*Isla*“Land ho!”The words echo through my mind as my eyes stay focused on the sliver of green in the distance. We are almost there, back at Maatua, where I will face my past and hopefully secure a future for the man I love and my unborn child.“Once we get there,” Antony is saying from his spot near the railing, “we’ll need to figure out accommodations for the night. Then, we’ll move out into the jungle first thing in the morning so we’ll have all day to find my mother.”“What about the treasure?” Poppy blurts out. “That’s what we really need to find.”“We will need my mother to find the treasure.” Antony glares at her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people more at odds than those two. “Besides, she knows exactly where it is. Why the hell would we want to wander around the Goddessdamn jungle looking for shit when she can take us right there?”Poppy has a smart remark at the ready. “Because we don’t trust her. You said that she wanted to kill Isla.”“Look, my mother made it sound l
*Isla*Green eyes shine out from the darkness in the corner of the room. I hold my breath. I’d seen Antony lock the door. But we aren’t alone down here.Then, I hear a meow and see the eyes blink and shoot toward me. Before I realize what is happening, a cat is rubbing against my leg.But it isn’t just any cat. I know this cat!Stooping to scoop her up, I look at her little face. “Ginger,” I mutter. “So you are still alive.”“That’s your cat?” Antony asks me. “She’s been hanging around here for ages. I tried to run her off, but she wouldn’t go.”“She’s my cat,” I tell him. Apparently, she has nine full lives now. She couldn’t possibly still be alive now if it wasn’t for the fact that my tears had brought her back to life as a child, right?Ginger wiggles free, and I go over to see that she has a huge amount of food and water on the floor in dishes set out for her. “Who did this?” I ask my cousin.He shrugs. “A few of us use this place as a shelter. I guess someone’s been feeding her.”
*Isla*What the hell?When I first hear the voice in my head, I freeze. How is this possible? We haven’t even been gone all that long, and I was so careful when I left the castle not to leave any clues, to make sure the people in charge knew not to give away my location.Yet, there he is, that demanding voice in my head, wanting to know where I am.I feel compelled to answer him. After all, he is the Alpha King. Even in my own lands, I am bound to reply.“Maddox? What’s going on?”I have stopped walking, and the other members of my party have noticed. “Isla, are you okay?” Ben asks, coming back to me.I can’t even acknowledge the question since I am waiting for Maddox to respond in my head.“Where are you?” Maddox asks again. “We have to get off of this Goddess-forsaken island now before something happens to you and the baby!”So he does know where I am! And he’s here, too?“What the fuck is happening?” Antony demands. In the background, I hear more howls, and the wolves sound closer
*Isla*The howling is getting closer. Panic wells up inside of me. I don’t even have a weapon. Antony begins to strip, preparing to shift. We are all in trouble.“Fuck,” Poppy mutters, turning away from him. The next thing I know, she’s disappearing into the nearby trees.“Poppy? What are you doing?” I shout to her.“She’s probably hiding,” Antony says behind me. I don’t particularly want to see my cousin naked, so I don’t turn to look at him. “Coward.”It’s the last word he mutters before I hear his voice in my head. “I’ve shifted.”Turning around, I see that he is now a large gray wolf. My eyes widen in shock. I wasn’t expecting him to be so big. Ben gathers up Antony’s clothing and shoves it into his backpack, picking that up off the ground, too.The howls are closing in on us. “Poppy!” I shout, thinking there’s no way she just left, but I have no idea where she’s at either.A moment later, a wolf emerges from the trees. Antony turns toward it, rearing up on his hind legs, ready to
*Isla*Aunt Mary glides toward me, her hair and dress billowing around her. She looks like some sort of a spirit or a witch or something. Perhaps that’s because she is one. People from her island of KiloKilo are said to have magical powers. I guess I’m seeing that firsthand now.An ominous feeling bubbles up inside of me. Is she coming at me to harm me or just because she is happy to see me?Behind me, I hear another wave of howls throughout the forest. Thunder echoes through the trees as well. Whatever is going on back there, it can’t be good. I hope that Maddox is all right.Aunt Mary stops before me. “Hello, Princess Tropicana.”Taking a deep breath, I put a brave face on. Now is not the time to back down from this quest I’ve embarked on. “Hello, Aunt Mary.”Her arms fly out, and suddenly she is upon me, squeezing me tightly—in a warm embrace. Laughing a rich chuckle, she rocks me back and forth. “I’m so glad you’re finally here to help me break the curse. And just in time as well.
*Maddox*My head is ringing as I open my eyes and try to remember where I am and what’s going on. The last thing I remember is a bright light shining in my face and then being thrown. Judging by the pain in the back of my neck and my shoulders, I must’ve hit something hard.Turning around, I see I’m still in my wolf form, and the object behind me is a tree—a palm tree.I’m in the jungle, that’s right. Trying to find Isla and my unborn child.We’d been running through the woods toward the blue light in the distance when suddenly, there’d been another light, a brighter light, right in front of us. Then, some crazy-looking woman had appeared in front of us.I had no idea who she was or even what she was. But then she’d flashed some bright blue wave of light at us, and all of my men had crumpled to the ground.Now, I can see that I’m about the only one getting up. The forest around us is eerily quiet. I wonder if that woman hit the animals with her bolt of light as well. Did she even kill
*Maddox*The sun is coming up as I sit outside of a makeshift tent near Isla’s Aunt Mary’s house—if one can even call it a house. It’s an old cabin that’s sort of falling over. The other wolves with me have volunteered to fix it up for her in exchange for her defeating the witch who was trying to kill us. Miraculously, none of my people were killed.Mystica is tending to the gash in my head. We are sitting beneath a giant palm tree, lush and green with plenty of fruit, unlike all of the trees we saw walking into this place before Isla and her aunt lifted the curse yesterday.I’m ready to leave, but Isla gave me a piece of her mind for even suggesting it yesterday. She called my bluff, so what choice do I have but to stay here and make sure that she and my unborn son get home safely?“She’s quite brave and strong, you know?” Mystica is still dabbing at the wound with some sort of medicine that smells like mint—and ass. I’m not sure whether it’s meant to be refreshing or make me puke.“
Beginning of Season 4*Isla*I stand on the deck of the ship, my hand resting on my swollen belly as I watch the jungle fade into the distance. The Island of Maatua is a beautiful place, full of lush greenery and sparkling beaches. It's hard to leave it behind, even with all the danger and chaos that has recently unfolded there.Maddox is standing a few feet away from me, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares at me. We’ve been on the boat heading home for a couple of hours, and he’s been eager to speak to me about what happened, but he hasn’t done so yet. He probably thinks it will lead to an argument. I don’t blame him for being upset that I left without telling him, though. While I am happy that he wants me to be his Luna, we need to talk this out.I turn and look at him. “Let’s just clear the air,” I tell him. He seems to be glaring at me, so I turn back around and focus on the water, waiting for him to be calm enough to talk.I can feel his anger and frustration, even witho
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