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Chapter 134
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2022-02-22 11:57:22The anteroom as Alexandria Russo called it, was just a big empty room with minimal furniture and decoration. We followed the siblings through an arched doorway, down a hall that opened into a small room.
This one was unfurnished as well, but the moment I looked up, I understood why. The room itself was a work of art, all culminating to the mural on the arched ceiling. Rectangular with polished marble floors and pillars that lined the walls every five or so feet, the pale blue walls were blemish free and quickly changed into the colors of the sea as it reached twenty feet high.
Churning waves were painted across the sloped ceiling, crashing against the rocky shore of an island. Lush vegetation covered everything, and even crawled up the sides of a castle painted far off in the distance. A big, round sun hung in the sky, making the different shades of green glow. The longer I looked, the more I could smell the tang of salt in the air.
Against the far wall, at the
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Iridian Chapter 135
The roar of the crowd was deafening, as was the blast that split the air. Instantly the music ratcheted up in volume, and most began to dance.Something dark and twinkling began to rain down on all of us, like tufts of obsidian snow. Before I could stop myself, my eyes were pulled away from the Russo’s. My jaw went a little slack, and I immediately scolded myself for not looking up when we had first stepped through.The ceiling was domed and made entirely of glass. The blues and purples of the night sky bled together like a watercolor painting, but the stars remained bright. Attached to the metal frame that held the clear panels were cages—actual cages, suspended on thick chains. They hung at various heights, and more than one was occupied.From what I could see, the people in the cages were women—naked women. They ran their hands over their body as they thrashed and twirled to the music, all in their cages fifty feet above the ground. That was
Last Updated : 2022-02-22Iridian Chapter 136
‘I’m on the dance floor…you led me there—well, whatever was wearing your face did.’‘Stay exactly where you are, Rachel. I’m going to find you.’ The gritty promise in his voice would’ve flooded me with relief, but I could feel the air beginning to thicken again.I shook my head, forgetting he couldn’t see it. There were too many people, all dancing and writhing as they bumped into me. Eyes too glazed to even tell I’d been standing there, let alone wonder why I was the only one not dancing. When my thoughts began to fumble and slow, panic set in.‘I can’t stay here, Dain. There’s something—there’s something wrong with the dance floor. It’s messing with my head; I have to get off.’ I said in a rush, shoving past a couple that looked on the verge of having sex as they danced.The moment I stepped off the dance floor, I could breathe
Last Updated : 2022-02-23Iridian Chapter 137
‘Dain, I’m with the real Apollo…I made sure of it.’‘This must be a potion of some type—but then how are they vanishing so quickly? It’s rare to have a skill like that…’ His inner voice was thoughtful, and not at all concerned that the person he was with wasn’t a friend. ‘…you said something about old magic?’‘Apollo asked me if you’ve felt any. Have you? What does it even feel like?’ I asked.‘You’ve felt it before, darling. Castle Mist is full of old magic. As for this place, I haven’t felt any.’I thought back to my time in the castle, shimmering under the sun like a beacon for the entire kingdom. I had learned so much while also facing death a handful of times.Abel had succumbed to the White Bull’s melody within those very halls, and the truth about Camille had been revealed. Every brick held magic so wild that anyon
Last Updated : 2022-02-23Iridian Chapter 138
I had my hand against the marble wall, contemplating whether I should demolish it when a little boy’s giggle echoed down the hall.It was a sound I used to find obnoxious, especially when I was knee deep in calculus homework and Zack only had his times tables to work on. Half of the time Dad would steal the sheet and sit hunched over at the kitchen table, mumbling about how math was different in his day. He’d quickly work through the problems himself, and Zack would pretend to listen while Dad explained how he got his answers. His squeaky laugh made it impossible to focus on my own work.It was a sound I never thought I’d hear again.My heart skipped a beat when I turned around and caught a glimpse of dark messy hair and a toothy smile that belonged to my little brother.He was peeking around the corner twenty feet away, only half of his face visible. Another giggle and he vanished. The fading patter of his feet made my adrenaline spike,
Last Updated : 2022-02-24Iridian Chapter 139
“Rachel, Rachel, Rachel.” He shook his head in disappointment, but the truth was written across his twinkling eyes and malicious grin. “Hasn’t anyone ever taught you, the first thing you do after murdering someone is make sure they’re actually dead.”I tried to take a step back, to put some distance in between us but my feet were glued to the kitchen mat I stood on. The logical side of me latched onto the one explanation that brought us comfort, that this was another trick and that Dain’s blood-thirsty brother was still dead.We couldn’t find his corpse…“I saw your body. I saw you dead.” I insisted, forcing my voice not to tremble. As afraid as I was of Callum and the empty look in his eyes, I was too prideful to give him the reaction he was wanting.There was no way I’d imagined it, seeing Callum’s charred and blistered corpse. His skin blackened and rough o
Last Updated : 2022-02-25Iridian Chapter 140
