Zoraya "Look mother, I brought home your long-lost daughter." The woman stood up, giving me a complete view of her astonishing beauty. She was definitely a goddess, because I've never seen anyone as beautiful as her. From her eyes that were so pure and beautiful. Those eyes looked like they could see the depth of one's soul. Her lips were fiery and hot, like they were cut out from rose petals. Her hair was so long that it almost looked unreal. It was styled to make the golden crown sit gracefully on her head. The clothes she had on were regally made that one would think that she was born with it. Everything about her was perfect. She was the complete definition of a beauty goddess. "What?" They both exclaimed, pulling me out of my thoughts. Her mouth was left open like she had something else to say as she stared at me. "Relax mother," the Prince was quick to stop her from speaking or moving. "That lady over there saved me from dying after I was attacked by
Melody "This will be your home now."Tears welled up in my eyes as soon as I said that, so I immediately stood up and left the throne room. I didn't know what it was, but there was something about that young lady that made me want to go close to her. To hear her voice. To console her. I was fighting the urge to hug her as she spoke, but I knew that would be going too far. I wouldn't want to be seen as the queen who was sick. I mean, wouldn't it be sick to hug someone I only just met? What would the people think if they found me hugging someone so dirty? Well, not that I cared about her look anyway. I just had to keep my composure as the queen. I couldn't afford to scare her upon her arrival in the palace.Besides, I didn't understand why Aaron kept saying that she couldn't speak when I could hear her clearly. Though she spoke differently, everything she said was easy to understand. He thought she was barking, but all I heard was her beautiful voice that was laced with pain. I w
ZorayaI've only just met her, but I wonder why I felt so attached to her. She looked like the reflection that builds up in my mind every time I felt lonely. That can't be real, can it?Of course not. How can the Queen be the woman from my subconsciousness? She wasn't just any Queen, but the Queen of Mallory.Even though she only met me for the first time, she was so warm with her words and action. However, I wondered how she was able to understand me. Unlike others that thought I was barking."I'll take you to your chamber," Axel muttered from behind me.I looked towards the Prince as if waiting for his approval, and he nodded. I bowed to the King before going with Axel.As much as I wanted to stay back and be with the Queen, I knew something was wrong when she suddenly turned away.The look she had on her face was that of longing. What I didn't understand was what she longed for. I mean, she was the Queen. She could have anything she wanted.So, what could be so out of her reach th
Melody"You don't mind taking a stroll with me, do you, Zoraya?"After my conversation with Derek, I decided to take a stroll to clear my head. I needed my head clear and mind free to be able to perform my duties as the Queen. However, after walking for a while, I found myself outside the guest chamber. I didn't know why but I found myself wanting to be with the visitor brought in by Aaron, and surprisingly, I felt relaxed as soon as I set my eyes on her. I couldn't wait to bond with her. To speak to her. It was strange, but I couldn't help it, so I went with the flow."Of course not," she smiled and rubbed her hands on her clothes before taking my hand. Seeing that she felt dirty, thus reluctant to take my hand, I decided to help her get comfy. Though I didn't know why I was so bothered, I just couldn't help myself. All I wanted was to make her free with me. "Why don't we get you cleaned up," I looked behind me and my maids immediately got to work. They went into the bathroom in
Melody"Don't worry Zoraya. Now that you're here, you'll never be sad."Her blue eyes blinked with disbelief as soon as I said that. She looked at me like she was seeing something strange. I patted her head in assurance. "Trust me, Zoraya. I won't let a drop of tears come to your eyes ever again."She blinked innocently and a lone tear rolled down her eyes. She wiped the tears and hugged me. "Thank you," she sniffed. I could feel her body relax in my arms. She was starting to trust and feel safe with me. It felt good seeing her relax in my arms. "Let's walk," I took her hand as we resumed walking. She chatted away while we walked, leaving me to wonder if she really was the girl who arrived a while ago.In few minutes, I was aware of all that had happened in her life. Including the reason behind her pain. It felt bad knowing all she had been through at such an early age. She was at an age where she should be pampered and nurtured, yet she was ill treated her whole life. Not once
Giovanni "Where is this place?" I wondered as I opened my eyes to see that I had been brought to another place. This new place was different from where I was before. The environment. The scent of the surroundings. And the energy around the place. I've been moved to several places in the past few weeks since I got captured by the rogues. My brother, Aaron and I along with our friend Axel and some others had been trailing the rogues who had been trespassing on our lands. However, we decided to split to gather more information. Aaron was supposed to find their camp and other hiding and meeting points while I was to find the people behind them. Especially their King. During the investigation, I figured that the rogue king had some backings and they were prominent figures in the palace. I wanted to find out who those traitors were, so I ventured deeper into trailing them.Surprisingly, I discovered that the rogue king had indeed died in the hands of my mother, the queen of Mallory.
