CereliaThere’s so much for me to process. Soren didn’t cheat on me of his own free will. Maelor’s misdirection won’t work on me. The fact that he couldn’t fight off the spell he was under has nothing to do with how much he loves me. It was put directly on him, while passed to Hilda secondhand when she touched the book.“I intend to be the greatest mage that ever lived, Maelor,” I tell him with a confidence I don’t really feel. “But not as your puppet. I will be a force for good, not evil. I will stand against you, not by your side.”Maelor laughs derisively, before sneering at me, “You have potential Cerelia, not power. Without anyone to unlock it, you will remain a stunted little tree. You can perform parlor tricks and basic spells, nothing that could harm me. Join us or die, the choice is yours.”Soren changes in the blink of an eye, leaping for Maelor’s throat with his jaws stretched wide. I don’t waste the opening he gives me, sprinting around Maelor in an effort to get to Soren’
HildaI wake up lost in a cloud of confusion, my head feeling heavy and unclear. I’m lying on my back on something hard and I blink groggily, my brain struggling to catch up with reality.I’m in a cave, the walls and roof visible due to the light cast by the red candles flickering all around me. I’m on a stone slab, dressed in a flimsy white nightgown, my arms and legs spread eagled and held by what appears to be manacles of flame. I’m not writhing in pain, so it’s obviously magic.It’s impossible to see anything beyond the ring of light surrounding me. The rest of the cave is dark as a pit of starless eternity. I can’t feel Arlo, but I hope he’s safe and free somewhere out there. His absence is dull, not empty, and I believe whoever caught me is blanketing our bond, hiding us from each other. If he was close by I don’t believe there’s magic strong enough to keep me from sensing him and I hang on to that thought desperately. As long as I believe he’s safe, I can remain calm.“Well, we
Hilda I know there’s no way that Arlo’s not trying to find and save me right now, but I hope he stays very far away. I can’t stand the thought of these people interfering with his life any more than they already have.“Why me?” I ask, hoping that something he says will help me find a way out of this nightmare. Maelor shrugs, “Arlo is in love with you and you seem strong enough to contain Morgana’s immense power. Through you we can continue controlling him, but far more successfully this time.”Oh, hell no. I would rather die than play into their hands. “I don’t understand why you need Arlo at all. What do you want from him? And why bring this Morgana back? Seems to me she outstrips you in power, won’t she just push you aside and take over the way Lilith did?”Maelor smiles again, looking at me like I’m his favorite pet, performing a trick for attention. “I worked on Morgana’s resurrection spell very carefully. If she makes any move against me, she’ll return from where she came immedi
CereliaWe ran for almost an hour before daring to stop. I don’t think Maelor’s following us, but he’s clearly a master manipulator, so who the heck knows.Soren’s unsteady on his legs and I’m worried about the deep gash running down his side. “Lie down,” I tell him, rubbing my hands together. He eyes the ball of light forming between my palms suspiciously, but finally does as he’s told, choosing to trust me.My proximity as his mate will speed up his natural werewolf healing abilities, but not as much as my magic can. I was looking forward to learning a lot more about restorative magic, excited at the prospect of being able to help others. I guess my ‘teacher’ was never going to expend too much energy on teaching me such inconsequential powers.It’s still difficult to accept that I’d been so thoroughly duped by Maelor. I was so grateful to him for taking me in and giving me something to focus on while my heart was in tatters. “It’s not your fault. I told you he could be trusted,” Sor
Hilda Struggling causes the glowing ropes to singe my skin. I fight through the pain, knowing what will happen if I don’t get out of here. It’s no use though. The harder I try, the more solid my bonds seem to become.Nearly an hour’s passed since Maelor left, I’ve been carefully keeping count. I’ve tried changing to my wolf form, hoping to just slip off into the night. Maelor obviously considered that and took steps to prevent it. I’m out of options. They were limited to begin with, but I won’t give up.Closing my eyes, I take deep, measured breaths, doing my best to remain calm and think. I have no experience with this type of magic. What its strengths and weaknesses are, what I can do to fight it. Except...Finding and loving me helped Arlo finally slip the leash of his mother’s control.This surely isn’t true for all forms of sorcery, but the dark, evil kind practiced by Maelor and his cabal doesn’t seem to enjoy the purity of real love. Maelor’s dampening my connection to Arlo, bu
(Hilda)“Get down!” Every arrow that flies by makes me fear for my mate’s safety. I stand above him, staring at the enemy who is approaching quickly. I will protect him until I die, I know that. Because I know he would do the same. “If I don’t make it, I hope you can find your second chance mate and be happy with her…” I say, clutching my weapon. “Hilda, you can’t fight them alone, you have to go! You have to run!” my mate Alpha Soren shouts with the last of his strength. He tries to lift himself off the ground, reaching for me, and I take his hand. “I’m not going anywhere.” I kneel beside him, looking into his eyes. “I love you, Soren. We’re going to survive this together. Or we will die together.” “No!” He yells. “You have to run!”As the words leave his lips an arrow strikes me. I collapse to the ground, laying beside him, as he cry out my name. I want to comfort him, to tell him I am alright, but the pain is too much. But still, I struggle to get back up. I am going to keep
