The weird memory eats at me for the rest of our travel. I want to ask Balin, but it doesn’t make sense to me.Maybe it was just a dream.That seems to be the most plausible explanation to me because both Balin and Aldon have not asked me about the old woman I met in the town. If they had had any suspicions, wouldn’t they have confronted me? They had no reason to go after the old witch.‘She was one of mine.’The statement bothers me. If the old witch was one of Damion’s people, would that be enough of a reason to kill her? How would they even have known? Also why didn’t they smell this ‘darkness’ on me when Damion and I met the first two times?There are a lot of questions eating at me and I can’t find any of the answers no matter how much I wrack my brains. The only other people who might have answers, I’m hesitant to ask them. The other thing that bothers me is that if it was a real conversation that I overheard, then it means that Balin might be holding back secrets perta
I see the arrow flying towards me and without thinking, I grab it just an inch from my chest. It was aimed at my heart.The woman hisses and I see her lodge another arrow just as I hear Balin call my name in sharp alarm. He is by my side in a heartbeat, and I stare at him, both shocked and bewildered.“Arista!” He shouts, his voice furious.The woman looks panicked and ready to run when I call out, “He’s already seen you. Might as well come out!”A look of distaste crosses her face and then she lowers her bow and walks into the clearing.Arista is a gorgeous female. She is taller than me with bright red hair and those same pale blue eyes that all elves seem to possess. Her features are elven in their beauty and her stride is firm and graceful. Her voice is also just as melodious as that of the other elves.“It was a mistake. I was practicing my aim.”She smirks at me as she says that, adding, “I’m sure the wolf doesn’t mind.”“Arista,” This time there is a warning edge to B
I can’t reconcile the voice I heard with Damion.How is that possible?I swing my legs over the side of the bed and take a few deep breaths.It was a dream. Just a dream.And dreams don’t mean anything.Except for the fact that I’ve been dreaming consistently of my James for the past few weeks, and it doesn’t seem like a dream then.I get to my feet and go wash my face. Looking into the mirror, I let out a shaking breath, “It couldn’t be Damion. That’s not possible. It’s just my head creating strange narratives.”But even I can’t keep ignoring my dreams. There are times when they seem so real and I believe the conversations I am having in them and then there are times when I wonder if I desperately need therapy, assuming I can find a therapist in this secluded area.I half snort at my own joke.I walk over to the window and look out at the other cottage, “Maybe I just really need to unwind. Too much in my head.”I’m distracted from my thoughts when I see Balin outside.H
I don’t know what I expected after my confirmation as the Righ, but this definitely wasn’t it.I stare at the proceedings, not knowing what to make of any of it.Balin has been glued to my side ever since we found out.“A feast?” I echo, feeling a little unnerved by the gorgeous garlands being prepared. Balin clasps my hand, “Don’t worry about it yet. Come with me. I want to take you somewhere.”I reluctantly look over my shoulder at the preparations underway before allowing him to lead me farther into the forest. We are moving away from the elves village into a deeper part of the Forest of Shadows. “Where are we going?”“A secret spot,” Balin’s lips curve and for a moment, I see something wild in his eyes.He’s been like this ever since we discovered that I am the Righ. After that horrifying experience, aside from having that screaming voice now stuck in my head, I don’t feel any different. But Balin does.He’s more possessive, refusing to leave my side.At first, I thou
Azhar gives me a strange look, “You will be mated to Balin.”My breathing is getting shallow, “You can’t just – Was somebody planning to ask me?!”His brows furrow together, “It has been decided since old times. The Righ always mates with one of our kind since we are the strongest of all the Others. You cannot stand alone.”“I just lost my mate!” I hiss at him. “I’m not ready to tie myself to someone yet!”“Ah yes,” Azhar gives me an indifferent look. “The wolf. It doesn’t matter. This mating will be stronger, and it will happen. Once you’re mated to Balin, you’ll get over your resistance.”His words are so callous that they make me sick.I stumble back, “You can’t make me. I won’t go through with it.”This time Azhar smiles, “Yes, you will. Your permission is not required. Once Balin gives you his mark, you will belong to him.”Then he walks away from me.I feel horror course through my blood, feeling violated. Was this why Balin was acting like this towards me because he tho
“W-What?” I feel so confused.He walks inside and then reaches for something and suddenly the whole room floods with light. It’s a lantern, similar to the ones in the other cottage.“You wanted me to break in here?” I give him a wary look.He just studies me, his expression weary, “I thought it would help you remember. Easier than telling you the truth, Isabel.”“The truth?”Something feels wrong.There is a churning in my gut, this uneasy feeling, I can’t shake.Balin walks over to me, his hand caressing the furniture, “Does this room look familiar to you?”“Familiar to me?” I ask, slowly, my eyes on him. When he doesn’t answer, I ask, cautiously, “Why would it look familiar to me?”He is getting closer to me, and I have nowhere to move. I don’t know what it is happening right now.“Something that I never mentioned to you before was that the Righ ultimately begins to regain memories of her past lives,” Balin stops in his tracks, not approaching me. He’s standing a few
