Rae I woke up earlier than usual. The sun has just risen in the sky, painting it brightly. I slipped into my clothes, moving quickly. I didn’t want Anna to catch me leaving the palace. The last thing I wanted was for her to drown my ears with questions. I needed to find answers to Madame Rain’d words. The only way I could do that was to go after Madame Rain. Once outside, I told the driver to take me to the graveyard. He didn’t ask questions—he never did—but he gave me a look, something between concern and curiosity, before starting the engine. The drive was long and silent. I barely blinked as we passed trees and rooftops blurred by fog. My mind was spiraling. I had a feeling I’d find Madame Rain there—or maybe she’d find me. That was how it always went with her, wasn’t it? When we arrived, I stepped out without a word. The graveyard was still. A gust of wind swept through the tombstones, whispering through brittle grass. I stood there alone for a while, saying nothing, jus
Von “Your majesty.” A sharp voice called and I raised my head from the desk, staring at the guard in front of me. “Speak!” I said as I eased into the chair. “We have found the lady!” At the sound of his words. I straightened in my chair. “It’s about time.” I said hesitantly. Then I added. “Where’s she?” “At the throne room.” He informed me. “I will be there shortly.” I replied. He nodded, then walked out of the study. I closed the files on the desk and headed to the room. My mind leaped with joy, as I thought of the look on Rae’s face when I finally told her that I have found Madame Rain. The minute I pulled the door open, I noticed that Rae was fast asleep. I must have really tired her out last night. I decided not to disturb her. Making up my mind to tell her all about it when she wakes up. I walked down the hall afterwards, each step loud and sharp against the marble floor. I entered the throne room with a storm brewing in my chest. The guards stood tall, holding her
RaeTwo days had passed, and there was still no word. No sign. No trace of Madame Rain.She had vanished, just as mystically as she had appeared—like fog evaporating at dawn. I wasn’t surprised by this but Von on the other hand was losing his mind.He wouldn’t stop searching for her. He wouldn’t stop yelling at guards every time they returned and they told him they couldn’t find her.He would call them lazy, and then threaten them. He rarely slept close to me at night. He spent most nights in the study, going over the maps checking the spots that the guards might have missed.One night, I had climbed out of bed and found him, sitting in the study all alone.“Hey!” I said stepping inside.“Hey!” He responded not looking up at me.“I miss you!” I began but all he did was hummed.His reaction felt like a slap to my face, but I masked my emotions.“It’s pretty late!” I continued.“I’m busy. I will come to bed shortly.” His eyes remained on the desk.“You can’t continue doing this Von.”
Von Anna’s scream cut through the quiet morning like a knife through glass. I dropped the papers I was reading and bolted from the study. The sound hadn’t come from far. I met her halfway down the hall, her face contorted in panic. “What happened?” I asked, already bracing for the worst. “I’ve been trying to get Rae to come out of her room,” she said breathlessly. “It’s been a day! She won’t answer me, and she hasn’t eaten anything. I’m worried—really worried.” “She’s sulking,” I replied coldly. “Let her sulk.” Rae was angry at me and knew she was only doing this for attention. She wanted me to stop searching and I know she feels that by pulling off this stunt she would manage to convince me, but that wasn’t going to work. I was almost close to finding Madame Rain. I drew myself out of my thoughts and I turned to look at Anna. “Let her sulk,” I repeated. “Return to your kitchen duties.” Anna shook her head with tears in her eyes. “It’s more than that! You didn’t see her
RaeI stirred slowly, as I took in the world around me. My lashes fluttered, and when my vision adjusted, the first thing I saw was Von, sitting by my side with his hand wrapped gently around mine.“How… how did you get here?” I asked, and my voice sounded scratchy and weak.Von immediately leaned forward, his thumb stroking my wrist. “Shhh, don’t stress yourself,” he said softly. “Just… relax, Rae. I’m here.”I blinked at him, confused, trying to sit up. “Why are you suddenly caring about me now?” I asked, bitterness slipping through my tone before I could stop it. “You didn’t seem to care before…”He looked down for a moment, almost ashamed. “I know,” he said. “I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. I was so… caught up in everything. Frustrated. Blinded. And it nearly cost me you.”His voice cracked slightly, and he reached out to brush a stray hair from my face.“I should’ve thought,” he whispered. “But instead, I acted. And that was a mistake. I’m sorry, Rae.”“It’s fine…” I murmur
Von"Tell me!" Anna said with an impatience tone. “I need answers.”I had no idea what she was inquiring my mind had drifted off the second she started speaking.These days, I was always disconnected from my body, lost in my mind, and reality always felt like it was slipping from my grasp.“Rae…” Anna dragged, her voice was loud and demanding.I blinked, taking in the garden that surrounded us. If it was any other day, I would have found this place serene but right now, nowhere felt serene.“Do you think it’s going to be a boy or a girl?” she repeated, leaning in as she sipped from her juice.I exhaled and leaned forward too, elbows resting on my thighs. “Von wants the baby to be a boy.”She grinned. “I figured he would. Men always want sons at first. But…” She paused dramatically, wagging a finger at me. “What you want matters too.”I shrugged slightly. “It’s not about what I want. It’s also not about what he wants too.”Anna rolled her eyes. “Oh please. My mom always says women have
