[Zeve’s POV]A warm wind that reminded me of a gentle summer passed through my hair. I turned around and Hikari was standing in front of me.His eyes went to the wound I had made in my hand. In a few strides he crossed the distance between us, held my hand in his and then looked at me, “this wound? What happened here? Are you ok? Where else are you hurt?”His concerned gaze travelled all over me with impatience.“A vampire was following me, so I killed him. In the fight I got a few scratches, that’s it.” I took back my hand from him. “Don’t worry, it will cure in no time.”He held my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. “Vampire? Did he try to kill you?”I removed his hands from me and stepped away from him. “I killed him before he could try. I am not a kid, Prince Hikari. I can take care of myself.”He left out a soft sigh and took out a white handkerchief from his kimono coat. Without saying a word or looking at me, he wrapped it around my hand. “Let’s go back to the palace. It’s
[Zeve’s POV]Amor looked pale. He had grown stubble beards. It was clear from his face that he wasn’t eating and sleeping properly. I wondered if he had slept even for an hour since that day he came to who Dawn was to me. Dark circles had appeared under his eyes and he looked exhausted. His unreadable eyes were mysterious and dull, as if he was dead inside. I could clearly see how difficult this whole situation had been for him and somewhere I blamed myself for it, even though I knew I wasn’t at fault.He was there right in front of my eyes, yet… I couldn’t put my thoughts into words because I was blank. I didn’t know what to say, what to ask, or what to do. Maybe I was hurting him just by standing before him.I wanted to disappear, but his gaze on me didn’t give me the freedom to avert my eyes.I just kept peering into his eyes, waiting for him to say something. But he, too, had turned silent.I saw Jade and Yule peep from behind Amor’s legs and I immediately understood it was their
[Amor’s POV]It has been two days since Zeve went missing.She was last seen with mother as reported by Lexi. Hikari is still out searching for her, but I hadn’t heard from him either. Mother said Zeve walked through the secret passage leading to lady Dawn’s room and she was able to see all the memories of lady Dawn through her magic.Zeve never entered lady Dawn’s room and returned midway. “Alpha, we have searched every corner of Arginieth, even the most isolated areas. But no news on luna,” Morfan said, bringing his horse closer to mine. Zeve could possibly be in any part of this world right now and the next moment somewhere else because she could easily teleport. Zahir asked Hikari to look for Zeve beyond the Frost forest on the islands of the Ultimas.“Make preparations. We are going to Uhnim,” I said. “But alpha tonight is the meeting with the religious leaders,” Morfan said.“None of that matters right now,” I said, racing my horse back to the Aura palace.I will go anywhere
[Amor’s POV]I anxiously held her hands, “Zeve… what did you say?”“I am sure you heard it well enough,” she said, taking her hand back from me.“What does that mean?” I asked, licking my dry lips.“It means I am the only one with all the rights over myself,” she said, peering into my eyes.I nodded then smiled at her, “of course. You have all rights over yourself. If you don’t want to tell where you were, it’s ok. I am sure you needed some time alone too…”She dropped her gaze and walked back to her dressing table. I trudged behind her.She picked the comb to brush her hair. I took it from her hand. She looked at me, confused. I lowered my gaze, walked behind her, and brushed her hair.I tried not to overthink what she said. My mind and my body perhaps understood how scary those words were and how fearful their outcome could be, but my heart kept denying all of it. My fingers had turned cold within seconds. Beyond the roots of the haunting silence was a tree of words both of us wan
[Amor’s POV]“I am not trying to enrage you. I am only putting my fears in front of you, Amor. That too, because you said I could, and you’d listen,” she said with a shrug.The only thought that crossed my mind at the moment was — this is not Zeve. This is not the Zeve I know. She seemed like a completely different person.From the moment she had returned, she had been acting really strange. Zeve always talked decently and used her words with care. Even when she was angry, she didn’t allow herself to be swayed by her emotions.Yes, I admit that the truth about her mother might have broken her from inside, but I had never seen a person completely change their personality in two days. Until… either they were a completely different person or they were acting to be someone else.I calmly analysed her actions from the beginning, sinking into my chair and holding my head in my hand.“Why create non existing problems for yourself and your mate in the future? The situation is perfect. Just ge
[Zeve’s POV] He kept hugging me without saying a word. I could feel his racing heartbeats, his heavy breaths. I hugged him back. Everything was said. I wonder how couples broke up so easily. I tried to break his love for me and he ended up adding more depth and strength to our bond. I didn’t want to leave him. That would be the most foolish decision I would ever make emotionally, but I had to think and act practically to save myself from any more regrets. There was no way I would use him, his pack, or my title as a luna as a shield anymore. There was no use of hiding anymore. I had to face everything, but before that I had to find the complete truth myself. Zahir told us the truth, and I confirmed it from the memories I saw on the islands, but there were a lot of loose ends to his story that I had to connect. If Amor expelled me in front of everyone, vampires would stop any future attacks on Arginieth, or at least I hoped they did, because the last ten years of the second sacr
