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2 - Star-Crossed Lovers
publish date:
2024-06-07 17:20:38ARAH
“Still at the coroner’s office.” She threw him a puzzled look. “Why?”
“Nothing,” he said, returning to his dinner. “And no, I won’t come.”
Her shoulders slumped. “It’s Plumber Paul’s funeral, Gildeon,” she said, frustration slipping into her voice. How many times had he let her attend community gatherings alone?
“Will it kill you to show up just this once?” She stabbed her fish harder than necessary. “I’m sick of making excuses for you.”
And sick of the gossip that she was an incompetent wife or that she was trapping Gildeon in a loveless marriage. If only they knew what was really going on within these walls…
The irony made her want to bang her head on the table.
“I’ve got better things to do,” he said dismissively, not even bothering to look at her.
“Like what?” She scowled, feeling the air thicken. “You never tell me what you're up to when you're not at home or at school.”
His face froze, his eyes darting at the space surrounding her like he was seeing something she couldn’t.
“Whatever I do is for our protection,” he said firmly as he finally leveled his gaze at her.
She was reminded of his story about how they used to be star-crossed lovers, born into feuding families from the Middle East. Eventually, they’d defied their parents, eloped, and married in secret.
“How did I lose my memories again?” she demanded after a moment.
His chiseled jaw ticked, his mouth twitching tensely. “How many times do I have to tell you this?”
“Indulge me, Gildeon,” she insisted, lightly scraping the tips of her fork against the edge of her plate.
He held her gaze before resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together. “Our parents were hellbent on breaking us apart,” he began, sounding as if he were in his class, giving a lecture. “Your parents sent henchmen to assassinate me, and mine did the same to you. We were driving away from them fast, but I lost control of the car and we flipped over.” He paused, watching her reaction closely. “You were unconscious, but I got you out in one piece.”
The rest unfolded: a friend helping with fake passports and documents, arranging a secret trip on a private plane to Caylao Island...
The more he told the story, the more it sounded rehearsed. She still couldn’t wrap her head around waking up in this house as her first memory. She’d been in and out of consciousness during their travels, he said. That the meds had somehow messed with her head.
She believed some of it, but she knew he was hiding more. And if she was going to figure out his secrets, she needed to start with that study room he kept locked at all times.
“This is the last time I’m going over this, Arah,” he warned before taking another bite of his tuna.
“Can you blame me?” she retorted. “I don’t have the memories you have.”
“We’ve been under the same roof for half a year now,” he said pointedly, his knuckles white around his spoon. “What’s it going to take for you to trust me?”
“You’re not making it easy.” Her voice rose, frustration bubbling up. “You don’t talk to me. You hide things. You haven’t even done anything nice for me—” She paused, her breaths jagged. Her free hand clutched at her skirt as she went on, “And you expect me to submit like a mindless sheep?”
The tension was thick enough to cut. Her heart jumped as Gildeon pushed his chair back and stood, leaning over the table. Damp hair fell over his eyes—eyes that reminded her of a snake and something ancient she couldn’t quite place.
“Don’t make me force you to sleep in my bed, Arah,” he said in a low, ominous tone that made her skin tingle.
“You promised we’d have separate rooms until I’m ready,” she reminded him, her throat dry.
“I’ve granted you liberties.” A faint, predatory smile curled his lips. “I won’t be patient for long.”
As he walked away, she let out a shaky breath. Barky came up to her, rubbing his face against her leg as if to console her.
She smiled weakly. “Hey, I’m okay,” she reassured Barky, petting his head.
The sound of the door closing from Gildeon's study eased her chest. Her husband had never forced himself on her. Never. Except maybe for that other thing he made her do whenever he wanted to punish her.
But what was she supposed to do once he finally grew tired of waiting?
Latest chapter
MAD END'S DECEPTION 372 - She Couldn't Be Gone
GILDEONHe woke in a place that felt too familiar.Stone walls boxed him in, close and suffocating. The only light came from a narrow, barred window high above. He tested his body—steady, recovered, as if he’d slept for days. But his power… it was muted. Restricted.The moment his eyes landed on the steel door, recognition hit.He snapped upright.The seer sigil carved into it pulsed faintly—designed to keep him contained, to stop him from shifting into his dragon form.His pulse picked up.This was the cell General Markaus had thrown him into before—back when he’d lost control of his dragon beast.Which meant he was on one of their important bases.His thoughts shifted instantly to Araheen. Where was she? What about Kohina, Eitan, Yadira?The last thing he remembered was the old outpost—the dizziness, the collapse.Had Markaus found them?He rose from the stone bed and crossed the r
MAD END'S DECEPTION 371 - Free The Dragon
ARAHEENThat afternoon, she returned to Lothair’s estate under the pretense of visiting her mother’s tomb again. Zephyr suspected nothing, though Hedda had given her a sharp, sour look and said nothing.Lady Vaelina was absent from the castle, but Isalee was there. A servant directed Araheen to the garden.Isalee was pacing in front of the twin-dove fountain, her face tight, her mouth drawn thin, her hands restless at her sides. Araheen was certain her stepsister wasn’t sleeping with any Fractured, yet her emotions had grown bolder of late—not just hers, but the sylphs’ during the battle earlier… Feviel’s, and even the servants’, here in the citadel.Perhaps the Shining Keeper’s absence was loosening the shackles on their spirits little by little as time passed. It was a thought worth keeping.For now, what mattered was speaking to Isalee.Her stepsister was so lost in w
MAD END'S DECEPTION 370 - Save Your Strength
ARAHEENShe woke alone in bed, though she dimly remembered Zephyr pressing a kiss to her forehead before slipping into a robe and leaving the room.The first thing she checked when she sat up was her belly. The power of the Containment Sigil pulsed faintly beneath her skin, proof that it had done what it was meant to do. It had activated the moment Zephyr was inside her last night. For a second, she had feared he might notice, but he had been too lost in pleasure, too deep in that mindless rush, for his guard to stay fully up.Now that the deed was done, all she had to do was wait. And that depended entirely on her allies outside the citadel.Her mother had said the sigil’s full function would only unravel if Zephyr was engaged in battle. Only then would they have any real chance of bringing him down.She climbed out of bed, pulled on her dress, and opened the door, only to start at the sight of Hedda standing outside.
