Lily's parents were both relieved and worried when they saw Don. Before he came back, they had thought he ran away, again, to have some time to himself - like he has had multiple times - so they didn't bother sending anyone to look for him or anything. They knew he'd be back. Rebekah did call him occasionally, but his line never went through. Oh well, that's why he wanted a getaway. Of course his phone won't go, she said to herself.Though, Henry was annoyed he decided to leave during a crucial time and without his permission, Don was always the nonchalant son to them. He always came back.But this time he came back, they knew where they thought he left to wasn't where he had been all this while.Rebekah had lingered around in his ward, also concerned about his health and what he displayed a few days ago when he arrived back in that state. She couldn't help but ask herself about where he had really been, why he had not even tried to reach them, and the terrible things he went through
"Haven't you done enough, Don? Not only have you betrayed us but now you're reopening old wounds and trying to plant false hope in madam's heart. Have you no shame? No heart?!""Audrey!" Rebekah's voice was louder than she intended, "Who let you in here?! And why would you come in here without my permission to interrupt my conversation?""Forgive me, madam, but I was let in by the guards. I wanted to come see how you were doing after I told you about Lily's fate only for me to walk into this - Don trying to rub salt on your fresh wounds. I couldn't just stand and watch him without doing anything!" Audrey was thrilled in her mind. Her acting skills were getting off the charts!"But why would you accuse him of giving me false hope when you yourself told me you weren't sure that…" Rebekah's eyes started to fill with tears.Audrey walked closer to them. "I only said so because I didn't want it to hurt so badly, madam. I'm sorry, I could've told you the bitter and sad truth. I saw what I s
~NARRATOR'S POV~The day was going slowly as usual. The warriors trained, some patrolled around the gate while Lily's parents worried endlessly about their daughter, even though they tried to distract themselves with idle tasks.Out of the blue, some loud chattering was heard from the gate.Rebekah and Henry looked at each other in thought, both of them silently hoping it wasn't what or who they thought it was.A guard came in, "Sir! Jaxon is back!"That sentence alone made Henry jolt up from his seat. Jaxon? The same Jaxon everyone thought had died or had ran away?"Bring him in now!"Jaxon stumbled into the room by the support of the guards, his clothes torn and his face bruised. Henry stood looking shocked and Rebekah rushed to him."Jaxon! Good lord, I thought you were dead! Where in the world have you been? What happened to you?" Lily's father demanded, his voice carrying both anger and worry.Jaxon took a deep breath, "I was injured during the battle…" he said, exhausted."We ha
~LILY'S POV~Leo paced back and forth in front of me, his eyes burning with curiosity and something more sinister. The room felt stifling, the air heavy with tension as I knew he was preparing to interrogate me about the power I had just unleashed. My wrists were still bound, and I could feel the cool metal of the chains digging into my skin."So, Lily," Leo began with a voice filled with false sweetness, "care to explain that little display of power? I must admit, I'm rather intrigued."I refused to let fear seep into me. I met his gaze with a defiant glare, "I don't owe you any explanations, Leo. You have no right to question me."Leo chuckled darkly and narrowed his eyes at me. "Ah, but you see, my dear Lily, I have every right. As your captor, it is my duty to unmask the depths of your abilities. Your power is far greater than I had imagined. I really have underestimated you."I clenched my fists, the chains rattling against my skin. "What do you want from me, Leo? Why the fuck ar
Jaxon sat with Aunt Cecelia, his foster mother, in their cozy home. She looked at him with concern etched on her face and he noticed, making him flash a teasing smile, "Mom, why the face? You've been looking at me like that since I got back.""Who the hell told you it was a good idea to follow a whole army of vampires back to their have? Don't you think before you do things sometimes?" She complained."Oh mom, I was only performing my duty.""Which kind of duty is that? Nobody has done it and you thought you could because you're some super hero, right?""Mom, I'm here and I'm fine. That's all that matters." He said and held her hands in his."You don't know how worried I was…how Junior couldn't eat or sleep because his big brother was gone. You just do things without thinking about anybody else." Her voice broke and so did Jaxon's heart."Mom, I'm sorry…please don't cry. I know I was stupid…I'm sorry."More worry lines etched on her forehead. "Jaxon, I'm really worried about you. You'
~NARRATOR'S POV~Aunt Belinda and Sarah continued to walk deep into the forest, searching for clues about Lily and Adrian's disappearance. They followed a path that seemed to show where they were taken and the last one anyone remembered they last passed through. Aunt Belinda looked around then spoke to Sarah in a concerned voice, "Sarah, we need to focus and be alert. Look for anything that seems strange or different—footprints, signs of a fight, anything that might give us an idea of what happened.Sarah nodded, her gaze fixed as she knelt down to examine the disturbed ground. "I'm searching."Aunt Belinda crouched beside Sarah, her voice tinged with worry. "It's crucial that we remain calm and attentive. We can't afford to miss anything."Sarah's brow furrowed in concentration as she carefully examined a patch of dirt. "Look at these markings. They're deep, as if someone was dragged here."Aunt Belinda's eyes widened, realization dawning upon her. "You're right. It seems there was
~THEO'S POV~I stood before the Black healers and my heart pounded with anticipation. I had known them to be the keepers of ancient knowledge and mystical powers. I had also known them to be the people who saved my life, revealed my destiny to me and now were about to reveal to me the whereabouts of the ring of Lythian - this, they told me was, what the chosen one needed to bring peace into the realm. I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation.One of the healers, a tall figure with a hooded cloak, (forgive me, I do forget their names from time to time) stepped forward and spoke with a daunting voice. "Theo, you have been chosen as the message bearer. It is your duty to deliver this crucial information to the chosen one."I nodded as my eyes locked with the healer's. "I understand. Please, tell me where I can find the ring of Lythian."The healer raised a hand, and suddenly, a holographic projection of a map materialized in the air before us. It displayed tortuous sy
~ADRIAN'S POV~My eyes fluttered open. The memories of the past flooded my mind. I found myself lying in a dark room, and as my gaze focused, I saw Lily's father, but a much younger version, standing before him. The air was thick with tension as we locked eyes. Our past and conflicting desires hanged between us.Henry's grip tightened around the journal in his hands. He sounded so bitter as he spoke, "You thought you could betray us and get away with it, Adrian? You were a brother to me, and yet you sided with our enemies."I looked down shamefully then back at him, "Henry, you must understand. It wasn't betrayal; it was a choice born out of love. I couldn't sit by and watch as the violence escalated. I had to find a different way."His eyes narrowed, "Different way? You turned your back on your own kind, on your own family. And now you expect forgiveness?"My gaze softened as my voice filled with sincerity. "Henry, I never wanted to cause harm to anyone. I stood by your side because