Alora’s POVThat night, we pulled into a quiet motel on the outskirts of some small town. The neon sign flickered in the distance as we stepped into the modest room, a single bed in the center and an old armchair tucked away in the corner. The scent of stale carpet and faint cigarette smoke clung to the air, but exhaustion weighed on me too heavily to care. I was drained in every possible way, and yet, despite the fatigue, the one thing I couldn’t shake was my hunger. It gnawed at me, a constant reminder of the days of neglect I’d forced my body to endure while worrying over Nevaeh’s fragile state. I hadn’t eaten since before the bloody ball. Room service sent up food, standard human stuff, but it smelled divine to my starving senses. Rune glanced at it and wrinkled his nose, scoffing slightly. Of course, he wouldn’t touch it, he didn’t eat human food, and tonight was no exception. He went out to hunt for his own food but didn’t stay long. As I ate in silence, he watched me with
Alora’s LOVEThe next morning, I told Rune about the direction the mysterious boy had given me. The moment we set off, the roads took on a strange quality, like we were slipping through the cracks between worlds. It was so so different. Trees thickened around us, their branches growing darker and knotted, their leaves a shade deeper than green, a color that seemed almost unnatural. The sky overhead changed, losing its familiar blue hue, now washed in a gray-purple that stretched as far as the eye could see. And yet, even in this strange world, the road remained steady, guiding us like it knew exactly where we needed to go.The deeper we went, the more unsettling everything became. Soon, the road twisted and coiled like a living thing, the pavement cracking beneath us until it seemed ready to splinter apart. We shared a silent glance, Rune’s eyes filled with the same unease that clawed at me. Were we supposed to be here? Were we nearing a dead end?But then, just as the feeling of d
Alora’s POV We moved forward, our steps echoing faintly as we passed through the grand hallways. Each step brought us closer to whatever lay at the heart of this strange palace, but it was impossible to ignore the oppressive weight in the air. Rune’s grip on my hand was tight, and I could feel the pulse of his heartbeat in sync with my own. We are both afraid and exhilarated by everything we were seeing. Then, we entered another chamber, dimly lit and lined with marble columns that cast long, dark shadows over the room. In the center stood a throne, similar to the last, but this one seemed more worn, the edges dulled and almost faded. On it sat a figure, shrouded in a heavy, dark cloak that closed any distinguishing features. It was as though the very light in the room avoided this person, casting their form in an impenetrable shadow. I shivered in displeasure. Surrounding the throne was a crowd of people, each one thinner than the next. They were skeletal, skin stretche
Alora’s POV The place was eerily silent, an unsettling stillness filling every corner. I clutched Nevaeh closer, feeling her soft breath against me, the only warmth in a room that felt void of life. Rune stood beside us, his presence steady, though I could sense his wariness.Minutes passed, turning into what felt like hours. My legs began to tremble from standing so long, and the weight of exhaustion bore down on me. Just as I was about to slump, Rune reached out, as if offering to hold Nevaeh for a moment, when we felt a distinct shift in the air. The very atmosphere thickened with a presence so powerful it pressed down on my chest. We both froze, eyes fixed on the throne, where a figure was beginning to appear as though from thin air.Slowly, the figure came into view, cloaked from head to toe in deep red fabric that shimmered faintly, like woven blood under moonlight. The cloak was oversized, concealing nearly every inch of her body, but even from a distance, her form was petite
Seraphina’s POVI watched my daughter, Alora, her figure small and tense in my strange realm. I have nothing and no one. The cursed palace, as they used to call it now, is empty and always lifeless, unlike the others.If only she knew how much I wanted to hold her, to pull her close and feel her warmth, to tell her the truth of how my heart aches. How much I missed her. How much I hated giving her away to cruel mortals.But as it is, the curse binds me, preventing me from intervening directly. It’s a cruel twist, one that’s kept me distanced all these years, even now when she needs me most. I hate the feeling of helplessness.My thoughts drift to Goddess Luna, the only deity who ever showed me tolerance after the others cursed me to eternity. Goddess Luna is… patient, in a way the others never were.Maybe it’s because of the night I spent together, a tangled, fateful night with her species. The one where I unknowingly laid with one of her creatures, a werewolf, one of her children.Sh
Alora’s POVThe goddess’s voice drifted through the silence, soft yet carrying a strange edge, smooth as silk but laden with a chill that prickled along my skin. It sounded familiar. Like she was the one that spoke to me in my dreams. “I know why you’re here,” she began, her face still obscured beneath her hood. Even Nevaeh stirred for the first time in so many hours in my arms. She felt the powers simmering in the air. I could feel her piercing gaze even though I couldn’t see it, and a shiver crawled down my spine. My heart leapt with a glimmer of hope, finally, an answer. But her next words brought confusion instead.“But I am not the one you were meant to come and see,” she said coolly, her tone almost mocking. My breath caught, surprise rendering me speechless. Not her? Then who?Rune’s hand tightened around mine in silent support, but even his touch couldn’t calm the flood of unease that suddenly surged through me. This is so tiring and if it were for anyone else, I would’ve
Alora’s POVThe sound of her laughter sent a shiver up my spine. It was low and rasping, like a blade scraping stone, and there was a hunger in it that made my skin crawl. I forced myself to look up, only to find her eyes fixed on me, then sliding over to Rune, who held my hand tightly. But she didn’t look at him like an adversary, or even a nuisance, no, she stared at him as if she were a starving wolf, and he was prey. Her gaze roamed over him with a hunger that felt almost palpable. Rune met her eyes, unyielding, but I could feel the tension radiating from him.I watched her warily, feeling as though she was moments from pouncing, her body coiled and ready, her lips curving into a sly smile that was anything but friendly. Anger flared in me, and I stood up from the floor, squaring my shoulders and planting myself between her and Rune, feeling my pulse race with both fear and determination.At my stance, her gaze finally shifted back to me. Her head tilted to the side, an amused s
Alora’s POVMy eyes went wide as the light dimly returned, illuminating a surreal and deeply unsettling scene. As the haze lifted, I found myself staring at the goddess, the healer goddess herself, laid out naked on a bed draped in dark silks, her body flawless and seemingly crafted to entice mortals. Butt fucking naked. Her skin was smooth, the contours of her body curving in a way that made her appear both ethereal and entirely seductive. I mean, she is a goddess sos he is allowed to create herself. Despite myself, something stirred within me at the sight of her, an undeniable appreciation for her beauty, even as revulsion bubbled beneath it. She was a sight for sour eyes and she knew it. Beside her, Rune sat on the bed, looking utterly disoriented, his brows furrowed as if he’d just awakened from a dream he couldn’t quite remember. I’m not sure what to feel. His eyes darted around, then landed on her. Confusion turned to rage as his jaw clenched, fists tightening against the s