“Lily, stop! Please!” Eric’s voice was desperate as another wave slammed into me, knocking me back for the tenth time. I was exhausted, but I didn’t care. That was until Eric stepped directly into my path, blocking me.“Move out of my way,” I said, my voice laced with warning.“No, this is insane!” he shot back, but his words only stoked the fire of my anger.“Why is it insane? Let me guess—you don’t think I can make it to Terranovae, do you?” I asked, staring him down. He avoided my gaze, and that hurt more than the waves ever could. He didn’t even have a shred of faith in me.“Lily, I’m just worried about you! I don’t know what that dragon told you, but the skills he taught you? They’re useless! He’s just setting you up to get yourself killed. Let’s go back to the shore. You’re soaked, you’re freezing—please!” He reached out to touch me, but I stepped back, anger flaring.I stared at him in disbelief. How could he say that to me? “I don’t need you to worry about me, Eric! Worry abou
“Lily, Lily, wake up!” A voice whispered in my ear. My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with nothing but darkness. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head.I couldn't understand what was happening or where I was. Looking around, I couldn't pick up a single sound or light. But the strange thing was—I was still floating. Then it hit me. I was still beneath the sea. Panic shot through me as I immediately swam up to the surface, but that only made my fear intensify.Nothing made sense. When I reached the surface, the moon that once shone brightly on the sea’s horizon was gone, leaving me and the vast body of water swallowed in total darkness.But the moon wasn’t the only thing missing—the storm had vanished too, leaving the sea eerily silent. A chilling stillness settled over me, and worst of all, I was completely lost, with no way of finding my way back to shore.I turned left, then right, but all I could see was endless water stretching around me. A shiver ran down my spine as pa
"Michael, wait up! Mum says we need to come home together.""I know, Lily, but you need to keep up.""I'm trying, but you're way too fast. And besides, why didn’t Dad pick us up today?""Because it’s your birthday. Dad is helping Mum at home—I’m sure of it.""Are you sure? Or is he just in another meeting?""I don’t know, Lily. But Mum wants us to take the bus home.""This birthday is going to suck if Dad isn’t around.""You invited your friends, right?""I’m not like you, Michael. You have friends. You’re smart and cool. But no one wants to be friends with a freak like me.""That’s not true, Lily. And you need to stop saying things that are way beyond your age.""Way beyond my age? Michael, I’m turning eleven today. I’m not a child anymore. Complaining about not having friends isn’t something beyond my age."I sighed in frustration. Why does she always have to be so sharp? It’s always been like this with Lily, and honestly, that’s one of the things I love most about her."I’m not say
Michael left, shutting the wardrobe doors behind me. The space was too small, too tight—I could barely breathe. My knees were pressed to my chest, and the scent of wood mixed with my own sweat filled my nostrils. Time dragged on, stretching into what felt like forever. My heart pounded so loudly I was afraid someone might hear it.I wanted to stay hidden like Michael told me, but fear and curiosity gnawed at me. I couldn't take it anymore. With shaky hands, I pushed the wardrobe door open and climbed out. My feet barely made a sound as I crept toward the bedroom door, every step feeling heavier with dread.Slowly, I opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. My body trembled, but I forced myself to keep going. I had to know what was happening. I had to see.Reaching the top of the staircase, I gripped the railing and peered down.Mum and Dad were on their knees, their hands restrained by two men. My breath caught in my throat. A woman I had never seen before sat before th
I woke up after the worst nightmare, my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes darted around, and I found myself inside my room. A wave of unease washed over me. Without wasting a second, I rushed outside to find my mum, but the entire house was eerily silent.“Mum! Mum!!” I called out, but there was no response.Swallowing the growing fear, I walked to her room and knocked. No answer. With trembling hands, I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open—only to find an empty room. My breathing grew shallow. Something was wrong.Panic set in as I ran upstairs to find Michael, but his room was empty too. My chest tightened. Everyone was gone. I was alone.“Mum! Dad! Michael!” I screamed, my voice breaking as tears blurred my vision.Then, I heard it—footsteps approaching. My entire body froze. Slowly, I turned around, and there she was—the lady in the red dress. She stood in front of me, laughing like a maniac. The sound of her laughter echoed around me, growing louder and louder until it
Lily’s POV"Lilly! Lilly! Wake up, you log of wood!" Annabella’s shrill voice pierced through my ears as she screamed beside me.I groaned, reluctant to leave the comfort of sleep, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Anastasia standing at the door, arms crossed with an unimpressed expression. Of course, the twins. They made my mornings a living nightmare, and today was no exception."You’re in so much trouble," Annabella sneered, her lips curling in disgust. "Mum told you to wake up earlier, and it’s already 6:30 a.m. Yet, here you are, still sleeping like some useless princess."I sighed, pushing myself up from the bed and walking past them without a word. There was no point in arguing—I had learned that the hard way.It’s been eleven years—eleven whole f*cking years—since I was washed up by the sea and found by a kind farmer who took me in. But instead of the life I hoped for, he died, leaving me with his wife, who has done nothing but turn my life into a living hell alongside her chil
