KIARA "What do you mean by brides?" I asked, clutching at the fabric of my loose night dress. Estella shrugged, flipping her hair over her left shoulder."It's just as I said. Denzel has made it his habit to murder his brides on the night before their wedding. Terrible, isn't it?" She said, chuckling darkly."Tell me more," I choked out, tears blurring my vision. "Not yet. Once I'm sure that you're on my side, I'll tell you. For now, I'll leave." She winked at me and turned away from me."Wait-""I'll come to see you soon. In the meantime, you should find out as much as you can. Bye," she said. Right after this statement, she snapped her fingers and vanished into thin air alongside her bodyguard. My eyes widened when I realised that the room had also changed. I was back in my room in Denzel's palace. This meant I'd never left the room in the first place. Estella had simply created an illusion of a different room. However, I had no idea how she'd entered the palace without being n
DENZELFew hours before, By the goddess, my mate was stunning. Immense desire stirred within me as I cupped the side of her face. I wasn't one to lose all sense of reasoning. But, while I gazed into the depths of her sea green eyes, I stopped thinking. My gaze drifted to her slightly parted heart-shaped lips. Still entrapped in a daze, I leaned closer to her. When she didn't protest or pull away, my desire grew stronger until I was barely a few inches away from her lips. However, before I could kiss her, a blinding pain struck me. My vision blurred and tremors racked my body. It was an all too familiar agony, one which never failed to disrupt my day. Pulling away from Kiara, I straightened. "Take some time to rest, Kiara. You should go to the garden if you don't feel better," I said. I needed to get away from her. If I didn't, a disaster was bound to happen. So, I strode towards the door. I didn't want to alert my mate about my sudden poor health. But, when I got to the
KIARA It didn't make any sense. But, the look on his face said otherwise. "Please, believe me. It's the truth," he croaked, gazing up at me with pain in his eyes. "Let me get this straight. What you're trying to say is that you have a multi personality?" I asked. He sighed."It's similar. But, it's a lot more complicated than you think. I would... explain everything right now. However, I'm starting to feel faint" he rasped. "What do you want me to do? I-I need explanations. I don't know if I can trust your words. I don't...I don't... know who you are," I stressed."Bring... Keenan to me" he gasped, his breathing coming out in short pants. I stared at him, alarmed by the way he was shivering. His hair was matted at his temples, damp with sweat. And, he looked as though he was barely holding himself up. "Denzel -" I started to say when suddenly, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped to the ground. Is he dead? I wondered as I approached him. It was strange
KIARA "Kiara?! Please, open the door. I'm sorry about what I said earlier...Can you let me in, please?" Cassy's voice rang out as she pounded her fist against the door. She wasn't one to give in until she'd gotten what she wanted. I knew ignoring her was of no use.Picking up the fallen piece of paper, I tore it into shreds and dumped them in the waste bin. Then, I padded towards the door and opened it. "Are you alright? Wait...your eyes are puffy and bloodshot. Were you crying?" Cassy asked, her brows creased. Turning away from her, I walked towards my bed and sat on it, keeping my head lowered. "I'm fine," I mumbled.I didn't want to make her worry. If she knew about Lucas' letter, it just wouldn't sit right with her. Knowing who she was, she would probably do something rash."You're not mad at me for saying those things, are you?" Cassy suddenly asked and I shook my head."You were right. What's there to be mad about?" I said, pulling up my hair into a ponytail."You don
KIARA If by chance, there was something I could do to solve my mate's problem, I was willing to do it. As long as it was within my capacity."How can I set you free? Please tell me," I said to Denzel, our gazes locked. "Marry me."I blinked at him, dumbfounded.It didn't sound like a logical answer. Why would marrying him be the key to freeing him?"You're joking, right?" I asked, furrowing my brows."I'm not. Marrying me and completing our mate bond as the moon goddess' vessel will set me free," he said. I stared at him for a moment, scanning his facial features for any sign of deception. However, I found none."Are you sure about this? I mean...it can't be that easy. It sounds tricky, Denzel," I said.He dragged in a sharp breath and a frown creased my brows."Did I say something wrong?" I asked cautiously."No, you didn't. It's just... when you called my name, it startled me," he said, letting out an awkward chuckle."This isn't the first time I'm calling you by your name, i
KIARA "Why are you doing this?" My voice cracked at the end of my statement. Leaning back against the wall, I clenched my fists to hide my trembling fingers. "There was no other way to get you to listen to me. It's just us in here," Lucas turned away from me and walked towards the window."We're nothing to each other. We don't need a heartfelt conversation. Besides, I... rejected you," I croaked, blinking back the stinging tears in my eyes.Lucas took a deep breath and spun around to look at me."I didn't reject you, my bond with you is one way. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist." He flicked a finger in my direction, his brows knitted into a frown."You're the mother of my heir, you shouldn't forget that either," he said, his gaze unwavering.Instinctively, I wrapped my hands around my stomach. I would do anything to protect my child from this heartless monster that stood in front of me."Now, don't look at me like that. I know I hurt you. But, I can't stand your hatred
