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[MAGNUS]A lump forms in my throat at the thought. Why do my ears feel like they’re burning?"Why?" I make myself ask."I'm not going to try anything. I'm not that woman." She lets go of my arm and clasps her hands together as she seems to choose her next words. Then, closing her eyes, she mutters in a single breath, "Because last night I woke up from a nightmare and thought someone was here. It morphed from Eldric to Morgana to Alec’s rogue face. And I’m scared.”"Alright," I say and slip under the blanket. When she blinks at me in shock mingled with relief, I wonder if I should say something more. Deciding that I’m not sure what I could possibly say, I turn my back to her with no intention of sleeping anytime soon.A few seconds later, the sheets rustle and she shifts, likely lowering herself on the bed, closing her eyes. But even after a couple of minutes pass, Elara’s breath doesn’t get steady.I do my best to hold back, but then the urge to turn around and talk to her, to find out
[MAGNUS]It is close to midnight, and the air is thick with tension. Alistair and I navigate the labyrinthine hallways of the palace, each step measured, each breath controlled. The human soldiers, assigned to guard these very halls, lie in a careless slumber, their soft snores a dangerous symphony we dare not disturb. The dim glow of torches casts flickering shadows that dance on the cold stone walls, and Elara, her form shrouded in a dark cloak, follows silently, her footsteps almost ghostly.We reach the stables, the scent of hay and horses mingling with the cool night air. I pause, throwing a questioning glance at Elara. She has her eyes on me, her fingers pulling her cloak tighter around her slender frame. She’s not turning back. I can see it in the set of her jaw, the steel in her eyes.“Ready?” I ask, my voice a mere whisper but carrying the weight of the world.She nods firmly. “Ready,” she responds, her voice a soft murmur. Her hand lowers to her hip, where a dagger gleams in
[ELARA]Daphne Elspeth, princess of Wyvern, embodies elegance and flawless beauty. Her presence is radiant, turning heads with every step she takes. Even King Eldric seems unduly captivated by her, ostensibly for her assistance in dismantling the Elspeth dynasty.It baffles me how someone so innocent in appearance could facilitate such devastation. Since her arrival at the palace earlier today, whispers have swirled through the corridors. Some claim she poisoned her own brothers and uncles. Others suggest she slit her brother’s throat, the King of Wyvern, while he slept in his tent.Regardless of the truth, her actions have been effective. She stands as the sole survivor of the Elspeth lineage, the dynasty that ruled Wyvern for centuries. Now, she is their future. But what value does she hold for Eldric?Magnus sits sternly beside me, barely touching his food. His voice has grown hoarse again, and I can see his gaze fixed on Daphne. He is undoubtedly pondering the same questions as I,
[MAGNUS]“I have to go before she comes in,” Elara announces with urgency as she pushes herself off the bed, her eyes darting to the secret doorway. She doesn’t have to go, I think to myself. But then I recall the ruse I must play. I do not care for her—and I have to make them believe it. And yet, I reach out and catch her arm, stopping her just as she's about to leave. Her eyes find mine, and there’s something in them that makes me pause, making me forget that I have a voice, momentarily. This moment is senseless. I’m not being myself. Daphne looms outside my chamber, a danger to us if she spots us together, but here I am struggling to let go of Elara’s arm. ‘Fool,’ Creed echoes in my mind, finally sounding like himself. I tear my gaze away briefly, breaking the trance before I tell her, “I’ll call you back.”She nods, and I notice the way her expression softens. “I'll be waiting,” she replies softly, her words hanging in the air as she walks away, leaving me alone. I feel the n
[ELARA]Alina enters the palace hall, leading members of our Lunar Crest pack. Behind her is Alpha Zander, too stunned to keep up as he gazes open-mouthed at the sky-high domed ceiling. Alina’s hair frames her face in voluminous curls, her expression twisted with a scowl, seemingly wondering, ‘This is where I could’ve lived. This is what my life could’ve been.’Celeste looks devastated, which soothes my heart, knowing the sight of this grandeur is a bitter pill for her to swallow. Despite their attire, the finest garbs Mistral Hollow can offer, they look out of place. It is obvious that they are an independent pack, without the airs of royalty or high-ranked officials.Among the group are a few betas, and the Alpha’s brother, Cato, his eyes scanning the room with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. My father is the last to enter, his gaze sweeping the hall, searching for me. I can tell he’s anxious to see how our pack is perceived in this regal setting.Excusing myself from the group
[MAGNUS]Between the revelation that Morgana is likely still alive, knowing that a giant hydralith swims beneath these very floors, figuring out the many schemes of my cruel uncle—including him trying to get me married to Daphne when I’m already married, and the suspicion that Daphne knows of my involvement in her lover’s death, it is very hard to focus on Prince Rasmus.He stands a few feet apart, surrounded by officials I’ve met before at meetings of the Great Conclave. He looks wholly consumed by some interesting conversation and although I’m capable of hearing it, I can’t focus. I can’t bring my hearing power to work so I can only hear one voice among the thousand conversations going across the hall.There are a lot of people here, and there is a lot on my mind. The sheer scale of the event is staggering. Hundreds of flickering torches cast dancing shadows on the towering stone walls of this palace hall. The air thrums with a symphony of sounds – the clatter of silverware against p
