MIYAs POV…I approach the Willow-like tree in the garden of wisdom, feeling drawn to it with a new outlook on life. I can't help but feel like it is familiar to me, and the more I think about it… I quickly recall my father owning a canvas that he used to hang up in our hut. It was painted by my mother when she awoke one morning with the desire to paint, and I recall the glittering leaves being my favorite aspect of her painting. I would sit on the cold, hard surface, imagining my mother creating the extraordinary piece.It must have been a chosen memory my ancestor passed down.A sense of needing to touch the tree consumes me, and I reach out, placing my palm on the aged trunk. Gasping with surprise, I watch wide-eyed as I turn the leaves that resemble glowing butterflies into gold. Removing my hand, I take three steps back, glancing upwards to get a proper look at the tree in all her splendor.“But how?…" I whisper to myself.“Your energy is spectacular, Blessed One.” The Light Oracl
ZIONs POV… A soft moan escapes past Miyas' lips as I pick her up off the ground. She instantly wraps her legs around my wide waist, clinging to me like a second layer of skin.Kissing her stirs the beast within me. The sensations of lust, yearning, and danger all blaze together like an inferno, setting my soul alight.It's destructive, intoxicating, and passionate. It is waging a war within me, and I'm afraid that if she changes her mind and begs me to stop… I won't be able to. I have never needed anything as much as I crave her. And now that I have her in my grasp with her limbs wrapped around my body. My canines have grown to their full length and ache to bleed her for me.She pulls her lips away from my mouth, kissing along my jawline, and I have to clench my teeth to resist the impulse to climax in my pants like a youngling male.Not only is the scent of her arousal heightening my hunger to mate with her, but it's also the way her eyes glow like dripping honeycomb when she stare
MIYAs POV…I stiffen.My brain struggles to process the question he's just randomly blurted out when things were heating up between us. But it's not the question I was expecting from him. My only concern is how innocent I am. I know the Kindreds are loyal once they are mated, and the haze of lust only affects the single ones.It also depends on their inner resilience whether they give in to the haze or not. Zion is over a hundred years old. It would be foolish of me to believe that he hasn't indulged in the haze from time to time. What if his desire for me diminishes with my lack of experience?I'm clueless, and I didn't believe that was a problem until now. Can a male like him even want someone like me who is meant to be the most feared of them all. “Bonetta?”I close my eyes, shutting out the world, and the beat of my heart grows louder in my ears. My heart begins to ache that he has asked me such a question after I just mentally showed him how much I love and adore him. Liftin
ZIONs POV…I cast a sidelong glance at my Queen with her mane of flaming red hair blowing in the breeze. She stands beside me with her chin raised, accepting her duty to our Kindred warriors as their new Queen.I can sense that she is nervous, worried, and curious as we now share each other's emotions and thoughts. She is still attempting to figure out how to obstruct my access until she masters the technique. I will tread delicately to listen, feel, and try to understand her as my bonetta until she figures out how to cut me off.~Address our Kindreds, my Queen.~I whisper through our mind link as I raise her hand to my mouth and press my lips against her warm palm. I hear her breath catch, and I can't help the wolfish smirk that spreads across my face. Yesterday, we finally left our room after a week of us coupling and repetitively claiming one another. She brings me to my knees, and I doubt my hunger to be inside her will ever be sated. ~I'm not sure what to say.~ She replies with
MIYA's POV…The females and younglings huddle behind me as the door shakes from the group of men that followed us to the palace. Some of the Kindred females had to pick up the human females and run with them on their backs. Battle cries sweep through the room, piercing my ears horrendously. I look at Sofia, then Nova, and turn around to face the rest of the females behind me. They are all relying on me to keep them safe. To shield them from any danger we are about to face. I can feel their emotions swirling around in my core, and it makes me feel dizzy with nausea. “Kill them!” A voice screams out. “Yes, kill the males that dare threaten us!” Another cries out. “Behold your wrath and put your trust in our Blessed One,” The Light Oracle, Lagertha, steps forward, lowering her hood and standing by my side. “We need to stand together. We have been attacked by far worse in the past. Only because they yield weapons that can hurt us from a distance does not mean we are entirely defencele
ZIONs POV…A crimson hue taints my vision with splatters of sable. As I gaze down at my unmoving bonetta, the dark red color blurs my judgment. My bonetta continues to position herself in perilous situations.The shock that nips at my flesh is broken when I see her strike the human males' arses with Sylvans' sword, and then knock them out with the handle's blunt end. All the while, she exhibits Sylvans' piercing canines with a wide grin. She's having far too much fun at Sylvans' expense.I look over my shoulder and snarl, “don't just stand there! Protect your Queen!!” My voice bellows through the wide corridor as my warriors stand there like fucking statues with their mouths agape.~Not you Tyber!~ I hiss through our mind link. ~Come here and guard your Queens body.~ I order in my Alpha tone.~As you desire brother.~ He replies, turning back around, and he runs back to us.“If anything-” I begin to explain how I'll end him.“You'll have my head in a fight to the death in the Grand Aren
MIYAs POV…Many days have passed since Beard sacrificed his life with the dagger of Eternal Death. Existence on Mahji has been difficult for everyone who has been affected by Beards' sudden and selfless act.The palace has become increasingly silent. The walls feel as though they are closing in, and the tension is at an all-time high. Zion walks around with his head hanging low. His pain is evident on his face, and I can feel every emotion that engulfs him.It's heavy, consuming, and suffocatingly thick in the air as it ruthlessly makes a point to cling to your lungs.I don't know what to do or how to comfort him. He tells me every night before we close our eyes, and every morning when we open them that all he needs is time to come to terms with his older brothers' passing.I understand that and respect his wishes. It's just that… I wish I had been able to do something more to save Beard. What is the point of being the most powerful and feared entity if you are unable to resurrect a v
ZIONs POV…“Strike! Strike! Strike!” I yell as I train the human males that entered my planet unlawfully. “Retreat, strike, and block!” I look at the males with a great deal of grief blanketing my twin-hearts. I constantly find myself questioning why Beard? “Shield wall!” I bellow, watching as the humans rush towards one another, huddling together and lifting their shields to resemble a sturdy wall of protection. What could I have done to make sure that things didn't take a turn for the worse so quickly? If I hadn't told Miya to shift, would he still be alive? I can't help but bear full responsibility for his passing. It is my duty to make sure that Mahji is protected and I failed. ~ZION…~ I snap my gaze upwards to find the window where my bonetta was standing is now void of her presence.~BROTHER!! Our Queen has collapsed in your chamber!~ Novas' voice rings in my head, with a hint of hysteria lining her voice.I break out into a full-on sprint, barging through the doors to the
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