CHAPTER FOURTYSERAFINAMy heart was pounding fiercely in my chest with fear. I could feel the sweat on my palms as I tried to remain composed, but his angry voice echoed in the room and made me shrink into myself."Did you hear me, Serafina?" His eyes were narrowed, and I could see the anger rippling across his face like a thunderstorm. I wanted to turn and run, but my neck was still solidly gripped in his hands. I gave a fervent nod in response, "Y–yes your highness." My throat felt tight with fear. His grip around my throat tightened, and I gasped, feeling the sting of his nails sinking into my skin.He glared at me for a long moment before releasing me, and I fell to the ground, my hands trembling as they reached for my throat. The pain was sharp and unyielding, but I knew I had to remain strong."Get out of the room!" His voice boomed throughout the chamber, and I scrambled to my feet, trying to pick up the scattered dishes from the ground.As I hurried out of the room, I could
CHAPTER FOURTY–ONEHERAToday was a special day for me, as I had gone shopping for new dresses that I'd been eagerly waiting to wear for King Zahir. As I made my way to my bedroom, the excitement within me rose to new heights. I couldn't wait to try them on and see which ones would look absolutely stunning on me!However, as I got closer to my room, a thought suddenly came to me. King Zahir hadn't requested to meet me in a while, and it was bothering me. My heart sank at the possibility that he may have lost interest in me, but I shook my head, trying to push away such negative thoughts.I entered my chambers , determined to focus solely on my new dresses. I picked up one of the gowns and held it in my hands, trying to imagine how it would look on me. To my frustration, though, the image of Serafina kept popping up in my mind. It always came with the wonder of it Zahir's sudden lack of attention towards me had anything to do with her.As I lost myself in my thoughts, my grip on the dr
HERAAs I threw on my long black cloak, I turned around to face Pam who had been patiently waiting in my room, looking at me with deep respect. I approached her slowly, my voice laced with authority, "Pam, I require your assistance once more. You remember what you did the other day, don't you?" Pam nodded solemnly, eager to be of service."Good. I need you to take on the gravest mission of your life." I could sense a note of apprehension in Pam's attitude, but I pushed on, "Tonight, you must guise yourself as me . The fate of my mission depends on you as well." I let my words settle in, allowing her to appreciate the criticality of our present situation. "You must lie on my bed, veil your face, and adopt all of my mannerisms. It won't be a simple task, but I believe in you. You've done it before and you can do it again" I drew closer to Pam once more, bringing my face close to hers. Her eyes, fixated on the floor, held a flicker of fear, but her resolute look showed she was ready t
SERAFINA I stirred from my slumber, my eyes still adjusting to the darkness shrouding the small, dingy room I was in. Thankfully, I was allowed to sleep in today while the other slaves went to work on the fields.I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched my limbs, my heart already racing with anxious anticipation of the daunting training that awaited me that day.As I stood up from the corner of the room where I had spent the night, the cool concrete floor beneath my feet sent shivers up my spine. The blank walls surrounding me seemed to stifle any semblance of hope or optimism, as if they were mocking me for the uncertainty and peril that lay ahead.Peering around the dimly lit room, I noted the absence of windows and the sole source of light: a small crack in the wall through which the morning sun was slowly seeping. It was as if that was the only tether to the outside world, the only hint of daylight in the otherwise gloomy space.This day would be different, I knew. This woul
SERAFINAAs I lay in bed, enveloped by the soft warmth of sleep, until it was rudely interrupted by a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I turned to see Dahlia standing over me with an expression that brooked no argument."Come on Serafina, it's time to start the day. The King would soon wake," she urged, her voice cutting through the darkness that still surrounded the quarters I groaned inwardly, the early hour jarring my senses; I was not yet used to this kind of awakening at all. I tried to bury myself under the covers, hoping to ignore Dahlia's persistent prodding.But she would not be deterred. As she shook me, her smooth voice resonated in the silence of the room, drawing me out of my slumber."You have important duties to learn today, Serafina. The King has a lot on his plate, and you need to learn how to assist him with all. So come on, get up."Finally, I acquiesced, slowly getting up, still feeling the heavy fog of sleep clouding my thoughts. "I'm not used to waking up this earl
SERAFINAAfter hours of grinding ink with Dahlia, my hands were sore and my muscles were fatigued. Dawn was fast approaching, and I slumped down on a nearby stool, longing for some rest.Dahlia marched over to her small kitchen, ringing a small bell. The sound resonated through the room like a soothing melody. She then started to prepare some tea, boiling water in a small pot over a gas stove.As the sound and aroma of brewing tea filled the room, I could smell the scent of freshly-baked bread. Its tantalizing aroma wafted in the air, making my stomach growl with hunger. Dahlia smiled, hearing my stomach's rumble."I know you're famished, dear," she said, opening her oven. "I made some breakfast for us to share, so we can satiate your hunger."I was hungry and grateful when Dahlia brought over a plate of the warm bread and cheese. It was comforting to know that the cheese was mold-free, unlike the pale and smelly ones I was used to consuming in our slave quarters. As I ate the warm b