(Hilda)It’s Cerelia’s Luna coronation ceremony today. It’s almost funny that only yesterday, I believed today would be my coronation day. I had imagined it. The flowers, the music, the happiness I would feel standing beside him. But now it is her flowers, her music, and her happiness. The pack gathers in the clearing, everyone dressed in their finest, smiles adorning their faces. The air is full of joy and celebration, the scent of flowers and the sound of laughter permeating the space. Everywhere I look, there are signs of festivity and happiness. It feels like a cruel joke. I walk slowly through the crowd, each step sending a jolt of pain through my body. The physical discomfort is nothing compared to the agony in my heart. I try to search for my old friends in the crowd but I don’t find them. The only thing I can see is Soren and Cerelia standing together, their hands intertwined, looking at each other with such love and adoration that it brings tears to my eyes. It is the s
(Hilda)I struggle and try to fight them off, but my muscles are still weak from a year of lying down. Each movement is a painful reminder of my vulnerability. The warrior’s grips tighten, and my attempts to break free are futile. As the crowd recognizes me as the former Beta, their attitudes shift. Hatred and vengeance flare in their eyes. The whispers turn into shots, and more of them surround me, eager to settle old scores. They are not just following orders, they really want to hurt me.The hands that once fought me on the battlefield now claw and pull, dragging me away. Panic surges through me as I feel myself being overwhelmed. Desperation claws at my heart, and my vision blurs with tears. I am on the brink of losing myself when I hear a familiar voice. “Stop!” Soren’s command cuts through the chaos. He pushes through the crowd, his presence halting the onslaught. The warriors hesitate, releasing their hold on me. For a brief moment, a spark of hope ignites in my heart. May
Hilda Struggling causes the glowing ropes to singe my skin. I fight through the pain, knowing what will happen if I don’t get out of here. It’s no use though. The harder I try, the more solid my bonds seem to become.Nearly an hour’s passed since Maelor left, I’ve been carefully keeping count. I’ve tried changing to my wolf form, hoping to just slip off into the night. Maelor obviously considered that and took steps to prevent it. I’m out of options. They were limited to begin with, but I won’t give up.Closing my eyes, I take deep, measured breaths, doing my best to remain calm and think. I have no experience with this type of magic. What its strengths and weaknesses are, what I can do to fight it. Except...Finding and loving me helped Arlo finally slip the leash of his mother’s control.This surely isn’t true for all forms of sorcery, but the dark, evil kind practiced by Maelor and his cabal doesn’t seem to enjoy the purity of real love. Maelor’s dampening my connection to Arlo, bu
CereliaWe ran for almost an hour before daring to stop. I don’t think Maelor’s following us, but he’s clearly a master manipulator, so who the heck knows.Soren’s unsteady on his legs and I’m worried about the deep gash running down his side. “Lie down,” I tell him, rubbing my hands together. He eyes the ball of light forming between my palms suspiciously, but finally does as he’s told, choosing to trust me.My proximity as his mate will speed up his natural werewolf healing abilities, but not as much as my magic can. I was looking forward to learning a lot more about restorative magic, excited at the prospect of being able to help others. I guess my ‘teacher’ was never going to expend too much energy on teaching me such inconsequential powers.It’s still difficult to accept that I’d been so thoroughly duped by Maelor. I was so grateful to him for taking me in and giving me something to focus on while my heart was in tatters. “It’s not your fault. I told you he could be trusted,” Sor
Hilda I know there’s no way that Arlo’s not trying to find and save me right now, but I hope he stays very far away. I can’t stand the thought of these people interfering with his life any more than they already have.“Why me?” I ask, hoping that something he says will help me find a way out of this nightmare. Maelor shrugs, “Arlo is in love with you and you seem strong enough to contain Morgana’s immense power. Through you we can continue controlling him, but far more successfully this time.”Oh, hell no. I would rather die than play into their hands. “I don’t understand why you need Arlo at all. What do you want from him? And why bring this Morgana back? Seems to me she outstrips you in power, won’t she just push you aside and take over the way Lilith did?”Maelor smiles again, looking at me like I’m his favorite pet, performing a trick for attention. “I worked on Morgana’s resurrection spell very carefully. If she makes any move against me, she’ll return from where she came immedi
