Damien’s words have me questioning everything and myself.While a part of me is still clinging on to Balin, another part of me is also registering the sheer irrationality of my feelings. And then there are small things that Damien is doing that is making me falter when it comes to him.He does them without prompting as if my happiness is more important to him. ‘So what?’As he drags me alongside him down the carpeted hallway, his words ring in my ears.Mara accused me of betraying them – which made zero sense since I was kidnapped in the first place – and Damien didn’t care if I did. The way he had spoken it had felt as if I could do no wrong in his eyes.My chest feels tight as I think about it, this biased favoritism towards me. I’m not an idiot. It’s starting to dawn on me that Damien doesn’t simply want to use me. Or if he does, there is something more he wants from me, something more personal. But after what happened today in that massive hall, a part of me has relaxed. W
Damien looks at me now and my mouth feels dry. He walks over to me and this time when his hand caresses my cheek, there’s a different sort of gentleness than before, “This is something I can’t tell you. You have to figure it out yourself.”“What?” I grind my teeth against the pain. “Why?”There’s a hint of weariness in his gaze that I’ve never seen before, “Because it’s the way this works. I can give you the clues but you have to piece them together.”“Balin said that you want to use the Righ-”Damien bursts into amused laughter, “Did he now? I’m not surprised.”“But it doesn’t seem that way to me.”“He said you hurt his mate-”I don’t even get to finish the sentence because Damien’s upper lips curls, “The Righ was never Balin’s mate!”He immediately clamps his mouth shut but I feel my knees turn weak with the throbbing headache. I can feel something liquid on my upper lip and Damien sighs, his anger fading as he lifts his hand and uses the edge of his sleeve to wipe something
Lou and Dayla are surprisingly friendly and despite their grim words, I do feel comfortable with them.They help me sneak into the kitchen which looks so professional and modern that I’m left gaping like an idiot. But the smell of fresh food being cooked makes my stomach rumble.“Lou,” Dayla glances at the woman next to me and Loud nods before heading towards a long counter which is covered in bread and what not. I’m standing there like a fool when Dayla grabs my head and hisses, “Duck!”I fall to the ground and she pulls us both under the cloth of one the tables.“Who are we hiding from?”“No-”“Me,” comes a booming voice as the cloth is pushed up.I find myself staring into a monstrous looking face. Whatever scream built up in my throat is swallowed in fear.“Ah, shit,” Dayla is too relaxed. “I should have known you weren’t on your break, Marty.”Marty?This is Marty?! The chef?!Marty grabs us both by the arms and yanks us out from under the table, “Stop stealing food, yo
When I wake up, my head is clear after a long time.I stare at the ceiling, oddly alert. The room is cool and I’m warm and comfortable and just content.I allow the feeling to sink into me and I close my eyes basking in it. However, my bladder is feeling uncomfortable and I sigh, pushing the blanket off of me.That’s when I realize that there is something heavier on my waist, holding me hostage.My head turns to the side and I see a familiar face next to mine.Damien’s features are relaxed in his sleep and he looks almost innocent. His arm is wrapped around my waist from under the blanket in what is a possessive hold. One leg is thrust between mine in a gesture which is far too intimate.My heart skips a beat at our position.I want to move but I simply can’t move an inch. What’s worse is how comfortable this position is.My mouth is dry as I slowly begin to untangle myself, limb by limb, my bladder burning. When I finally manage to escape, I rush to the bathroom. I’ve al
For a moment, I just stare.“Is this a dream?”Damien’s chuckle jerks me back to reality, “No. This is your brother’s home, your home.”I stumble forward, “The lights and the fireplace-”“I turned them on.”My hands are shaking as I look at Ben’s sweater laying sprawled on the couch in front of the television. I touch it, tears spilling down my cheeks. I remember him doing this. “He was always too lazy to fold his sweater,” I laugh, tearily, and my words dissolve into a broken sob.Damien touches my shoulder, “If this is too much for you, we can return.”“No,” I quickly shake my head. “No. I want to stay. I want to see.”My heart is so full right now, and so very sad, as I touch pieces of furniture, small things, irrelevant things, that have been part of my life for so long.The house has been untouched which is surprising since it’s been months since everything went down. “Where’s your room?” Damien suddenly asks.“Why?” I give him a suspicious look.He gives me an inno
My hands are trembling as I stare at the words.‘…they called you the Righ.’“What is this?” I mutter, shaken.“Seline?”My head whips up as I see Damien walk into the study.“This is where you were. What’s that?”I wet my lips, “Ah. It’s a letter from my brother. It was addressed to me.”I look at him, “Damien, my brother knew what I was.”Damien doesn’t react to the news, “It’s not surprising. When a Righ dies, the other is born with her last breath. Within the last few – Righs were lately kept protected by witches. Parents would give them up and witches would raise them and keep them side from enemies, unless of course they brough them to the demon world.”I don’t know which part to address first.“Witches can identify a Righ?”“Yes. Witches are part of nature as are Elves. They are natural caretakers of the Righs. It’s always been that way since the War.”“But if they brought them to the demon world, isn’t that unsafe?”Damien looks amused, “Like I said, you’ve only he
I stumble forward, gasping, the fear making my heart thud against my ribcage.And that’s when I realize that seeing Balin made me feel gut wrenching fear. I feel myself sinking to the floor, numbly.“Isabel?”My head is a whirlwind of emotions that I’m trying to sort out. The most prominent thought is the sudden fear I experienced when I saw Balin and as I try to focus on that and understand what just happened, it feels like something has snapped inside of me and a rush of emotion throws me off.“He shot me,” I mumble my eyes on my hands as I try to focus on this string of thought. “He shot me with wolfsbane, knowing I would die. He brought arrows covered in wolfsbane to that mating ceremony. Why would he do that unless he planned to kill me?”I feel a presence next to me and I look up to see Damien sitting on his haunches beside me, “You should lay down.”“No, I shouldn’t,” I mutter, looking at his amber gaze. “That bastard tried to kill me over and over again. He burnt down my
“Unfortunately,” Fera mutters and I can tell she really means it.“So he blamed you?” I ask, slowly.“For years,” Fera said, the hurt in her voice a hard ball of pain. “He stripped me of all my status in the castle, punishing me in small ways till all I had left was my lab. Mara got what she wanted, me out of her way.”I study her face, feeling a hint of anger, “How could he believe Mara over you? You’re his family!”Fera’s smile is filled with an old bitter anger, “She was quite convincing. And at that point, she was young in demon years. And she flitted about Damien like a butterfly. I used to be the Chancellor at the time and Damien gave that position to her. That’s why I was determined to protect you this time.”I open my mouth and then snap it shut to gather my thoughts, before speaking, “But you and Damien are fine now.”Fera shrugs, “I had no choice but to bow down in front of him. He stripped me of everything and put me in my place. I never stepped out of that line again.
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