblance of privacy. Eventually, we slow our pace, trotting side by side along the path."Why do the Trials happen?" I finally voice the question that has been gnawing at me to Rhaenan.He remains silent for a while, as if weighing his words carefully. Eventually, he lets out a sigh, shoulders sagging slightly. "There's no need for secrecy anymore, especially since... well, you know," he says, his gaze briefly flickering to me before returning to the path ahead."Just tell me everything," I implore. "Please. I deserve to know, at least before I face whatever awaits me in that cave."Rhaenan nods, his expression distant, as if lost in his thoughts. For a moment, I think he's going to get all emotional, but he maintains his composure. He's a Fae, after all—ice runs through his veins. Over the past two weeks, I've grown fond of Rhaenan, and I believe the feeling is mutual. I can't help but wonder how
With a trembling hand, I raised my bow, eyes locked on the approaching Algoth. Despite the tremors coursing through me, I fought to maintain my composure, arrow poised to strike. The atmosphere around me grew tense, each spectator holding their breath in anticipation.As the Algoth drew nearer, I steadied my aim, heart pounding in my chest. With a swift release, I let the arrow loose, the projectile hurtling toward the creature's heart. Yet, just as it seemed destined to find its mark, the Algoth veered upward, narrowly avoiding the strike. This one was cunning, far more so than its forest kin.Inhaling sharply, I swiftly nocked another arrow, determination fueling my actions. Taking position against the iron bars, I knelt, ready to take aim once more. The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts, their voices echoing through the stadium, urging me on.As I faced the relentless onslaught of the Algoth, it dawned on me that to the spectators, I was nothing more than entertainment—a mere pa
I awoke to the eerie symphony of water dripping onto cold stone, its rhythmic cadence echoing through the dimly lit cell. The torchlight flickered weakly in the corner, casting dancing shadows on the damp walls. Struggling to orient myself, I noticed a stretcher nearby, a silent witness to my arrival, undoubtedly carried in by unseen hands and abandoned on the unforgiving floor. Every inch of my body throbbed with pain, a reminder of the harrowing encounter with the Algoth. As I gingerly shifted to my side, agony surged through my ribs, a sharp, relentless torment that threatened to overwhelm me. Gritting my teeth, I pressed a trembling hand to my injured side, feeling the jagged edges of broken bone beneath my skin. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to succumb to despair. Amidst the stench of blood, sweat, and dirt that hung heavy in the air, hunger gnawed at my stomach, yet hunger was the least of my worries in this bleak confinement.Trapped in the windowless confines of my
The eerie echo of keys rattling in the distance Sends a chill coursing through my body, and I instinctively press myself against the cold, damp wall of the cave. Time seems to crawl at a sluggish pace, stretching out like an endless abyss. It could be hours or mere minutes since I was thrown into this dark, desolate cell, but every passing moment feels like an eternity.With a heavy sigh, I slump down against the unforgiving stone floor, my back protesting against the uncomfortable position. My gaze flickers to the entrance of my cell, scanning it with cautious apprehension. The faint glimmer of torchlight dances along the corridor, casting eerie shadows that seem to shift and writhe with a life of their own.As the footsteps draw closer, accompanied by the ominous clanging of metal against metal, my heart rate quickens, anticipation coiling in the pit of my stomach like a slumbering serpent. The sound halts abruptly, leaving a deafening silence in its wake.I run a trembling hand thr
Blood pooled around the speared barricade as I turned, and the unfortunate victim trapped beneath it was a night-shaded pixie with fiery orange hair. His outstretched hands seemed to plead for help in his final moments.Tears streaked down my cheeks as I struggled to my feet. An elven guard approached, pulling Asterin away from me, and I reluctantly released her.Turning to Feathers, I glared at him through tear-stained eyes. "That pixie didn't deserve to die because of your twisted games," I spat, my voice thick with emotion."We have laws here. He broke one, so he was punished. If you have any complaints, take them up with the High Lord," Feathers retorted dismissively, his tone cold and indifferent.I shifted my gaze to the balcony, where Valen stood with his usual stoic expression. He seemed unaffected by the tragedy unfolding below. It was a cruel punishment, and his indifference only fueled my anger.With a graceful yet tense motion, he rises from his seat. "Well done, Maerwyn
I can't shake off the haunting memory of the pixie's final moments, the sound of his last cry for help echoing in my mind, and the sight of his blood staining the arena floor. My hands rub together instinctively, as if trying to cleanse the imagined stain from my consciousness.Night after night, I'm plagued by nightmares, where the looming figure of the Algoth draws closer, its monstrous form casting a shadow over me. In my dreams, my hands are bound like the pixie, rendering me powerless as it inches closer, its claws poised to strike at my heart. Each time, I'm abruptly awakened by the terror of the moment, my heart racing with fear.Curling up on the cold, damp floor of my cell, I try to steady my breathing, the remnants of dried tears clinging to my cheeks, a silent cry to the turmoil raging within me.My gaze fixates on the scroll bestowed upon me by Valen. It holds the key to my freedom, the final trial separating me from returning home to Ferngrove. "I am the bridge between
