Zoe shook her head, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t know,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “But my father was investigating something. Something dangerous. My mother used to say he was too brave for his own good. Maybe this… whatever this darkness is, maybe it’s tied to that.”Cassius leaned closer, his voice low and deliberate, his silver eyes sharp with focus. “If your father was involved, then there’s a trail somewhere. Records, leads - something to piece this together. We need to find out what he was after. It could be the key to stopping Caelum.”Zoe hesitated, the words clawing at her throat before she finally spoke, her voice hardening with a mixture of grief and determination. “Cassius… there’s more. My father wasn’t just anyone. He was Beta to Alpha Philip.”Cassius’s brows lifted slightly, surprise flickering across his otherwise calm features. “Philip? The same Alpha who…” He didn’t need to finish. The weight of what he meant hung heavy between them.“Yes.” Z
As the door clicked shut behind Cassius, Zoe closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing thoughts. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic crackling of the nearby fireplace and the faint rustle of wind against the windows. The flicker of hope she had felt earlier refused to be snuffed out, but it was tangled with a storm of emotions she couldn’t yet untangle.Her mind replayed Cassius’s words, his steady confidence that they would uncover the truth. That thought kept her from spiraling. But beneath it all, her father’s face lingered in her memory - his warm smile and steady presence now reduced to a phantom.A soft knock on the door pulled her back to the present. The healer, Marella, peeked in, carrying a tray of warm tea and herbal ointments. Her weathered face was lined with worry.“I thought you might need this,” Marella said gently, setting the tray on a nearby table. She lingered, her eyes scanning Zoe’s pale face. “You’ve been through a storm most wouldn’t survive.”Zoe gave
The infirmary felt heavy with the scent of herbs and healing salves, but Zoe’s resolve was lighter than it had been in days. The moonlight filtering through the window cast a silver glow across the quiet room, bathing it in an almost ethereal calm. Her legs were steady beneath her now, her magic thrumming low but steady within her veins. She was ready to face the next challenge - and the first step was seeing Dominic.Zoe pushed open the door to his room quietly, her breath catching as she caught sight of him. Dominic’s usually vibrant form looked worn and pale against the stark white sheets. His chest, left bare to aid healing, still bore the angry marks of the dark lightning that had struck him. Blackened veins streaked from the wound, fading now but still a haunting reminder of the danger they had all faced.She moved closer, her heart aching. “Dominic,” she whispered, her voice barely breaking the silence.His eyelids fluttered at the sound of her voice, and a soft groan escaped hi
The warmth of the meal lingered in Zoe’s chest as she made her way toward the headmistress’s office. Sara had left her at the dining hall, still grumbling about Zoe’s stubbornness, but her smile had softened the scolding. Now, as she approached the tall wooden doors of Headmistress Ellara’s study, Zoe’s nerves began to stir.The visions she had while unconscious haunted her thoughts - the cosmic land, the intertwined trees, and the sleeping form of her vampire self. Questions swirled in her mind, heavy and relentless. She needed answers, and if anyone could provide them, it was Ellara.Zoe hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand and knocked firmly.“Enter,” came the familiar, commanding voice from within.She pushed the door open to find Headmistress Ellara seated at her ornate desk, a quill in hand and several glowing tomes spread before her. Ellara looked up, her piercing gaze softening slightly when she saw Zoe.“Ah, Miss Reed,” Ellara said, setting down the quill. “I’ve been e
Cassius POV Cassius leaned against the stone railing of the academy’s upper courtyard, his sharp eyes scanning the pathways below. His thoughts had been a chaotic mess ever since the attack, torn between his duty to uncover the growing threat of Caelum and his constant worry about Zoe. When he saw the door to Ellara’s office open, his attention snapped to her.Zoe stepped into the cool twilight, her movements measured and thoughtful. The faint glow of the moon illuminated her face, still pale from her ordeal, but strikingly beautiful in its quiet determination. Her brow was furrowed as though the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.Cassius felt an ache in his chest, a longing he rarely allowed himself to feel. He wanted to reach out, to touch her, to tell her she wasn’t alone in this battle. But he hesitated. For all his strength and confidence, moments like these made him feel uncertain.Instead, he straightened and descended the stairs toward her, his steps lig