"You weren't supposed to eat from the stand, and even if you do, you need to pay for it.""I will pay for it; I just need to wait until I receive my money, and then I will pay.""Are you trying to get me sacked? If you were going to eat the burger, you were supposed to pay," Sam said, sounding like I stole the burger."I told you I would pay. I just need to get my money, and I will.""Get your money? When I'm sacked?" she asked with so much anger in her eyes. She was causing a scene as people started taking an interest in our conversation."I will pay for the burger; there is no need to be all aggressive." I looked up to see a guy standing in front of me.He handed his credit card to Sam, which she took and glared at him. I didn't know what to say; before I could say thank you to the guy, he was gone.“You are so d*mn lucky,” Sam said as she brushed past me.I was trying as much as possible to hold back my anger. The rest of the day went in a rather terrible direction for me.Immediat
I walked home feeling more devastated than I was this morning. I walked inside only to find the house that I left so clean and sparkling in a total mess.I was trying to pretend like I didn't see a thing and headed to my room for a quick nap, but Annabella and Anastasia decided to approach me.“Hope your salary is complete, or you better start packing because once Mum returns, you are going to hand over that money.”“Why should I do that?” I am done condoning all this nonsense. I walked closer to both of them because I really needed an answer.“Did you just talk back to me?” Anastasia asked.“Yes, I just did. So what are you going to do about it?” I asked, approaching her, and she backed away immediately, her face looking terrified.“Gosh, I never knew you had grown so many wings." Annabella stepped in to defend her sister, but I was so done with them.I didn't hesitate as I grabbed a handful of their hair and dragged them towards the kitchen as they screamed.“Who messed up my kitche
“Lily, Lily, wake up!” A voice whispered in my ear. My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with nothing but darkness. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head.I couldn't understand what was happening or where I was. Looking around, I couldn't pick up a single sound or light. But the strange thing was—I was still floating. Then it hit me. I was still beneath the sea. Panic shot through me as I immediately swam up to the surface, but that only made my fear intensify.Nothing made sense. When I reached the surface, the moon that once shone brightly on the sea’s horizon was gone, leaving me and the vast body of water swallowed in total darkness.But the moon wasn’t the only thing missing—the storm had vanished too, leaving the sea eerily silent. A chilling stillness settled over me, and worst of all, I was completely lost, with no way of finding my way back to shore.I turned left, then right, but all I could see was endless water stretching around me. A shiver ran down my spine as pa
“Lily, stop! Please!” Eric’s voice was desperate as another wave slammed into me, knocking me back for the tenth time. I was exhausted, but I didn’t care. That was until Eric stepped directly into my path, blocking me.“Move out of my way,” I said, my voice laced with warning.“No, this is insane!” he shot back, but his words only stoked the fire of my anger.“Why is it insane? Let me guess—you don’t think I can make it to Terranovae, do you?” I asked, staring him down. He avoided my gaze, and that hurt more than the waves ever could. He didn’t even have a shred of faith in me.“Lily, I’m just worried about you! I don’t know what that dragon told you, but the skills he taught you? They’re useless! He’s just setting you up to get yourself killed. Let’s go back to the shore. You’re soaked, you’re freezing—please!” He reached out to touch me, but I stepped back, anger flaring.I stared at him in disbelief. How could he say that to me? “I don’t need you to worry about me, Eric! Worry abou
I walked into the sitting room and found Lily on the couch, her figure slouched as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. She seemed lost in thought, so much so that she didn’t notice me enter.It took a moment before she finally looked my way, and the exhaustion in her eyes hit me like a punch to the chest. Guilt twisted inside me, sharp and unrelenting, as I realized how much pain I might have caused her. I opened my mouth to apologize, to say something—anything—but the words refused to come out.“I see you’re ready. Let’s go. I’m sure Jess and Alex are already waiting for us,” she said, her tone flat, her eyes distant. She didn’t wait for a response as she walked past me and headed outside. All I could do was quietly follow her, the weight of her coldness pressing down on me.When we reached the car, I moved to open the front passenger door for her, hoping she’d sit beside me. But instead, she slipped into the backseat without hesitation, creating an invisible barrier
