SERAFINA I trudged behind the horses, my legs heavy and my body weary. Every step felt like a hammer was ruthlessly hitting my bones, as I struggled to keep pace with the relentless pace set before me. The gravelly path beneath my worn-out sandals provided little relief – at least, my feet were covered and were not going to be sored with injuries. But with each passing moment, my exhaustion grew.My stomach growled, a reminder of the gnawing hunger that plagued me. The thought of a warm meal and a soft bed felt like a distant dream. A really distant one, as it was not as if any of those were waiting for me by the time I return back to the palace. Or if I return back to the palace, I do not know the purpose of Zahir taking me to wherever he was taking me too. The man was too unpredictable, dangerously unpredictable at that.Confusion swirled within me as I contemplated Zahir’s request for me to accompany him. Why would he want me by his side on this journey? It was a puzzle I coul
ZAHIR As we ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with an otherworldly energy. The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting ethereal patterns on the forest floor. I pressed forward, my guards following close behind, we treaded upon the moss-covered ground, our steps purposeful and determined.The sorceress had said to acquire the rare crystal, celestial herbs, and the tears of a sacred nymph. These were the crucial ingredients needed for the alleviation spell that could ward off the impending plague threatening my kingdom. These where ethereal items and could only be gotten deep into the forest, where the enchanted dwelt. You could feel the presences of greater forces and elememts, something beyond the realm of mortal understanding. The air carried a faint scent of divine essence, as if the very breath of ancient magic caressed my senses.My gaze scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs or clues that would lead us to our desired treasures. Th
ZAHIRSerafina, Steven and I returned back to the camp and by the time we did, everyone had packed up the tents and we were ready to resume our search. I noticed that as we made our way back to the camp with she beside me, the voices seemed to fizzle away and I was with a clear head once more. Superb, but it got me thinking for the umpteenth time; what was it about this woman that somehow was able to calm me down? What did she possess? It was truly a mystery, but I didn’t want to dwell on it; despite the fact that she was crucial for my well–being, I couldn’t bring myself to tolerate her. Well, now that she was nearby, I believe I shouldn’t have any cause for worries now. My attention spiraled to Serafina, who was seated on a rock underneath a tree. She looked weakened and in pains as she hugged herself, trying to keep warm. She was obviously cold, and most likely hungry – definitely, I don’t think she has eaten anything since we got here. I turned to Steven, who was right beside
SERAFINAAs the began to pour relentlessly, we sought refuge within the depths of the cave. It was the same cave at which the Cloaked Lycan and I stayed in, and having been in there for some time, I had memorized the interior quite a bit. I hurriedly scoured the cave, my eyes searching for a suitable spot to rest and wait out the storm. Finally, my gaze settled upon a large rock nestled against the cave wall. It seemed sturdy enough to provide us with some respite. I made my way towards the rock, my steps careful on the slippery ground. It seemed okay, and manageably comfortable as well. I turned around and faced Zahir, “Come, your majesty. Let us sit here.” I said to him, hoping that he would follow my lead. His hesitation was evident, his eyes guarded and distant. Nevertheless, he gave a reluctant sigh and complied, his presence towering beside me.We sat upon the rock, our figures huddled together. I could feel the tension radiating from him, why did he fear the rain so much?T
SERAFINA I stood there, my heart pounding in my chest, as Zahir’s sudden display of vulnerability took me by surprise. The powerful and feared Lycan king had shown a brief moment of fear. It was a side of him I had never witnessed before, and it sent a jolt of shock through me.In that fleeting moment, his hardened expression softened, his eyes widening with a flicker of uncertainty. It was as if he, too, was momentarily caught off guard by his sudden actions. Almost as quickly as it had come, Zahir regained his composure. He forcefully shoved me to the side, dismissing the moment as if it never happened. The impact of his push almost sent me stumbling ofr the rock.I watched as he resumed his usual commanding presence, his stern expression firmly in place. It was as if that fleeting vulnerability had been swallowed up by his inherent strength, buried deep within his unwavering façade. The deafening silence that followed, enveloped the cave, allowing my thoughts to consume me as I
SERAFINA I led the way, running as fast as my legs could carry as I navigated the forest, finding my way back to where I had seen the bright light. In my heart, I silently wished that the nymphs were still there, or else I would end up making a fool of myself. Zahir would lash at me and may even punish me for leading them on to another fruitless result. So I really hoped and prayed that they were still there as the nymphs had a tendency to change their locations easily. After long minutes of running through the forest, I finally started to see the shades of light densely illuminating the path ahead. I knew that light. I breathed a sigh of relief as we were getting very close. Eventually, I got to the path where the great light originated from. The area was blocked with bushes and leaves extending from nearby trees, covering the entrance. I paused, turning back to face the rest of the entourage. "We have arrived. This is the place I saw the nymphs." I said and then I spun arou
SERAFINA After nearly a day's worth of journey, we finally arrived at the palace. And I never thought I'd ever say this, but I was somewhat glad to be back.Despite the cold floors, vigorous work and unpalatable food, at least there was a roof over our head. At least, we got to sleep in buildings and not somewhere deep in the forest where bugs and pests never granted us peace.The next morning after we returned, I was back at my duties, resuming my job as Zahir's personal maid. I went into his chambers and did my usual routine – sit by his feet and grind the ink.He never said a word to me all through my stay there, he had even murmured a half–hearted reply to my greetings.I had expected that after what happened in the forest, he would at least be more welcoming to me. Not that much really happened between us, but I helped him find a crucial item. That should at least warrant me a level of positive reception.But I guess Zahir wasn't one to care about any of those.Well, that was
HERAI stood by the windows in my quarters, leaning against the frame as I stared out into the space. My mind has been occupied with the same fucking thing for the past week: The King, Serafiana and their trip to the forest that for some reason, Zahir had not deemed fit to invite me to. The mere thought of King Zahir and Serafina going anywhere together filled me with immense and raw rage. I felt a pinching sting against my palms and I looked to my sides, seeing that I had been squeezing the curtain drapes so hard in frustration, I had not even realized. With an annoying grunt, I let go of the fabric and turned away from the windows, facing my mirror now and beholding the annoying scrunch I had on my face.What was even more annoying about the entirety of this ordeal was the fact that I had seen them together – yes, I had seen them. I followed them and secretly kept watch of the entourage as they made their way through the forest, looking for the items to avert the plague.I saw th
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