*Isla*“No.”It’s the only word I can get out as I stare into my cousin’s eyes. He is unblinking, unwavering, as he stares right back at me, the last word he uttered hanging in the air between us.I won’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Nothing that he has just told me makes any sense at all, and if by some crazy, un-understandable reason it is true, Maddox would’ve already told me about it.After all, I spoke to him just last night, and he said nothing about any queen consort, any contest, any new women coming to the castle to compete for his hand—in marriage.No, I won’t believe it. I can’t even let the idea of it being the truth register in my mind, because if it were true, if there was even the smallest possibility that Antony isn’t just making all of this up to make me want to leave, that would mean that Maddox isn’t the man I’ve always thought he was, and my entire life is a lie.Antony clears his throat and finally drops his eyes to the ground in front of him. “You didn’t know,
*Maddox*We are making progress on the war front. Every day, we are able to push our enemies back a little more without actually having to fight. I know that Alpha Eugene is doing his best to try and get others to come into the fray on his side, but so far, none of his negotiating is doing him any good.I know why that is, too, but I don’t want to admit it to anyone. Seth is the only one who dares to bring it up to me, and when he does, I bite his head off every time and tell him we have more important matters to attend to.“Sir,” he says as I sit in my tent staring at a map of the territory we have just claimed from one of Alpha Geofrey’s allies, “I believe you were going to call Miss Isla this evening about this time, weren’t you?”I look up at him in a bit of a daze. I’ve obviously lost track of time. “Oh, yes,” I mumble. “Thank you.” I have a portable phone, though they are very rare in our lands. We don’t have a lot of towers to help with signal transmission, so if everyone had a
*Isla*“Did you hang up on him?” Poppy asks me. She is pacing the floor about ten steps away from where I am sitting in the chair next to my bed, still staring at the phone. “You did, didn’t you? Bastard! Serves him right.”I do not bother to remind her that Alpha King Maddox is our sovereign and we should not be calling him names. Given the circumstances, she can call him whatever she’d like to.The Moon Goddess knows I’ve called him enough names myself in my head over the last couple of hours that I can’t be pointing out what she’s doing as if I am totally innocent. I just haven’t said anything out loud.I didn’t want to believe it was true.After I spoke to Antony, I came back to my room and walked in to find Poppy standing in front of my bed with her arms folded. I couldn’t tell if she was about to cry or if she wanted to scream, but I knew at that moment that whatever it was that had her so worked up it had to do with Maddox.And since I’d just heard the worst news imaginable abo
*Maddox*It was a four-hour drive from where I’d been stationed near the front line of the war back to the castle, and I’d have to be back early tomorrow because there’d been activity along the ridge we were currently considering attacking. Alpha Geofrey appears to be amassing his forces on the other side, getting ready to come after us.I need to be there if he attacks because, even though some of the other commanders are very good at their jobs, none of them have the sort of battle experience that I have. None of them are as capable of making sure the war goes the way it needs to as I am.For that matter, none of them are as good at anything as I am, but that doesn’t matter at the moment. I have to go home.I’ve thoroughly fucked up—again—and if I don’t get back to Isla as soon as possible, well, she might not be there when I do get back.And this time, it won’t just be her running off through the woods in the middle of the night. She’ll have our baby with her.I’ve contacted Comman
*Isla*“No?”I repeat Maddox’s response to asking him to leave my room, unable to believe that he’s just replied to me in that fashion.“What do you mean no?” I ask him. He’s just driven four hours to speak to me about the queen contest I’ve found about from my cousin, but when I’ve reached a point of being so unbelievably frustrated I can’t handle it anymore, I need a break from him. I need him to just go.“I mean, no, I’m not leaving. Not right now. Not when you’re still so angry at me,” he says with a simple shrug.“Maddox, clearly, there’s nothing that you can say that is going to make me understand what you are thinking and why you are doing this. Why not just let me get some sleep, and we can talk about this more in the morning? Maybe I will be able to comprehend it better then.” I hope that my explanation is getting through to him.“I have to leave first thing in the morning,” he says, and I feel my heart melt at his words.He’s leaving so soon? He literally just got here, and
*Maddox*I remember that something is different before I even open my eyes. The long drive, the fight, the amazing sex… I slept well last night because I am back home in my castle, in a comfortable bed, with the woman I love.But she is angry with me, and I honestly can’t blame her, though I was hopeful that explaining the situation would help her to get past it.It didn’t, though, and seducing her was probably not the best way to go at the time. I just couldn’t help it. She is so beautiful, and every time I am around her, I struggle to keep my hands off of her.I know the moment I roll over and face her, we will have to move into discussion mode, and I hate that. I don’t want to talk about the queen contest or the other women or how it’s supposed to make her feel. I just want her to trust me when I say that I love her and leave it at that.But it can’t be helped, so with a deep breath, I roll over to tell her good morning.And find an empty bed.“Fuck,” I mumble, knowing it is not li
