ARAH
All she wanted was to escape to another memory. The thought of staying, of witnessing what she feared might happen, made her stomach churn. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to watch if her worst guess came true.
“What are we going to do, Rose?” Lily whispered, her body trembling next to her sister.
“We’ll run. Like Mama taught us,” Rose replied in a hushed tone.
The girls turned and bolted, their breaths sharp and panicked. For a moment, Arah felt a flicker of relief, hopeful they had escaped, but it quickly vanished as the men closed the distance with alarming speed. One grabbed Rose by her hair, yanking her backward. She let out a choked scream, her hands clawing at his grip. Lily turned, only to meet the same fate, her shriek piercing the night as another man snagged her by her locks.
“Let us go!” Lily shouted.
“You devil children shouldn’t live,”
ARAHShe hurried outside and spotted the twins sprinting with their mother. One of the male hunters seemed to dissolve into the air, only to reappear in front of them, cutting off their escape. The girls froze, their gasps sharp and panicked as they stumbled back. The other hunter sauntered toward them. He was calm, as though he already knew they had nowhere left to run.The mother quickly shifted the girls behind her, edging them to the side. Fear and desperation carved deep lines into her face as her eyes flicked between the hunters. Arah couldn’t help but admire her bravery, but what could she actually do? Against these men, she was completely powerless.“Hand over the abominations, and you’ll be spared, madam,” said the long-haired hunter.“My daughters are not abominations!” the mother snapped. “I will never give them to you.”“The creation of a half-fae is forbidden,&rdquo
STRINGMASTERThe salamander’s arrival struck her like a thunderclap. She had hoped Vergilius would have done what needed to be done. Or, at the very least, that Drusden’s carefully laid trap would hold long enough for the harvest ritual to be completed. Yet, Gildeon had clearly managed to escape.Once again, they had underestimated him.Still, their coven had survived for centuries by anticipating every possible scenario. They were nothing if not prepared—though, as it seemed, even their contingencies had fallen short.The barriers they had set around the prison were supposed to hold. Even if breached, they were designed to sap the salamander’s strength. Yet there he stood, unscathed, where the prison yard met the road, his black and gold form silhouetted against the fog. Stringmaster was certain it was Roselia who had guided him to the weak points in their defenses.Roselia was supposed to have died back in
ARAHShe could feel Vienna’s anger seeping into her skin. It was as if the witch were furious that Arah had dared to hijack her memory. It clearly had something to do with the swirling mass of fog above. Maybe its magic had triggered a connection with Vienna’s collar.Arah braced herself, thinking Vienna might lash out for peering into her past. But something told her it wasn’t the case.“What happened to your sister?” The question tumbled from her lips before she could stop it. In the memory, the twins had been inseparable. The sister’s absence could only mean something had happened to her. “Rose? Lily?”Vienna screamed. Her pain was so overwhelming that, for a fleeting moment, Arah wanted to comfort her. What the twins had endured was horrible. But Vienna was still an enemy. Arah couldn’t afford sympathy.Seizing the witch’s moment of distraction, she bolted. She sprinte
GILDEONHe stepped back. His claws dug into the ground, shattering the concrete beneath his feet to anchor himself, bracing against the impact. Where had Zylas come from? Even with the thick fog, Gildeon should have sensed the dragon’s approach—but his attention had been drawn to Arah.Nothing else mattered to him in that moment but her.His gaze darted back to her. She had been pushed back, slamming into a concrete wall. Arah regained her footing, but she was clearly in shock.Gildeon’s pulse raced as Dragon Zylas turned its head toward her. His body burned with readiness, poised to strike the beast at any moment. Then it hit him—this was the perfect chance to test his theory. If he was right—fuck, he had to be right—this might be their only way to win.Claws launched into the air.“Zylas!” Gildeon growled, the power of his voice rattling his bones. A bolt of lightning seared through his mind as he felt a connection to Zylas’s dragon, just like the first time he had commanded Raudr.
