Pheww~~ This was one intense chapter! Is anyone else feeling hot? I know its been a long time since I uploaded, no excuses this time. The next chapter will be uploaded shortly, stay tuned! Thank you for reading! Till next time... -Author, Sebby
For the day Ophelia chose to wear a high-neck chiffon blouse with long sleeves. All for the sake of hiding what she and Noah did all night long. She stood in front of the mirror struggling with the button behind her neck. Noah was by the bed, rolling up the sleeves of his button-up shirt from the day before, he decided to drop by his chambers later to change it. When turned around, he finally noticed her struggling. He covered the distance between them in long strides before he reached out to do it for her, gently brushing her platinum hair aside. Ophelia watched him as he approached her in the mirror, with every step he took toward her, her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes lingered on him as he focused on the work at hand.Seeing him after everything that happened set butterflies loose in her stomach. She kept going back to the passionate night they spent. And morning. The way their skin touched. The warmth that engulfed her through the night. Despite the summer heat, it felt as if Noa
“He is with me,” Noah said, clasping Luke’s shoulders. Ophelia narrowed her eyes, carefully inspecting the two men. She noticed how they were close in height despite the age gap. Luke is three years younger than Noah, yet he is already catching up to him. Not to mention that Luke still didn’t come of age. She couldn’t help but doubt the friendliness going on between them. “You know,” Ophelia said, touching her hip. “It’s hard to believe that you were both at each other’s throats just a few days ago.”“Same goes for you,” Noah said, smirking as he lifted one of his brows. “You shot your brother, might I remind you.” “Wait a minute,” Luke exclaimed, his eyes dilated as he raised a hand to pause the conversation. “Ophelia you – you shot me?!” Ophelia shifted her weight from one leg to another, her brows flinching as she said, “Oh, I did. Right after you stabbed Noah.” “I stabbed you!?” Luke said, quickly turning sideways to look at Noah, who was also avoiding him. Noah might have for
Unlike the previous sunny day, it was cloudy today when Ophelia pulled open the curtains. She sighed at the sight, predicting it would rain later in the day. Now it was more befitting the mood. She could feel the gloominess and the tension in the air in her room. It was quieter than the usual mornings, no servants or citizens were going about their daily lives. The only ones left behind are the soldiers. She saw knights walking in teams beyond the gates from her window. They weren’t dressed in their usual attire either, instead, they wore colorful civilian clothing. She could spot the red shawls wrapped around their arms; some had them on their neck. No one would notice the resemblance in the crowd, since each wore it in their way. Last night, she parted with Luke a bit after their conversation. He needed to rest and so did she. She tried to convince him to leave with the rest to Europa, but he refused and left her alone on the portico, giving her no space to negotiate. She didn’t se
The sun started to set, everyone was in their position. The clouds flocked the sky above, dimming the last rays of light. The music flooded the plaza as the crowd celebrated and danced with the tempo. The dangling decorations rattled with the wind, its colors cast a colorful reflection on the street below. The picture was complete in Ophelia’s mind. It was impossible to tell that it was all fake. Having all the knights wear casual attires made them truly seem like civilians. The laughter that echoed in the atmosphere enhanced the play they were all part of. She couldn’t help but wonder if they were enjoying the moment as it lasted, or if it was just a facade to hide their nervousness. “It’s a beautiful evening,” Luke whispered in her ears, sitting on her left. Ever since the festival began, Luke has been doing a good job of putting on a smile despite the glares thrown at him like daggers. “It’s been years since I felt at home.”Ophelia tilted her head as she tried to read her brot
With a dark grin on his sly face, the man drew out something from his pockets faster than Ophelia could comprehend. She wasn’t going to stand by and see what he brings out either. In one swift movement, she caught his hand mid-air. He had a syringe in his grip directed towards Ophelia’s neck. She couldn’t begin to fathom what it contained. “Let’s try it on you first!” Ophelia mumbled with a clenched jaw. She released the powers lingering at the tips of her fingers, using her strength to force his hands on his neck, roughly injecting him with the syringe that was meant for her. It took a couple of seconds for him to stop fighting. She saw the life drain out of his face, but she felt his pulse in her grip. As she released him, the man tumbled to the floor with a thud. The music was loud enough to cover the scene. But it wasn't long before a dancer tripped on the man’s body. They all knew what had happened. She could see Noah yell out something in her direction from the corner of her
Just like Luke said, they wouldn’t shoot her or Noah. Luke confessed in the interrogation, that Noah was also a target, and they needed him alive. Till now they couldn’t fathom why, and Luke was also in the dark. All roads were blocked to answer their questions. The men stood in an arch, caging Ophelia and Noah, the houses behind them blocked their escape to the forest. Ophelia sensed the hesitation when no one tried to shoot them down. They were outnumbered, the regiment before them cut all contact with the other side of the plaza. She turned to Noah. "We wouldn't be trapped here if you only told someone you are coming here!"“They are hesitant,” Noah said, his voice had an edge as he ignored her sarcasm. “But don’t let your guard down.”Ophelia took a deep breath, released it and unleashed her powers. She felt it course through her veins tickling her fingertips as it took form around her. The aura danced gracefully in the dense air, surrounding her like a cocoon of bright violet.
The earth shook underneath their feet knocking them over. The rubble from the explosion shattered on them like hail, burying them under. The dust rose in a mushroom-shaped cloud making the visibility next to none. After the explosion the rubble kept falling, colliding with one another, breaking into smaller debris before reaching the ground. It took a while for it to settle. Ophelia barely shielded herself with her aura, she felt the strength sip away from her under the rubble, a boulder threatened to smash her lungs. She struggled to lift it off her and sit upright. She was lucky enough that none of the bigger pieces were atop her. Her ears were ringing painfully, and she thought they were bleeding. The world was muted to nothing more than muffled sounds, she forced herself to stand up feeling her knees buckling under her weight. She remembered Luke. He was the closest to her, she was talking to him a moment ago. She spun in panic, searching for her brother through the rubble around
Crow fell lifeless.The blood splattered on Luke, mixing with his own blood from the wound on his side. He was stunned in place as if time had stopped. The bullet came from behind Luke, aimed for Crow’s head. Luke saw the gap it left in Crow’s forehead before his knees buckled. Crow’s lifeless body seemed alive, as if kneeling before Luke. Crow's dark brown eyes lost their light as he stared at the ground, forever.The world was muted as they tried to register what happened, it was all too fast. Another wave of soldiers flanked them from the central plaza. Noah and Ophelia moved closer together unconsciously, awaiting the next series of fights. But what they saw next made them shudder. Behind Luke, the horizon was a black line smudged by military gear, reflecting the moonlight off their plates—men who seemed to have just arrived. They ringed around them, sealing off the Plaza from the rest. Ophelia quickly scanned them to spot the one who killed Crow, but failing. Hero was the only o