A few days have passed since that night when Balin told me the truth.It’s a difficult thing to digest and I am struggling wholeheartedly with it. Balin seems to have relaxed now that I know the truth and he’s back to living in the cottage and acting as if everything is normal. But it’s not.Fated mates? Past lovers? Invasions?These are all difficult things to wrap my head around. It seems like I’ve walked into some movie but ever since my conversation with Balin, my dreams have become more vivid. They’re still blurry but I can sense what’s going on and they’re beginning to feel like memories. The strange thing is that while I’m dreaming, I can see things clearly except for faces. I’ve dreamt of the children in the picture. I’ve dreamt of looking at my face in the mirror and Balin, but the faces are always blurred, even mine.That troubles me for some reason.I’m sitting in bed as I ponder over these things, not knowing how to process all this. A mating? Balin swore that afte
The mating ceremony is drawing closer. The flower that I hid away is still with me and after one whole night of deliberation and my own confusion with Balin’s strange behavior, I decided to risk it.The petals have a strange taste, almost like honeydew. I eat one and then I wait but when there are no side effects, I eat the rest.The only reaction I have is late in the evening the next day when Balin hands me the drink he makes me since the day I arrived here. I’m in my room when I sip it, only to be overcome by nausea. One trip to the bathroom is enough for me to toss away the drink.I consider telling Balin what happened, but I decide not to. There’s already too much on his plate.Two days before the mating ceremony, I am confined to the cottage.Balin is nowhere in sight that day, so I am startled when in the afternoon the door opens.I look up, “Ba- What are you doing here?”I despise Arista and I watch her close the door.“Enjoy your mating while you still can,” She le
DAMIENYears pass slowly when eternity is no longer in sight.Standing on the edge of the balcony of the bedroom I’ve shared with Isabel for five hundred years, I watch the lush lands in the distance. The demon realm has never prospered like this before. I’ve never been this content before.In the distance, I hear laughter and I look over to see two of my older sons carrying their sisters in their arms while my other daughter run after them, Cerebus trailing after them.I’ve had children before. I’ve watched them pass on. I still watch over their families. But this is different. This is more precious. Isabel has given me so many children and for once, I will not have to watch them die before me. Twenty strong children, half of whom are now leading their own lives, coming back to visit us. I have never once regretted sharing my life span. Now I get to enjoy my beautiful mate for centuries to come before we move on from this world. Speaking of my mate, I hear her voice.“Junip
I clutch on to Damien’s still body as I see Balin’s body dissolve into nothing within seconds. There is hush across the battlefield as everyone stares in shock at what has just taken place.‘Justice.’The words echoes in everyone’s ears and then I see the realization hit the elves about what is coming to them. The begin to flee.But only if it was that easy.One by one, they fall, their deaths painful and horrific sights.The battle which had come to a halt because of Damien’s sacrifice has now been ended by the interference of the Gods. There is no guilt within me.There is just dark and vicious satisfaction.Let them burn. Let them feel what it is like.The whole thing is over within a couple of minutes and the silence stretches across the field.Finally, the Gods face me, ‘What do you wish from us?’My eyes flicker towards Damien and when I look up, the field is gone. Both me and Damien are in this white space that has no end.“The elves are gone,” I say with great di
My heart is filled with a broken pain that I can’t breathe past.They showed up. But they showed up too late.I’ve lost everything.Damien isn’t breathing. I pull out the spears one by one, ignoring the presence of the beings, tears falling down my face, my chest so tight with pain that I think it will burst. I can’t feel our mating bond!Oh, God! I can’t feel him anymore!The wail that rips from my throat at the realization that he’s left me all alone is a terrifying sound. The earth begins to shake as my grief grows out of control. These powers, these abilities, they’re useless to me!My heart is tearing out of my chest in my madness, the ground shaking.Let it all burn!Let them all die!‘Child.’The voice echoes in my head again and this time I look at those beings, my face ravaged with the tears of a broken woman.‘You cannot destroy these realms.’“I cannot?” I snarl, “Just who do you think you are to tell me what I can or cannot do?!”The more upset I am, th