[ELARA]Magnus will never let Ruelle marry Alpha Zander. He’d do anything in his power to stop it, even if the match is approved by the king. He will not let Eldric undermine him this way, not by hurting his little sister. He couldn’t.Once upon a time, I would’ve approved the match myself. I respected Zander as the alpha of my pack—not just because I had to, but because I believed he was a good man. But when I learned of his deception, all that respect turned to hatred. He knew of the connection between Alec and me and yet, he forced me to marry Magnus. He played Alina's game to fool me. And then he commanded Alec to become my personal guard, knowing it would rip his heart to shreds.And the way he held Alina’s hand and whispered in her ear, causing her to tremble, I have no doubt that Zander is merely another pawn in Eldric’s game to hurt Magnus.I know how important it is to find Magnus and tell him immediately about this, but I can neither find him amidst this crowd nor Ruelle and
[ELARA]For a long moment after Valen disappears into the crowd, I find myself wondering if he was real. Because nothing about him felt real. The way he looked at me seemed otherworldly. His very face and the grace with which he moved felt… unreal. He truly worked to distract me and unburdened me, strangely. And the fact that he knew my name, but referred to me as Lady and not Princess. I haven’t seen him here before in court. I’d remember him if I had. Having a ruby embedded in place of one of your eyes certainly makes you stand out. I’m involuntarily looking for him in the crowd—trying to find the wisp of his black robes, embroidered with gold thread—when Lord Brook approaches.“Have the next dance with me, Princess Elara,” he says, with a grin on his face that makes my skin crawl.I shake my head, forcing a polite smile. “Forgive me, Lord Brook, but I do not feel like dancing anymore,” I tell him. ‘Especially with you,’ I hold myself back from adding, though the thought lingers on m
[MAGNUS]“Stay with me.”It’s a plea more than anything. I can’t bear the thought of losing Elara. The thought of her dying because I began to care for her. There’s no way to draw out the silver faster. It can take days… weeks.Silver. The most potent weapon to kill our kind. An silver tipped arrow lodged into her chest, just inches away from her heart. She could’ve been dead. But she isn’t. There has to be some purpose to this, right? Another cruel fate woven by the Moon Goddess?The healers know nothing. Rather, they know little of this. Their abilities are limited to what is approved by nature. What is permitted to be done within the confines of Caelondor. But Morgana? She can dive into alchemy, drawn upon dark magic — magic that saved Elara from becoming a rogue. She can take my blood again. Goddess, she can take my life if it means saving Elara’s.I’m about to go looking for Morgana when she appears at the edge of the bed. Not as herself, but as Talisa. But the glimmer of red in
[MAGNUS]“To the Royal Annoyance (my beloved brother), Magnus,Summer in Qaiven is brutal. I don’t know why I thought coming here was a good idea… Hold on, I’m only jesting! I have almost made up my mind to never leave. This place is wonderful just as you described from your varied visits for the Grand Conclave. And no, I’m not talking of the observatories of alchemists, or the quiet art galleries you love! The port of Vynov is certainly the grandest — the one in Caelondor pales shamefully in comparison. The streets are filled with people from all over the continent! Can you believe, I’ve already made friends with a High Lady who runs a brothel? Oh, Magnus. Unsaddle your horse. Of course, that is a jest, too. Your goons are keeping me perfectly safe from any danger that could be lurking. Frankly, the idea of never coming back to Caelondor is tempting. But so is the urge to bring you a barrel of blueberries only to see you scowl. Can you please start liking them? They’re the loveliest
[MAGNUS]Every single pair of eyes in the council room is fixed on me. This isn’t the first time I’ve been a subject of their collective gazes, but this is clearly the first time I’ve cowered under it. I keep my head bowed low, projecting the emotion I feel — heartbreak for Ruelle’s betrayal and disappointment in my inability to find her. But this won’t support my claim — the claim I’ve put forward in front of the council. “They were attacked in the woods, and Ruelle was taken away.”I should be angry, aggravated, thrashing anything and everything in my way. I should be making statements of how I’ll make those who took her suffer. Anything to make my words more believable. Anything for Eldric to believe that Ruelle didn’t run away to escape her marriage. But I fail. I fail to grasp control of my own actions, of my movements. The mate bond pulls strongly at me, and I grit my teeth, holding back the pain Elara is suffering that I now experience too. The questions that trickle into m
