Aniya blinked, confused until she realized that the covers had slipped away from her body and her breasts had managed to find their way out of her blouse while she slept. She quickly tucked them away, adjusting her dress. After the guard had helped her to her room, she had started preparing to express her milk but strangely, she had fallen asleep. Ula must be gone by now.Aniya got out of bed to help the man on the floor. When she extended her hand to him, he took it but ensured that he kept his gaze to the floor.“Who are you?”“An omega, a servant. I saw nothing—”“It is safe to look up.”He did. Blood was running down the side of his face, the black curls that fell over his forehead hiding the cut away. He was just a little taller than she was, and he looked like he was around the same age as she was. His clothes were enough to tell of his status, he also had the leanness of a servant.“I ran here because I heard you screaming but now that you are alright—” he pulled his hand awa
The lantern slipped out of her grip and hit the ground. For a second it felt like everything had gone still, so still she couldn't even breathe. For that second, her world crashed down and built itself back up again. Eli. Her mind whispered but her lips were too still with shock to speak. Tears raised to the brim of her lower eyelids.“Donna.”Her body moved on its accord and she broke into a race, afraid that if she didn't get to him fast enough, he would disappear with the fog. Scared that he might even be actually there.She collided into his embrace as his warm arms slided around her, tears streamed down her cheeks and her lips met his that readily moved against hers in a gentle rhythm.Slow and filled with so many unspoken words.Her heart tightened with how overwhelming this felt but to pull away and feel his breath warm upon her face made it feel like everything had finally fallen into place.A bittersweet feeling.Her hands were around his neck, her fingers slipping into hi
She stumbled backwards as she pressed her hands against either side of her head. Her heel hit a rock and she sat on it, her legs feeling too feeble to hold her up. Afraid. Vulnerable. Overwhelmed. The words kept echoing in her head.A Life For A Life. Her hands trembled as she tried to force herself not to cry but think. Think, Belladonna!Think!At that moment, she felt his hands over hers, warm. For a second, the war that raged on her mind died down and when the tears that fogged her sight steamed down her cheeks, she saw that he was on a knee. His eyes looked like they understood what she was going through, even with his recent absence in her life, but that wasn't the only thing in his eyes. She cupped his face in her hands and he took in a deep breath. “Your eyes are a shade that I do not know.”They were black, completely black. It was surprising that she was just noticing it. “Death does make its changes, but I am still me, Donna.” His hands slipped down her waist. “I am
Aniya woke up to Oana shouting at her mother to do something about Ikrus still being in the dungeon.Their voices were so loud in the hallway, she could hear them right from her room. To put it more accurately, Oana’s voice was the loud one; she was the one shouting.“Why do you always just agree with him, Mother?!”“He is the Alpha,” The Luna answered calmly. Still foggy from sleep, Aniya missed a couple of lines of conversation. “Do something about it already! Please, Mother. Please!” “There is nothing I can—”“Ah, by the Moon!” That was followed by a yell at a guard to go to her room and take away all the presents that her father had given her that morning, most likely to appease her. Hurried footsteps, angry mumblings. And just when Aniya was ready to eavesdrop, her door went open and Oana was standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. “It's time for breakfast. I know you are worried about your mate and you miss him, but be at ease, my mother will do something about i
A hit to the face, a splatter of blood.Aniya hit the floor with a thud, her head ringing. Stupid Princess! How was she to be blamed for something like this that was out of her control?! Foolish— ah, pain. Pain everywhere.Goldie kept beating her up while the rest of the ladies snickered, giggled and laughed. With every hit, Aniya doubted her survival. Her hopes of Ikrus rescuing her was also dwindling. This mark was so useless, if it couldn't alert him whenever she got into danger. Or maybe it was but the dungeon was too powerful for him to escape from. This reputation was based on lies. Soon enough though, Aniya couldn't even think.All she remembered was the first crack, her bones breaking and the agony that unleashed in her veins after that. Goldie picked her up once again and Aniya looked at her with bloodshot unfocused eyes, the metallic taste taking over her mouth as her face twitched in pain that sprung from deep within her marrows. She was in too much pain, she couldn'
Curse Ikrus for bringing this misfortune upon her!It was probably the creature that had left the lily behind. She has forgotten about the lily? Has Syon seen him? Maybe this was good, maybe it was perfect if she died like this. The pain was too much, she was sorry to Arlo. She had failed her son. The creature came lowered and now she could hear the sound of dangling chains, heat pulled over her like someone had wrapped her in flames and just like how unfortunate events had decided that she was a worthy lover, unconsciousness was starting to take her away.Oh, wait. She was dying!Oh well.At least, it wasn't Ikrus or the Alpha that was killing her. Whatever this strange creature was, she would go pretending that she had chosen her own fate. She was ready. She hoped that Arlo would be well taken care of. However, when she felt the creature touch her, her heart raced and one thought slashed through her mind. By Ignas was she crazy?! She didn't want to die!But it was too late,
