“S-Seline,” I gasp, my body still rejecting the contents that had just been forced down my throat. I give her a bitter look when her eyes widen, “Oh, don’t act so shocked. I know this is what you guys planned all along.”I feel like shit after throwing up so much, my stomach still churning from the shock of what I’ve been forced to eat. I lean my head against the wall, uncaring of how much of a mess I’ve made, only trying to draw in breath.A miserable laugh leaves my lips, “Balin may have tried to kill me but at least he used an arrow to shoot me. He didn’t try to break me. You guys are on a different level.”“I don’t know what happened here, Isabel,” Fera’s voice is hard. “But I assure you Damien and I had nothing to do with it. What did Seline do?”I’ve been through so much. Each time something terrible happened, I wondered if that was the point I would finally break. But each time, I managed to find the will to survive and carry on. But right now, I feel like I’ve finally reach
Fera blinks, “What do you mean? Save them from what?”I clench my jaw, now knowing what kind of ripple effect my actions are going to set off. By asking Fera this, I’m basically going to tell her what took place between me and Mara. Damien’s relationship with Mara is obviously strong and he would never believe me, if that even matters and this whole thing was not concocted by him to begin with.But I don’t know about Fera.Will Fera believe me? Or will she also side with Mara?Honestly, this is a gamble right now but it’s either this or find myself under Mara’s control. And I know exactly what she intends for me. But if Fera does believe me and helps me protect my friends and save Rina, then Mara has nothing on me except physical strength. But she won’t be able to make me bend to her desires. I make my decision in a split second. After all, beggars can’t be choosers.“From Mara.”Fera’s expression changes in a split second and her voice is careful, “What did Mara do?”I open
The minute I feel the headache, Fera touches her finger to my temple and as fast as the pain came, it vanishes and I let out a gasping breath of relief.“What was that?!” I feel overwhelmed. “These constant headaches every time I –”“-think about the elves or doubt them?” Fera says, quietly. “I’m not surprised. They kept you very obedient. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had you agreeing to even the most unreasonable demands.”I tense up, “How do you – What do you mean?”Fera doesn’t answer my question, instead asking one of her own, “You saw the Tree of Souls, didn’t you?”“Yea-”“Did you eat the flower growing underneath it? The one with the blue petals.”I freeze at the question, “I – How did you know?”Fera looks at me, her voice serious, “Because that is the only reason you’re still able to partially think for yourself.”When I give her a wary look, she opens her mouth but just then the door is thrown open and we both jump.I look over to see Damien striding in, his expr
“Get out,” I say, hollowly. I don’t want to wait around and be attacked and humiliated again just so that it’ll show Damien the truth. And for some reason, I feel a strange tightening sensation in my chest when I see him defending Mara. It infuriates me.“Stop feeding her all this nons-” Damien gives Fera an annoyed look but I cut him off.“Just go away. I don’t want to deal with you.”Damien frowns, “Mara is someone I trust implicitly, Isabel. Don’t listen to Fer-”“I’m not listening to anyone,” I give him and I’m not saying anything either.”“Then tell me what Seline did to you,” His anger is turning from an icy cold storm to a raging inferno.“Why?!” I hiss at him. “Want to congratulate her? Give her more ideas?”He gets in my face in a heartbeat, his voice a scratchy growl, “I’ll dig out her eyes and torture her for a thousand years!”I scoff, putting my hands on his chest and shoving him back. It takes my entire strength to just get his chest to move slightly but my po
I look at the strange mirror on the wall.Fera’s ‘workshop’, for lack of a better word, is quite odd. It’s a huge room but it’s a mess. I don’t know how she finds anything in here. I see piles and piles of books, some of which are open and earmarked. There are small sticky notes everywhere which make me do a double take. Demons have sticky notes?But then they are pretty modern. “So, your kind has human technology as well?” I ask, reluctantly, watching Fera look for something on one of the overcrowded tables. One of the many.“Of course we do,” Fera says, vaguely. “The Righ is always born in the human realm. We can’t be completely out of touch with the human realm. But our technology is better.”She takes out a scroll from nowhere, a triumphant expression on her face, “Aha.”“Why is it better?” I follow her to the mirror, watching as she unfurls the scroll.“Well,” she looks over her shoulder at me, a wicked smile on her face, “because ours is imbued by magic. Now tell the
Mara’s face stiffens when she sees Fera’s smirking expression, “What do you think you’re doing Fera?!”Her words are a snarl and she takes a step forward, “Who do you think you are, interfering in my business?!”“Interfering?” Fera raises a brow. “That’s rude. Don’t you think that’s rude, Isabel?”I blink, taken aback by the sudden question, “Ah, yeah. Very.”“Stay out of this, you mutt,” Mara hisses. She looks at the guard, “Drag them both out!”The guard just stares at her as if he can’t comprehend a word she’s saying. “Didn’t you just hear what I said?!” Mara’s voice rises and for a moment, I wonder if its just me or she sounds a little petulant. “He can hear you,” Fera smiles. “But he doesn’t have to listen to you.”“I am the Chancell-”“But my rank is higher than yours,” Fera’s voice turns cold in a way that reminds me of Damien.However, her statement puzzles me.Fera’s rank is higher than that of Mara?Isn’t she basically a healer here?I can see the vein in Mara’
“Is she going to be okay?” I ask Fera as I lay Rina down in the hospital wing bed. It’s insane how this place has an entire hospital wing. Walking into it assailed me with a mixture of fascination and astoundment. Damien’s castle looks like its décor was done by some sixteenth century French king and yet he has all these modern facilities which keep baffling me.“I still say we should let her heal on her own,” Fera sounds annoyed. “You need to understand that by demon law she committed a folly by letting her master protect her. Especially when you were in an already weakened state.”I purse my lips into a thin line and after a few long seconds, say slowly, “I’m not a demon, Fera. I don’t believe in –”“-our way of life,” Fera finishes off for me. “But Rina does. She was raised this way. And while she may not have intentionally put you in harm’s way, she certainly had no problem letting you put yourself in danger to save herself. Even if Mara hadn’t punished her, Damien would have. W
“What is going on?”Mara’s voice is hard.Damien has me in such a tight grip that I can’t escape even if my life depended upon it. Damien just squeezes my hip in silent warning and it’s a physical struggle to not escape. He’s got one fist lightly resting against his cheek.“You’re going to have to be more specific, Mara,” He drawls. I can see Mara’s chest heaving in unrestrained anger and from behind Damien, I can feel Seth glaring at her, “Why – Why are you holding her like that? It’s disrespectful!”I can practically feel the amusement dripping off of Damien, “Disrespectful to whom, exactly? Isabel is mine. I can hold her any way I want.”It’s the way he says that, that blatant possessive ownership in his voice that makes me feel strange inside. My heart skips a beat and I can feel heat tingling in my cheeks. Despite my wariness when it comes to Damien, I feel a sick sense of satisfaction on seeing the glittering anger in Mara’s words. However, it seems she has something e
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