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Chapter 180
Last Updated:
2022-06-13 12:32:07
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Iridian Chapter 181
Instantly, I understood.“I’m nothing if not traditional.” Dain murmured, rubbing the back of his neck as he sank onto one knee. His throat worked as he swallowed, his eyes fixated on my own, shimmering with a mixture of hope and worry. “Rachel…you’re the mate I never thought I’d meet, and the one I knew I didn’t deserve. This isn’t how I anticipated things would go, not one bit. I never planned on wanting to keep you, but the second you won Iridian and stepped foot in my castle, I couldn’t imagine letting you go. I told myself I’d win you over by showing you the beauty magic could bring into your life. I hoped that in doing so I’d eventually earn your affection, even though that’s something I’m still not sure I deserve…” The color across his cheeks deepened, his eyes concealing flashes of shame. “I’m not a good man, not entirely. It’s not merely my plan that’s motivating me to do this, but the desire to keep you—to have you at my side for eternity. This thing between us, this game wh
Last Updated : 2022-06-14Iridian Chapter 182
“With everything on your plate, I’d be a bit stunned if you didn’t have nightmares.” Dain said soothingly, purposefully leaving out the real reason for my abrupt awakening.The hand he used to draw soothing circles along the dewy skin of my back was more distracting than I’d like to admit and kept my heartrate from calming for obvious reasons. If it wasn’t desire that swarmed my thoughts, it was guilt.More often than not, those two emotions would appear at the same time, chasing one another into a restless oblivion that usually included a headache.It wasn’t just Aidan that evoked that emotion, but his—“Have you decided when you wanted to see them?”With the mention of his twin sisters, I was plunged back into the blood-stained nightmare that had sent me sprinting headfirst into consciousness.It had felt like hours in that throne room, slowly draining the life from Aidan as his sisters watched—as my entire family watched. The only one smiling was Nadia, and though the pale bull at
Last Updated : 2022-06-17Iridian Chapter 183
For a second, I’d thought the White Bull had retreated, knowing its days were numbered as they ticked away on the calendar, but I’d been wrong. The closer the wedding and mating ceremony became, the more restless its presence seemed to become. Every couple of hours, I could feel it stirring. Deep within the abyss it carved within the furthest depths of my mind, it’s voice would slither forth.It played on my doubts, fears, and the darkest of thoughts I’d never admit had come from my own mind. Now more than ever, I had to resist.In between the back and forth with the wedding staff and juggling time with my family and with Dain, I found spare moments to sneak into the archive room and the numerous libraries around the castle, all in search of information on the ancient force of evil I’d been battling.What information I found was troublesome and had already been given to me by the bull itself.The few who were tricked or lulled into letting it slither into their minds, they never laste
Last Updated : 2022-06-17Iridian Chapter 184
“Well, isn’t this beautiful.” Mom’s hum of appreciation pulled me from my tumultuous thoughts, and my failing search for some fragment of information in regard to the ancient Bulls.With the wedding planned for tomorrow and not a single new idea on how to rid myself of the White Bull, I’d officially run out of options.Speaking to Aidan’s sisters had helped cleared my conscious some but had done nothing to ease the guilt and grief that hovered over me like a looming cloud.Tomorrow, I’d be fighting two battles, one mental and the other physical. It was a disaster waiting to happen, but I’d never utter the words aloud. Instead, I planned to fight—with every fiber of my being, I’d fight.Mom padded over from behind a cluster of stacks, over to the wooden table I stood hunched over. When I felt a tap to the center of my back, I straightened up and met her concerned eyes.She’d been worrying more and more lately, both about Zack and me. It had taken quite some time and a healthy dose of r
Last Updated : 2022-06-17Iridian Chapter 185
He knew. This entire time, he knew.The moment I saw the picture and the sickening heat of embarrassment and betrayal gripped my throat; all reason had been tossed out the window.It didn’t matter that he’d been nothing more than the Game Master at the time, or that I’d been clueless about my true role in all of this.All that mattered was that he lied—he pretended not to know when the truth of what I’d done was crushing me alive, tainting every moment we had together.I’d resisted him and the pull of the mate-bond because of what I’d done, but not only did he not care that I’d murdered his brother—his last remaining family member, but he knew this whole time.For the duration of my short life, I’d always been quick to anger, but this was different.Instead of a raging inferno that boiled the blood in my veins and made my skin flush with heat, I was swallowed whole by the very presence I’d been fighting for two weeks, consumed by the hatred it injected into my thoughts.The White Bull
Last Updated : 2022-06-19Iridian Chapter 186
Lingering in the empty space in-between each erratic heartbeat that wracked my chest, floating within the moments that marked each slow blink my eyes made, that was where the Black Bull lived.Time gave no warning as it slowed, prolonging the last thuds of Dain’s dying heart until each beat roared like an earthquake in my ears, chasing the sound of his voice and those last haunting words he whispered to me.“Forgive me, darling…forgive me for failing you.”More than anything, I wanted to tell him he hadn’t failed me. I wanted to beg him to act while he could, to use the darkness he commanded to end my life, but I knew he wouldn’t. Dain saw murder, while I saw my freedom.The darkness he had unleashed into the training room was no longer vicious but condensed itself around its master and exuded a sort of melancholy that made the deepest parts of my soul ache. It wanted to protect him but wouldn’t harm me to do so.Instead, it kept him company in his final moments.Within the furthest r
Last Updated : 2022-06-27Iridian Chapter 187
Free falling into the very abyss I spent weeks running from wasn’t wrought with fear or anguish like I’d expected.It was peaceful. A slow decline into oblivion—into pure nothingness, with only Rayna’s steadying gaze to ground me.It wasn’t instinct that led me to reach towards her, but the same unearthly voice which had sung to me the only resolution in my fight with the White Bull. Rayna met me halfway, stretching until the muscles in her neck grew taut and her snout grazed my fingertips. That small touch was all it took.As Rayna vanished, the last thing I saw was the love in her eyes, even brighter than the sun itself.In that moment, the darkness imploded.Waves and waves of billowing colors surrounded me, thrashing, and melting into one another to form a writhing cocoon around my body. Within each color was a memory, a fragment of the love that fueled my light and strengthened my soul.A wriggling sliver of the brightest violet I’d ever seen held Adley’s smiling face, her ocean-
Last Updated : 2022-06-27Iridian Chapter 188
The glow pulsating beneath my skin carried a gentle warmth that smoothed over the harsh edges of my panic, bringing clarity and strength.No longer was I locked within a vortex of my memories, staring at a rippling image of myself, Apollo, and Dain.I could feel everything.For a fraction of a second, time remained frozen. It was Dain’s startled inhale that set things in motion again, followed by a flash of joyous surprise that crested across his eyes like the last woes of a shooting star.“Rachel, your eyes…” He sputtered, his voice raspy and overflowing with awe. His knuckles drifted across my jaw, igniting my skin despite the feather-soft nature of his touch. Blood dribbled down his chin, tracing the veins along his neck. “…h—how did you…”I gnashed my teeth together hard enough to crack a few, but that was the only way I could think to brace myself as I slid my hand from Dain’s chest cavity. Moving swiftly, yet with enough caution not to damage his body further, I retracted my cla
Last Updated : 2022-06-28
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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