She pushed herself lower, trying to push herself into his face, but he was on his feet again with her panties in his hand… that he shoved into her mouth. “Be quiet.” He whispered slightly against her ear. A rough intake of breath made him pause. “Remain quiet, please.”It almost sounded like he was begging because he was afraid that her pleas would be too powerful for him to resist. Like he was scared that giving in would build things that he didn't want for them to come to existence. Besides, he had learnt that Aniya considered things differently from his kind. Would she be alright with him doing this once the effect of the blood passes or would her reaction be otherwise. It was hard to tell. Her muffled pleas floated through his ears again and he balled his fists at either side, then he turned away from her and just like that, he was retreating to the door. Aniya’s breath quickened, feeling how much was left undone, unexplored! The need in her veins drove her to acquire anythin
Aniya frowned. “He looks too much like my intended murderer, I am not interested, I’m certain he wants to kill me too. Also…” her glare deepened, “what kind of daughter are you? Have you no mercy on your mother!”“Why are you talking about my mother?”“Because you are proposing for me to lay with your father.”“What? I didn't say that.”“You said I need to carry a child with Alpha’s blood, and your father is the Alpha.”Oana shook her head. “I meant your mate! Not my father. He is the heir and carries the blood of the Alpha in his veins. A child from him might save you.”“Oh.” Aniya chuckled. “Oh, mate.”“Lay with him, have his pup, it should be easy enough. You are his Mate.” Oana held her hand. “That should give us time and grant you life.”Aniya took a look at her, trying to see if she meant what she was saying. It was confusing to determine whether Oana was standing for her or against her. This wasn't the first time she had put her in harm’s way as a way to help her. This time ar
Her stomach rumbled, but it was quiet, and for the sake of her dignity, she hoped that he hadn't heard it. “You don't need the sun, you need food; I know a place.”“Get out of my sun.”“I’ll take you there.” Quickly she was on her feet, his arm along her waist to keep her stable. “Are you even listening or are you just deliberately ignoring me?”“Deliberately ignoring you.” “What? I expect the elderly to behave with more sense,” she jabbed, annoyed with his interference. “There are no elderly here.”In a flash, he is with Arlo. Then before she could tell, they were before a table that must have been prepared for them only moments ago. She was dizzy from the speed but the lovely aroma in the air could not be mistaken; there was food here. She felt Ikrus push her into a chair and she took her seat, blinking to regain her stability and clear vision. When she finally did, she looked around. They were in a kind of glass room with flowers on the ceiling. The table before her was smal
She cleared her throat, changing the topic. “Is my age a problem for you, Ikrus?”He sucked in a deep breath, looking away, still thinking about why he had brought her and Arlo here - still trying to figure out his thoughts. “No. I was merely surprised, that is all.” “I’m not bothered either.” She leaned closer to him, a hair’s breadth between them, catching him off guard with her action. “Don’t worry,” she skimmed her fingers over his hair and he stilled, forcing himself not to move as more of her fragrance consumed his air. “I have always fancied old men.”What?!Old men?!Old men where?!“I’m not old,” he said, clearly offended. “You are thirty-two,” she said as she lay down and closed her eyes. “Exactly. I am not old.”She felt his shadow over her and she sighed, wanting the warmth of the sun on her skin once again. “You are thirty-two… and blocking the sun.”“That is not old at all.” He sounded like he was losing his mind, but his voice was leveled. She shrugged nonchalantly
She turned to him sharply, wheels turning dangerously in her head already to come up with a lie, her lungs clogging with fear, only for her to discover that he wasn't looking at her but at someone else. “Look! Arlo is walking!” He declared in hushed excitement. Aniya rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath of relief, tucking away the poison bottle. He didn't catch her, she could still kill him. “Arlo can walk.”“For long distances like that?” He turned to her, surprised. “Yes.”“Oh.”“In fact, we must redesign the room to accommodate him. He keeps on trying to pull things down.”Ikrus frowned. In a flash, he was holding Arlo who was strongly protesting against being held. He certainly wanted to play on the ground. “How old is the little one?”“Arlo,” she said, emphasizing his name, subtly ensuring that he wouldn't call him “little one” again, “will be two soon.”Ikrus nodded, taking the information in as he easily moved Arlo from one hand to another in his struggle to get down. “H