"I am the bridge between two souls..."" Hold the weight of fear and hope..."" Yet fragile..."My fingers grasp the scroll tightly, shadows dancing across the parchment in the flickering torchlight as I strain to decipher the written words. Hours pass, yet I'm still no closer to finding an answer, my mind spinning with countless possibilities.Could the bridge mentioned in the riddle be the barrier? It does separate two worlds from colliding—Kyante's domain and Lyria, along with the rest of our realm. It holds the weight of hope for Lyria's citizens and the dread of facing a demonic army.But "fragile"? How does that fit? Something forged with such immense power couldn't possibly be described as fragile. I'm puzzled by this contradiction, uncertain of how the barrier fits the description of fragility.With a sigh, I unfurl the scroll and read the riddle once more, hoping to glean some new insight.I am the bridge between two souls,In me, secrets find their goals.I hold the weight o
Everything was black for a while, and all I saw were stars. Bright, shining stars plastered on the night sky, looking so pretty. It was like I had been transported to the top of a mountain, so close to them that if I stretched my hand just a little, I'd be able to touch them.Feel them. Maybe they'd send tingles running through my body. Cool air rushed through me, startling my senses. I suddenly felt a chill, but then it was fine all of a sudden.And then there was another light. A very bright light. Was I dead? Or perhaps dying?My body didn't feel as plagued with pain as before; perhaps that was the sweet touch of death. Death is fragile. Death is painless. Death is sweet. Smoky tendrils tickled my skin, stirring me to move my lashes, but they refused to open. I tried and tried, but still, they remained shut.The soft touch continued weaving through my body before I heard a voice in my head. "Wake up, Red."My eyes snapped open in an instant. I was met with a stony ceiling and a gol
MAERWYNN POVValen leaned back in his chair, sipping from his goblet of wine with an easy confidence that seemed to have returned alongside his power. He looked around at the three of us—Rhaenan, Caelora, and me—with a hint of a smile.“We fly for the main Court in two hours,” he announced, his voice carrying an edge of excitement under its usual composure.Rhaenan lifted an eyebrow, glancing at Valen with a dramatic sigh. “So, I see the power is back. Good news, I suppose.” His gaze shifted toward me, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Whatever you did, Maerwynn, it was effective. Though, for the record, I’m not sure I want to know how it happened.”Valen chuckled, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. “Oh, I’d be more than happy to explain—”Rhaenan cut him off with a hand raised in protest. “No, no, please spare me the details. Some mysteries are best left unsolved,” he said, feigning a shudder as he threw Caelora a look of mock horror. “Besides, I’m sure it involves far too much… bo
MAERWYNN POV Shifting closer, I positioned myself so his rigid length pressed perfectly between my thighs, resting hot and heavy against my aching core. The first touch of his silken skin against my slick folds drew simultaneous gasps from us, as if we’d both felt that spark travel straight to our bones.His fingers dug into my hips, possessive and grounding, while his gaze, dark and unwavering, held mine with a smoldering intensity."Need much of an excuse to keep me here, tangled in your sheets?" I teased, my fingers brushing along the line of his jaw. "And what if I don’t want to be kept?"His lips curved into a smirk, but his reply was soft, raw. “Then I would beg,” he murmured, the hoarse edge in his voice making it sound like a confession. “For you, I would. You've utterly destroyed me, Maerwynn. Do you have any idea what you've done?”The honesty in his words hit deeper than I’d expected, swelling an ache in my own chest that words could never touch.For him, I’d beg too. I’d
MAERWYNN POV My chest still heaved with ragged breaths, heart hammering as I stumbled to my feet, barely believing what I’d just done. I looked down at the ashes scattered where the Algoth had been, the ground blackened with the remnants of the creature. The red glow, the power that had surged from me—it was like nothing I’d ever felt, a fire born from desperation and fear, and it had obeyed me.Questions flooded my mind, but answers felt distant, as if buried beneath layers of fog. The silence of the woods pressed in around me, thick and watchful, broken only by my shaky breaths. I forced myself to calm down, to take stock of my surroundings. The forest no longer felt like an ally, each shadow seeming to shift with hidden threats, branches curling like reaching hands.I stumbled back down the path, my feet barely finding their footing on the uneven ground. I needed to find Valen, to feel the warmth and safety of his embrace again, to tell him everything that had happened. But even a
