Caelora’s fingers danced in the air, and the small ball of water hovering in her palm began to expand. It swirled and shimmered, catching the light like liquid silver. I held my breath as the ball grew larger, its surface rippling and distorting until it no longer looked like water at all but a perfect window into another world.The room dimmed, the only light now coming from the water sphere. I felt a chill in the air, as if a storm was brewing inside that small orb. My eyes were fixed on it, heart pounding in my chest. The sphere trembled for a moment, then settled, and the vision began to take shape.Within the orb, dark shadows spread across the landscape like spilled ink, seeping into every corner of Lyria and beyond. A desolate, forsaken land came into view, the vibrant greens and golds of the forests replaced by a sickly, grayish hue. The sky above was dark, choked with clouds, and from those clouds, the Algoths poured down like rain—more than I had ever imagined. Their twisted
The dining hall was thick with an uneasy tension as we gathered around the long oak table. The room itself felt smaller than usual, the flickering firelight casting long shadows over the walls, only adding to the palpable discomfort that hung in the air. Valen and the other Faeries had taken their seats opposite us, their presence unsettling the household staff, who couldn’t stop glancing nervously in their direction.I shifted in my chair, my eyes flitting across the table. Father sat at the head, his jaw set, as though he were trying to suppress the chaos still raging in his mind from the vision we had just witnessed. Edina, sitting to his right, toyed with the edge of her goblet, her brow furrowed in thought. Across from her, Rhaenan sat stiffly but still managed to look at ease and at home with a lingering smile on his face. And beside him, Valen’s wings were folded tightly against his back.The silence was almost unbearable, broken only by the soft rustle of the servants bringin
The cool night air wrapped around me like a soothing balm as I stepped out into the gardens, leaving the weight of the dining hall behind. The stone path beneath my feet was still warm from the sun's rays earlier in the day, but now, the air was crisp with the first signs of autumn. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the sprawling garden, and the scent of jasmine clung to the breeze, mingling with the earthy aroma of damp soil and leaves. I inhaled deeply, trying to ease the tightness in my chest.I walked aimlessly for a few minutes, the soft rustling of leaves my only company. The garden was one of the few places I still found peace, its old oaks and flowering shrubs familiar and comforting. This was my second favorite place to be when I was younger besides sitting in my room reading books and journals. I was never prepared for the life we had moving to out old cabin home close to the woods. It felt like overnight, we had lost everything after mother died.
Adrian stepped into the garden, his normally composed expression faltering as he took in the sight before him. His sharp blue eyes, usually so cold and calculating, widened slightly as they landed on me—on Valen and me—standing so intimately close. His gaze flicked to Valen’s hand still resting possessively on the small of my back, the lingering heat of our kiss unmistakable in the air between us. For a moment, he just stood there, his face a mask of surprise, but I didn’t miss the flash of something darker—jealousy, perhaps—that briefly clouded his features.“Adrian,” I said, my voice wavering as I pulled away from Valen, though his hand remained, gently but firmly holding me in place. I could feel the tension radiating from Adrian, though his expression had already shifted back to its usual stoic indifference. Still, the way his jaw clenched betrayed him.“I didn’t realize I’d be interrupting…” Adrian’s voice was smooth, almost too calm, as his eyes fixed on Valen with a sharpness t
EDINA POVI sat in the drawing room, my fingers tracing absent patterns on the arm of the chair. The fire crackled in the hearth, its warmth barely enough to chase away the cold tension that had settled over everything since the dinner. That vision, the glimpse of war, of destruction—it haunted me. I could still see the flames licking at the sky, the screams echoing in my ears. The Faeries, their presence unsettling, and the way they spoke of it all, like it was just another game, another battle in their endless lives. And Rhaenan—his smug face flashed in my mind, that moment when he had come to take me as tribute, like I was some prize to be handed over.The door creaked open, and I stiffened. Speak of the devil. Rhaenan entered the room with that same cocky smile, his dark hair catching the glow of the firelight. His steps were light, almost predatory, and I couldn’t help but feel a chill run down my spine.“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice dripping with humor. “The lady of the ho
MAERWYN POVThere was a chill in the air the next morning. The air, crisp with the lingering scent of dew and the promise of autumn, I tugged at the hem of my cloak as I stepped outside. My breath puffed in delicate clouds before me, dissipating as quickly as it formed. The sky above was a patchwork of gray, softening the horizon where the first fingers of dawn stretched across the land. The world seemed hushed, as if it held its breath, waiting for something to stir.I pulled her cloak tighter, the weight of the morning pressing against my chest. The familiar hum of the mansion behind me faded into the background, replaced by the rhythmic crunch of my feet on the floor. I spotted Father speaking with a man just beyond the gates, their voices too low to hear. For a moment, I hesitated, debating whether or not to join them. My stomach twisted with unease, though I wasn’t quite sure why. Something about the way Father’s posture was more rigid than usual put me on edge.Before I could m
MAERWYNN POVI felt Valen before I even saw him—a presence so overwhelming, it stole the breath from my lungs. He swooped in from behind, strong arms wrapping around me as he lifted us effortlessly into the air, suspending us a few feet above the ground. The world seemed to pause for a moment, my heartbeat quickening at the sensation.A grin tugged at my lips the moment I saw his face, his familiar smile chasing away the lingering tension. "It was hard not waking up to see you this morning," he murmured, his voice like a warm current pulling me in.“Probably for the best,” Caelora’s voice cut in, her wings flapping lightly as she descended beside us, her feet touching the ground with a delicate grace. She gave Valen a sidelong glance, her sharp eyes glinting. “Gotta behave for daddy dearest. Right now, he looks like he wants to murder you whole. If he finds out you've taken his daughter, this deal is off."Her words snapped me back to reality, the weight of the situation settling over
MAERWYNN POVWhile the others lingered outside, waiting so as not to overwhelm the council members all at once, Valen moved with purpose, taking a seat at the table opposite the council. It was predictable—the way the councilmen clustered together on one side, leaving the other side completely vacant for him. Valen, however, didn’t seem to mind. In fact, I could tell by the subtle smirk tugging at the corners of his lips that he was enjoying their discomfort. There was something in the way he observed them—how they cowered and whispered—that made me roll my eyes internally.Father stood and moved to the podium, but even then, most eyes were still glued to Valen until he drew attention by clanging two steel rods together sharply. "I welcome you all, and some," he added, eyeing Valen carefully, "to this meeting."I felt my attention wander, slipping from the tension-filled room to where Adrian and Lorcan stood by the wall, silently observing. Adrian’s gaze lingered on me for a moment to