HildaI wake up lost in a cloud of confusion, my head feeling heavy and unclear. I’m lying on my back on something hard and I blink groggily, my brain struggling to catch up with reality.I’m in a cave, the walls and roof visible due to the light cast by the red candles flickering all around me. I’m on a stone slab, dressed in a flimsy white nightgown, my arms and legs spread eagled and held by what appears to be manacles of flame. I’m not writhing in pain, so it’s obviously magic.It’s impossible to see anything beyond the ring of light surrounding me. The rest of the cave is dark as a pit of starless eternity. I can’t feel Arlo, but I hope he’s safe and free somewhere out there. His absence is dull, not empty, and I believe whoever caught me is blanketing our bond, hiding us from each other. If he was close by I don’t believe there’s magic strong enough to keep me from sensing him and I hang on to that thought desperately. As long as I believe he’s safe, I can remain calm.“Well, we
CereliaThere’s so much for me to process. Soren didn’t cheat on me of his own free will. Maelor’s misdirection won’t work on me. The fact that he couldn’t fight off the spell he was under has nothing to do with how much he loves me. It was put directly on him, while passed to Hilda secondhand when she touched the book.“I intend to be the greatest mage that ever lived, Maelor,” I tell him with a confidence I don’t really feel. “But not as your puppet. I will be a force for good, not evil. I will stand against you, not by your side.”Maelor laughs derisively, before sneering at me, “You have potential Cerelia, not power. Without anyone to unlock it, you will remain a stunted little tree. You can perform parlor tricks and basic spells, nothing that could harm me. Join us or die, the choice is yours.”Soren changes in the blink of an eye, leaping for Maelor’s throat with his jaws stretched wide. I don’t waste the opening he gives me, sprinting around Maelor in an effort to get to Soren’
Arlo“Find her!” I roar, rushing forward blindly, not even feeling the impact as I bounce off the trees. I can’t smell her, I can’t feel her and the cold, quiet desolation I suffer in the absence of her bright warmth is making me crazy. It’s impossible to stop and think. I have to keep moving. I have to find her.I’m not going back without her. We don’t know what they use the women they take for, but I know none of them have ever come back. Without Hilda I have no life. Nothing has any meaning. I can’t lose her.“Arlo, slow down,” Percy says quietly, his voice heavy with heartache. “We’re not going to make any headway like this. Put your hand on my shoulder and follow me. We’re pushing on, getting past their damn barrier, no matter what they throw at us. I also love her. We all do, in our hearts she’s already our Luna, but you know she’s my friend as well and I’m determined to find her.”Under different circumstances his words would have sent my spirits soaring. To know my most truste
Arlo She never stops amazing me. I know she has to be frightened of going back to the area where the cabal practices their evil magic. None of us knows what to expect and she told me all about the sense of dread she felt when she and Kestrel stumbled across the place.Yet she never wavers. Her steps are strong and sure, hurrying toward the danger to face it head-on. Not that I’ve had a moment’s doubt, but she keeps proving every day, in every way, what an incredible Luna she’s going to be.“We’re very close now. I really hope we’ll be able to save the women,” Hilda says quietly, so only I can hear her. I share that wish, but I doubt it’ll come to pass. Why would they have needed so many women if the previous ones weren’t dead? Women I brought to them, probably kicking and screaming. I still have no memory of it.“Stop it,” Hilda whispers fiercely. “Even your warriors believe in your innocence. I know I’m biased. I love you and I’m addicted to your incredible body,” she adds with a sl
CereliaI can’t see him, but I sense his presence immediately. Soren didn’t leave and he knows I’m here. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’m angry about the things he said. His outrageous assumption that either Hilda or I would be happy to share him.But. He genuinely seemed concerned about me and frantic to save me from my supposed captors. He also said he loves me and I believed him.I barely slept last night because I feel so guilty about allowing him to leave without showing myself. And my doubts about Maelor’s true nature have resurfaced with a vengeance. Arista showing up was bad enough, but the way he lied to Soren, without a flicker of guilt to be observed, stirred up all of my misgivings again.I still don’t want to talk to Soren, but I’m not a child and running back inside and hiding under the bed isn’t an option. Sadly.“Fine Soren, you’ve found me. Come out and we’ll talk,” I call out, sure he’s close enough to hear me. I’m hoping Maelor will sleep through the noise. H
Hilda“You did what?” Arlo asks, looking like he’s about to explode. “I didn’t go alone!” I defend myself against the torrent of reprimands that I’m sure is about to follow. His eyes rake over me anxiously, as if he’s afraid there may be some damage he missed before.“There’s no part of me you haven’t inspected minutely in the past 24 hours Arlo, I’m fine. Kestrel was with me and we turned around when I sensed danger.” He doesn’t seem mollified, “I told you to stay here so you could be safe, not so you’d go boldly traipsing into danger without a second thought! And don’t think for a moment that I believe you invited Kestrel to go with you. I’m willing to bet my life on it that you were told by the guards to take an escort!”I’m trying not to pout, or show him how thrilled I am by the fact that he knows me so well. “What else was I supposed to do while you were gone? Stay inside and read a book?” Arlo throws his hands into the air dramatically, “Yes! That’s exactly what you were suppos