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Chapter 162
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2022-04-14 12:43:45“How long?” I snarled, whirling around the second we slipped into the hall. It wasn’t anger beating in my chest, pumping heat and magic through my veins, but betrayal—so much betrayal. When Dain didn’t answer, I repeated myself. “How long have they been here, Dain?”
The air around me began to thicken, turning warm with humidity that made my skin shine with perspiration. Dain’s face remained stoic, free of emotion and that fact only upset me more.
He could handle my anger, but what of my grief?
It wasn’t the crackling of flame that burned away his mask, or the fact that his clothes and hair were currently smoldering, sending thick smoke spewing into the corridor we occupied.
What destroyed the persona he often used to hide his emotions were the tears that pooled in my eyes and ran down my cheeks.
His lips curved downwards in a severe frown and sorrow so potent filled his eyes that I couldn’
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I knew my mom would discover the truth on her own, I just hadn’t anticipated it would be so soon.There was an abundance of anger in her eyes, enough to last a lifetime but none of it mattered. They’d been safe within the walls of the castle for the past week. Even Zack, who slept soundly in one of the hundreds of rooms, was alive and well.It had been a test of my strength to watch Dain wave his hand and cause a ripple of magic to spread along the castle walls, revealing a hidden corridor I’d never seen before.That was where he’d been keeping them, I realized.I swallowed back the anger that rose in my throat like acid and promised the two of them that I’d see them tomorrow. Both were reluctant to turn away, casting glance after glance behind their shoulders to make sure the corridor was still there.Just when I thought I had Dain figured out, he’d do something that threw me off balance. My jaw threatened to go slack when he left my side and approached my parents.Dad kept a hand on
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I’ve always heard about the excitement or dread one feels the night before an event. Whether it be a wedding, or the birth of a child, adrenaline and restlessness would swirl beneath the skin for hours on end, stirring all sorts of thoughts until sleep became an impossibility. No one talked about afterwards, when every ounce of that pent up exhaustion hit you like a freight train, sending you veering off course and headfirst into a coma-like sleep. I’d barely managed to wash myself free of the blood and grime, scanning my pale torso from head to toe for any wounds. The small cuts and scrapes I’d sustained were already healing, though the bruises would take a bit longer to switch between their myriad of colors before fading entirely. Lying in bed, surrounded by the plushness of silken blankets and lacey pillows left me feeling inadequate. We hadn’t been gone from the castle for long, at most a good four hours, yet I couldn’t help but feel as though everything had changed. The girl w
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I was burning, I had to be.The pain was all consuming, a wildfire that was impervious to even my magic. Not a single cell went untouched, erupting in agony one after another. Only the smallest of sensation told me I still had a body, that it hadn’t become a pile of ash.A pair of hands touched my skin, and as I felt the heat they radiated, my eyes snapped open, and I recoiled.Dain’s face, chiseled around his jawline but soft where those pools of night sky stared out at me, was bright with surprise and confusion. His raised hands were the only indicators that told me it was his touch I had run from.“You’re freezing.” He said quietly, his head tilted but his gaze remained unfaltering. “You were screaming the word murderer over and over again.” With a few seconds of hesitation, he continued in a low voice. “I have nightmares too. After so many years, they don’t get to me as much, but sometimes I’ll wake up covered in shadows, unable to see even the smallest hint of light even though I
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Even though I asked if they’d tag along, the first two days of training I endured alone.It was strange enough going through the motions without Adley by my side, not that I could blame her, but some small part of me had hoped my parents would find a way to accept the magic that thrummed in my veins.The voice of the bull whispered in my head, warning me they would never accept me—never love me for who and what I was. I was more determined than ever to prove it wrong. Acceptance wouldn’t come over night, I knew that.Just as I thought I had some semblance of control over myself, night fell and I slid into the once peaceful realm of dreams where nothing but horror and madness awaited me. It was in my dreams that it taunted and tortured me, wearing down my control until I felt disconnected from my body—an outsider possessing someone else’s form.As I opened my eyes each morning, I was already exhausted. Fighting a war at night and training during the day was wearing on me, and I knew it
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“You got a tattoo?!” Zack gasped loudly, interrupting my lengthy story about the game I’d barely won.I narrowed my eyes at him, unable to hold the expression for long when a cheesy grin broke out over his face. Mom’s eyes were burning holes into my back, as though she could see past the layer of clothing that covered my phoenix tattoo. For her sake, and that of my own life, I made sure to exclude the bloodier details of my victory.“Yes, and you know who gave it to me?” Lowering my voice, I forced the words between clenched teeth and tried not to be obvious as I tilted my head in Mom’s direction. Unable to pass up the opportunity to hear his stunned gasp a second time, I smirked and whispered, “…it was Gerald.”“Nuh uh.” He shook his head vehemently, drawing my attention to his messy hair.I had but a few seconds to admire how long it had grown during my time away before he launched into a slew of questions that left me struggling to keep up. Even with a headache and the echoes of pa
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I woke from the horrible nightmare with a start, my eyes instantly watering from the sunlight that scalded them. A rush of panic swallowed the scream in my throat but did nothing to stop the stomach clenching sensation that came when standing at a great height and staring at the ground far below. A cool morning breeze lapped at my face, chilling the sweat that clung to my rosy skin.How had I gotten out here?For several seconds I held still, staring at my feet as they hovered halfway over the balcony’s ledge. The stained-glass doors leading back into my suite were thrown wide open, but I had no recollection of having touched them in the first place.Half of me scrambled to find an explanation for my current whereabouts, while the other tried to make sense of the disturbing memory the White Bull had shown me.I’d long ago discovered Dain’s mishap and how the Bull had whispered in his ear until my mate was desperate enough to let him in, but I hadn’t known the full extent of the horror
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“Wonder where he gets that from.” He remarked, a smirk stealing his face.Turning my head even further, I spotted Zack off to the side of the room. He had ventured closer to the circular platform, but his attention wasn’t on the steep mountainside cliffs. Currently, it was on a large leather-bound book with golden thread wrapped around the spine. I couldn’t blame him for finding that one alluring. The sunlight hit the gold and made it shimmer, creating the same hues of yellow and orange that were on Apollo’s suit.I opened my mouth to warn him off the book when a muscular arm appeared from a patch of shadow. The shadow seemed to hover in mid air, and the hand attached to said arm snagged the back of Zack’s t-shirt and dragged him back a few feet.Zack didn’t seem surprised. In fact, the way he threw his head back and cackled before sprinting to another shelf gave me the notion that this had been going on for a few minutes now. Sure enough, I watched as he reached for another book and
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I was saved from training with Helios when he flagged me down and gave me news of Aidan. The guy I grew up with had finally awoken from the magically induced coma he’d been put into, and as I raced down the winding corridors with the remnants of my rage still weighing on my mind, all I could think about was that this was finally over.Aidan would see, he had to.For almost a full minute I stood in the doorway staring at him, tallying up the physical changes he’d gone through since we last saw one another.The most noticeable change was how he shifted from the build of a lanky teenager to that of a man, set with broad shoulders and a sharp jawline coated in dark stubble. It was the subtle changes I cared about, like the unnatural stillness in the way that he sat, propped against the plush pillows of his hospital bed. The Aidan I grew up with couldn’t sit still, not without tapping his foot or fidgeting with something in his hands. Right now, his eyes were glued to the wall of tall wind
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