I stared at him, utterly confused. What is he talking about?“How do you usually do that?” he asked, his eyes scanning me intently.“Do what?” I replied, unsure of what he meant.“How do you always walk in without me hearing you? You did it in the bathroom, and now again. I wouldn’t even have known you were standing behind me if it weren’t for your scent calling my attention to you.” His words made me frown as I instinctively sniffed the air and glanced toward the bathroom, trying to understand what he was referring to.“You smell so good, and I can’t help but admit that your scent was the first thing that kept me grounded—especially the night we met. You know, after witnessing the death of Eric’s parents, it awakened a fierce, protective side of me. A side that always wants to keep him safe. A side that wants to keep us safe.”His confession didn’t just leave me stunned—it set a whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind.“What? Did you just say you witnessed what happened to Eric’
I stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting with the hem of my swimsuit. It felt like it exposed far too much of my body, leaving me vulnerable and self-conscious. Maybe I should’ve ordered something more modest, but it was too late to change that now. With a deep sigh, I grabbed my bathrobe and headed to the pool, knowing Eric’s dragon side was already waiting for me.A part of me wished Eric, the calm and composed version of him, was in control. But deep down, I knew this was my chance to connect with his dragon side, no matter how intimidating he could be.When I reached the pool, he was already in the water, sitting casually with his back to me. The tattoo on his back drew my attention immediately, as it always did, its intricate details glimmering in the dim light. He must have sensed my presence because he turned to face me, his glowing green eyes locking onto mine. A smirk curved his lips, an expression so different from Eric’s usual demeanor that it made my heart skip a beat.Hi
“Lily, is not going to be easy,” Jess said, but that was not what I wanted to hear.“It has never been easy, Jess, and I’m done waiting around for some miracle when we can end this. What I need right now is everyone’s support. With you, Alex, and Eric, I believe I can do it,” I said, taking her hands in mine. I needed her to see how much I wanted to get this done.“Lily, I believe you can do this, but we don’t have much time. We need to make it back to Terranovae before Eric’s second transformation. I spoke to Eric’s dragon side, and it wants us to find the heart before the second transformation, or both the dragon and Eric will be lost. If that happens, a beast shall be born. It doesn’t matter if Eric or the dragon is in control—they will both go wild because they’ve been together since birth,” Alex said, leaving Jess and me staring at him.“Okay, I’ll help you, but first, I need to heal myself. I can’t help you if I’m this weak,” Jess said, and in that moment, all I wanted was to hu
Just as I suspected, Lily was still sitting in the exact spot she had been when I left earlier. But now, she looked far worse—her face blotchy and swollen, as though she'd been crying the entire time.Eric stood silently at the doorway, his eyes fixed on her. He looked utterly heartbroken, his pain written plainly across his face as he watched Lily in her despair. She hadn’t noticed our presence yet, lost in the dark cloud of her thoughts.And then, her head lifted, her glassy eyes locking with mine for a brief moment before shifting to Eric. Recognition flared in her gaze, and in the next heartbeat, she flew into his arms.Understanding they needed this moment, I stepped out of the room, giving them the space they so desperately needed. I headed toward the sitting room in search of Jess.When I walked in, I found her curled up on the couch, her legs hugged tightly to her chest. Even in sleep, exhaustion clung to her like a heavy weight, her face taut with tension. The sight of her vu
I watched as an enraged roar tore from the dragon’s mouth, reverberating through the water like a violent storm. His massive body shifted with a rippling motion, scales shimmering ominously from his head down to his long, spiked tail. In one swift movement, he swung the deadly appendage toward me.The sharp, menacing spikes aimed my way forced me to dart aside, narrowly avoiding his weapon. He charged at me with terrifying speed as I swam deeper into the sea, frantically searching for a place to hide. My gaze landed on a large rock near the ocean floor, and I surged toward it. But before I could reach it, the dragon beat me there, cutting off my escape.His wings unfurled, creating a shadow that enveloped me, while his spiked tail lashed menacingly through the water. Those piercing green crystal eyes locked onto mine, burning with fury. The intensity of his glare was suffocating, a silent declaration of his rage. He didn’t just see me as prey—he saw me as an enemy.I had nowhere to ru
“No, no, no, we need to find him! Alex, do something!” Lily's frantic cries filled the room. Her face was a portrait of horror, her pale skin only adding to the starkness of the moment. Tears streamed down her face, and her breath came in sharp gasps, the kind that made my chest tighten with worry. I feared she might pass out if she didn't calm down.“Lily, please, look at me. I need you to calm down!” I pleaded, my voice trembling with urgency as I reached for her. But she recoiled, her body trembling violently, only intensifying my concern. I turned toward Jess, who had been standing behind me, silent and distant. The look on her face told me she was too devastated to help.Why is Eric doing this to me? Everything is spiraling, and I'm losing control. How am I supposed to handle Jess, let alone Lily?Before I could even try to speak, Jess moved toward Lily, gently approaching her before pulling her into a tight hug.“It’s okay, we’ll find him. But I need you to calm down,” Jess said