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Chapter Twelve: What we forbid
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2024-07-29 22:25:28
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Kindle Chapter Thirteen: A dagger to the heart
BailaI waitedNot because I had to but because I wanted to.The castle bell had rung for midnight and Sara had not come to see me yet. I wondered if it was because Sara was angry with me or because she was not yet back from the tavern..I should not have gone to the lake. I should have offered to stay in the apothecary with Sara and watch her grind her herbs but instead, we had gone swimming.Naked.I told herself that I only wanted to give Sara the due respect by bidding her farewell before I made my escape. Yes. That was simply it. It was not because I wanted to see the red haired woman again or embrace her and tell how much I would miss her.No.I was simply being respectful by waiting.A few minutes past minute, I decided to damn my respect and leave. My chances of escaping were growing slimer by the minute and as much as I wanted to, I could not afford to wait anymore. I walked towards my bedroom window, the one that faced the very tree Samani had told me about.Even as I climbed
Last Updated : 2024-07-29Kindle Chapter Fourteen: The king’s truth
NolanI was angry.It was not something that happened often and even when it did, I had control.This time however, things were different. I was angry and did not know what to do. My last bit of control had slipped when I went to see Baila.The way she had defended Sara…….I shook my head, pouring myself some wine and taking a seat behind my table. There were a lot of things to do. Urgent matters. I had to get a hold of myself, I had to find my control. I downed the wine too quickly, clearing my throat as the burn spread through my chest.That damned witch was driving me to madness.I gripped the goblet tighter.What had she been thinking? Swimming naked and unguarded? I wondered if maybe I had been too hard on her and Sara.I was sorry about the gap that had grown bigger between Sara and I after my parents died. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was protecting the ones I loved by distancing myself from them. I was a king with many enemies and rivals who would do anyt
Last Updated : 2024-07-29Kindle Chapter Fifteen: A Curse from the Past
Nolan13years agoIt was going to be a great day. A grand affair filled with joy and all the food I could eat. My mother, Queen Ariadne, had promised me that for my eleventh birthday, the entire kingdom would be in attendance. People would travel from far and wide, bringing gifts. And honestly, it was the gifts that excited me the most. I couldn’t wait to unwrap them all. The thought alone made me giddy.I sprinted down the hallways, greeting everyone I passed—maids, guards, and anyone else who crossed my path. They’d all be there to celebrate with me. Their smiles and laughter echoed behind me as I rushed toward my parents’ quarters. The room was empty, just as I’d guessed it would be.Earlier, Aaron, my best friend and the son of Beta Carmine, the captain of the guards, told me there was a meeting happening between my parents and his father. I decided it was the perfect time to pull a little surprise. They’d never see it coming. Grinning to myself, I crawled under their bed, making
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Kindle Chapter Sixteen: An Enemy At The Gate
Nolan I watched as Aaron’s face went blank. His emerald green eyes glazed over, turning that familiar creamy shade whenever someone mindlinked him. By the tension in his posture, fists clenched tight, I knew it wasn’t good news."What’s wrong?" I asked, my patience thinning. I hated not knowing what was happening."It was Rue," Aaron muttered, his voice tight as he referred to his right-hand man, and if Rue had something to say that made Aaron look like this, it couldn't be good. I felt my stomach churn. "What is it?""It’s Salem," Aaron said, swallowing hard. "He’s here."Salem. My jaw tightened at the mere mention of his name. "And what does he want?" I snapped, feeling the familiar rise of anger burn through me. "He brought Baila."My mind raced. "Baila’s locked in her room. I’ve had guards posted there. She..." My voice faltered for a second before the anger took over. "I warned her. I warned her what would happen if she tried to escape!" I slammed my fist into the desk, feelin
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Kindle Chapter Seventeen: The Friend We Searched For