[MAGNUS]Everything happens in a haze. One moment I’m standing too confused on all fours wondering what odd twist of fate has occurred and how I find myself with a mate once again — the mate being Elara, of all people. And the next, all the air has been emptied from my lungs as I watch the arrow hiss through the air and lodge into her wolf form’s neck. As she collapses to the ground, her body shifts back into her human form. When I reach her, I’m human once again — not even realizing when the command reverberated through my mind. Blood trickles down her skin, pooling at her collarbone, as I hold her up in my lap. Creed howls at the pain his mate is experiencing but I’m too shocked, too numb to do anything. “Elara,” her name finally escapes my lips in a choked whisper. “Elara, please…”My hand hovers over the wound, but I’m not even sure what to do. She’s dying, I think as I press down gently, desperate to stop the flow, but it only seeps through my fingers.I try to breathe, but th
[LILA]Lila races through the dense forest, her paws striking the earth with relentless speed. The world around her is a blur, the scents of moss and bark barely registering as she focuses solely on the chase. Ahead, the blue-eyed wolf’s scent grows fainter, but Lila pushes herself harder, determined to close the distance. Her instincts scream at her to catch up, to protect, to keep the young wolf within her reach.The beat of the wolf’s paws pounds through the earth, faint yet distinct, and Lila’s muscles tense with every stride. She tries reaching out to the wolf through the mind-link, calling her despite not knowing her name, but the distance makes it impossible to connect. Her human’s panic flickers through their shared consciousness, tightening in her mind, urging Lila not to slow, not to give up. But Lila’s resolve is unwavering. She won’t fail.Suddenly, her pace falters. She skids to a stop, frozen mid-stride, as something strange washes over her — a powerful, magnetic pull tha
[MAGNUS]As I add the final strokes to the canvas, Alistair steps forward, his voice cutting through the quiet air of the gallery. “Lady Celia has arrived,” he informs me in his usual calm tone.I pause, setting the brush down with care. I step back, my gaze fixed on the painting in front of me, trying to soak in what I’ve just done. It feels strange — almost foreign — to stand here and look at something I’ve created with my own hands after all these years. A heavy sigh escapes me as I take in the finished piece. It is perfect, almost a replica.I can already picture Elara’s reaction. She will be pleased. She’ll smile — a smile I’ve rarely seen directed toward me, but one I’ve longed for more than I care to admit. And the thought of that smile, of seeing her light up with joy, stirs something inside me that I’ve kept buried for far too long.Happiness.It’s been so long since I’ve dared to pursue it. But now… now it feels like something I’m ready to bet on. Something I’m willing to ri
[ELARA]Ruelle insists on taking the horses instead of a palanquin, much to the distaste of Lady Celia. Despite all of her mother’s efforts to persuade her, Ruelle remains stubbornly set on her wish to ride into the forest, claiming, “I’ve grown up now, and I can make my own choices!”Lady Celia passes her a glare, but it dissolves as soon as Ruelle wraps her in an embrace. “You must let me make decisions now, mother. But that’s not to say my love or respect for you has diminished in any way. I will always love you and hold you in the highest regard.”For a moment, I hold my breath, expecting my mother-in-law to break out into tears. Her lower lip twitches and then she swallows hard, easing into the hug for a brief moment before letting go. “You’ll always be my little girl, Rue,” she manages to speak in a thick voice before clearing her throat and regaining the sharp edge in her tone. “Don’t flatter me now. It’s your night. Do what you wish.” As Ruelle hops onto the horse that the gua
[MAGNUS]The words I spoke to Elara this morning play over and over in my mind, like a song that refuses to stop, growing louder with each passing hour. They were true, every word, but now I wish I had kept my mouth shut. I should have turned around the moment I realized she was bathing. Creed, my wolf, growls in agreement, though he’s as conflicted as I am.But my heart didn’t listen to reason. I stayed. And for the first time in a long while, I let myself be completely vulnerable.I spoke. I gave voice to everything I’ve been holding back, and now I can’t stop thinking about how foolish it was to break the silence I’ve kept so carefully guarded. I let my walls down — walls I’ve built and reinforced over the years, since the day I lost Nyra. Nyra.Creed howls her name in my mind, stirring the old grief that I’ve learned to keep buried. I promised myself I would never forget her. She was my mate, my first and only love. How could I let myself think, even for a moment, that Elara coul
[ELARA] The royal gallery looms ahead of us, its grand doors slightly ajar, waiting to swallow us into its quiet, forgotten world — it’s a place where the very history of Caelondor is etched into the walls, immortalized in paintings and tapestries. And yet it is quiet. I’ve never understood why the residents of the palace don’t seem to appreciate this place more. Perhaps they’ve all been here too many times, their eyes no longer able to see its beauty. But for me, every visit feels like a discovery — a journey into the heart of the past. The sunlight through the window sends the colors of the stained glass dancing across the marble floor, but the gallery remains utterly still, devoid of life beyond us.Ruelle paces slowly in front of the stained-glass wall, her hands clasped in front of her as if holding herself together. She looks incredibly beautiful today, her features sharper, her eyes bluer despite the frown that doesn’t seem to fade. The stained glass wall paints her silhouet