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
Despite telling Balin that I trust him, there is now a fear within me.I know Arista wasn’t lying since Balin had not refuted her words. Will we be able to run away safely? Will the elves let me go once I have reinforced this barrier? There is this sick fear within me that I can’t shake off.However, I have bigger concerns at the moment.“I need to hunt, Balin,” I say, insistently. “I’m growing weaker by the day!”Balin frowns, “I’m sorry, Isabel, but eating meat in the village is frowned upon. Once you become my mate, you will have to give it up.”“Give it up?” I gape at him. “This is not a personal preference, Balin. I won’t survive without it. I am a wolf shifter at the end of the day. If my wolf dies, so will I!”“You’re not going to die from a lack of meat,” Balin tells me sternly. “As long as your body has fuel, you will survive.”“Only barely!” I want to scream at him. How is he minimizing my needs right now?!Balin sighs, a sound of pure exasperation, “But you will li
My heart climbs into my throat, “Those are-”Balin has a sword in his hand, his bow tucked in his back, “I’ll keep you safe.” And then he roars, “Protect the Righ!”There is a large outcry and I see more elves pour out from amongst the trees, rushing to face the demons head on, their faces fierce and brave, swords and bows in their hands.“Let me help,” I say but Balin stops me. “No! You’re no match against a demon. Not yet. Stay behind me.”I can shift and fight and I want to but I’ve become accustomed to obeying Balin’s commands and so I stay back, watching the rest of them take on the demons. The elves are seasoned fighters, but the demons are vicious creatures, their movements rough and uncoordinated. But while the elves are quick on their feet and some of them have magic, the demons have raw strength on their sides. I watch in growing horror as one of them pummels an elf to the ground, nearly crushing his face. But before he can do that, a female elf jumps in the air, he
The demon king is a terrifying visage. His face is covered with a black mask that is long and has two creepy looking horns that are extending from the top part. He’s wearing a sturdy looking armor that covers him from head to toe. However, that is the least bloodcurdling part of his presence.My eyes are drawn to the creature that he is standing upon.It’s a dragon.A flying dragon.A dragon with wingsMy shock is immense.And that’s not all.He’s not alone.He’s brought an army.Where the demons on the ground look like wild creatures, the ones behind him on similar dragon like creatures, they are garbed in a similar fashion as him, minus the terrifying face mask. They all have masks, but they look more like helmets than masks.The army behind him look like seasoned fighters and if the hissing sounds of the elves around me is any indication, they too are just as shaken by their appearance.“I came for what’s mine.”The demon king’s voice thunders across the field, disto
A strangled cry leaves my throat as the arrow pierces me.I hear an enraged roar from the demon king holding me. He sounds furious.“You dare!”I’m barely listening, my eyes stuck on the arrow protruding from me.He shot me.Balin shot me?The demon king readjusts me in his arms, but my brain is barely functioning because of the shock.My eyes flicker towards Balin as I try to reconcile his betrayal with his feelings for me.How could you?I know from experience now that Balin is a precise shot with the arrow.He never misses, not even a moving target.Which is why, as I gurgle up blood from my mouth, tears leak out of my eyes as it occurs to me that I had been his target all along.My whole body feels like it is on fire, and I can feel a restricting pressure in my chest, right around where the wound is. It’s like my whole body is being torn apart.And yet the actions of the man who I had begun to tie my heart to are far more than painful. I can feel more blood pour out
Under the darkness of my dreams, it is the witch who visits me.I’m in her house now, in the same living room with her blood splattered everywhere. The only difference is that this time her eyes are staring at me while she lays on the floor.“You will be forced to reach a crossroads. You will be forced to choose again and again. Your decision will decide the fate of the worlds. You are a harbinger of destruction, little wolf. You will destroy us all.”There is a grotesque grin on her face, a milky white film covering her eyes which makes my blood go cold.She’s dead.But her mouth is moving as she spews out those familiar words, “There is love written in your fate. Love and destruction. The choice you make will carve the path of the worlds.”I stumble back, covering my ears and letting out a frightened cry, “Stop it! Leave me alone!”But her corpse is now crawling towards me, “So much destruction in your future. The truth is in the mirror. What you see isn’t real. You have to lo
I stare at him, confused and shaken. A part of me is also fearful. “So why didn’t you?” I can’t tear my eyes away from his face. “Why didn’t you just snatch me back then?!”I can understand the fear within me but I can’t comprehend this strange anger.He’s looking so relaxed right now while I’m having an internal panic attack.“Well,” He studies me, partly amused and just a little annoyed. “You had already agreed to come to me of your own choice. I didn’t need to kidnap you till you decided to mate that bastard. I warned you over and over-”“Warned me?!” I glare at him. “Don’t make Balin out to be some monster when you are the one who’s the demon!”Damien’s eyes flash, “You’re very quick to defend your lover. Did you forget he shot you with an arrow?”My heart aches at the painful memory.“And he kept trying to shoot you,” Damien rubs salt in my wounds, his voice cruel as he moves towards me, bending down, his voice a whisper now. “He wanted you dead.”However, despite everyt
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