[Zeve’s POV]Several visions played in my head as Hikari hugged me. All of them had Hikari in them. It was Hikari’s life that was flashing in front of my eyes. But only to a certain point. I saw his entire life until he unlocked Yuki by learning the final Kazumi art form.After that, I saw a white dragon, and the visions stopped. Yuki concealed all the visions. I didn’t know how my memory reading actually worked, but now I knew that people could hide their memories, even from my magic.I had no control over it; it happened on its own when Hikari hugged me. I didn’t want to pry into Hikari’s memories.That is what the magic voice in me told me to control, because sometimes it was best to live in ignorance. Hikari had been lonely all this time in Jiyushu. Brought up for only one purpose — to inherit my magical core. He had been trained to be a fighting machine, a powerhouse. Zahir’s training was more like conditioning Hikari to be a puppet of his hand. No wonder they had no emotional b
[Zeve’s POV]The religious leaders were seated together on the left side of the blue carpet that led to our throne and the royal family was to the right. Amor was seated on his throne and priestess Melantha was seated closest to Amor’s throne.I entered the courtroom, and everyone got on their feet. Amor peered at me while I looked at him, then dropped my gaze. With my knights walking behind me, I walked to the stairs that led to our throne.Amor got up and walked down the stairs to me, stretching out his hand. I took his hand, and we sat on our throne. Everyone took their seats after an affirming nod from Amor.The look on the religious leader’s face was as if they were forcing themselves to show respect to the devil on the throne. That wasn’t my first time receiving such hostile glares, so it really didn’t matter. At least, I hoped it didn’t.Once I was expelled from the pack, the danger would come searching for me all at once. I was well aware of what I would face. First the vampi
(This is a free chapter. You won’t need to pay for it. So, please do it read it until the end.) Dear readers, So this journey had finally come to an end! First of all, THANK YOU so much for reading this book, investing your time, and giving it so much love and appreciation. Your every gem, your every comment, your every review has brightened my day and uplifted my spirit in my hard times. This is my first book on this platform and I couldn’t have ever imagined of getting so far. But you made this possible and I am super grateful for all your supports, lovelies. I know this book isn’t perfect and nor am I, but I always try my best to better my craft and create a world where all of us could unite. So, don’t forget to tell me who your favourite character/s was/were in this story? If you enjoyed the book, a review on the main page of the book is much appreciated. It really helps with the growth of the book. And so do your gems and comments. Thank you for coming on this adventure w
[Zeve’s POV] As I plunged into the magma, I had no thoughts in my head. My body was being consumed by the flames, while my heart almost stopped. It was cold inside the volcano. My clothes and armour melted away, but neither the flames nor the magma touched my skin. They flowed inches away from my skin. I held my breath. The bright red glowing magma flowed magnificently inside the volcano. It was scary how I could feel its heat yet not get burned. It was like one of those dreams came to reality, except this time the one to be burnt in flames was me and not Amor. The magma behind me started taking some kind of form. I felt Amor’s presence and my heart skipped a beat. I felt hands warped under my waist and knees. I shut my eyes with a shudder. The next thing I remember was I was sitting far away on the ground and watching the magma, ashes and rocks explode out of the volcano like fireworks. There was a dazzling figure hovering above the volcano, suppressing it back into the ground
[Zahir’s POV]Why don’t you smile?Why don’t you cry?Why don’t you fight?Why don’t you get angry?Why don’t you get scared?What the hell is wrong with you?You are my son, and you cannot be the monster they say you are.Feel!Feel something!Feel anything!Feel everything!‘If nothing, then feel the pain!’That face of a person I was supposed to call my mother.Those glowing eyes floating in sheer darkness.Those words were like pure acid, pouring in my ears.Those snarls of pure hatred and screams and cries, those slaps and whips.The dark bathroom flooded with water everywhere and blood dissolved in it through my veins.I remember.Maybe I felt nothing but cold. It was unbearably cold.That time, that’s all I felt. A cold that made my spine shiver.I wanted to feel, but how?Everything I locked up within me and in the magic and key core came back.It all came back, but I think it never left in the first place.Even after hundreds of years, I could still feel her presence by the s