ARAHShe was still reeling. The winged beast towering before her—the one Gildeon had called out to—was Zylas. Her mind flashed back to their conversation in the kitchen, his cryptic mention of flying. Now it made sense, and yet, it didn’t.This creature definitely didn’t belong to Earthland. What kind of shifter was he?Everything had moved too fast for her to process. One moment, she’d been sure the beast would crush her; the next, Vienna had dragged her along, the other collar now clasped tightly around the witch’s neck. Whatever spell Vienna had cast had left Arah paralyzed, her body refusing to obey even the simplest command. Her feet were frozen in place, and frustration clawed at her chest.Then came the sharp, insistent pain in her temple, like tiny bolts of electricity surging through her skull. It wasn’t just pain—there was something else. A flood of emotions and thoughts poured into her mind, and they weren’t hers. Panic rippled through her. Was she connected to Vienna’s min
ARAHShe couldn’t move—not just because Alaunus’s lifeless, still-warm body was resting heavily on top of her, but because of shock. It was one thing to imagine killing enemies, to picture the justice they deserved for the horrors they’d inflicted on innocent people. But to witness their deaths in such unexpected ways was something she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.She was a soldier. She had torn lives apart with her own hands more times than she could remember. Yet here she was, pinned under the weight of a moment she couldn’t comprehend, her chest tightening with questions she didn’t want to ask. How had her past self survived this much violence without crumbling? Was she really that unbreakable back then, or had her time away on Earthland softened her too much?A sharp sob snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, disoriented, only now noticing the weight on her chest was gone. Alaunus’s body had been moved. She saw Vienna cradling him from the corner of her eye, his head resti
ARAHShe didn’t know how this was supposed to work. Obviously, there hadn’t been time for Alaunus to spell it out for her. But she trusted her instincts to kick in.At the end of the hallway, Vienna stood—a shadow of the person she used to be. Her eyes locked onto Arah’s, cold and final, like someone who had already lost everything worth fighting for.Arah’s pulse hammered in her ears. The sweet Vienna she used to know was gone—she had died with Alaunus. This version had let the darkness in.“Was it worth it…” Arah broke the silence, buying precious seconds as her thumb traced the jagged edge of the mirror shard hidden behind her back. Vienna didn’t seem lucid enough to notice. “Whatever you sacrificed to gain power... to join Drusden’s coven?”No response.Arah pressed, “You wanted to avenge your parents?”Vienna’s gaze flickered. “The hunters,” she finally muttered, bitterness dripping from every syllable. “They’re cruel. They think they’re saving the world, protecting mankind.” She
ARAHShe rolled hard to the side, her movement barely outpacing Tiger Lokius’s crushing pounce. His claws swiped through empty air as she scrambled to her feet, snapping into a defensive stance. She put as much distance as she could between them, her breath tight in her chest.The striped beast skidded to a halt beside Vienna’s lifeless body. His growl vibrated through the air before he began to shift. In a blur, his massive form condensed, fur melting into skin, until Lokius stood in his human form—tall and lean.His green eyes softened as they fell on Vienna. He knelt beside her, his fingers brushing tenderly over her blood-soaked blonde hair. “You rest well now, my darling Vienna,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Then he lifted his gaze to Arah, one arm resting loosely across his bent knee. He appeared relaxed, but his eyes remained guarded.He didn’t look like he’d attack her outright—but his calm was unnerving. Her instincts screamed for her to stay ready.
ARAHShe rolled hard to the side, her movement barely outpacing Tiger Lokius’s crushing pounce. His claws swiped through empty air as she scrambled to her feet, snapping into a defensive stance. She put as much distance as she could between them, her breath tight in her chest.The striped beast skidded to a halt beside Vienna’s lifeless body. His growl vibrated through the air before he began to shift. In a blur, his massive form condensed, fur melting into skin, until Lokius stood in his human form—tall and lean.His green eyes softened as they fell on Vienna. He knelt beside her, his fingers brushing tenderly over her blood-soaked blonde hair. “You rest well now, my darling Vienna,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Then he lifted his gaze to Arah, one arm resting loosely across his bent knee. He appeared relaxed, but his eyes remained guarded.He didn’t look like he’d attack her outright—but his calm was unnerving. Her instincts screamed for her to stay ready.
ARAHShe didn’t know how this was supposed to work. Obviously, there hadn’t been time for Alaunus to spell it out for her. But she trusted her instincts to kick in.At the end of the hallway, Vienna stood—a shadow of the person she used to be. Her eyes locked onto Arah’s, cold and final, like someone who had already lost everything worth fighting for.Arah’s pulse hammered in her ears. The sweet Vienna she used to know was gone—she had died with Alaunus. This version had let the darkness in.“Was it worth it…” Arah broke the silence, buying precious seconds as her thumb traced the jagged edge of the mirror shard hidden behind her back. Vienna didn’t seem lucid enough to notice. “Whatever you sacrificed to gain power... to join Drusden’s coven?”No response.Arah pressed, “You wanted to avenge your parents?”Vienna’s gaze flickered. “The hunters,” she finally muttered, bitterness dripping from every syllable. “They’re cruel. They think they’re saving the world, protecting mankind.” She