Von’s pov“I want that street properly investigated!” I barked, my voice echoing off the stone walls of the palace. “If a murder has taken place there twice, then it’s a sign that something shady is going on. I don’t want any more lives lost because we were too blind to see the pattern.”The head guard nodded sharply, scribbling something in his ledger. The others around the table exchanged tense glances, and I could feel the an uneasy feeling growing in the room. The pack had become chaotic the second me and Rae left for our vacation. My guards had reported the death of two people along a familiar street, the minute Rae and I drove in. I couldn’t help but arrange a meeting quickly trying to get to the bottom of things.“Is that the only thing that has happened?” I asked, scanning each face, as I pulled myself out of my thoughts. My eyes landed on Aemond who quickly stood on his feet He hesitated before speaking. “I don’t want to alarm you, Your Majesty,” he said slowly. “Everyone
Rae’s povWhen the car pulled up to the graveyard, I was met with silence not that I was surprised the graveyard always felt like a peaceful sanctuary. “I will be back soon!” I told the guards as I climbed down slowly from the car.My shoes made a soft sound against the gravel as I walked, it grew louder when increased my steps. I stood close to Jace’s stone, idly staring at the withered flowers that clung to it. My eyes suddenly moved to the sky which had gotten darker. I watched as the once bright clouds turned grayish like it was harboring rain.I didn’t know if this was a sign that it was about to rain or a sign that Madame Rain was coming.I hoped it was the second. The last thing I wanted was to deal with rain, which would stop me from achieving my mission.I sighed, pulling my eyes from the sky, and back to my surroundings. My eyes scanned the field of tombstones, noticing how the ground looked forgotten, like death itself was tired of remembering who it took. ‘Where was
Rae I stared at Anna in disbelief, my lips parted but no words coming out. I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I managed to pull myself out of the haze staring back at Anna. “You’re saying… I have to die to save the kingdom?” My voice cracked as I spoke, and my legs felt unsteady beneath me.Anna gave a slow nod, her eyes filled with sadness.“I don’t understand,” I said, forcing myself to stand. “Why me? How am I the reason for the curse?”“I don’t know, Rae,” she replied gently. “But Von might. He’s been keeping everything to himself. I think he knows more than he’s saying.”I shook my head. “This can’t be real. I refuse to believe it.”My heart pounded in my chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The walls were closing in. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind, crashing into each other. I didn’t want to cry, but tears burned behind my eyes anyway.Anna stepped closer. “Please calm down. Landon’s looking for a witch. He believes there might b
RaeThe dim light crept into view, it was blurry and soft at first, like a distant memory trying to settle into focus. My head felt heavy, and my body… foreign. I blinked a few times, trying to ground myself in the space around me. Everything was unfamiliar. I was disoriented. My arms ached, and when I looked down, I noticed wires—tubes—stripped across my body. I couldn’t tell if they were for healing or restraint.Then suddenly I heard soft sobs which broke through my haze.I turned my head, and my eyes landed on Anna. She was hunched over in a chair across the room, her shoulders trembling. Her voice cracked as she muttered to herself, “I think I’ve made a mistake… I shouldn’t have let him go…”What was she talking about? And why was she crying?“Anna…” My voice came out hoarse, it was low and if she wasn’t sitting close by. I was sure she wouldn’t have heard it.Anna’s head jerked up after those words left my lips. Her eyes widened like she’d seen a ghost. “Rae?” she gasped. T
VonThe moment, I saw Landon move I halted my steps, trying to figure out where he was heading. He directed his horse towards the side of the river while he rested on one of the stones. He was facing me now, but because of the trees I was well hidden and I couldn’t be easily detected. I kept watching, waiting for the opportunity when he would finally turn his back. Eventually, he did, and just as I was about to launch myself at him, my horse let out a sharp, loud snort.Landon jerked his head up and during that moment his eyes found mine. I wondered if he had seen me, but the moment I saw him reach for his horse I got the answer to my question.Landon pulled his horse out of the river in one fast move, climbed onto the saddle, and kicked hard. The animal responded instantly, racing through the shallow water, splashing and tearing through the trees.“Landon!” I growled, then yanked my reins.I mounted quickly and dug my heels in. My horse moved forward, its hooves digging into the t