Baila"You know Nolan?" Salem asked, his voice low as he walked me back to the castle. "How do you know him?"I froze, my muscles tightening as I fought to keep my expression neutral. I couldn’t let anything slip. I didn’t know Salem well enough to trust him with the truth about who I really was or how I knew Nolan. Still, he had saved my life, and I knew I owed him something. But not this."Sara, the royal physician, is my friend," I lied, my voice steady though my cheeks warmed against the cold air. "I’m a dancer from a nearby village. I ran out of money, and Sara offered to help."Salem hummed softly, eyes flickering with suspicion. "Sara? I’ve met many of her dancer friends over the years, but never you." His red eyes had darkened to black now, leaving behind an unsettling emptiness."You know Sara?" I tried to sound casual, but inside, my heart pounded. I silently begged him to accept the story and drop the questions. I was already in deep trouble with Nolan; I didn’t need more c
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Kindle Chapter Eighteen: His frightening secret
BailaThe relentless thud of knuckles on my door synced effortlessly with the pounding in my head. The headache torturing me that early morning was the kind of pain that happened every time I had to battle the demon part of me.Unlike the other headaches, this one was not accompanied by the usual screaming in my head demanding that I use my powers. There was no voice lulling and calling me to maim, kill, and destroy.There was only one other demon I knew. One who was the culprit for the headache threatening to make me pass out.Nolan.My muscles screamed in protest as I sat up, and the raw sting in my throat reminded me of how much I had yelled during my argument with Nolan yesterday. He deserved every sharp word I uttered. Unfortunately, I was paying the price for my uncontrolled temper.Whoever was at the door would soon pay that price as well.The knocking continued, grating on my nerves.“I’m coming!” I croaked, throwing the blanket off and shuffling toward the door. My joints felt
Last Updated : 2024-10-31Kindle Chapter Nineteen: A hybrid in hiding
BailaSara escorted me back to my room after we watched the disqualified women leave the castle. I spent my time replaying my mother’s words in my head over and over again. The high king had yet to send out a bounty for my head and I did not know why.Maybe, he had executed Simone and Ashley in my stead and decided that they were enough retribution. If so, then their blood was on my hands. Still, even if he was not searching for me, news of the high prince’s dead should have reached Northwood by now unless the king had not announced it to his own people.But why wouldn’t he? Had the prince survived?He couldn’t have. I could see his dead eyes staring back at me that day. I had snapped his neck clean.A soft rapt came at my door, pulling me from the grim spiral of my thoughts. I startled, instinctively glancing at the window where the faint glow of twilight had long faded. The darkness outside was thick, heavy, and it dawned on me how much time had slipped away.I rushed to the door, m
Last Updated : 2025-01-23Kindle Chapter Twenty: The Secret Mate
NolanElder Sabyni had ordered an emergency council meeting whic required my presence. Initially, I had wanted to escape the responsibility of attending the meeting but Elder Sabyni had firmly stated that the entire council would not be present for the meeting since she wanted to address delicate private matters.The air in the council chamber was stifling, heavy with the weight of unspoken concern. Elder Sabyni and Elder Marcus were the only ones present. Aaron cleared his throat from his place behid me and I knew he was just as anxious about the meeting as I was.Elder Sabyni and Elder Marcus rose to their feet when I marched in with Aaron at my side. I nodded my head in greeted and they graced me with two small smiles. While I took my seat at the round table, Aaron stood behind me, tension rolling off him in waves.“Beta Aaron,” Elder Sabyni smiled curtly. “Please do take a seat beside our king,” she stared at him, waiting for what seemed like minutes as Aaron stood unmoving.I cra
Last Updated : 2025-01-23
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Kindle Chapter Twenty-Three: Maybe I shouldn’t