Giovanni"Grayson Mansion?" I repeated as I tried to sit.I wanted to see if I was indeed in a mansion. My eyes looked around again and I couldn't understand how I got there. I was with Davis, then he poisoned me and had me dumped or better to say buried somewhere, the how did I suddenly get into this place. I looked around again, thoroughly examining the place. The room was vast, its walls lined with shelves holding ancient artifacts and statues, I couldn’t begin to name. Heavy velvet curtains draped the windows, blocking out the morning sun, though a few determined rays managed to slip through, casting streaks of light across the polished wooden floor. The scent of cedarwood and lavender lingered in the air, a comforting contrast to the damp, mossy odor of the forest where I had been left for dead.I don't know how long I had been in Grayson mansion. My eyes wandered to the intricate tapestry hanging opposite the bed, depicting a battle long past.Surprisingly, I noticed that
Giovanni Two weeks. It's been two weeks since I became conscious in Grayson mansion. I had to find the secret hidden in there. I had searched the library and several other places to no avail. So, I decided to resume the quest of finding the hidden secret.The light flickered as I swept through the corridor, making the shadows dance against the walls of Grayson Mansion. The silence of the night was thick, broken only by the soft creak of the floorboards beneath my careful steps. For the past week, I had searched every corner of this place, each day growing more desperate, more determined to uncover the truth hidden within these walls.It had been a coincidence.or so it seemed that I had ended up here, rescued by Elena Grayson after being left for dead in that deadly Forest. However, fate had a strange way of working, and coincidences rarely existed in my line of work.Grayson Mansion had been whispered about in conversations I wasn’t meant to hear between Davis, the rogue's guard
MelodyMinutes stretched into hours, yet Zoraya remained asleep. I stayed by her side, unwilling to leave her even for a moment. Her breathing was steady, her face peaceful, but I knew the storm of emotions that would rage within her when she awoke.I gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, my heart swelling with both love and sorrow. This child—my child—had suffered far too much. Even in sleep, her delicate features held the remnants of past pain, the shadows of a life filled with cruelty.But she was safe now.I wouldn’t let Elena steal her away, not like Estrella had stolen her from me all those years ago. The past would not repeat itself, not if I had anything to do with it.I had already failed once.I had lost my daughter to lies, deception, and the bitter hands of fate.Never again.The thought of Elena roaming the palace sent a fresh wave of unease through me. She was cunning, just like her mother. Estrella had spent her life trying to take everything that belonged to m
MelodyThe air in the chamber was heavy with silence. Derek sat across from me, his fingers laced together, his sharp eyes scrutinizing every word I had just spoken. The weight of my revelation hung between us like a storm cloud ready to unleash its fury. I could see the thoughts racing through his mind, the pieces of the puzzle shifting into place.Zoraya was my daughter.Elena was Estrella’s.And Mallory stood on the brink of war.Derek leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. “This changes everything.”“I know,” I said quietly.His jaw clenched as he processed the information, his grip tightening on the arms of his chair. “If Zoraya is your daughter, she is the rightful princess of both Mallory and Dark Flame.” His gaze met mine, unreadable yet heavy with unspoken thoughts. “Does she know?”I shook my head. “No. She doesn’t even know who she is. She was raised in captivity, Derek. She cannot speak, cannot write. The torment she endured…” My voice faltered, and I had to take a ste
MelodyThe tension in the royal chambers was thick enough to cut with a blade. Derek sat across from me, his hands folded on the table, his gaze sharp and calculating. He had just finished explaining his plan to dismantle Worden’s influence and drive the rogues into chaos. It was a good plan—bold, strategic, and exactly what we needed.I smiled slightly, leaning back in my chair. “It will work.”Derek raised an eyebrow. “You sound so sure.”I nodded. “Because I am. Aaron and Giovanni are known as Mallory's back bone and they're worth the hype," I smiled proudly. "They are the best warriors I’ve ever known." Derek nodded in agreement. Worden may have played his game well, but he underestimated who he was up against. He thinks he’s dealing with the same Mallory from years ago, but he has no idea the strength we’ve built.”Derek exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. “Even with that, war is never predictable. The moment we go after his spies and disrupt his plans, he’ll retaliate. We need
