ZIONs POV…My legs make long strides as I cross the bridge that leads to the underground cell of the Grand Arena. I nod my head at the two guards standing on each side of the threshold leading inside the cell. They cross their arm over their chests and bow their heads as they kneel before me. “Your respect has been gained,” I say emphatically as I come to a standstill in front of them. “When there is no one else around, you are no longer compelled to bend the knee. Ascend and proceed to protect the Arena with your life.”The guards stand tall, eyeing one another with their maces slamming against the hard ground. “The rite of passage to the afterlife comes to an end here.” They vocalize triumphantly in unison.A chant that has been vocalized for many earla years upon entering the Arena's cell. Nodding my head, I proceed to enter and make my way to where Thake and Thane are being imprisoned. “Well, well, well… If it isn't the Alpha King himself.” Thane chides with a scoff. “Have you co
MIYAs POV…With my limbs wrapped around Zion's body. I rub the side of my face against the crook of his neck, absorbing the heat emanating from his caramel flesh. Inhaling his mouth-watering scent, I focus on the sound of his twin-hearts beating, which also happens to match the rhythm of my breathing. It's erratic, yet it has a hypnotic effect on me.Before we left the Liberty, he had encouraged me to cling to him from the front rather than the back so that his arms could wrap around my body and prevent me from slipping off. As he trudges through the thick snow, the twin-suns begin to descend, casting beautiful hues of green and brown across the skyline.“Almost there, bonetta.” He says in a ragged breath.“Mmmhmm,” I hum, squeezing my eyes shut as I slowly feel myself drifting off to sleep.“Don't you fall asleep,” Zion grunts with a growl, and I can sense him quickening his pace. “I'm tired, Zion. Just a wee nap until we arrive, please?” I say as I stifle a yawn. Trying to keep m
ZIONs POV…“STOP!” Miya bellows with her voice echoing loudly through the cave.I come to a screeching standstill, huffing and puffing as I turn my head to the right and then the left. Focussing on the hissing sounds that are growing louder and louder by the second. I carefully set her down on the ground, making sure she's found her footing before I turn around and face the way we had just come.Confronting danger head-on in all its glorious pandemonium.“Oh my god,” her voice quivers with an underlay of panic and fear. She stands behind me, clutching my vest as if it were her lifeline. “There's so many of them,” she gulps on thin air.Looking through my duffel bag once again, I find another light stick and snap it against my thigh. I throw it forward and draw my whip sword from its sheath, curling my fingers around the leather handle until they turn a ghastly shade of white. My eyes widen as the light stick soars into the air, and I roll my shoulders back, bracing myself for what's c
MIYAs POV…I sigh, gazing into Zions' black inflamed eyes as he is still lost in his rage, and my eyes deliberately trail to his pointy fangs. He truly is a marvelous looking creature, and I am awed by him in the highest regard.The amber coloured rings still glow brilliantly in his irises when he gazes back at me. And the longer I stare into his eyes, the self-doubt of him protecting me unconditionally fades away. Rubbing the side of my cheek against his rough hand, “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything.” The look of absolute horror that he will lose a brother in the future is written all over his face. And I regret the words ever leaving my mouth. I mean shit!I could possibly be delusory.Who's to say that the snippets I'm receiving are real, and why am I attaining them now? Where's the Light Oracle when you need her?Zion lets out a gusty breath, “don't ever apologise for being who you are destined to be.” He states gruffly, squeezing his eyes shut as blood seeps from his
ZIONs POV…While I take cover under a large tree, I press my back flush against the tree trunk with a vicious snarl escaping past my cold, trembling lips.As I exited the cave searching for some fire branches, a high-tech drone with heat sensory and a wide range of distance sensory was heading in my direction. I had to use my whip blade to cover my footprints through the thick snow, hoping they wouldn't be able to track me.The people of ODRION are different. They worship a God that doesn't exist, making their beliefs and rituals erratic and fatal without a real purpose. Pulling the hood of my fur coat over my head, I close my eyes, gripping my whip blade tightly, and I try to concentrate on the buzzing sound as it draws near. I swing my blade, blindly releasing the whip to my right, slicing the drone in half. It sparks as it lands on the snow, releasing a bright yellow light into the sky before it self-destructs.FUCK!!Suddenly, there is a violent ripple of cold winds encasing me as
MIYAs POV…I spring upright with my eyes snapping open as a gut-wrenching scream is being torn from my throat. There is an undeniable, indescribable ache squeezing the life out of my heart. My body quivers uncontrollably as my veins turn to ice, setting my flesh on fire, and it summons a hefty amount of bile to rise in my mouth.The pull I have towards Zion has diminished. It has faded, and the sensation of my soul being complete has ceased to exist. I feel almost… empty. There is a void pit in my heart, and I can sense the darkness feeding off it.~Give in to us, Miya, and set this planet ablaze. They have killed your Alpha King. It is only fair that you kill them all, leaving a path of devastation and destruction in your wake. Make an example out of the Rions...~ A sinister voice corrupts my mind. Trying its best to snuff out the last ray of light within me, keeping the darkness at bay.“No…” I weep with tears pooling in my eyes, and I frantically shake my head. I refuse to believe