BailaSara left as soon as she had come.Apparently, there was an urgent matter that required her presence.The door clicked shut behind Sara, leaving me alone with the three maids and the heavy silence that followed.My room, usually a place of solace, now felt suffocating, as if the walls themselves were closing in.The flickering candlelight cast elongated shadows that danced across the stone walls, turning them into silent specters bearing witness to my turmoil.I swallowed the fear in my throat.If I wanted to survive, winning the bride trials was my only option.The gowns the maids carried were a riot of colors—deep crimson, sapphire blue, emerald green, and gold that shimmered like captured sunlight.Their fabrics cascaded like waterfalls, pooling onto the cold floor, a stark contrast against the rough stone. I reached out hesitantly, my fingers brushing against the silk and velvet. The cool, smooth textures sent shivers up my spine, reminding me of the weight of the decision I
Kindle Chapter Twenty-Two: Let The Trials Begin
BailaThe night passed in restless fits. Every time I closed my eyes, Nolan’s face appeared, his expression dark and full of fury. His threats echoed in my mind, weaving through Salem’s prophecy, which lingered like a foreboding melody I couldn’t escape.I lay tangled in the sheets, staring at the ceiling as shadows danced across the stone walls of my room.The fire in the hearth had long burned down to embers, but the chill in the air felt sharper than ever, biting through the thin fabric of my nightgown. Salem’s words refused to leave me.I had a mate.The thought gnawed at me. I wanted to tell Sara about Salem’s prophecy, to seek her counsel, but something inside me held back. It wasn’t just doubt—it was fear.Could I trust her? Could I trust anyone?Witches didn’t have mates. The idea itself was absurd. Yet Salem’s warning had planted a seed of uncertainty that was slowly taking root. My people’s survival depended on me, and I couldn’t afford distractions, not now.Sleep slipped t
Kindle Chapter Twenty-One: His Potential Queen
BailaThe night air was sharp, carrying a faint chill that made me pull my cloak tighter around me as Sara and I trudged back toward the castle. The streets were unusually quiet, the usual murmur of voices and clatter of hooves replaced by an eerie stillness and the shadows seemed to stretch longer than usual. I kept glancing over my shoulder, the unease from Salem’s prophecy still prickling at the edges of my mind like a splinter too deep to pull out. The words rang in my ears, fragments of their meaning slipping through my grasp no matter how hard I tried to piece them together.A lying mate. A backstabbing friend. A foe turned friend.Sara walked briskly ahead, her green dress swishing against her legs, her shoulders stiff and head bowed low. She had not uttered a word since I told her about Salem being a witch. She had not asked me how I found out or what proof I had and I had not offered an explanation either.In fact, I was relieved by her silence no matter how uncomfortable it
Kindle Chapter Twenty: The Secret Mate
NolanElder Sabyni had ordered an emergency council meeting whic required my presence. Initially, I had wanted to escape the responsibility of attending the meeting but Elder Sabyni had firmly stated that the entire council would not be present for the meeting since she wanted to address delicate private matters.The air in the council chamber was stifling, heavy with the weight of unspoken concern. Elder Sabyni and Elder Marcus were the only ones present. Aaron cleared his throat from his place behid me and I knew he was just as anxious about the meeting as I was.Elder Sabyni and Elder Marcus rose to their feet when I marched in with Aaron at my side. I nodded my head in greeted and they graced me with two small smiles. While I took my seat at the round table, Aaron stood behind me, tension rolling off him in waves.“Beta Aaron,” Elder Sabyni smiled curtly. “Please do take a seat beside our king,” she stared at him, waiting for what seemed like minutes as Aaron stood unmoving.I cra
Kindle Chapter Nineteen: A hybrid in hiding
BailaSara escorted me back to my room after we watched the disqualified women leave the castle. I spent my time replaying my mother’s words in my head over and over again. The high king had yet to send out a bounty for my head and I did not know why.Maybe, he had executed Simone and Ashley in my stead and decided that they were enough retribution. If so, then their blood was on my hands. Still, even if he was not searching for me, news of the high prince’s dead should have reached Northwood by now unless the king had not announced it to his own people.But why wouldn’t he? Had the prince survived?He couldn’t have. I could see his dead eyes staring back at me that day. I had snapped his neck clean.A soft rapt came at my door, pulling me from the grim spiral of my thoughts. I startled, instinctively glancing at the window where the faint glow of twilight had long faded. The darkness outside was thick, heavy, and it dawned on me how much time had slipped away.I rushed to the door, m