MAD END'S DECEPTION 369 - To Weaken Him
ARAHEENThe dining hall was quiet, save for the soft clink of her utensils and the occasional scrape of steel against porcelain. She sat alone at the table, eating her dinner, while Zephyr stood on the balcony, watching the citadel below.She hadn’t realized how famished she was until the servants laid a spread of food before her. After her long rest, and the power drained by her visit to her mother’s mausoleum, she needed to restore enough strength to sustain the Containment Sigil she had etched into her belly, concealed beneath a powerful masking sigil.Not even Zephyr would detect it… unless he knew exactly what to look for.“You’re not going to eat?” she asked casually, lifting her wine glass for a generous sip.“I have no longer use for food,” Zephyr replied without turning. “You’ll understand when you reach my state.”“What if I don’t want t
MAD END'S DECEPTION 368 - I Wanted All Of You
ARAHEENCatheria and Zephyr moved through the same narrow tunnel. Shadowy arms reached from the walls, grasping for them, but they avoided the touch—just as Araheen had during her own passage through the Dark Plane.They emerged into a white room, which dissolved in an instant into a vast cosmic expanse surrounding them.Golden streaks threaded through the fabric of the universe, interwoven with drifting stars, gas, and dust suspended in the void.Catheria approached a silvery structure resembling a vast spider’s web. She pressed her hand to its center, only to recoil moments later, tears streaming down her face.She then stumbled back, finding Zephyr still standing before his own web, his hand pressed firmly at its core. His eyes had turned white. His body was completely still.Catheria approached him slowly and, without a word, placed her hand over his.Her head snapped back. Her eyes turned white as wel
MAD END'S DECEPTION 367 - Secrets Of The Awakening
ARAHEENThe memory shifted again, this time to the dining hall.Oracle Guards stood by the doors, overseeing the Broken Ones—as sylphs like Catheria and Zephyr were called.Even here, strict rules were enforced, though they were permitted to speak with one another.After whatever rigorous “rehabilitation” the Oracles subjected them to—something her mother had clearly spared her from witnessing—Araheen could see how drained the others were. Most were too exhausted to even attempt conversation during meals.But her young mother did not seem as broken.Catheria obeyed without protest, and perhaps because of that, the Oracles had grown more lenient with her movements. No one questioned it when she took a seat beside Zephyr, who sat alone at his table.Zephyr paused mid-bite, turning to her with a look of open irritation.“What do you want?” he asked dismissively.&ld
MAD END'S DECEPTION 28 - It's Your Turn Now
GILDEONThe crabman struck first, three massive arms slashing through the air. Adrenaline surged as he threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the pincers. Compared to the creatures he'd battled thousands of Earthland years ago, this creature was low-level. Still, with his power restrained, this fight
Last Updated : 2026-03-18MAD END'S DECEPTION 32 - Like an Awakened Memory
ARAHShe tried to pry the axe free from the bearded man's head, but her hands were slick with blood and shaking too hard to get a grip.“Go. Move. Come on,” she whispered angrily to herself, clenching her hands.She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then snapped them open, forcing her feet to move.‘
Last Updated : 2026-03-18MAD END'S DECEPTION 38 - Loopholes in the Story
GILDEONHe inspected Agent Durante’s ID and badge, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his eyeglasses. He couldn’t be certain how legitimate this was, but so far, he wasn’t sensing any deceit from the man. Still, why would a bureau agent need something from Arah?“Hi, sir, is this about the incident at
Last Updated : 2026-03-18MAD END'S DECEPTION 26 - Have I Killed Someone
ARAHEverything was hazy and happening so fast. She was riding something warm and alive, with feathers—like a bird. She waved her hand, throwing a spear downward without touching it. She killed someone. She couldn't see who it was. And then Gildeon. It was a blur, but she saw him on a horse in the di
Last Updated : 2026-03-18
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