MIYAs POV…As we reach the palace, I have tracked Zions' presence to. I come to a halt on the hilltop as I observe the Queen's Knights guarding the entry.“There are too many of them for us to take on alone,” Jaja whispers, gently setting Sofia down onto the snow. “We must wait for nightfall.”“No, this is the perfect time to see what I am capable of. I can feel the Light Oracles purified blood thrumming through my veins.” I turn to face Sofia, “forgive me, my friend.” “For what?” She asks with a scowl spreading across her face.“For this,” I gently place my hand on her head and will her to sleep.Upon opening my eyes, I catch a glimpse of Jaja lurching forward with wide eyes as he catches her sleeping body. “What the hell did you do to her?” He asks as he quickly examines her face and body, looking for any visible injuries.“I had to put her to sleep. She is a distraction to you, Jaja and we can not afford to fuck this up.” I whisper, “here, take this.” I remove my fur coat, not ne
ZIONs POV…With my arms shackled to the ceiling as I'm forced to kneel on the cold, hard surface, my head lulls to the side. The exquisite aroma of my bonetta envelops me. The heady scent of honey with a tinge of spice implies that she is here, cured, and stronger than ever.I can feel the pull towards her, and it forces me to attempt to stand. To fight, and find her. Slowly prying my good eye open, I push up on my feet, only to collapse when my knees give out from under me, and agony engulfs me wholly.It makes me feel weak. Pathetic…A sorry excuse for an Alpha King, and a failure to my female, my Queen, and fated one.The second her aroma of supremacy licks my shivering flesh, my inner warrior roars with pride, and my will to live becomes fierce. When the Knight Commander ripped out my heart, I truly believed my existence would only remain as a memory. Turns out, my healing gift also includes revitalization. My heart was producing another one from the roots of my singular heart's b
We both attempt to catch our escaping breath with our bodies pressed against one another. But I’m far less worried about reeling mine in and more focused on the paralysing fear that is suddenly gripping me as Dark wrestles me to the ground, pinning me beneath him.With a gulp, I observe as Dark retrieves a sharp object from the ground and effortlessly cuts through my nightie, causing the delicate silk to cascade open, revealing my heaving breasts I attempt to shield myself, but he firmly holds my arms by my side, pressing his full weight onto me before he sensually takes one of my nipples into his mouth. Shifting my gaze away from his, I direct my attention towards the vacant cell beside me. The very cell that should be containing Thane and Thake.“Look at me, goddess,” he coaxes gently.I grit my teeth, forcing myself to face him, allowing my eyes to trail over the blurriness masking his face.“That’s it, goddess. Now, keep those perfect pearly eyes on me until I am finished.”He lif
I gaze at my reflection in the mirror while I finish the intricate braid in my hair. I find myself transported back to the serene lake where my father spoke words that seemed incomprehensible at the time. “Five kingdoms, one ruler, and you will bring peace between two of them,”—what did he mean by that?Was he talking about me bringing peace between two kingdoms, or was he simply in a daze, muttering nonsensically? I let my braid fall over my shoulder after clasping the metal ring at the end. With a gentle touch, I place my fingertip against the mirror, witnessing the incredible metamorphosis of my human form into that of a Kindred. This illusion is one that I was able to master two years ago. Occasionally, I find myself fantasizing about what it would be like to resemble a Kindred warrior rather than a mere human.I gently shift my body to the side, making sure to maintain contact with the mirror. I let out a deep sigh, as if releasing a weight from my chest. Oh, how I long to be lik
After lunch, I take a stroll through the Navaya woods that lead to my special rock I like to sit next to the water when I crave silence and to be left alone. Right now, I should be meeting with the Light Oracle Xania for my early afternoon lesson with Elisabet and Darana on how to access our source of energy as the ‘Power Of Three.’Truth be told, I don’t feel like being around anyone today. Every time my birthlings return from one of their failed missions in apprehending Kol, my heart feels heavy. It hurts watching my mother interact with my siblings with a smile that is filled with love and joy painted across her beautiful face until she reaches me at the end of the line. Her smile turns upside down into an unwavering frown of concern and distress. The crinkles on the corners of her eyes from smiling fade as they slightly narrow while she desperately tries to read my thoughts.I hate that I cannot spend any quality time with her without the pair of us worrying if or when I will becom
