The Old man’s laughter echoed through the Cave and Gaya watched. She was used to his laughter; it never really resulted in anything anyway. “Did you have fun telling everyone that I am dead?”“No, of course not.” She frowned, feigning to be hurt. “I love you too much to find amusement in such silly games.” Then a smile snaked up her lips. “But I did have fun in them believing it!” She squealed. “So much crying, so much grieving. They were devastated that your body was lost too. So much of everything.” She laughed so much, she was crying. She has to wipe her tears away. “I even made more enemies for Thanatou. They all joined his mother’s war against him. He would never know it was me, they would never know. But you, my Moon, know it all, and here you are useless to tell.” She ended with a smile. “I know our story too, do you remember?” He asked and started telling their tale. The Old man couldn't believe this was the being he had loved many years ago, the one he had stolen for. Th
Finally, the gem was out. The Gardener dropped it on the Cave floor, letting it roll however it would like. He held Gaya in his arms while she drew her last breath. As she moved closer to death, his chains glowed green and began to fade away. “Oh my love, if only you had stayed in love with only me, it wouldn't have been this way.”She smiled up at him, fighting to speak. “Many I may love, but you will always be my Moon.”Fools.Alaris thought at their display of stupid affection for each other. How could they be Iobe after everything they had done to each other? The venom from the snake bite had only paralyzed him for that moment and done nothing more. He had recovered from the bite even before he had been tossed into the lake of lava and had hung on to the snake on his way down. He had heard every single detail of their love story, and he didn't think any of that was worth dying for or grieving the death of another about.However, that was none of his concern. His only concern r
Care?That was ridiculous!Soon enough, Veris would accuse him of loving her. Such madness. Ikrus wanted to stand against that statement but it was true that he cared about her. Only that the way Veris had said it made it seem like it was much more than what the bond they shared had necessitated.By the Moon, such foolery!“Not enough to sway logic and reasoning if that is what you are asking for.” He calmly corrected him. “The little one,” he said in reference to Arlo, “will still stay here and I will stay here too, till it is time to go to the North Border. I will send her a letter to explain the situation and what my presence would signify on the day she sees me. She should have all the peace she needs.”Since Ikrus was himself once again, Veris had undone his chains. He provided him with some writing materials and soon enough, the letter was ready. It wasn't easy to find a messenger to deliver the message. Although, it was always easy to find a messenger to deliver letters in
There was something about his brown eyes that struck something deep within her, like a memory buried far beneath in a place she could never reach. Was this a kind of ability he had? To make people uneasy before him?She didn't like it. It was confusing. It was something she didn't need. Meeting him twice and having him remember her in a place she shouldn't even have called attention to herself was something she didn't need. “You are hurt?”“I am alright… Milord,” she said, quickly attempting to stand up and failing yet again. The fall was definitely greater than she thought it was. Was it a dislocation or a fracture? Why wasn't she feeling terrible pain yet? The glowing brown haired man knelt by her side and that did nothing but heightened Belladonna's worry. By Ignas, what was he doing?!She hadn't been in this Realm for the longest time to know most of their customs but she was certain a person of high status, even in this realm, wasn’t supposed to have this much concern for a
“Have you come here in these flirty and torn clothes for him to dip you in a tub that isn't his and lick you clean with his lowborn wretched tongue?!”“What are you saying, Milord? This is madness, I am nothing to you.”Was this how they behaved in this realm?“Tell me his name!”Belladonna finally lost it and she snapped. “I did not come here to see anyone. I was lost, I’m new here.”His brown eyes darkened with even more rage. Belladonna didn't feel safe with the flames that burned at his fingertips, as they grew. “You smell of another. A male. Don't lie to me.”By Ignas, the insanity!“I don't even know you!”“I don't know you and you torture me! What do you want from me?!”He blinked, taking a step back, the fire that laced his hands dying. “Torture? No. I—” He took another step back, blinking as if in confusion, before taking off one of the golden rings he had on his finger. He reached out for her hand, and she pulled away, but his hand grabbed her wrist still, and before she
“I did what I had to do!” She fired and he raised his hand, his claws sharp and the light from the gem glowing on them. “Ka'el of the Second House!”He stopped. “It wasn't a betrayal! I am using him to get us medicine and help with our survival.”Alaris scoffed, keeping his gaze on Ny’ka so as not to miss anything. “A son of the Second House is helping the revolution against the White King they wholeheartedly serve. Your lie infuriates me. Try again!”“No! I’m telling the truth. Please talk to him—” She tried to speak to Belladonna, but Alaris blocked her gaze. Belladonna frowned. Speak to him? Say what?“Speak the truth and maybe I’ll spare you.” “It is the truth! He is a bastard of the House and they are not kind to him. He is easy to fool.”“What was he promised?” After all, even a fool has to be fooled with something. “The crown when we win… and me as his wife. I intend to give him none but his help is great, so I endure.” Belladonna and Alaris watched her, not convinced bu
The next thing the Priest requested dashed Belladonna’s hope. Something that belonged to Eli?She had lost his ring to the sirens and the necklace she was now realizing wasn't with her any longer. There was nothing she could provide that belonged to Eli. “We have memories of him. That can be used, right?” Alaris asked and the Priest nodded. “If it is strong enough. But memories are tricky, they must not be strained. It is a warning to tread carefully.” Then he looked at both of them.“Or what will happen?”“Madness or worse. It is a thing of the mind, the mind is very delicate.”Belladonna nodded. That didn't scare her, nothing did. “One must volunteer.” Belladonna did. It was the better option. Most of the memories Alaris had of Eli were filled with rage and betrayal. Although the way he felt towards his brother had now changed, that didn't change the memories. Besides, as much as Alaris could now tolerate his brother, risking his sanity for him was something he wasn't prepare
She took a step towards him, but the more she moved towards him, the lengthier the distance between them became. Pain seeped into her joints and her flesh, her head aching suddenly. “Eli!” She cried out but he was too far away, he couldn't hear her. She continued to run through. She just had to get closer. By Ignas, just closer!Suddenly the road stopped moving and she was actually getting closer!A smile crossed her lips, a breathy chuckle of victory. “Eli!”He wasn't moving though, but she was so close, so close she could touch him. Then he turned, his eyes staring right at her. Cold eyes filled with unfamiliarity.“Eli–”“Do not come back.” His lips did not move but his voice echoed all around her. She opened her mouth to ask him what that meant, to beg him to come with her, to tell him that she missed him but suddenly, a tornado wrapped around her, yanking her away from him and breaking the road into two, violently lifting her off the ground as she screamed. The force of
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