The dining hall buzzed with subdued energy the next morning, the usual hum of chatter replaced with hushed whispers and furtive glances. The attack on the tournament had left scars on more than just the grounds; it had shaken the very foundation of the academy's safety. Zoe sat at a corner table with Nikola and Sara, her appetite nonexistent as she picked at her plate. She stole a glance at her friends. Both of them looked tired, dark circles under their eyes betraying sleepless nights. “How are you holding up?” Zoe asked, breaking the silence. Nikola ran a hand through his hair, his expression grim. “I’ve been better. Every time I close my eyes, I see the lightning. The fog. The screams...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to fight something like that.” Sara placed a comforting hand on his arm but didn’t look much more confident herself. “We have to, though. We don’t have a choice. If we don’t stop them, who will?” Zoe nodded, her throat tight. “
Zoe paced the hallway outside the infirmary, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The image of Dominic - his black eyes, the dark veins twisting across his body - was seared into her memory. It wasn’t just darkness consuming him; it was something alive, ancient, and malicious.Sara sat nearby, her leg bouncing with nervous energy. “What was that? He wasn’t just angry or hurt - he was something else entirely.”Zoe stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, clutching her still bandaged arm. “It’s the same darkness we saw during the attack. It’s inside him now. But how? Why him?”“I don’t know,” Sara admitted, her voice shaking. “But we have to do something. We can’t let him stay like this.”The door to the infirmary swung open, and Cassius emerged, his expression hard but composed. His silver eyes found Zoe immediately, softening slightly when they landed on her.“He’s stable for now,” Cassius said. “I managed to suppress the worst of it, but it’s not gone. The darkness has ta
Tension in Headmistress Ellara’s office was palpable as Zoe, Cassius and Sara stood before her. The heavy wooden desk between them was piled with ancient tomes and scrolls, the room dimly lit by a flickering lantern. Ellara leaned back in her chair, her sharp gaze fixed on Zoe as she listened to their plan.When Zoe finished explaining, Ellara remained silent for a moment, her fingers steepled under her chin. “You’re proposing to track Caelum through his followers,” she said finally. “It’s bold, but it’s not without merit.”“We don’t have another choice,” Zoe replied, her voice steady. “He’s the only one who can undo what’s happening to Dominic. We need to find him before it’s too late.”Ellara nodded slowly. “I agree. But this is no small undertaking. If you’re going to locate Caelum, you’ll need a way to bypass his protections. He’s a fae lord steeped in dark magic; he won’t make it easy.”“That’s why we came to you,” Cassius said, his tone direct. “If there’s a spell or a tool that
Thank you for reeding
The morning was heavy with quiet determination. The survivors of the battle moved through Nighthaven’s halls with somber purpose, their grief etched into every step. Zoe stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, her gaze distant. The weight of their losses pressed on her, but she knew she couldn’t let it consume her. They needed something lasting, something to honor the lives lost in their fight against the darkness.Ellara joined her, her presence a steadying force. “You’ve been standing here for hours,” the witch said softly.Zoe nodded, her voice low. “I keep thinking about them. Sara, Nikola, the others. They deserve more than to just... fade away in memory.”Ellara followed her gaze, her expression pensive. “Then let’s make sure they’re remembered. Something that will stand long after this fight is over.”Zoe turned to her, a spark of hope in her eyes. “A statue. Something that represents all of them, their courage, their sacrifice.”Ellara smiled faintly. “We’ll need mater
The hallway to Zoe’s room stretched endlessly before her. Each step echoed softly against the stone walls, a haunting reminder of how quiet Nighthaven had become. Cassius walked beside her, his presence steady, but the silence between them was heavy.As they neared her door, Zoe’s pace slowed. Her gaze drifted to the door across from hers—Sara’s room. She stopped abruptly, her hand gripping the pendant at her neck. The tears she had been holding back since the battle welled up, unbidden, spilling over as a sob tore from her throat.Cassius turned quickly, concern darkening his features. “Zoe..?”“I should’ve been able to save her,” she choked out, her words broken by sobs. “I... I should’ve done something.”Her knees buckled, but before she could collapse, Cassius was there, catching her in his arms. He sank to the floor with her, holding her tightly as she buried her face in his chest. The dam had broken, and the grief she had suppressed for hours came pouring out in waves.“I should’
The sun light was weak, its pale rays filtering through the tangle of forest branches as Zoe, Cassius, Ellara, and the survivors stumbled away from the battlefield. The air was heavy with the stench of blood and burnt magic, and every step felt like a struggle against the weight of loss.They moved in silence, each person lost in their own thoughts. Zoe leaned heavily on Cassius, her body battered but her spirit still clinging to the thin thread of determination. The moonstone pendant at her neck felt cool now, its once-blazing energy spent, and she could feel its weight like a reminder of the power they had wielded - and the price they had paid.Ellara led the way, her staff glowing faintly as she used the last of her magic to sense for danger. “We’ll stop here,” she said, her voice hoarse, pointing to a small clearing sheltered by ancient trees. “We need to tend to the wounded before we go any farther.”Zoe nodded, her throat tight as she glanced back at their small group. Only a han