I sat straight up, and my eyes snapped open as awareness zapped me like a jolt of electricity. My hands went from grasping the silky comforter to clutching my throat, which was no longer being crushed but had a soreness that reminded me all too strongly of being strangled.Several deep breaths later and I realized I wasn’t in just any bed. The onyx sheets and pillows made of pure silk and softer than anything I’d ever felt before belonged to one person alone. Even his scent lingered in the room, but the traces of it I picked up were faint and quickly fading.The illusion of Dain’s bedroom was spot on, down to the cart of crystal decanters that sat beside the balcony doors.I wasted no time and pulled myself from the bed, wrestling with the blankets for a few seconds when my feet became tangled. His bedroom door was the same, and still creaked around the halfway mark.What wasn’t the same was everything else.The pale stone t
Last Updated : 2022-02-25Iridian Chapter 141
The only thing my eyes latched onto was the sight of Adley’s tear-stained face. That was all that mattered, not the woman across from her or the corpse at her feet. Anger burned in her eyes, but it was the person it was directed at that told me this Adley wasn’t an illusion.Alexandria was smiling from where she stood in front of a great window overlooking the sea, clearly in some unnamed room of Dain’s castle. Her head was held high as she basked in Adley’s pain, which I didn’t know the cause of until I noticed the head of flaming hair fanned out across the floor.For a moment, I thought I was seeing my mom again, which made me wonder why Adley was both crying and snarling in outrage.Only when she gasped and turned her head in my direction did I realize it was my body I was looking at.“Rachel—you’re alive!” Her hand flew up to cover her mouth.When Alexandria noticed me, she tilted h
Last Updated : 2022-03-01Iridian Chapter 142
Cheers filled the air and the music that had been playing increased in volume. There were people dancing again, the crowd moving and churning instead of standing still. I looked at Adley and said, “…the closest door, that’s what we need to find.”Both of us looked around, which was difficult to do crouched low to the ground. Only a handful of people even noticed us, and simply glanced down disdainfully before returning to their conversations. Thankfully, most didn’t have a reason to look down.“The doors to the courtyard, they’re the closest.” Adley nodded her head in the direction of the doors. “We can hide behind their dresses until we get close enough to make a run for it.”“Sounds good to me. I’d rather save my energy for when Callum comes back.” I said darkly, refusing to wince when the image of my little brother flashed in my head.The two of us kept low and weaved in bet
Last Updated : 2022-03-01
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Iridian Epilogue Pt. 3
I stumbled over my words, forcing them into the space between us where they hovered like a noxious gas. “What—what do you mean? I killed Nadia…I don’t—” The Moon Goddess cut my rambling short by placing the palm of her hand against my cheek. It was something my mom had done whenever I was upset as a child, and somehow the Moon Goddess’s touch held that same level of comfort. She smiled sadly, but it was an expression of pure love and understanding. “Do not punish yourself, daughter. What was left of Nadia’s essence has returned home and rejoined that of her wolf, but her death does not mean Evil is gone from the world. Us celestial beings aren’t allowed to meet our creations, but this situation…it is unique. I’m afraid I cannot tell you much, but there is one who can.” Jumping at the chance to get some answers, to preserve the peace Dain and the warriors fought so hard for, I asked, “Who? Who can?” “It is time to awaken, daughter. It’s in the world of the living where you’ll find
Iridian Epilogue Pt. 2
All I could do was stand there and gape at him. Honesty shone in his eyes like newborn stars, but all it did was leave me confused. I replayed the last twenty-four hours in my head, searching for the moment where I’d won the game between us.When I came up empty handed, I stammered, “I did?”Dain nodded, staring down at me with hooded eyes. “You did.”“How? When?”“As for how, that’s the part where I cheated, I’m afraid. I didn’t admit out loud what I felt for you, but I felt it nonetheless.” He admitted, a sheepish tilt to his lips. “I realized I loved you the moment those doors opened, and you appeared at the top of the steps. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget the way you looked in that gown, which I’ll have to thank Adley for when she returns. You could’ve been an assassin here to put a dagger in my heart and I would’ve gladly let you.”There was an explosion of butterflies in my chest, their wings beating so frantically that the sound of my heartbeat was drowned out.Leaning into Dain
Iridian Epilogue Pt.1
Epilogue – Part OneIn every book, in every movie where a great battle is fought and won, they never show what happens after.I’m not talking about the following weeks or months, but hours and days. I’m talking about when the dust has yet to settle and the ghosts of the dead still linger in the walls, when every gust of wind or insignificant sound sends you freefalling through time. When every shadow bares the face of someone you know—or worse, someone you killed. When all that’s left is this numbing sense of disbelief that tries to trick you into thinking this new reality isn’t real—that it’s all some pitiful hope conjured up by a dying, fear-riddled mind.According to Dain, it’s a time to mourn what was lost while holding those we love near, a chance to silence the ghosts that haunt us by thinking of the future we’d create. When I asked this question, my mate wasn’t the only one with an opinion. In Apollo’s not so humble words, it’s a time to get absolutely plastered and to celebrat
Iridian Chapter 213