DerekThe council chamber emptied slowly, the weight of my words still lingering in the air like a heavy storm cloud. My mind raced as I paced the room, Giovanni standing beside me, his presence a silent pillar of support.King Worden had betrayed us. Not only had he conspired with rogues, but he had also directly ordered the execution of my nephew.A man I once called an ally.A man who knew the inner workings of Mallory’s defenses.I clenched my fists, barely restraining the anger simmering beneath my skin.“Giovanni,” I said, my voice low but filled with authority. “We cannot delay. If Worden has already made his move, we must act before he does.”Giovanni nodded. “Agreed. The rogues will be emboldened by his support. If we wait too long, they’ll strike when we least expect it.”I exhaled sharply, my mind sorting through all the possible avenues. There was no room for mistakes.“We need to root out every single one of his spies within our borders,” I said, turning toward him. “He’s
DerekThe council chamber was silent, the air thick with tension. I sat at the head of the long, ornate table, my fingers curled tightly against the armrests of my throne. Across from me, Giovanni stood with his shoulders squared, his expression grim and unwavering.I had always known Giovanni to be sharp, a warrior in his own right, but today, there was something else in his eyes—something darker. A weight that came from witnessing something truly vile.He had returned only days ago, yet I had summoned him to court so that he could address the court about his findings along with Aaron. Too many questions swirled in my mind, and I wouldn’t rest until I had answers.“Speak, Giovanni,” I commanded, my voice calm but firm. “Tell me everything.”Giovanni took a slow breath, then met my gaze. “I saw the rogue’s den with my own eyes, Your Majesty. I saw their numbers, their strategies. But worst of all, I saw the truth behind King Worden’s betrayal.”A murmur ran through the few nobles pre
ElenaThe palace had grown quieter tonight, the usual distant chatter of servants and the rhythmic steps of patrolling guards seeming more muted than usual. The air carried a weight, an unspoken tension that sent a prickle of unease down my spine.Something had shifted.I walked with my usual measured steps, careful not to let my thoughts show on my face. I had spent too many years perfecting my composure to let suspicion slip through now. And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched more closely than before.Had the Queen figured something out?That thought alone made my stomach tighten.She had been different at dinner tonight. I had caught her watching me more than once, her gaze sharp, assessing. There had been no outright hostility, but her presence had carried a weight that hadn’t been there before.Queen Melody was a woman of power—one did not rule a kingdom like Mallory without possessing an acute sense of awareness. If she had begun to suspect me, I needed t
MelodyThe night air was crisp as I stepped onto the balcony of my chambers, the scent of jasmine and damp earth filling my lungs. The world outside was calm, bathed in the soft glow of the moon, but inside me, a storm raged.I had been restless ever since Zoraya arrived. Something about her had called to me in a way I couldn’t explain—an ache deep in my soul, a pull stronger than logic. And tonight, that truth had finally been laid bare.She is ours.The voice of my wolf echoed in my mind, unwavering.I stilled, my fingers gripping the cold stone railing.Zoraya is My daughter.My lost child. My Darya.I squeezed my eyes shut, my breath coming in sharp, uneven pulls. A wave of emotions crashed into me all at once—relief, sorrow, fury. How had I not seen it sooner?Her scent, her presence, the way my heart clenched every time I looked at her—it had always been there. My wolf had suspected it from the very beginning, but I had been afraid to hope, afraid to be wrong.But I wasn’t wron
MelodyZoraya’s hands trembled in mine, her dark eyes wide with unshed tears. I could feel the fear radiating from her, pressing against my senses like a whisper of the past she was too afraid to recall.But I needed her to.Her breathing was uneven, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t. And, of course, she couldn’t—not in the way most people did. The only sound that left her was a broken, strangled whimper, a noise so haunting it sent fury rippling through me.I already knew what she was trying to tell me.Elena.The name alone was enough to make my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin. She had been watching, waiting, ever since the first moment I saw how Zoraya had reacted to her presence. The sheer terror in her body language had told me enough.I should have known sooner.The pieces had been right there before me—the way Zoraya recoiled, the way her entire body went rigid at the mere sight of Elena. It was more than fear. It was deep, ingrained t
ZorayaThe palace was quiet tonight.I curled up on the plush rug beside my bed, knees drawn to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around myself. Ronnie was nestled against my side, his small body warm and comforting. His breathing was steady, rhythmic, and for a moment, I focused on it, matching my own breaths to his.But no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t shake off the weight pressing down on my chest. The memories clawed at the edges of my mind, restless, demanding to be acknowledged.Elena was here.She had been here for days, watching, scheming, and worst of all, smiling. A smile that hid sharp edges, a smile I had learned to fear. No one else saw what lay beneath it. No one else knew.Except for Queen Melody.My fingers dug into my arms as I thought of her. The Queen had been… kind. Far kinder than anyone had ever been to me. She gave me food, soft clothes, warmth. She spoke to me in a way that made me feel seen. Heard. Even though I could not speak like the others, she understo