Valeria and I stepped out with our horses away from the house, the stars twinkling overhead. We spoke no words but we were contented with the intermittent sounds produced by the horses’ shoes on the earth, and the whispering of the leaves every now and then. It was a glorious silver light that fell on the earth; the shadows were long and flickering.We came across a small stream and water was falling down the hillside through the night. The sound of the stream and the gurgling was a small comfort, a far cry from the life we once had. Looking at her, Valeria turned her head and I could see that her eyes were filled with moonlight.“Do you remember when we used to play by the stream near our home?” she asked softly.I smiled wryly. “Yes, we would spend the whole day there, trying to catch fish with bare hands. You know Tina used to get angry with us because we returned home all wet.”"I miss those days."After that time we kept on riding, the hours disappeared in front of our eyes as we
Before we could fully react the enemy soldiers were upon us. Both of them had wicked looks on their face with their weapons within reach. I looked at Valeria, her expression was stern, and she looked determined, her hand encircling the hilt of her sword.“Stay close,” I muttered, emphasizing the words and clenching my fists to fight the urge to hide around the corner from increasing heart rate.The first soldier came at me this time with his sword charging through the air. He attempted to strike me; but I deflected the sword with mine, the sound of the impact still resonating in my head. I managed to lash out with a quick punch to his ribs, remembering my lessons from martial arts. He fell back shouting, displaying a bleeding wound; another followed in succession with equal viciousness.Valeria was standing by my side, she was dancing gracefully and without any effort. She rolled sideways and to avoid the swing of the soldier, she plunged her weapon into his side. He fell with a groan
LucianValeria and I walked faster, our hearts pounding with anticipation as we neared the heart of Ghysem. The familiar sight of the area close to home filled us with a new form of hope. Ghysem was almost the same as we had left it, however, I could not deny how the streets were eerily deserted, save for the occasional patrol of Ghysem soldiers, their expressions grim and watchful. War had really done something different to Ghysem, however it did not seem half as bad as the history books we read when Ghysem had a civil war.As we approached one of the patrols, the soldiers eyed us suspiciously, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords. One of them stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in our disheveled appearance."Who are you, and what are you doing here?" he demanded. "Where are your parents?" I could tell he was apprehensive. He did not know whether we were the children of enemies or we belonged to Ghysem. A part of me wondered what they would do if I should say
TheoThe night was still, the moon providing a pale, otherworldly light for the massive stony structure of the palace belonging to King Ares. The darkness stretched long fingers across the walls, and for a moment it seemed as if the house itself was alive, warning of some evil that lurked within. Cyrus and I climbed the walls in the best way we could so that no sound could be heard from our feet as we glided up the walls. We tried to be unseen; like wraiths moving through the darkness. The faint voices of the guards in the distance echoed through the air and slowly dissipated into nothingness but the sound of our own breaths and the squeak of boots as they slid across the ground.As we approached the window of the king, I looked at Cyrus again, he had clenched his jaw and his eyes gleamed as if he was preparing for a battle. We were to perform at great speed and accuracy since the objective of the whole mission was at risk. I made sure to anchor the grappling hook to the ledge before
CallistaFor what had seemed to me an eternity I had been standing outside my father’s door knocking continually, my heart pounding with a crazy beat of fear and expecting the unknown. The muffled voices coming from within had ceased, and a new sound had taken their place – the grunts and groans of an actual fight: the screeching of the table legs, the rustling of the clothes, and a clatter of something pouring to the ground. The cries of my father for his guards were what led me here, cries that sent a shiver down my spine.The cold marble floor of the palace felt colder, colder than it had some moments ago; it was as if the building harbored ill intentions toward me. The flame of the torches in the corridor crept and flickered on the walls, it was a frightening experience as if I was in a dream. A feeling that I could not stand the tension of any longer. I mustered all my energy and finally pushed the door in. It broke off its hinges with a snap; the sound reverberating around the c
**Theo**“Where is she?” Cyrus’s voice was a low growl.Larog looked up, feigning ignorance. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alpha.”Without warning, Cyrus lunged forward, grabbing Larog by the throat and lifting him off the ground.“You know exactly who I’m talking about,” Cyrus hissed, his grip tightening. “Where is Agnes?”Larog blinked for a moment before his face twisted into a smirk. He started to laugh and the sound was unpleasant and eerie. “I’m afraid it is too little too late, Cyrus,” he said with a sneer.And with these words, his body changed, bones popping and muscles twisting. Everyone in the room stared in shock as Larog transformed into a man who looked horrific. He was a thin sickly creature that had hives all over his skin that posed pus.In one swift, vicious blow, Cyrus raised his sword to kill him, silencing the shapeshifter’s laughter. A sudden hush fell upon the chamber, palpable and oppressive as the body fell to the ground. “Theo,” he ord
Callista's POV The flights of stairs and long corridors appeared gloomier and less inviting as I walked back to my chambers. I had just witnessed what baffled me—my father’s craziness, the blood on his neck, and the corpses of the guards outside his door. It was obvious something had happened yet he was lying to me. He always did that and it annoyed me every time. My father was very secretive and barely included me in anything that had to do with this pack. He treated me like the stereotypes surrounding a princess's life.Before going in, I stopped for a moment because there was Larog inside her quarters awaiting my arrival. The lights in the room were turned low and Larog was seated on the bed with apparent nonchalance. He tried to smile, but it died off the moment he noticed me frowning at him.“Castilla," he murmured in a low voice. "What is wrong? Is everything alright?"His calmness annoyed me so I scowled and sat down at the edge of the bed. “My father was in his bedroom toni
AudreyI stood in the dimly lit room, where the torches were slowly crackling and shedding their light on Agnes as I stared at her with complete satisfaction in my heart. She cried out loud, and her screams resonated in the room, a sweet tune that made my heart melt. It kindled the evil in me and I loved the feeling of it. I was enjoying every single moment and every second of pain I was able to bring on her.Agnes was thin, and her body shivered under the chains; her eyes were filled with anger and undiluted hatred which only served to make me more brutal. Her fiery red hair was untied, and it fell on her pale face like a halo. I smiled at how pitiful she looked. Agnes was bringing my dreams and fantasies to reality...Suddenly, Agnes roared out primally. Her eyes had turned a deadly red colour and her rage could not be contained. She bared her teeth at me and suddenly, her bones began to snap and shift tearing her clothes. Her belly elongated, fur appeared on her skin and she became