[ELARA]But it’s not possible. We made sure no one followed us. We heard no human heartbeats near the lair.Lila enlightens me, ‘A vampire’s heart doesn’t beat.’Instinctively, I move closer to Magnus, my hand latching to his arm in fear. His golden eyes flicker to me, momentarily softening, losing the anger with which he regarded Valen. I let go, wondering how embarrassing it must look. So this vampire has been watching us all this while and we didn’t have a clue. Since when has he been around here? The fear of what else he might know is overwhelming. Does he know of the passageway? Of the poison vial Zander handed over to me? My breathing is loud, much audible in the quiet dark dungeon until Magnus' voice cuts through the place, “I don’t trust you, Lord Valen. Your kind doesn’t have a reputation of being loyal.”Valen lets out an amused laugh, snapping the book shut. “You need my loyalty, Prince Magnus? I’m flattered. But all I can really give you right now is my curiosity. And
[ELARA]The journey back is a quiet one, save for the occasional hoot of an owl and the night breeze blowing about. Magnus remains silent as we walk, his steps heavy with unspoken thoughts. When we finally reach my chamber, he stops, his eyes refusing to meet mine. "Goodnight, Elara," he says simply, his voice devoid of its usual warmth.I hesitate, a frown forming as I find my voice. "Mag—"But he's already turning away, his back to me, a wall I can't breach.Alistair’s eyes linger on me for a moment, a silent question in their depths, before he bows and decides to follow his alpha. I swallow the disappointment that rises within me, forcing myself to walk away too. Maybe this is his retaliation for how I avoided having a conversation with him earlier in the corridors. But that was different. It was about us. What I wish to say now is about so much more.The door to my chamber closes behind me with a soft click, sealing me in the oppressive silence. I shiver with fear, walking into the
[ELARA]“Alright,” I say, shrugging. “We can pretend and forget that ever happened. It was a moment of weakness and well, you and I are both young. We’re bound to… our bodies are bound to want… things. B-But it was dangerous anyway. And stupid.”Lady Brook’s words usher into my thoughts. The King proposes to wed Princess Daphne to Prince Magnus. This marriage gives him the kingdom of Wyvern, because Daphne is the heir to the throne.Magnus' eyes darken. His lips form a frown that says he doesn’t agree. But his words don’t. “Valen will be difficult to handle. But Rasmus has sworn an oath to keep this a secret. He only wishes to play a scientist and delve into experimentation,” he says, completely diverging from the topic in discussion, but then it's for the best. “I always thought Prince Rasmus was more rational. Turns out he was just upset that I happened to be the first to get my hands on a mutated hydralith.”“What about Alina?” I ask, arguably, the most pressing question. “Are we to
[ELARA]As I quietly make my way to the guest quarters, every step fills me with dread, slowing my pace. My arms shiver, and it is not just from the cold of the place being built underneath carved ground.How do I break it to a mother that her only daughter has turned into a rogue? The worst fate that can be cast upon a werewolf? And that I feel partially responsible for it?I had some hope in me this morning when my eyes opened beside the sleeping figure of Magnus. We visited Alina in her locked cell, passing through the concealed entrance, and found her transitioned. I knew it was coming, and I refused to believe it until I saw those bloodshot eyes and rabid fangs.She growled furiously the moment we approached, rattling the silver bars, without a care that they were searing the skin of her hands. Magnus had to drag me out of the dungeons because I couldn’t move or speak.It was terrifying, somehow even more than when I saw Alec. I loved him, and I falsely believed a part of him was
[ELARA]"Princess Elara," Valen says, his voice a soft murmur that barely disturbs the still air of the dimly lit library. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come." He closes the book in his hand with a quiet thud, the sound echoing faintly in the silence, and makes his way towards me with a grace that makes his footsteps almost silent on the polished wooden floor.His singular eye moves from my trembling hands to my face, a fleeting smirk tugging at his lips as he remarks, "You look shaken."I draw in a deep breath, feeling a wave of annoyance wash over me. "I just delivered the news of someone’s rogueness to her mother and my father," I mutter, my voice tight. "How else am I expected to look?""Her mother and your father? That’s interesting," he muses, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You’re surely a little relieved about the whole thing after what she did to you," he accuses, gesturing with a sweeping motion for me to take a seat on a cushioned chair by the fireplace, its embers
[ELARA]“What’s going on here?” Magnus’ voice cuts through the air, sharp and angry. He storms into the library, his golden eyes glaring at the spot on the table where Valen’s hands intertwine with mine. I let go of Valen’s hands abruptly, rising from the chair. “Magnus,” I mumble his name as he stops right in front of me. “What’s going on here?” he asks again, his eyes searching for an answer while brimming with anger. “What are you doing here alone with Lord Blackbane?”Valen answers the question even though it's not directed at him, his voice smooth, “As I said last night, Your Highness, I’m offering the Princess some distraction from our current troubles. Trying to indulge her into the habit of reading. And, I’m pleased to inform you that she has shown a keen interest in gaining knowledge.”Magnus’ eyes narrow at the vampire’s words before they stray over the open book on the table. He draws in a sharp breath. “I think that’s enough knowledge gained for today,” he announces, and
[ELARA]We’re not even given the opportunity to answer him, forget about the irrational anger I feel on being interrupted. Celeste barges in, pushing aside Alistair before she faces me, her eyes red and swollen with tears. Her demand comes in a desperate, hard voice, “Where is my daughter?”“Lady Celeste, you must calm yourself,” Alistair tells her in a relaxed voice, barely bothered with being pushed aside. “You cannot barge into the Prince’s chambers like this.”She ignores him, instead reaching for me. Her arms splay out as she nears me, but Magnus steps in front. “Lady Celeste, I’ll take you to see your daughter,” he assures her. “But I need you to be patient.”“Patient? You want me to be patient? When my daughter has been turned into a rogue? I need to see her now,” she urges, her eyes widened in manic fury. “Now!”“That’s not possible,” Magnus answers simply, shaking his head. It is the calmness in Magnus’ voice that sends her over the edge. She lets out a blood-curdling screech
[MAGNUS]Although I’m headed straight for the dungeons, my path is intruded by the young Lord Jaromir. He notices me before I do and halts, bowing when I near him. “Prince Magnus,” he greets in a heavy voice that doesn’t match his frail figure. The redness of his swollen eyes has faded. But there’s a resolve in them which is quite hard to miss, a sort of anger I recognise quite well. My father was once taken away from me as well. Unjustly. At least he didn’t have to see his father’s head being cut off with his own eyes. The Goddess spared him that cruelty. A sigh escapes my lips, annoyance striking me. Time is the most valuable asset at the moment. The more I delay meeting Rasmus and bringing him closer to Ruelle, the more likely I am to be forced to make a rash decision to save my sister. An alliance with Qaiven will be beneficial in the long run. Not just to me, but to the Kingdom I'll rule one day.Aren’t all these efforts made in the name of becoming a king? ‘First try and survi
[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