The elongated claws tipped with old blood were hers. I couldn’t forget the sight of her gnarled fingers, which had once been slender and elegant, even if I tried.With a loud smack, she flattened her palm against the stone floor. A second arm shot out of the water, followed by another wet smack.‘That puddle’s not nearly big enough for what she’s trying to do…’ Rayna pointed out, her voice just as sickly as I knew my own would be.Both of Nadia’s arms were bent at odd angles as they rose from the water, but that was the least disturbing thing I witnessed as this day began to quickly unfold. Next to appear were her eyes, the whites much too large to be considered normal, followed by the jagged slash that was her smile. In the memories I’d seen, her smile had been coy and playful, with the same softness as a flower’s petals. This one was of malice and envy, both deeply disturbing and in dire need of some chapstick.Her shoulders rose from the water at the same time but were bent awkward
Iridian Chapter 212
It took everything within me not to flinch at the sound of her voice and how close it truly was to my ear. Only when I felt her icy talons meet my skin did I act.‘It’s showtime.’ Rayna murmured, lending me all of her strength as I willed the floor to crumble beneath my feet.Together, my wolf and I fell.Since I was prepared for the impact, it was easy to call on my magic to lessen the blow. Warm air rushed beneath my gown and outstretched arms, acting as a safety net that slowed my fall and kept me from toppling over. It wasn’t the graceful landing I’d been trying for since Nadia was doing something to block our magic, but it kept me from breaking both my ankles on the way down.I didn’t wait for the dust to settle. The moment I felt solid stone beneath my feet, I took off running.Nadia’s snarl was one of surprise and outrage, strong enough that it made the castle tremble. I didn’t repress my grin or the laughter I spewed into the air, knowing both would entice her to follow—to con
Iridian Chapter 211
Nadia launched herself at me, and as she did so, her hair and dress billowed out at her sides. The movement was slow and lazy, almost like she was submerged in water and not hovering a solid three feet in the air. Even though her form was translucent, and she seemed to be neither here nor there, I had a sickening feeling she could still do significant damage if I let her reach me.Instinct took over, and for once in my life, it wasn’t telling me to run.I launched the orb in my hand like it were a baseball, and watched as it spiraled through the air, a small halo of light surrounding it. When it hit its mark, square in the center of Nadia’s face, I silently thanked Aidan for teaching me all those years ago. I had hated every second of his baseball phase, but he’d been so passionate about becoming a professional athlete and whisking us away that I couldn’t resist helping him practice. After a dozen scraped knees, a handful of bruises, and one broken arm, we both called it quits.The in
Iridian Chapter 210
For the longest time all I could hear was the sound of stone grinding against stone.There was a painful burn in my lungs, but I didn’t dare exhale. Instead, I held my breath and watched as the corridors around me shifted. Walls slid left and right, forming new pathways that hadn’t existed before. Many changed angles, creating sharp turns that you couldn’t see coming until it was too late.Some of the windows began to close, melting away as though they’d never been there, while others grew larger. The ones that grew in size turned into arched doorways narrow enough for but one person to slip through.While the castle itself wasn’t a sentient being, every brick and inch of tiled floor was alive with Dain’s magic. I could feel it’s alluring touch within everything I altered and couldn’t help but smile at how eager it was to please me. Even the paintings responded to my call, changing forms until each one was exactly the same.The brash strokes of oil paint shimmered as they changed colo
Iridian Chapter 209
“My sisters, are they safe?” Aidan asked, his voice low.Even with a side view of his face, I could see the way it twisted into a concerned grimace. With eyebrows knitted tightly together and jaw clenched, he pivoted his head from left to right, peering down each corridor as we crept through another intersection. The sword he clutched in his hand, it’s metal an impenetrable black that shimmered with blood, was raised and ready for use.“Is anyone truly safe?” I asked, eyeing one of the windows warily. It would be all too easy for Nadia or one of her monsters to slip through now that the hallways were conjoined. “They’re hidden away. The fight won’t reach them.”His shoulders slumped as much as they could with the defensive stance he held, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.“Thank the Goddess. Even though I’d see them when I got back, I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it if they were dead.”He didn’t have to explain why, not when the answer hovered in the space between us.There w
Iridian Chapter 208
Selfishly, I tried to call on Helios, to summon him to my side like I’d been told I could. It was what he would’ve wanted, it was why we completed the bond in the first place. The issue was that no one told me how to do it.There was a sense of awareness that settled over me, followed by a wave of understanding that told me Helios was very much alive. He was feeling it too, a subtle tug that let him know I was still here. I concentrated on my golden-haired warrior harder, imagining him as a sword sheathed at my side, ready to be used at moment’s notice.I felt that tug turn into a harsh pull, but there was no smile of victory on my face, because the milky-eyed creature at the end of the hall let out a blood-curdling wail and charged.I’d never been afraid of horror movies, not with their make-shift gore and fake blood. The knowledge that the creepy monster on the television screen wasn’t actually real was enough to smother any fear I might’ve felt. As I scrambled to get away from the