*Isla*“You’re going back to the front?” I am standing in my bedroom, staring at Maddox as he explains to me why he has to leave even though I’ve just been told that the war is over for now. The conflict has ended; the troops are surrendering. Why in the world does he have to be there to collect their proverbial swords?“Yes, I have no choice, Isla. I’ve got to go meet with the other Alphas that fought alongside Alpha Geofrey and negotiate some terms with them. We can’t just shake hands and call it a day.”He says these things to me like I am so stupid I don’t know how war works. Yes, of course, I get it. Negotiations have to be made. I imagine there will be some sort of heavy fines to the lands that fought against the crown. I bet there will even be some changes in leadership.My question is… why does he have to be the one to talk through all of that? Doesn’t he have people who specialize in this sort of thing? Not to mention, his Beta is a pretty capable man if he would just give Se
*Isla*I am standing in the ballroom.My dress is long and blue, probably to bring out my eyes. It seems like every time I go to a ball or something of that nature, someone comes to dress me, and they tell me that I should wear blue to bring out my eyes. Or sometimes they tell me I should wear red to accent my lips or hair.I am wearing blue today, so I can only assume my eyes are sparkling….Crowds of people flutter around. I am nervous. I am scared. I can’t remember why. I walk between the other people, many of which are simply standing around the perimeter of the dance floor, talking to one another, eating the snacks that float by on trays carried by well-dressed waiters with impeccable manners. All of them have a beverage in their hand.My blue dress swirls around me as I walk. I am uncomfortable. I don’t want to be here.A woman is laughing loudly; it’s almost a cackle. Her face is a bit fuzzy as she turns to look at me, but she continues to laugh. Why is she off-kilter?The whol
RyanThree Days LaterTarsian is gone. That’s the only way to describe it. The cities, the packs… it’s nothing but endless, blood-stained desert now. Even the sea lapping against the shores of Serpentia is stained a dark red, but I watch it fade as I stand on what’s left of a deck overlooking the ocean. Behind me, the incessant chatter of the injured and healing overwhelm the sound of the waves. A few people walk along the sand–warriors of different ranks and alliances. A young man in tattered Arcane Umbra armor talks to a group of men in armor from the Roguelands, reunited with old friends. The curse is gone. The soldiers the Umbra Mortis turned into his puppets, his monsters, well… so far, they have no memory of the war, which is a blessing. The rest of us remember, though. How could we ever forget what happened here? How are we possibly going to move on? “Ryan?”I turn toward Kenna’s voice as she steps toward me, edging around a group of nurses from Moonrise here to help treat
ColeI choke myself awake. Smoke fills my lungs, smothering my senses for precious seconds I quickly realize I don’t have. Muffled voices fill my ears–a few shouts of pain, of surprise. People are calling out for friends and comrades.I’m not in the afterlife. I know that immediately. Pain echoes through my body like waves, driven by the tide of my heartbeat as my body claws back to life, my chest wounds knitting together in real time. But my hand is freezing. I squeeze the fingers tangled in mine and jolt back to reality, rolling with effort to curl my body around Misty. “No,” I breathe into her hair. “Come–Come back.” I can’t feel her anymore. My hand slides up to her neck, my fingers trembling as I feel for her pulse. It’s there, but barely. A weak thump that pauses for several heartbreaking seconds. “H-Help!” I try to shout the word into existence, but my voice cracks painfully, turning into a scream. “HELP!”Figures rush toward us in a blur. The battlefield erupts into view, sh
MistyI land on my feet in a sea of mist. Silver fog snakes around my ankles, around my glimmering armour made of pure light. For a moment, I think I’m… lost within the aether–in the misty, shadowed undercurrent that separates our realm from the Goddess’s kingdom. But wet grass squishes beneath my boots as I stumble forward, breathless, damn near in pieces. Rain pelts the top of my head as I grope for anything to grab onto before I careen toward the ground. I yelp as my body lands with a thud. Thunder booms, followed by its rolling echo as it bounces toward me. The rain fizzles to a gentle whisper as the mist begins to part. A great stone wall comes into view, and then two voices carry toward me, lifted in alarm. I sit up with great effort, kneeling as I gasp for breath that won’t fill my lungs. I slowly lift my head and see two women–one young and… stunning, with long, blonde hair and ocean blue eyes that seem to glow as she holds my gaze, her lips parted in surprise. The seco
