Veronica’s POVIt was the last day of the Culling Tournament.For a week long experience, it sure felt like years for me. A lot of things has happened and it was indeed a roller coaster ride. From the unexpected murder, a big fight between me and Sebastian, the hunting competitions, dealing with Jadeline and the others plus the recent reminder of Sebastian’s curse to me, I don't even know where to get started.Still, I don't regret coming here. I think I have made a lot of progress through this eveny. Perhaps it’s only my gut feeling but this might just be the start of new things; good or bad, that's something I'm gonna have to find out.“Would it be overreacting if I say that I’m gonna miss this place?” I chuckled at my words and turned to Sebastian who was standing beside me.This place and the days we've spent here is like a turning point for me. A step closer to my plans and a lot closer with each other.I glanced at him and he looked a lot more peaceful than he was yesterday.Aft
Veronica's POV It is nice to be back home. That was the thought ringing in my brain. I looked around to see the familiar surrounding. Then I realized. This isn't Helios. It's a different home. One that has been long gone. The inside of the house was old but homey. From the window, I saw the raging snowstorm outside. I felt like a ghost in my own body. It's like I am here but also not quite; like I was watching it in third person. The feeling was weird. I remember the fireplace, warm and burning. I remember seeing that one picture frame. A mother, a father, and a child barely two years old photographed and hung up on the wall. Those faces were very familiar. My heart ached. “She will get better, right?” Said a small voice before my perspective changed to looking up at the person I was with. The scenery also shifted, flashing like some vision. Suddenly I am in the bedroom, gone was the living room and fireplace earlier. I finally saw the face of the man with me. It was som
Veronica’s POV“Jadeline had a bigger plan than just having me exiled,” I told Sebastian.We are currently awake at dawn. He was on the couch in our chambers, yawning and watching me pace around the room.“And that plan includes the moonstone?” he asks, trying to think with his hand on his creased forehead and sleepy eyes glaring into space trying to not fall into slumber, “I thought they took it from you after you were caught during the frame up? “Yeah, they took the moonstone from me. It was their strongest evidence,” I answered, still walking back and forth. My mind is very alive right now. The adrenaline and the rush of my theories sending off any hint of grogginess away. Then, I slowed down and halted on my feet.I stared at the night outside where the moon was hiding behind the cloudy sky. I noticed that it has been cloudy lately, even when we were traveling back from Metropolis to Helios.The clouds make the ether look like a painting, like it wasn’t—“Real,” I whispered the
Veronica's POVThings have become weirder after my dream.I started seeing visions.I haven't told anyone about this. Not even Sebastian. Although I will tell him, just when I have this figured out.It's kind of scary and strange. My visions are the opposite of prophetic or foretelling. I don't see the future… I see the past.And it's not looking back through a memory sort of thing. It was way different.“You have beautiful eyes, Veronica,” Jadeline said as she brushed my hair gently and looked at me through the mirror.The child me was sitting on the chair, swinging her feet that were hanging from the height of her seat. Little Veronica gave her a toothy grin, “Thank you! I share the same eyes as Mommy!”Jadeline smiled to herself at my response and stared at the hair she was brushing. Then she placed the brush on the table in front and held the kid me by the shoulders.“Did your mommy ever tell you more about your pretty eyes?” She said with a light tone and a warm smile.I watched
Veronica's POV“Can I borrow Eamon?” I asked Sebastian as I took a bite of my food.We're having lunch together today. He's strictly joining me during lunch time to watch what I eat or if I eat, like I’m some child to babysit just because he found out I skipped lunch researching the other day.He's so unhinged. I can't believe he has actual people to monitor me and report it all to him.Now I don't know which servants are under his order… it must be all of them, huh?I didn't make a fuss about it. I think he's been pretty worried and bothered by my behavior lately and I have yet to say anything to him so he resorted to that.But still. I feel like a child.Sebastian stopped slicing his steak and looked up at me with a soft glare, unserious although half-meant, I bet, “I thought you're already aware that I'm a jealous man?”I rolled my eyes at him, “Don't be dramatic,” I decided to inform him; after all, Eamon is his Beta, “I have a task I want him to do for me.”“I can do it,” he abru
Veronica's POV“We're going out on a date,” Sebastian declares out of nowhere, arms caging me from where I was sitting on the couch and reading a book.I looked at him from behind the book with a raised brow and teased, “A decision set in stone without me declining yet?”He let out a dramatic grown and flopped down beside me, “It's been days since Eamon was out to his task and you're not gonna hear from Keldor soon so it's a break for you,” he said, “Besides, I don't have a lot of work today too.”“And the date, where off to?” I questioned and slammed the book close loudly in front of him, he remained unblinking. Ugh. He's a tough one to crack and tease.He just lazily moved his head to look at me, “Have you even explored Helios entirely?”“I have seen most of the territory,” I answered, “Especially the most important ones in the area.”He frowned at my stubbornness, “I bet you haven't seen the place I will show you to.”I decided to annoy him a little more before I agreed, “What’s wi
Sebastian's POV I have been living my best life these days. And I kind of made it everyone’s business. “Gods, you’re insufferable,” Nolan complains from across me, “Wipe that stupid smile of yours! The longer I look at it, the creepier it gets,” he glared at my direction and said, “I prefer your grumpy face.” “Like I care what you want,” I retorted uncaringly and my smile became wider, teasing while he let out a grunt from his seat. “It is uncanny to look at, I gotta say,” Declan lazily chimed in, elbow propped up on the round table, chin on his hand as he observed me closely. Just like that, these dipshits ruined my mood, “Then look away,” I snapped back with a frown. Someone spoke, passing from behind me, “I’m glad you’re happy, Sebastian,” his hand clasped my shoulder firmly and gave me a tight smile, “You deserve that.” I nodded at Rowan. This is why he's my favorite brother. We're not too sentimental though. This is the sweetest we can be. He sat beside me and a second
Veronica’s POV Too much peacefulness is a myth. I think most people believe that and so do I. Perhaps it's my paranoid nature but I don't actually feel peaceful when everything's peaceful. It's a bit complicated. I just had this fear that this is just the eye of the hurricane and things will turn for the worse soon enough. So I always need to feel prepared and alert to be ready when everything goes to south. It's a miserable way to live but I cannot unlearn it. I need something to focus on. Today is when Eamon will finally report on the things he was tasked to dug out about Jadeline. It's morning. I was in our chambers, at the balcony sitting and drinking my tea. I needed the open fresh air to ease my nerves and tension. Isolde and Soren were standing by the door, giving me my space. Moments later, Eamon entered the room. He headed towards me and I gestured my personal guards to give us some privacy. Once they were outside, I placed my teacup down and looked at the Beta. “So wh