VonI stared at Anna with a coldness that could freeze fire. My eyes locked onto hers, searching for answers, for some kind of remorse, but all I saw was silence. Her lips stayed pressed together, and it was clear she wasn’t planning on explaining anything anytime soon.My anger ignited. It roared up from my chest like a beast unchained. I hit her against the cage once again.“You dare remain silent?” I growled through clenched teeth. “You set him free and you stand here with your mouth shut like it means nothing?”Her gaze flicked to mine, and finally, she spoke in a soft tone. “Even if I explain things to you… you’ll never understand.”I scoffed, tightening my grip. “Did he promise you something? Huh? Is that it? Did Landon feed you some sweet little story?”“No,” she snapped back. “He didn’t promise me anything.”I let out a humorless laugh. “Then why? What in the hell made you think this was a good idea?”She yanked her arm out of my grasp. “Because he said he wants to help this c
Von The night had arrived.I sat in my chambers, wide awake. My sword rested beside me on the table, a sharp glint catching the flicker of torchlight from the wall. I hadn't slept, not even for a second. My instincts told me tonight would be the night they'd try it—the traitors among my guards. Anna’s warning had been clear, and my men were ready. My loyal guards were stationed throughout the palace, hiding in shadows, crouched in corners, armed to the teeth.I paced slowly across the room, boots echoing faintly against the stone floor. Then—just as I paused—came the sound. A low grunt. Then another. It started outside my door. The fight had begun.I moved quickly into the shadows, pressing my back against the cold wall. I could hear the scuffle grow louder. Then came footsteps rushing toward my chamber. Someone was coming for me.I didn’t move.I waited.The door creaked open. I saw the silhouette step in, sword drawn. He didn’t see me. He thought I’d be asleep.He took three step
Von The room was quiet except for the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. I had taken my position at the edge of the bed, my hands resting on my knees, the weight of everything pulling at my chest. Anna stood by the door, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed in a tight line. “Are you going to speak or not ?” I asked, my voice hoarse from lack of rest.She stepped closer, looking over her shoulder like she was afraid someone might be listening. “I don’t know if you are ready to hear this.”I sighed. Nothing else would surprise me, for the past few weeks I had watched my life go for bad to worse to wise. I knew nothing she would say would make a difference in my life.“Just say it, Anna!” I tried to keep my voice neutral trying not to lose my cool.“They’re plotting to kill you, Your Majesty.” Anna finally said.My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”“I overheard the guards talking with a few locals,” she said, her voice low. “They’re working together. They want to overt
Von The deaths in the kingdom had not stopped. Every day brought another body, another cry for help. And in the middle of all that, the truth I had learned clung to me like a second skin. Rae—no, Rose—was my sister. That revelation shattered something in me. It was like a rope had snapped. The very bond that once tethered me to her had been sliced clean through.I no longer looked at Rae the same. Her smile, her voice, the warmth in her eyes—it all haunted me now. I dared not to think of our memories, the feeling of me thrusting into her, the sound of her calling out my name. It felt like a nightmare. I forced myself to think of something. It wasn’t easy and to make things worse I started having dreams. Horrible, violent dreams. In them, I killed her over and over. Sometimes with my hands. Sometimes with a blade. Sometimes I just watched her die, unable to stop it. Every time I closed my eyes, those dreams returned, more vivid and terrifying than the last. Sleep no longer gave m
Von “Shall we leave now, Your Majesty?” one of the guards asked. His words felt distance it was like I was in another world and I was disconnected from my body. I couldn’t bring myself to reply I just stood staring at world around which had suddenly lost its light.“Your majesty!” A voice called out and this time I realized that the voice belonged to Roy. He was moving closer to me. I could hear his steps but I couldn’t see him. I was lost in my mind.“Are you fine your majesty?” He asked. “Do you want us to attack?”I was sure he must have thought the seer did something horrible to me, little did he know that she had no hand to place in this. I was just shocked by the truth.“Your majesty!” His voice returned and I knew it I didn’t reply they are going to be hovering around her and they might end up going in to attack the seer.“I’m fine Roy!” I finally said. “Don’t attack.”He didn’t look fully convinced but he nodded.“Shall we leave?” He repeated and I nodded. We got into the
Von The night air was cool and still, as we set out on our journey to see the seer. The drive through the forest was smooth, quiet, almost too quiet. Trees blurred past us like silent watchers, and inside the car, my thoughts raced. I kept staring out the window, pretending to be calm, but my mind was anything but that. My stomach churned as I thought about the fact that I was closer to the truth.What if the seer tells me something I can’t handle? What if there’s no going back after tonight?For a second, I considered turning back. Doubt crept in, whispering its poison. But I clenched my fists and shook the thoughts away. This wasn’t the time for fear. I had made it this far. Rae—no, everything—depended on this.When we arrived at the seer’s place, the guards approached first. The hut was small, isolated deep within the woods, lit only by the dull glow of moonlight and a single flickering lantern hanging from a crooked pole.The lead guard stepped up and knocked twice on the wood