KIARA "Well, you do have a point. I was dead but now, I'm alive," Melissa stated, her stare unnerving. She wasn't blinking. Whatever Melissa had become was something beyond the ordinary.What exactly happened to her?"Why aren't you trying to get revenge for me? You know who killed me, don't you? What's stopping you from stabbing him in the heart with a poisoned dagger?" Her eyes had darkened, her lips turning an unhealthy shade of blue."Melissa...calm down," I whispered, still inching towards the door. If the tension between us kept growing, she would eventually attack me. I froze when she suddenly let out a bone chilling cackle. "You're always in my way! I was going to have the king for myself! But, you showed up! You ruined everything for me! I wasn't murdered, bitch! I jumped off the roof to make you stay away from his majesty," she said, flashing an unusual pair of crooked canines. She wasn't making any sense. She was the one who had constantly hinted that Denzel was respon
KIARA Denzel stroked my cheek with the pad of his thumb when he pulled away.For the life of me, the burning desire to kiss him again refused to fade.He leaned closer to me, and planted an endearing kiss on my forehead, my heart fluttering in my chest."You are beautiful," he whispered, his gaze locked with mine."You're not so bad yourself," I said and he chuckled."Not so bad? Sunshine, you know I'm more than that," he commented. He's freaking gorgeous. Still, I wouldn't tell him that."Say it to my face, Kiara. I know that you think I'm freaking gorgeous," He said with a coy smirk on his face.Blood rushed to my cheeks as I looked away. What the hell?Did he just read my mind?"I didn't have to read your mind. It's written all over your face."My eyes widened. "Are my thoughts that obvious?" He nodded, his eyes shimmering with amusement."You don't have to return to your room. You can stay with Cassy," He suddenly said."Really? I can do that?" I asked. He shrugged, tip
KIARA "Are you ready?" My mate asked me as I wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his bare back. We were both lying in bed on our first anniversary."I'm excited," I squeaked, and he chuckled. "You're finally getting to imprint on my mind. Of course, you should be excited," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. "Close your eyes. I'm gonna go in now," I whispered, delving into his mind. When I opened my eyes again, we were standing on top of a hill. There was a beautiful, clear waterfall directly opposite us, and there were bright red roses growing along the paths of the wide expanse of the mountains. The sky was a breathtaking pink, and the breeze was refreshingly cool. "Can I open my eyes now?" Denzel asked, and I chuckled, leaning into him from behind. "Yes."He glanced around, whistling under his breath. "Denzel?" I said, and he turned to look at me, his eyes wide with awe. Holding out a hand, I gave him a big smile."Let's go for a walk," I sugge
KIARA A scream tore through the air, and I narrowed my eyes, pulling the door open. Hurrying down the hallway, I reached out for Denzel through our bond. However, I got no response.More screams and cries filled the air, and my stomach churned. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me what was happening. Lucas was here. The battle had officially begun. Maids scrambled in my direction, their dresses stained with blood. "Azalea," I breathed, worried about my daughter's safety. Just before I could get to the nursery, I saw Cassy running towards me with Azalea in her arms. Her eyes were wide with terror. "He's here. He's killing everyone," she panted. "Take her to the basement. Can you do that for me?" I asked, and she gulped. "Stay safe, Kiara. Please." She croaked. I nodded, patting her back. I watched her continue down the hallway. She suddenly vanished out of sight. Relieved to know that my daughter was in good hands, I crouched by the side of an unconscious guard and grabbed
KIARA Denzel and I sat in our bedroom with Azalea asleep in my arms. My mate had cleaned himself up and was now dressed in his robe. There was a blank expression on his face. It was obvious that we were worried about the fact that Lucas had stolen Ria's power. I still couldn't wrap my head around how he had managed to do that. With Ria's power in his possession, I was the only one who could truly put him down for good. But there was one problem. I was yet to remove the seal. Lucas could attack at any moment. However, we were not ready for him. I still didn't know what Lucas' plan was, and this was unnerving. "Don't worry too much about it," Denzel said to me, his gaze meeting mine. I knew he was trying to comfort me. But, at this point, it was the last thing I needed. I couldn't shake off the feeling that a much bigger war was coming. One which was capable of causing a much bigger catastrophe. If we weren't ready for it, we were bound to get destroyed. "What if he comes her