ARAHShe couldn’t move—not just because Alaunus’s lifeless, still-warm body was resting heavily on top of her, but because of shock. It was one thing to imagine killing enemies, to picture the justice they deserved for the horrors they’d inflicted on innocent people. But to witness their deaths in such unexpected ways was something she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.She was a soldier. She had torn lives apart with her own hands more times than she could remember. Yet here she was, pinned under the weight of a moment she couldn’t comprehend, her chest tightening with questions she didn’t want to ask. How had her past self survived this much violence without crumbling? Was she really that unbreakable back then, or had her time away on Earthland softened her too much?A sharp sob snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, disoriented, only now noticing the weight on her chest was gone. Alaunus’s body had been moved. She saw Vienna cradling him from the corner of her eye, his head resti
ARAHShe was still reeling. The winged beast towering before her—the one Gildeon had called out to—was Zylas. Her mind flashed back to their conversation in the kitchen, his cryptic mention of flying. Now it made sense, and yet, it didn’t.This creature definitely didn’t belong to Earthland. What kind of shifter was he?Everything had moved too fast for her to process. One moment, she’d been sure the beast would crush her; the next, Vienna had dragged her along, the other collar now clasped tightly around the witch’s neck. Whatever spell Vienna had cast had left Arah paralyzed, her body refusing to obey even the simplest command. Her feet were frozen in place, and frustration clawed at her chest.Then came the sharp, insistent pain in her temple, like tiny bolts of electricity surging through her skull. It wasn’t just pain—there was something else. A flood of emotions and thoughts poured into her mind, and they weren’t hers. Panic rippled through her. Was she connected to Vienna’s min
GILDEONHe stepped back. His claws dug into the ground, shattering the concrete beneath his feet to anchor himself, bracing against the impact. Where had Zylas come from? Even with the thick fog, Gildeon should have sensed the dragon’s approach—but his attention had been drawn to Arah.Nothing else mattered to him in that moment but her.His gaze darted back to her. She had been pushed back, slamming into a concrete wall. Arah regained her footing, but she was clearly in shock.Gildeon’s pulse raced as Dragon Zylas turned its head toward her. His body burned with readiness, poised to strike the beast at any moment. Then it hit him—this was the perfect chance to test his theory. If he was right—fuck, he had to be right—this might be their only way to win.Claws launched into the air.“Zylas!” Gildeon growled, the power of his voice rattling his bones. A bolt of lightning seared through his mind as he felt a connection to Zylas’s dragon, just like the first time he had commanded Raudr.
ARAHShe could feel Vienna’s anger seeping into her skin. It was as if the witch were furious that Arah had dared to hijack her memory. It clearly had something to do with the swirling mass of fog above. Maybe its magic had triggered a connection with Vienna’s collar.Arah braced herself, thinking Vienna might lash out for peering into her past. But something told her it wasn’t the case.“What happened to your sister?” The question tumbled from her lips before she could stop it. In the memory, the twins had been inseparable. The sister’s absence could only mean something had happened to her. “Rose? Lily?”Vienna screamed. Her pain was so overwhelming that, for a fleeting moment, Arah wanted to comfort her. What the twins had endured was horrible. But Vienna was still an enemy. Arah couldn’t afford sympathy.Seizing the witch’s moment of distraction, she bolted. She sprinte
STRINGMASTERThe salamander’s arrival struck her like a thunderclap. She had hoped Vergilius would have done what needed to be done. Or, at the very least, that Drusden’s carefully laid trap would hold long enough for the harvest ritual to be completed. Yet, Gildeon had clearly managed to escape.Once again, they had underestimated him.Still, their coven had survived for centuries by anticipating every possible scenario. They were nothing if not prepared—though, as it seemed, even their contingencies had fallen short.The barriers they had set around the prison were supposed to hold. Even if breached, they were designed to sap the salamander’s strength. Yet there he stood, unscathed, where the prison yard met the road, his black and gold form silhouetted against the fog. Stringmaster was certain it was Roselia who had guided him to the weak points in their defenses.Roselia was supposed to have died back in
ARAHShe hurried outside and spotted the twins sprinting with their mother. One of the male hunters seemed to dissolve into the air, only to reappear in front of them, cutting off their escape. The girls froze, their gasps sharp and panicked as they stumbled back. The other hunter sauntered toward them. He was calm, as though he already knew they had nowhere left to run.The mother quickly shifted the girls behind her, edging them to the side. Fear and desperation carved deep lines into her face as her eyes flicked between the hunters. Arah couldn’t help but admire her bravery, but what could she actually do? Against these men, she was completely powerless.“Hand over the abominations, and you’ll be spared, madam,” said the long-haired hunter.“My daughters are not abominations!” the mother snapped. “I will never give them to you.”“The creation of a half-fae is forbidden,&rdquo
ARAHAll she wanted was to escape to another memory. The thought of staying, of witnessing what she feared might happen, made her stomach churn. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to watch if her worst guess came true.“What are we going to do, Rose?” Lily whispered, her body trembling next to her sister.“We’ll run. Like Mama taught us,” Rose replied in a hushed tone.The girls turned and bolted, their breaths sharp and panicked. For a moment, Arah felt a flicker of relief, hopeful they had escaped, but it quickly vanished as the men closed the distance with alarming speed. One grabbed Rose by her hair, yanking her backward. She let out a choked scream, her hands clawing at his grip. Lily turned, only to meet the same fate, her shriek piercing the night as another man snagged her by her locks.“Let us go!” Lily shouted.“You devil children shouldn’t live,”