SERAFINA I hesitated before knocking on the door to the King's quarters; after all, it was not often that a mere courtier was granted an audience with His Majesty. Yet, as a trusted advisor, it was my responsibility to inform him of the latest developments in the kingdom.I felt my heart rate quicken as I rapped on the heavy wooden door, but there was no response. "My King?" I called out tentatively, wondering if he was perhaps deep in thought or lost in contemplation.After a few moments of waiting, I knocked again- this time, with more force- yet there was still no answer. A sense of unease began to grip me; it was unlike the King to be so unresponsive, especially when he knew I was seeking an audience.I shifted from foot to foot, considering my options. Should I continue to knock, or should I take matters into my own hands and enter unannounced? Hesitating at first, I raised my hand and knocked on the King's door once more. No answer came, and my heart began to race. But still,
HERAKing Zahir's words had been haunting my thoughts for more than two weeks now. I found myself constantly pondering over his admonitions, replaying his words in my mind, and trying to decipher their underlying message. There was no way he knew, I kept telling myself each time my thoughts went to how he’d looked at me as he talked like he was in pain. Like he was disappointed. However, despite how tempted I was to reach out to him, I couldn't bring myself to reply to Lord Timothee. My guilt for trying to betray King Zahir weighed heavily on me. I didn't want to disappoint him any further, especially since he had already been let down by so many individuals before.I was determined to prove my loyalty to the king and couldn't afford to let him down. Knowing that King Zahir had placed his trust in me made me feel honored and humbled. It was a privilege that I cherished, and I knew it came with great responsibility. I couldn't bear the thought of betraying his trust, and I needed to
Yes, the book has come to and end! God, it fills me with so much joy to have finally give. This book a befitting ending☺️ I would like to say a big thank you to my readers for putting up with me and still sticking around to read my book. Special shout outs readers with the names Pab, Debra LeBaron Mixer and Chanlin Davies! Y’all are the real MVPs who also almost made me cry whenever I didn’t update and I read your comments, lol. Although I understand that it all came from a place of love for my book and I am so grateful! Thank you so much for coming on this journey with Zahir and Serafina! Now, I know some commonly asked questions. Will there be bonus chapters? Well, I’m thinking about but chances are…I won’t, lol because it will be a huge spoiler for the next book. Yes, the heard right, the next book!☺️In case you haven’t noticed, our dearest human and Lycan couple are having the first hybrid! You did not also forget the prophecy too, did you? Haha😅Well, writing the next book s
ZAHIR It was still dusk and the first morning light was yet to appear. The silence was deafening and I was sure that if I screamed, my voice was going to ring around the whole of Lycaronia. I was relieved. So relieved that everyone was able to escape. I had watched Serafina leave with King Zach and Dahlia in the carriage, not calming down until I got information that they were out of the boundaries. It was just me. Even Steven had left with the others. I had ridden him with the duty of taking care of everything until my return, if it ever happened. But I knew I had to end this once and for all so I stayed back and waited for the Prince to arrive. He was going to meet the shock of his life. I mounted my horse and rode to the eastern part of the boundary as King Zach instructed. According to him, he was going to be coming in through that direction. So I waited on my horse, rage boiling through me when I heard the sound of heavy hooves beating and drawing close to the b
ZAHIR. Several men were stationed in different parts of the border. In less than an hour, the human army had filled the whole place, coming with horses, chariots and carriages. They all helped in informing people. They went from house to house, warning the people about an impending attack while the others helped in the evacuation. Some families left with their vehicles while some were helped into carriages and transported to different Kingdoms. It was safer that way. This went on for several hours nonstop but this didn't eradicate the panic that filled my soul. I remained restless, making enquiries on how things were going on functional posts. I was assured not to worry by Steven. "Where are they being evacuated to though?" Steven asked when he returned from his inspector to give me details of what was happening. "They would have to stay in the Kingdoms for the main time. It's the only option we have because Aries is probably on his way here. We can't risk him finding