The forest was alive with chaos. The air shimmered with volatile energy, the kind that burned the lungs and made every breath a battle. Caelum stood at the center of it all, his wings stretched wide, their edges crackling with dark power. His glowing eyes seemed to pierce through each of them, mocking and dismissive.“You’ve come all this way, only to fall here.” His voice echoed like a sinister melody, curling around Zoe and her companions, weighing down their resolve.Zoe clenched her fists, the moonstone pendant at her neck pulsing in time with her racing heart. “You’ve underestimated us before, Caelum. You won’t get the chance again.”His laughter was sharp and biting. “You think your courage means anything against me? Against this?” He gestured grandly to the chamber around them. The forest shimmered, leaves glowing with unnatural light, and the ground beneath their feet cracked and trembled.The warriors stationed on the balconies above tightened their bowstrings, their glowing a
The clearing pulsed with tension as if the very forest were alive and braced for the coming storm. The air was thick with the coppery tang of blood and the ozone scent of magic. Zoe stood at the forefront of her group, her wolf instincts sharpening her senses to the hilt. Around her, Cassius, Ellara, and the last remnants of their allies held their ground, bracing themselves for what they knew was an inevitable clash.The Ironclaw warriors, twisted creatures of sinew and shadow, emerged from the darkness like wraiths, their glowing eyes fixed on the group with predatory intent. Their snarls reverberated through the night, primal and unforgiving, sending a chill down Zoe’s spine despite the fire burning within her.She could feel Nila stirring restlessly within, a coiled spring ready to unleash. We’ve faced worse, her wolf urged. We can win.But could they? Zoe's eyes flicked over her companions. Cassius, his jaw set in grim determination. Ellara, her grip on her staff trembling but unb
The journey through the forest felt endless, and every step Zoe took was heavy with the weight of the loss they’d suffered. Her mind kept replaying the faces of those they’d left behind - her friends, her family, the warriors who had fought valiantly alongside them. They had died to protect what they all believed in, and now Zoe carried the burden of that belief, even as the reality of their deaths gnawed at her heart.Cassius kept a steady pace beside her, his presence grounding her, but the silence between them had become a quiet comfort. Neither of them spoke much, but they didn’t need to. The air between them was thick with unspoken understanding - of their shared grief, of the determination to keep moving forward, and the trust that had begun to form between them, even in such dire circumstances.Ellara, still recovering from the battle wounds, limped slightly behind them, her face pale, but her resolve unbroken. She didn’t complain. She never did. Zoe admired her for that. The wi
The three survivors walked in grim silence, the weight of their escape pressing heavily on their shoulders. The forest they now found themselves in was different from the magical one in the bastion chamber. These trees were older, their roots twisted and gnarled, their canopy dense enough to shroud the ground in perpetual twilight. The oppressive silence was broken only by their ragged breathing and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.Zoe led the group, her crescent mark faintly glowing as if it was guiding her. Ellara followed closely, her steps uneven and her breathing labored. Cassius brought up the rear, his golden eyes scanning their surroundings with an ever-watchful gaze.“We can’t stop for long,” he said quietly. “They’ll come for us.”Ellara nodded weakly, but her movements were sluggish. “I can ward us for a little while,” she said, her voice hoarse. “Give us time to gather our strength.”“Do it,” Zoe said, her tone sharper than she intended. When Ellara flinched, Zoe so
The air in the chamber grew heavier, the oppressive magic pressing down on Zoe’s chest like an iron weight. Her mind raced as Caelum’s taunting words echoed in her ears. The forest-like chamber was alive with malice, the shimmering eyes of the royal fae watching them like predators toying with cornered prey. Above, the balcony of warriors with their drawn bows glinted in the unnatural light, ready to unleash a deadly volley at any moment.Zoe tightened her grip on the dagger at her side, her heart hammering against her ribs. We need to get out of here. Alive. The words burned in her mind, a mantra of desperation.Ellara’s voice was steady, a low murmur meant only for their group. “Whatever we do, we need to move fast. If we don’t act now, none of us will leave this chamber alive.”Zoe glanced at Cassius. His golden eyes met hers, a flicker of determination in their depths. He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, and she knew he was ready to fight - ready to lay down his life if nece