Cole“Undo it,” I tell him. “Take the curse back and reinstate order.”He purses his lips to a thin line, confused. “But, Cole, I can’t. It’s not something you can just… stop. Think about it. Use that big brain of yours. Do you see this place? Tarsian is so much bigger than the rest of Eastonia. Riches beyond belief lay below the sand. There used to be mines and forges here, mines that pulled silver and moonstone from the ground and forges that turned that into magic. Yet, in our time, the magic is hoarded by the royals–the Allied Kings.” He sweeps his hand toward the battle. “But not anymore. Once I open the gate, it’s over. This world will be no more. You can come with me, Cole. Be a god instead of a king.”“You can’t, Richard. You failed. Misty is safe, with her family. You needed her to do this.”He smiles a bit sadly, but his eyes flare with mischief. “Yes, she is. Such a shame, really. It would have been easier to do it with her help. Quicker, less leg work for me.” He opens the
Misty“Forgive me, please,” I say to Mom as we walk side by side to the war room, which is really just a massive training area at the very base of the castle. “I know I just got back…hours ago….”“Bring them back for me,” she replies sadly, her hand ghosting down my back. She stops at the staircase leading to the furthest depths of the castle. I turn to face her, and she tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “I’m okay here. I’ll keep the kids happy and comfortable.”That’s my mom’s power. Being the leader of this family. She has a knack for bringing everyone together, keeping everyone loved and… whole. I pull her into a hug and squeeze. “I’ll come home again, I promise. I’ll be bringing my mate home with me in time for Solstice, I promise.”Her tears fall into my hair. I reluctantly let her go and turn for the stairs, refusing to look back. I have to look forward–only forward–if I’m going to get through this. Ella’s already in the armory, sorting weapons, her eyes locked on her tas
MistyEverything else is a blur. Aviva’s screamed words. Ella’s rushed explanations. Grandma taking me by the shoulders and leading me away, tucking me in a sitting room somewhere in the depths of the castle. I barely feel her arm on my shoulder. I barely register sitting down in a chair, holding the bloody pages in my lap and watching the firelight dance over the untidy scrawl I know so well. I sit there for what could be hours. Eventually, I’m joined by Sarah and Kenna… and then Aviva. Still, I haven’t read the letter. I’ve read my name, addressed at the top of the first page, over and over again. This is his final goodbye, and I’m not ready to accept that. “What are we supposed to do?” Kenna grinds out. “The reports coming out of Tarsian are–”“I don’t fucking care what they are!” Sarah’s voice pitches with fury. “The father of my sons is fighting for his fucking life right now, Kenna.”“My mate, too!” Kenna shouts. “But we’ve been told to stay, to be prepared to defend Moonrise
MistyI wait in the hallway for Luke, not believing he’s actually here, in Moonrise, in the same place I currently am. Eventually, he’s escorted around a corner by two of Ella’s royal guards. His eyes go wide when he sees me, his cheeks flushing. “Misty–”“Luke,” I whisper, trying to smile at him, but my heart is skittering out of my chest. He glances at the guards before taking several swift steps ahead of them to reach my side. I pull him across the hallway to a set of windows and benches overlooking the city of Moonrise, now bathed in afternoon light. “You got out,” he says in disbelief. “I heard that you had, but I didn’t believe it–”“Is Georgia safe?” “Yes, she’s with her family. Her father’s fighting, but she and her mother went to Crescent Falls–”“What did Cole have you working on in the castle?” I rush out. “I was supposed to help you with it but never got the chance.”He pulls a small, oval object out of his jacket pocket and hands it to me. “It’s a cryptex. He said it wa
MistyBefore my body even catches up to itself, Mom has her arms around me, pulling me into the tightest hug possible as Sarah’s powers shudder away, falling like ash that covers the ornate red carpet in one of the upper wings of Aunt Ella’s palace in Moonrise. Golden finishes blur my vision. My senses go haywire for a fraction of a second before familiar scents and voices bring me back to reality. I slowly fold my arms around Mom’s back and squeeze. Neither of us says anything for a long, long time. I stand on my tiptoes and rest my chin on her shoulder, closing my eyes and breathing in her sweet, floral scent. She’s been wearing the same perfume for decades. She always smells the same–the smell of my childhood. “Mama,” I whisper into her strawberry scented hair. She trembles with silent sobs, cupping the back of my head as she pulls away. Her big, dark blue eyes–eyes she shares with Sydney and Ryan–sweep over my face, over the new lines of exhaustion and heartbreak. I feel a p
MistyIt’s morning. Early morning–still too early for the sun to breach the mountains and send light spilling over the village of Silverhide. I roll over on the couch, wrapped in a thick blanket, and stare at the dying embers in the stone fireplace across the room. I haven’t slept. Pain echoes through my body, settling deep in my bones. It’s not a sharp, bright pain. It’s the kind that aches and throbs–a dull thrum of noise that makes it impossible to focus, let alone close my eyes and rest. I feel empty. Empty, and alone. ‘Why did you do this to me?’ I ask through the sliver of bond I still share with Cole… I hope. I hung on so tight when he rejected me, refusing to let him do it. But his voice is no longer in my head. My eyes are dry and rimmed red as I watch the embers flicker like stars against a sea of darkness. I have no tears left to cry. I used them up. They’re gone. Ryan and Aviva’s bedroom door opens nearby, a shadowed figure ducking as Ryan steps out of his room and