I cross the lawn, making my way towards my siblings, who are already waiting for our birthlings to land. They stand huddled together, laughing and joking around as they bump into one another with the odd “Shh…” slipping out of their mouths into the open.“Good morning, twins,” I smile as I walk past my sisters.They turn to face me with a smile on their faces, too, when their gazes collide with mine. “Good morning, Astrid…” They say in unison. “I hope you slept well, and you look beautiful as always.”I try my best not to roll my eyes heavenward, knowing that my so-called beauty could never match theirs. “Not as beautiful as you, my dear sisters.” I hum out into the open air.“Well, if that’s not the biggest load of shit that I have heard all morning, then I don’t know what is.” Jericho growls as he stands in front of me with his large arms folded across his chest, blocking my path as he looms over me. “My twin sister is beyond beautiful, and I feel sorry for the son-of-a-bitch that
“Rise and shine, Astrid…” The sound of my lavish curtains being drawn almost drowns out my Aunt Novas’ sweet voice. “Your birthlings are due to return in a few hours, and they have requested that you and your siblings greet them upon their arrival.” Groaning, I turn onto my side, covering my head with my pillow and sigh. I don’t want to wake up. I want to submerge myself in the darkness, allowing it to hold me captive along with Dark and Danger. I wish to lose myself in their presence, their touch, the way they make my body sing without committing any true sins that could land me into a heap of trouble with my birthlings. “Nope. Up.” Aunt Nova laughs as she pulls the sheet flush from my body before she tries to wrestle the pillow out of my grasp. “Not fair!” I cry out with laughter, tightening my grip. “You are a warrior, and I am no match for you.” Sighing, Aunt Nova sits on the bed beside me, releasing the pillow. “Astrid, darling… I don’t know how many times must I remind
Astrid: 19 Earla Years Old.Sitting upright in my bed. I pull the sheets up to cover my chest and focus my attention on the other side of my chamber. “What are you doing here again?”“We don’t know.” A deep, muffled voice replies.“You are both here?” I ask, a little shocked that both Dream Guardians have visited me tonight.“Yes, we are.”“Together… At the same time?”“Indeed.” A softer voice answers with amusement.Together, side by side, both guardians step out from the shadows. Pulling my lower lip between my teeth, I gingerly gnaw on it, trying to control the beating of my erratic heart. Both guardians stand before me with a flimsy cloth wrapped around their waists. Their wide chests are bare, and as I raise my gaze to their face… a pang of disappointment strikes me across the back, leaving a hint of pain in its wake. They are still faceless, and I don't understand why it displeases me so much, especially when I don’t like the way I look. Turning my head to the side, I brush my
TASTING THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT: THE PRINCESS OF MAHJI.Prologue: An Ugly Little Thing.Astrid: 14 Earla Years Old.I sneak into the Arena Cells by manipulating the minds of the Kindred Guards. I guess you can say that I have mastered the skill of temporal time loop. Something I picked up from watching Uncle Tyber working his magic when he hacks the security system to the shuttle docks right before he sneaks in with his desired female of the week. Both of my birthlings don’t approve of me coming here because this is the place where we hold our prisoners. But they don’t understand how hard it is for me to socialize with the species my age. My twin sisters, Elisabet and Darana, are like two peas in a pod because they do everything together. A lot of the female younglings wish to be them, and the males desire to be mated to them. My twin, Jericho, is my best friend. He constantly tries to look out for me, encouraging me to hang out with the other females or our twin sisters. I know he mean
MIYAS POV…I roll my shoulders back and slowly lift my head, settling my sight on Zion. He looks livid as he faces Kol and the council. The rage has taken over him, and I don’t have to see his eyes to confirm it as I can sense it engulfing him.“The council wishes to banish Zion, Jaja, Nova, and Tyber from Mahji.” Sylvan sneers with great disdain.“Why?” I quickly asked him, tucking the knife he was firmly gripping when I shifted into his body, into the back of his pants. “It must be serious if you were willing to shed blood in the presence of my offspring, Sylvan.” I mutter, slightly turning my head, scanning the chamber for their whereabouts.“You birthed four strong offspring, my Queen…”“Jericho?”“Lives… wait? How did you know his name?”I sigh as I’m flooded with relief, and a lone tear slides down my cheek. “That is a story for another time.”The sound of swords being drawn compels me to return my attention to the front. I watch as Kol and his fellow council members wave their s
SYLVANS’ POV…With my knife in my hand and my stance ready to pounce on Zion. I am left with no other choice but to watch him as he does the unthinkable by offering Miya his essence.Every loin in my body urges me to run to Zion and pull him away from Miya. But the loyal warrior and trusty friend within me stops me from doing so. I try to put myself in his position, and it is undeniable to me that I would do the same. An existence without my Nova would be torturous, and I’d never be able to accept another mate if the Moon Goddess was to will it.Though, if Miya was anyone but the Blessed One. I would not object to his actions. We don’t know what kind of effect it will have on Miya or the toll it could possibly bestow upon Zion. This is unknown territory, and our Lissa is not with us to consult with. Miya has crossed over into the holy after existence and should be entering the gates of the heavens. It was also prophesied that one of Zions’ brothers had to die to save his male offspring