Kindle Chapter Eighteen: His frightening secret
BailaThe relentless thud of knuckles on my door synced effortlessly with the pounding in my head. The headache torturing me that early morning was the kind of pain that happened every time I had to battle the demon part of me.Unlike the other headaches, this one was not accompanied by the usual screaming in my head demanding that I use my powers. There was no voice lulling and calling me to maim, kill, and destroy.There was only one other demon I knew. One who was the culprit for the headache threatening to make me pass out.Nolan.My muscles screamed in protest as I sat up, and the raw sting in my throat reminded me of how much I had yelled during my argument with Nolan yesterday. He deserved every sharp word I uttered. Unfortunately, I was paying the price for my uncontrolled temper.Whoever was at the door would soon pay that price as well.The knocking continued, grating on my nerves.“I’m coming!” I croaked, throwing the blanket off and shuffling toward the door. My joints felt
Kindle Chapter Seventeen: The Friend We Searched For
Baila"You know Nolan?" Salem asked, his voice low as he walked me back to the castle. "How do you know him?"I froze, my muscles tightening as I fought to keep my expression neutral. I couldn’t let anything slip. I didn’t know Salem well enough to trust him with the truth about who I really was or how I knew Nolan. Still, he had saved my life, and I knew I owed him something. But not this."Sara, the royal physician, is my friend," I lied, my voice steady though my cheeks warmed against the cold air. "I’m a dancer from a nearby village. I ran out of money, and Sara offered to help."Salem hummed softly, eyes flickering with suspicion. "Sara? I’ve met many of her dancer friends over the years, but never you." His red eyes had darkened to black now, leaving behind an unsettling emptiness."You know Sara?" I tried to sound casual, but inside, my heart pounded. I silently begged him to accept the story and drop the questions. I was already in deep trouble with Nolan; I didn’t need more c
Kindle Chapter Sixteen: An Enemy At The Gate
Nolan I watched as Aaron’s face went blank. His emerald green eyes glazed over, turning that familiar creamy shade whenever someone mindlinked him. By the tension in his posture, fists clenched tight, I knew it wasn’t good news."What’s wrong?" I asked, my patience thinning. I hated not knowing what was happening."It was Rue," Aaron muttered, his voice tight as he referred to his right-hand man, and if Rue had something to say that made Aaron look like this, it couldn't be good. I felt my stomach churn. "What is it?""It’s Salem," Aaron said, swallowing hard. "He’s here."Salem. My jaw tightened at the mere mention of his name. "And what does he want?" I snapped, feeling the familiar rise of anger burn through me. "He brought Baila."My mind raced. "Baila’s locked in her room. I’ve had guards posted there. She..." My voice faltered for a second before the anger took over. "I warned her. I warned her what would happen if she tried to escape!" I slammed my fist into the desk, feelin
Kindle Chapter Fifteen: A Curse from the Past
Nolan13years agoIt was going to be a great day. A grand affair filled with joy and all the food I could eat. My mother, Queen Ariadne, had promised me that for my eleventh birthday, the entire kingdom would be in attendance. People would travel from far and wide, bringing gifts. And honestly, it was the gifts that excited me the most. I couldn’t wait to unwrap them all. The thought alone made me giddy.I sprinted down the hallways, greeting everyone I passed—maids, guards, and anyone else who crossed my path. They’d all be there to celebrate with me. Their smiles and laughter echoed behind me as I rushed toward my parents’ quarters. The room was empty, just as I’d guessed it would be.Earlier, Aaron, my best friend and the son of Beta Carmine, the captain of the guards, told me there was a meeting happening between my parents and his father. I decided it was the perfect time to pull a little surprise. They’d never see it coming. Grinning to myself, I crawled under their bed, making