Mara’s anticlimactic death has me reeling. But now is not the time to worry about that. I shift into my wolf form, attacking the enemy with a ruthlessness. It’s true what the witch said. My mating bond has increased my strength. I feel lighter on my feet as I wade through the elves like they’re ants. My speed is faster, although not to the level of that of Damien’s.I can feel some of my abilities leaking through but I’ve still not been able to access my abilities. I’m a little disappointed. I thought weakening the seal would have more of an impact but aside from this soft leakage of warm sensation, there is nothing else.I feel frustrated but I can’t do anything.Damien, though.Damien is stronger than I have ever seen. He’s cutting down the elves with speed, his focus sharp. His laughter is vicious and despite that, my heart flutters in my chest at how glorious he looks. I look at him and that is my mistake.You never allow yourself to get distracted on the battlefield.A
The troops are already waiting in their battle positions when we arrive.Damien brings me with him to the battlefield. He’s wearing a suit of dark armor and I feel tense, “The Rubab Stone-”“I’ll have to be more careful,” his voice is calm. “Last time I wasn’t as aware. This time I know I am not invincible.”“Damien,” my heart is twisting in my chest. “I-”He cups my cheek, his voice gentle, “I’ll be fine, little wolf. Just don’t leave your guards.”I know he would have preferred to stash me somewhere but it’s clear that he wants me close by. After so many traitors popping up after the first battle, it only makes sense.“Don’t let anybody catch you off guard,” he thrusts a sword into my hand. “Trust your instinct when you fight. They’re going to try and separate us. Let’s make sure that, that doesn’t happen.”I give him a small smile, feeling a sliver of hope on seeing his confidence.“Okay.”I get on my toes and press a sweet kiss to his mouth.We don’t get more time togethe
“What is it?” “Something has happened in the demon realm,” he says, grimly, before looking down at my hand.I shake my head, “The pain is gone.”“Good, let’s go.”“Thank you,” I give the witch a weak smile, not knowing whether to actually be grateful or blame her for the wrong that has happened in my life. But it’s always a good idea to be graceful.She waves us off and I’m in Damien’s arms as he runs out of the cave, past the trees, towards the temple.“The portal-”“Caleb will open it when I give the signal,” he’s not even out of breath as he rushes down the temple where the shrine gates are.As we move towards the town, I grab his shoulder, “Wait! What is that?!”The sky is orange.“How long were we inside?” I mutter. “Is the sun rising?”“No,” Damien says after a long moment. “It’s fire. The town has been set on fire.”“We have to help-”But Damien holds me back, “Look.”For a moment, I don’t understand what he is saying. And then I see the arrows shooting within the
“There has to be something someone can do,” I ask, forcing my voice to stay calm, despite the roiling fear inside of me.The witch’s voice is kind now, “I’m afraid not. You’re not the first who has tried to seek a way to undo the curse.”It’s hard to keep my tears at bay. The tears are not of sadness but rather of the crippling fear of the unknown future that awaits me. At this point, I am already aware of the nature of the painful deaths a majority of the Righs faced. It was just physical pain they had to go through, that would have been fine. Horrifying as it may be, one can tolerate that to an extent. But seeing your loved ones be tortured? The mental anguish is not something I will be able to take any longer. My suffering may be different from that of the previous Righs. It may not even compare. But for me, it is enough. I am reaching my breaking point. There are so many people in my life that I now care about, so many people who can be used against me. It frightens me to th
The witch studies me, “There have been numerous prophecies recorded about the Righs over time but there was one that was recorded by a Righ who was born to a Seer and a witch. You can call it a curse or a prophecy.”I instantly remember what I saw. The memory of the battlefield. The woman who was held down, screaming.My blood turns to ice as I recall that memory. It still gives me nightmares. “The downfall of the elves. From the hands of the weakest of the Righs. And right now,” the witch looks at me, “no offence, but you are the weakest Righ there is.”I’m being hit by so many curveballs that getting my feelings hurt is at the bottom of the list right now.“It’s funny that you think I’m going to bring about the downfall of the elves when I can’t even protect myself or use my abilities.”My voice is tight with barely restrained anger.“The stars have aligned and the stars have never lied before,” the witch says, easily. “The time is drawing nearer for the final battle.”I don
I feel my knees turn weak, “What?”“But you created the seal!” Damien snaps. “You should be able to break it!”“Logically, yes,” the witch says, calmly. “But this seal is special. It draws its power through sacrifice of fate. Those spells are impossible to break.”A shutter falls over Damien’s face, “What have you done?”I look between the two feeling like I’m in the dark, “What does she mean? What do you mean by a sacrifice of fate?”The witch studies me and for the first time, I see a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes for me, “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.”I push past Damien, “I do. What do you mean a sacrifice of fate?! Whose fate?!”She looks at Damien before meeting my gaze, “The Righ is a powerful entity. You think it was easy for even somebody like me to be able to contain your powers? No. If I had used a normal spell, as strong as I might have tried to make it, it would have broken against your powers. I needed something stronger. Something that woul