ZAHIR. It had to be a dream of some sorts because I didn't believe it was King Zach standing before us. A bigger dream that Serafina was carrying my child. If anyone told me two surprises couldn't coexist, I could easily debunk their statement with these scenarios happening before me. As soon as he set eyes on Serafina, his lips trembled as tears filled his eyes. He moved towards her, his arms spread out to wrap her in a hug but I stretched out my hand, stopping him as he made a move. "How dare you?" I asked, my voice in a low rumble. "What are you doing here? How did you get into my Kingdom?" My eyes narrowed on him. He raised both of his hands in surrender, his expression giving nothing away. "I mean no harm. I am here with good intentions." "Then state it." I gritted out, ignoring Serafina who stood beside me, moving from one side to the other. "I am here to warn you about something," He continued, then his eyes darted towards Serafina. "I am sure she know
SERAFINA. A gust of wind blew my hair forwards and I forced it back behind my ear before taking in my environment. I was standing on a pier. I recognised this immediately. Turning, I began to walk out of the pier towards the sandy beaches. I was finally back to my mother and this time, I wanted to remain here for good. I wanted to be with my mother. I was done going through all the pain and suffering and didn't want to go back anymore. Being here, right where my mother was, mattered the most to me and I was glad to finally make my way back here. I caught sight of her. She was still dressed in the same clothing. She was gathering sticks to make a fire and when she caught sight of me coming towards her, they dropped to the ground and she straightened. I stopped before her with a teary smile on my face and she pulled me into a hug. We remained in silence until she pulled away and wiped the tears off my cheek. "I want to remain here with you, mother. I don't want to go bac
ZAHIR. For days, I stayed locked up in my room, drinking my life away and inflicting pain on her when I had the chance to. It was equivalent to inflicting pain on myself but I was unable to stop myself, unable to stop this pain in my chest. Hell, I was far more miserable than she was, beating myself up each time I inflicted pain on her. But there was nothing I could do about it. I was long gone. Things had gone awry in a space of a few days since finding her rummaging my things. I had sent her out in anger and so much hurt. Hell, I had expected her to say something to pacify me at least. Something she really meant and not some stupid fucking apology. Then I thought she had escaped from the palace, unable to take more from me. It had put me through so much panic. I knew how I had searched for her while beating myself up for putting her through a lot only for her to coke running back to me herself. My anger had returned, only intensifying when I caught a whiff of an all too famili
HERA. Thunk! Sweat dropped from my brows as I kept cutting wood with a heavy ax. Well, it wasn't so heavy but with how I had moved from a position where maids were at my beck and call, this was a fucking downgrade. But that didn't really matter right now. Not even the splinter that pierced through the other surface of my skin. I pulled it out and continued to split wood, sweat pouring down my back. Once I was done, I gathered the wood in my arm and took it to the furnace where I usually cooked, dropping them all to the floor and looking down at my palm. With every passing day, it was a countdown to the tone Zahir would tire of Serafina and come back to me. Very soon, I was going to be out of this terrible place and in his arms once again. Hours ago, I'd been returning from the river after going to fetch water for my hut. It was really far away and I was so exhausted and had been on the verge of breaking down and bursting into tears. I had cursed Serafina in my mind, wish
SERAFINA. "Remain still and I'll let you go. I mean no harm." A distinct familiar voice said from behind me. I nodded and the hold was released. Turning, it was Prince Aries standing before me. My eyes widened in surprise and I blinked to be sure I wasn't seeing an apparition. I had seen a lot of that recently and I wasn't sure what to believe anymore. He smiled. "Yes, it's me. I know you don't believe but it's me, Sera, it’s Aries." "I know who you are," I blinked, taking a few steps back and wondering if I should be happy about this development or if I should feel uncomfortable. However, I couldn’t hide my shock. It’s the second time Aries has found his way into Lycaronia somehow. “How are you here?” In one move, he was standing before me, his eyes light with cheer. Then he pulled me into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around me and filling me with his warmth. I was just taking all of this in when he pulled slightly away and cupped my cheeks. His lips brushed mine in a so
SERAFINA. In a space of one day, things had fallen apart. So bad that I couldn't even pick up the pieces. I'd be thrown out of his chambers thereby, reducing me from the post of his mistress to a mere slave once again. I had returned to my room in a teary mess, trying not to think of how he had looked at me with utter disdain, like he couldn't stand me. How had he gone from being all over me to barely wanting me to be in his presence? As much as I tried not to think too much about it, I was greatly hurt by it. I couldn't stand the gossip from the maids either. Whenever I passed by a group, all they did was glance at each other, their gazes telling tales I didn't need to hear verbally. A few of them were bold enough to whisper when I passed by. I couldn't even snap at them to stop. That respect had been stripped off like it was never even there. I had lost favor in the sight of the king, they said. He must have gotten tired of me because I couldn't satisfy his needs, all