[Zeve’s POV]“Mother, stop!” Killian yelled.“Venus, calm down… we can make things right, ok? Trust me. Put down the blade…” Zahir coaxed Venus into his manipulative tone.Venus distanced the blade from her throat as if Zahir’s words were controlling her on a mental level. Her hands were shaking as she held the blade to her throat.Her eyes were frozen, as if she was in Zahir’s control. She shook her head with a gasp, “no, not anymore. You can’t control me anymore…” her voice came out hoarse and shaky.And she put the blade against her neck again, this time cutting her skin and bleeding.“NO! NO! Stop!” Zahir panicked and stepped back from Venus, raising his hands.“What the hell is going on here? Venus!” I called out and was about to go to her when Hikari held my hand.I looked at him and frowned. Hikari shook his head.I looked at Venus again and the blade was Hikari’s katana.“Your katana?” I felt a strange fear take over me as I stared at Hikari for an answer.“I must have dropped
[Zeve’s POV]‘I see him burning and these nightmares just don’t stop. Day after day, it’s always the same thing. I try to save him, but the flames always find their way to him. His body… it’s like it’s melting. I couldn’t get these nightmares out of my head and it’s disturbing. A lot. So, I came to you for guidance. Do these nightmares mean something?’‘Dreams are often a window for the future. We just need to interpret them rightly,’ priestess Melantha said when I met her in my third year in Phantoria. ‘For a seed to turn into a sapling and then into a huge tree, the seed coat needs to break. He’ll burn for you and this world.’‘No, he won’t. I won’t let death touch him, not because of me — especially not because of this world.’ This was what I told her, and then she replied with a subtle smile.‘What is the definition of death for you, luna?’ She asked.‘I don’t know. Death for me is what it’s for everyone else. Bad, painful and gloomy and… end.’‘When the right time comes, you will
[Zeve’s POV]There were two souls active inside Killian. One was of Derek and another of Polaris. Killian decided based on the soul that dominated him at a time.That was the only sane explanation I could give to why he was using Celeste as a hostage when Killian saved her, risking his own life.“Fine,” I said, calmly. “Let them go. But I don’t know how to get the core out of my body. Extract it yourself.”Killian frowned. “No hidden tricks, Zeve. I don’t have time for that.”I raised my hand to my shoulders as if I was surrendering myself. “I am telling you the truth. I was born with this core and never took it out. I am not playing any tricks.”Killian thought for some time and then stretched his palm towards me. Four black magic circles appeared around me. One above my head, one below my feet, one in front of my chest, and one behind it.“I am already stuck here. I can’t escape. Please let them go now,” I said. The hellhounds backed off from Lucella and Celeste.The suction from
[Zeve’s POV]The sound of gunshots, along with screams of the knights getting attacked, mashed up with the howls of the hellhounds dominating the road. Killian coughed vigorously and threw out the broken pieces of rock with his teeth and blood from his mouth. “Oh, I know what devilishness it takes to create a utopia. But you really piss me off whenever I see you…” Killian snarled at Amor.Killian created a dark energy ball between himself and Amor, who was pressing him against the ground. The energy ball exploded, flinging Amor far away from Killian.Amor jumped back to his feet and drew out his sword. The armour worked. Amor wasn’t hurt badly. But I could just stand and wait for him to be hurt.I looked at the sky with my apprehension increasing with every second.On the training grounds, the screeches of shadow eaters were tackling the fire wall, keeping them locked within the magic circle. It was as if their screams were summoning the rain because heavy clouds had started looming
[Killian’s POV]Dark clouds stirred over the ruins of the Aura palace and its training grounds. The land had prepared to devour the souls and vomit a curse in the darkest shade of black to open the portal to the dark world from where the creatures of hell would flood the land, turning it into their grazing field. They would feed on souls and lock them in timeless gloom — in a world of nothingness and doom. Their minds were under my control and their souls on my command would set themselves ablaze on the magical ground.I was prepared and so was the enemy.Heavy military and army of hundreds guarded the boundaries around the precinct of the Aura palace and its land. The knights were armoured and ready with their swords, defending the boundaries of the palace from outside.Warriors were ironclad in their wolf forms. The wolves of darker colours were standing on the front lines and surrounded the training grounds.The soldiers created a wall of shields on either side of the criminals’ p
[Zeve’s POV]“Should I take off this gown now?” Celeste asked, walking to me and then standing beside me as we peered at the air where Killian stood seconds ago.I looked at Celeste and caressed her cheek. “I know it’s uncomfortable, sweetie, but wait a little, hmm?”Celeste looked into my eyes and nodded once.“You did a good job. I am proud of you,” I said.A week without the key core and Celeste already looked so fragile. I had to get back the key core from Killian after the plan played out the way I wanted it to.I looked at the sky. The chess board was laid out, the only thing left was the game to begin.“Zeve, I don’t like this at all. You are pregnant and even if everything goes according to your plan, it’s still dangerous because we don’t know what might happen when things actually start happening,” Amor said.I looked at Amor and smiled.“I have heard kids take after their parents. I want my child to be brave, and for that, I have to be braver today. I am going to be a mother