DENZEL "She was right here in her cot. I was standing by the window, preparing her food. When I turned around, she was gone," Kiara's maid said, her head lowered. We were in the nursery, and Kiara was pacing back and forth. I knew she was barely holding it together. "You didn't hear anybody walk in?" She asked, and the maid shook her head. "No one came in. I would've heard the door open."Kiara gripped several locks of her hair and tugged. I walked up to her, releasing her grip on her hair."Don't hurt yourself," I said, and she looked up at me, her eyes filled with both desperation and anguish."It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left her side. I should have stayed to protect her," she said, her voice trembling. "We will find her," I stated, and she shook her head feverishly."Lucas... what if he's the one who took her? What if he took her to get back at us? What do we do now? This can't be happening," she sobbed.My mate was slipping right into panic mode, and it hurt me t
KIARA I didn't think. I grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her off my mate's body. Denzel stumbled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom with unsteady movements. Grabbing the strange woman by the hair, I kicked her at the back of her legs, bringing her to her knees. She cackled, and I narrowed my eyes at her, bringing my claws to her throat. "Who are you?" I demanded, and she stopped laughing."Can't you tell? I'm you.""What?" I breathed. For a moment, she almost got me to believe her. However, the glint in her eyes reminded me of Ria in an unnerving way. "Stop hiding behind that illusion. Show yourself!" I snapped. "You're no fun," she hissed, transforming into her original form. It was Ria."You bitch," I spat, my claws digging into her skin. Pushing me away from her, she transformed into her signature animal and vanished. The sound of Denzel throwing up in the bathroom made me grimace. When he emerged out of it, his face was as white as sheets. "Care to explain how
KIARA Stepping out into the garden due to my sudden insomnia, I was surprised to find my mate in an odd position with Ria. He had his hand wrapped around her throat, his eyes darkening with menace. "There she is. The star of the occasion," Ria choked out, casting a sidelong glance at me. "Denzel, what's going on?" I asked, and he refused to look at me. "Go ahead, Denzel. Tell her how you hid the fact that Lucas showed up again," Ria stated, and I narrowed my eyes at them."What is she talking about, Denzel? Did Lucas really show up?" I asked, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. He still wouldn't look at me. "Come on, Denzel. Don't keep her waiting. She wants to know about your injury and the fact that Lucas kissed you," Ria said, and I froze.I was appalled by the thought of Denzel hiding all of that from me. But, I felt more hurt knowing that Ria was aware of the things I didn't know."He's such a terrible mate, isn't he? He made you believe that you were his partner amidst all of th
DENZEL "Your majesty, do you realize what you've just said?" Keenan said, stepping away from the door, his eyes squinted at me."I know. It sounds crazy. I don't understand why he did that. The more I think about it, the more I feel disgusted," I said, and he chuckled."Now what? He finds you attractive? Or he wants to get back at Kiara by stealing you from her?" He stated, clearly amused.I scoffed at him, increasing the pressure on my wound. "Maybe he was just messing with you. Maybe he was trying to get a reaction out of you. However, if he's into men, he might be head over heels for you," Keenan continued, and I glared at him. "That's bullshit.""I know, right? This is crazy. Will you tell Kiara about that? No, wait...if you tell her about that, she's bound to find out about your injury," he said."What injury?"We both stiffened as the door opened and Ria walked in. She narrowed her eyes at me. "What happened to you?" She asked, and I shut my eyes, annoyed. "It is none o
DENZEL "There are no signs of injury on his body, your Highness. We suspect that this is a psychological issue," a member of the royal healers said to Kiara, who was perched by my side, holding my hand. I kept my eyes closed. Therefore, no one knew that I'd regained consciousness. "He coughed up blood, you know that. How can it be psychological?" Kiara asked."I'm afraid we do not have the answer to that yet.""You can leave now. I'll stay with him," Kiara said. The moment we were all alone, Kiara kissed my knuckles and stroked my hair. "Will you tell me what happened without lying to me?" She suddenly said, startling me. I opened my eyes to look at her."You knew that I've been awake?" I said, and she nodded. "Please tell me you know exactly what happened to you," she said, and I heaved a sigh, closing my eyes."It was Lucas. He was in my dream, except...it didn't feel like a dream. He stabbed me," I told her, and she stared at me like I'd gone crazy. "Lucas entered your
KIARA A week later, it was confirmed that Estella had indeed taken her own life. She'd left a will behind. Apparently, she had been overcome with a sense of emptiness. Although Estella and I didn't have a solid relationship, I felt bad for her. Denzel was hurt by her decision. He'd done everything to protect her, after all. With the royal family of the northern states down to one member, I had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before Denzel became their king. I knew that my mate was going through a lot. However, I could not comfort him the way I wanted to. Since I had to make sure that Ria believed that my relationship with Denzel was in shambles, I couldn't get affectionate with my mate. Ria was everywhere. She was making it clear that she was there to stake her claims. If I wanted to defeat her, I needed to unlock the fullness of my potential. I stared at the cloudy night sky with mixed feelings. The cool breeze caressed my hair and made me relax. Taking a deep breath, I cl