MAERWYNN POV I stirred in the dark, cocooned in warmth, Valen’s arm wrapped around me like a lifeline. His breath was steady against my neck, each exhale warm, soothing, grounding me in the present. Even in sleep, he held me close, fingers curled softly around my waist, as though he knew I needed him.But there it was again—a sound, just beyond the edges of my dreams, slipping into my mind like a whisper woven into the stillness of night. It was faint, almost like the rustling of leaves, but insistent.“Maerwynn…”The voice was soft, featherlight, yet it sent a chill down my spine. I blinked, squinting through the darkness of the room, trying to ground myself, trying to ignore it, but it tugged at me, pulling me out of the warmth, out of the comfort of Valen’s embrace.I shifted carefully, untangling myself from him. His arm slid away reluctantly, his hand slipping over the sheets, fingers brushing against me as if he sensed my leaving even in his sleep. I paused, just for a moment,
MAERWYNN POV“Who is Phillian?” I asked, watching Valen as we stood alone in his study. His fingers traced the air with effortless precision, casting spells that brought books gliding off the shelves, floating momentarily before finding their rightful places again.“The Prince of Lyria,” he replied casually, his attention still on the books. “He lives in the palace at the heart of Lyria. The Cidron is with him as well.”My heart gave an eager jolt at the mention of the Cidron. I’d heard stories about it for months, but to think I’d finally see it felt surreal. My mind drifted back to the map I’d seen, with the Palace—a tiny island nestled within the vastness of Lyria—right in the center of everything. But I couldn’t help my curiosity. “Why is he called Prince?”Valen seemed to read my thoughts, a faint smile playing on his lips. “We don’t have a king. Calling someone a ‘king’ would imply ownership of all the lands. But in truth, the five Lords rule over Lyria, with the Prince as an au
MAERWYNN POVAs I stepped into the garden, the morning air kissed my cheeks, carrying the scent of jasmine and damp earth. My gaze settled on Father, standing by Valen with a familiar ease that was surprising. They looked deep in conversation, voices low, their profiles softened by the sun filtering through the trees.Seeing me, Father’s face lifted, and a warmth filled his gaze. “Maerwynn,” he called, his tone laced with pride, though something softer lingered there too. He opened his arms, and before I knew it, I was wrapped in his embrace, the strength of his hold as grounding as the roots of an ancient tree.I waited, almost held my breath, expecting him to ask why I would leave with the faeries when Ferngrove had always been my home. My place was here, wasn’t it? Among the people I’d grown up with, the quiet familiarity of this town, the humans who felt so much like family. And yet, a deeper part of me whispered otherwise.I wasn’t like them—hadn’t been for as long as I could rem
MAERWYNN POVThe days that followed were as bleak as the encroaching winter. Valen and the others were leaving today, and so was I. Ferngrove had been my home, but Lyria was now my future, not just because of my mating bond with Valen, one of its High Lords, but because unlike Ferngrove, I had earned my place there.I had fought, survived, and therefore, I deserved to live in Lyria. Besides Father and Edina, there was nothing left for me here but names like "Faerie whore." Many in the village had wondered how I survived the trials of Lyria and emerged unscathed, suspiciously close to one of its leaders.Of course, the simplest explanation they could come up with was that I had slept my way through it all. The whispers were painful, but if even Adrian—the one person I thought would stand by me—could say such a thing, then I knew it was on everyone else’s lips too.“You’re gripping that bag awfully tight,” Valen’s voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up to see him leaning casually ag
MAERWYNN POV The past week had been a blur of grief and obligation, a ceaseless parade of townsfolk pouring through the doors, offering their condolences to Edina and the rest of us. It was almost mechanical—their hushed words, their somber faces, the baskets of tidings they brought. Wine, bread, berries, carefully wrapped in cloth. Someone had even knitted sweaters and shawls, as though wool could warm the kind of cold that had settled into this house, into Edinas bones, since Lorcan’s death.I hated it—the gestures, the empty sympathy. It felt like a veil over the reality we were living in, as though these gifts could somehow patch the gaping wound left behind. But Edina needed it. She clung to those small acts of kindness, retreating behind the routine of accepting them with a tight smile, her eyes hollow and distant.Valen and the others had done what they could, vanquishing the Algoths from the woods and temporarily reinforcing the barrier. It had been a hollow victory, though.
EDINA POVDinner time had long passed, and Maerwynn still wasn’t here, despite saying she’d return by now. I busied myself, helping the servants arrange the table. Plates, napkins, cutlery—it was something to do, to keep my mind occupied. Father and Adrian hadn’t returned from the harbor either. I didn’t expect to see them until noon tomorrow at the earliest.“Water pitcher, miss,” Helena, one of the younger servants, smiled kindly as she set the pitcher down, her voice soft. I returned the smile, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes, and moved the pitcher to the center of the table, ensuring everything was perfectly in place.Satisfied with my work, I rubbed my hands together, the ring on my finger sliding smoothly as I turned it absentmindedly. A tight smile etched itself on my lips. I hadn’t expected to grow this comfortable around the Faeries, not so quickly. Perhaps it was because watching Maerwynn with them had made it seem so effortless.She was always so free with them, laughi