MalachiThe moment we set foot in Boreas’ frozen kingdom, I can feel the chill cutting through my bones—yet it’s invigorating. I look around, and for the first time, I’m at a loss for words. It’s an awe-inspiring landscape, like stepping into a living snow globe. The sky above us is a crystal-clear blue, and the trees have an ethereal beauty, adorned with both snow and lively green foliage. Against this snowscape, ice sculptures stand as sentinels, shimmering in the sunlight, intricate and exquisite in their frozen elegance.I think Reyna would love it here, seeing as she loves lovely landscapes.Cassian nudges me, snapping me out of my reverie, and Rune gives me a look that can only be described as wonder mixed with sadness. We all know the stakes, and we’re fully aware that this surreal beauty masks an underlying tension.As we approach the castle, the giant, ice-covered gates open seemingly on their own, though I can sense the elemental power that commands it. Standing at the thre
RuneThe air around Embereign is thick with the smell of charred wood, molten rock, and despair. The once-glorious Kingdom of Fire had been gutted, like a hunter’s prey. It isn’t the fire of home and hearth, of passion and warmth, but the fire of destruction, of a kingdom on the brink of collapse. It clawed at my senses, but I pushed through as I walked with the men who have become closer to me than any brother. Nothing matters more than Reyna right now, and by the looks of things, Shae has already begun her manipulation.When we landed in Frozen Throne two days ago, I caught a whiff of what I thought was Reyna’s scent. But neither Cassian nor Malachi caught it. I was certain it was her, but why would she be in Frozen Throne of all places?I sigh as we walk ahead, trying to pinpoint where Reyna’s scent could be coming from, but nothing seems to be a clear lead. Fuck, I would do anything to hold her in my arms again, to tell her how much she means to me; to all three of us.But then
ReynaIt was the sound of three sets of footsteps crunching over the burnt earth that I heard before I could even see them. My body was screaming for me to end this dark and torturous puppetry by running towards them, but I stood there, frozen in fear. The will of Pyrra’s malevolent energy, like a wisp of nightshade, silences my desperate cries. It intoxicates me, fills me with a seething fury that was not my own. Pyrra whispers in the far recesses of my mind, “Stay still, Reyna. Let them come to you.”So, I waited, every muscle quivering like a taut bowstring.I saw Rune first, rushing into the clearing, his eyes widening as they met my gaze. Cassian and Malachi followed, their jaws clenched, tension radiating off them. They hesitated, only for a moment, as if weighing their choices. But I could see it in their eyes—their insatiable need to save me.Rune stepped into the flaming circle that surrounded me. The agony in his eyes almost broke me, almost tore Pyrra’s tendrils from my
ReynaThe world feels lighter, as if a dark veil has been lifted. The tension in the air is so palpable you could cut it with a knife, and I wonder how we came to be entangled in this web of darkness and light, of love and supposed betrayal.A snarl echoes through the air; Shae’s, and I remember how it all started.As they come closer, I notice the subtle changes that have settled over them during our separation. New lines of worry etched onto Rune’s forehead, Malachi’s eyes dimmer than I remember, as if they’ve seen too much, and Cassian, the usually poised leader, has a ragged edge to him now.But what hasn’t changed is the way they look at me: with a love so pure, it’s almost devastating. I’m struck by how that same love nearly got us killed, how it made us pawns in a game we didn’t even know we were playing.“Reyna, darling, are you—” Rune starts but hesitates, as if not sure how to phrase what we’re all wondering.“I’m me,” I say, voice thick with emotion, my vision blurring wit
ReynaWe’re standing in a cavern, much like the one from my dream, our eyes transfixed on the scene in front of us. High stone seats almost reach the ceiling, every seat filled by someone with a vendetta; someone who lost a loved one over the last fifty years because of her actions.But Shae doesn’t even look bothered about her pending execution; her face a mask of contentment and her heartbeat as calm as the sea. The four Elemental Alphas surround her as she’s on her knees with a silver contraption around her neck.“The council of Cardinaem sentences Shae Maddox to death,” my uncle declares to everyone present. “For the murder of my brother, Alpha Konrad, the destruction of an entire kingdom and its people on Aether, destruction of half of Embereign and the premeditated murders of Alpha Zephyrus, Alpha Terra and Alpha Alpha Boreas’ fathers; our previous Alphas.”Alpha Zephyrus steps forward. “However, the council of Cardinaem also permits any person sentenced to death to say their la
ReynaIt feels like the shattered pieces of my soul are slowly coming together as I lay entangled with my Alpha. As much as I wanted this to be all three of us, I felt like being alone with each of them tonight. As Cassian slowly moves inside me, I wrap my arms around his neck and our lips meet in a passionate kiss. The way he's kissing me makes it seem like I am his very breath and I am reciprocating with just as much vigour.With each forceful thrust, he drives deeper into me, and I revel in the weight of his body on top of mine. His grip on my hair is painful but adds to the pleasure at the same time. My protector in every sense of the word, the first one of the three to Sight me as his.Right now it’s just the two of us, his blue eyes sparking with the red of his beast as it comes out to play. I can't help but dig my nails deeper into his muscular back, scraping down the length of him, and as I do so, the growl rumbling in his chest intensifies.“Reyna,” he groans my name, pickin
Reyna The atmosphere is absolutely electric, with the smell of rich earth and warm bonfires filling the air and adding to the overall experience. We’re in the grand hall of the Four Elemental Alphas’ stronghold, saying our final goodbyes as we get ready to depart for our island.Alphas Boreas, Zephyrus, Terra, and my uncle, Konrad, stand in a semicircle, their faces a mix of relief and contentment. Rune, Malachi, Cassian, and I exchange firm handshakes and heartfelt hugs with them.“You always have a place here,” Alpha Boreas says, his voice as steady as the frozen mountains he reigns over.“And you, in our kingdom,” Malachi responds and I watch as he and Alpha Boreas exchange a look of agreement, as if they knew something we didn’t.Alpha Terra, smothered in the aroma of fresh greenery, takes Rune’s hand and shakes it fiercely. “May your roots find fertile ground, wherever you go!” he says and I see the amusement in Malachi’s eyes at this exchange.I walk toward Uncle Konrad to emb
ReynaAs the doors open to the island, the sea wind catches my hair and whips it around my face. Coming back here is supposed to feel like coming home… It’s supposed to be our sanctuary.The island’s paradise-like charm now seems like a distant memory, as if nature is punishing me for seeking refuge there.Cassian steps off the jet first, his eyes briefly scanning the scenery before focusing back on me. Rune is next, a steady, reassuring presence. Malachi allows me to walk ahead before he follows, his face the picture of stoicism that barely conceals the boiling emotions underneath. Each represents a part of my own fractured soul, and as they turn to me, their eyes filled with love and concern, I feel the familiar pang of guilt sharpen.“Welcome home, Reyna,” Rune says, extending his hand to help me as I walk down the steps.Cassian opens his mouth as if to say something but refrains, and Malachi simply nods, his eyes meeting mine in a silent, piercing exchange.“Let’s not stand here