Aniya told her about the strange lily she found in her coin bag while telling her how she had come by it, although leaving out part of the poison, while watching to see if the witch had told Oana about what she was searching for. It didn't seem like the witch told her anything. “I have seen something like that in my room before,” Aniya said. “I’m scared of what it means and I am afraid—” she looked over to Arlo for the umpteenth time, “of harm coming to Arlo or me.” Oana was very concerned and she said she would tell the Alpha and Luna about it so that they could give orders for the Pack House to be thoroughly searched. Then Aniya asked, “What about last night? Why did the sun suddenly come up and merge with the moon?” She rushed to the window. “Everything seems normal now.”“Elder Superior said it was a result of something that happened in another realm. It is none of our concern; our Realm stays unaffected, and all the portals remain sealed.” Aniya panicked.Another realm? Wha
That night, after they had both eaten, Alaris took Belladonna to a nearby river, where a burning incense was placed on a leaf pad to float away. “It is to let go of the past and begin anew,” he has explained. It was something that helped Belladonna even though she hadn't known she needed it. Her heart felt lighter and with a more positive perspective, she left the river bank.The Belarion Rebellion and the rest of the Cave had fully returned now. Shortly after, Belladonna and Alaris started trying to create the army. They were once again under an open sky. Nyka watched from a distance, just like every one of the dragon people had been advised to do. Her father was right next to her, he wasn't supposed to be here. He was still injured from the torture he had received from the White King’s warriors that had captured him but he was terrified that if he as much took a step from her, the Heir would seize her and kill her. “What do I do?” Belladonna asked, trying to shake off the press
[LYCANS’ REALM]The coins vibrated on the floor, clanking as they added to the slight trembling she could feel around her. Aniya’s heart jumped. Quickly, she dashed to her bed and grabbed Arlo, taking him swiftly into her arms. She could hear a bell ringing from a distance. Voices of terrified people seeping into the air, even with her ordinary human hearing, the building chaos felt loud to her.What was going on? Before she could make it out of the room, though, she felt someone sweep her away, and in a flash, she was in an enclosed space, an arm around her, so that she held Arlo between them. She knew it was Ikrus; with such speed and the feeling of momentarily ease that went through her, it could be no one else. She hated the Matebond for many things but for this little ease that she could feel right now, she appreciated it a little. Even if this relief was a lie that everything was alright, it was better than the sheer terror she had been experiencing.The rumbling continued,
Finally, they were under an open sky.The Moon was full in its glory above them. “It is a perfect night,” Ny'ka said before intertwining her with Belladonna's.“Close your eyes.”She obeyed. “Think of the Bearer, of her grave, of her presence, and connect with her.”The Bearer. Belladonna allowed her mind to roam, remembering the silver-haired woman she would always dream about. She had never seen her face so there was no way she could see that. The image was blurry and soon it was nothing but darkness. “Open the windows, open the door,” she could hear Alaris' voice. Then she remembered her way of sealing the windows and the doors of her mind. So many things were happening in her mind. She could see the path to the castle, down to that room, to that sarcophagus, Then she was back in that room again - with the windows sealed and the doors locked.There was a white beam outside the window and a woman with long silver hair that shadowed her face.“Open the doors and the windows!”
“Don't kill me please, I believe now. You are the Heir, you are the savior. I see it.” Ny'ka begged. They were in one of the underground rooms, away from the people of the Belarion Rebellion and those of the Cave. This was something Alaris didn't want many to know about.“Please, take my life instead and spare my daughter,” Leader Tyrek begged. He knew what crimes Nyka had committed, the Priest told him everything.“You tried to kill me,” Alaris said to Ny'ka who was still on her knees, begging, tears running down her cheeks.“It was a mistake. It won't happen again.”Alaris smiled. “It won't.”He held her wrist and pulled her up, but while he did that, he crushed her bones, and pressing his flames into her skin, he healed her, just like he had seen it happen with Nightshade and that stranger in the Castle during their escape.It was an excruciating moment for Ny'ka and it didn't help that he did it again and again and again…By the time he was done, she was back on her knees, breat
The moment the ambush came upon them, some guards had taken Ny'ka and discreetly escaped from the scene. They were headed to the White King’s Castle to be highly rewarded for bringing to him the daughter of the leader of the revolution against him. They were supposed to take Leader Tyrek along too, but it seemed the guards who had him in captivity had been attacked. There would be much to tell the King upon getting to the castle. While they silently snuck away, Ny'ka found a way to free herself from the bondage and attacked them. She would rather die than have them take her alive; it was looking like that was the only option for her until she felt she had until Alaris' showed up. He descended from the sky with his massive leathery wings and he saved her; he killed the guards and swept her up into the air in his arms. In that moment, she saw what the others saw in him. A saviour.In that moment, something changed. “You saved me,” she said, the wind almost stealing her words away