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
“What is this?” Ny'ka asked, racing up to her feet.“The Stones of Prophecy. I already told you,” Ka'el replied, rising to his feet too. He groaned a little, his ribs hurting from the force that had tossed him aside.The stones had suddenly fallen to the ground, scattered; they were still glowing though. “I mean, what do they do?“I don't know!” There was a bit of panic in his voice, then he started to mumble to himself as he fell on his knees and started trying to collect the stones. “The King believes his daughter is in the Rebellion, and there are rumors of the Heir; he thinks they are working together.” He stopped and stared up at Ny'ka who watched him with a frown on her face. “That is why the Moon and the Sun came up in the sky because she is really here? But you said it didn't happen here, that it was from another Realm. It is from another realm, right? It isn’t true, Is it?”Ny'ka tried to grab one of the stones from Ka'el but it held it away from her. “Is his daughter truly
Then she felt like she was drowning and her words vanished from her lips. It felt like she was right in the lake and above it at the same time, hovering over the water and looking at the drowning child, while the drowning child looked back at her, struggling. Then she was finally in the baby and she could see Xinora floating over her as she felt herself dying in the baby — felt the baby dying. She saw Xinora stare right at her mother, who froze immediately like she had seen a ghost - it was what she looked like anyway, what she seemed to be. Then Belladonna felt the presence slam right into her immediately. Xinora had vanished and was now inside her as one being, the moment of her almost death creating the perfect space for Xinora to fit in. But just as Xinora had merged into her, she dissolved into the back of her mind like a mere pest fighting against a strong host. Her mother pulled her out of the water, her gaze blank and cold. Without a word, she wrapped her in a piece of clo
Trigger warning: Dealing with rape aftermath (from victim’s perspective) on page, and baby drowning on page. _________Belladonna paced the room. Two nights have passed since Alaris and her had discussed about Xinora. The Rebellion was healing, and she had sought out Ny'ka to help her with creating portals; although she knew that it might not work, just as it hadn't been working, but that was just how unpromising Channeling had been, and it had worked eventually. That wasn't the problem though. The thing was that Ny'ka was nowhere to be found. It didn't take long for her to figure out where she was.She was with Ka'el, most likely inquiring about their recent failure.Alaris had confirmed her suspicion, and here she was, in the room, trying not to drive herself mad with every single possibility that was crossing her mind.The Priest had drawn a tattoo on the top part of her chest, a little distance from her neck. He had smeared it with the blood of an animal, chanted some things th
Ny'ka went to Ka'el that night as the Heir had ordered, only to find out that he was with someone. Tsiri?What?What was she doing here? Why was she here? How long has she known about Ka'el? How did she get here?Why was she here?By Ina, what had she told him?!The White glow of the crescent moon above glimmered down on them through the shadows of the scanty leaves of the tall trees around them. The smile on Tsiri’s face was plain for Ny'ka to see, just as obvious as the doubt that dotted Ka’el’s eyes. What had she told him?!“Is it true?” Ka'el asked, his fist tightening around the small bag he had in his hand. She wondered what was in that bag but his next words made her aware of the greater problem she had before her. “Are you just fooling me?” He asked as his free hand anchored around Tsiri’s waist, making her smile widen. Disappointment flashed in Ny'ka's eyes and she frowned, blatantly ignoring Tsiri. “Fooling you? What nonsense are you talking about? And why are you with o
“Nightshade, do you have any memories of Jyris?”He was crouching in front of her. This room suddenly felt too small. Where was the air of ease?“No, except that he healed my ankle, gave me that gold ring that you tossed away and he was at the table with the King. Nothing else. I’m trying to but I don't remember anything else.” She wouldn't tell him about the strange feeling of familiarity she had when she had first seen him. That would be too dangerous. “You were in her dreams even when you weren't in captivity. So can you just go into people's dreams? Can you still do that?”“No. Her dream was the only one I could get into without being in captivity. But My freedom does come at a price. It was hard to lure the brides with my soul, and certainly, I prefer this freedom to that.”“Did killing her hurt you? Since the gems are supposed to be a pair.”“I struck her stomach.”“Why didn't you strike her in the heart or behead?”“I wanted to behead her and take her heart as my own; a litt
He heaved a sigh and sat next to her. “Well, it was after being King. I think the wars I had fought strengthened the connection with my gem; the lives I had taken fed it, and I dreamt of Xinora — well, she dreamt of me. It was the first time I would be in anyone's dreams.”Belladonna nodded, taking a mental note of that. “She was crying and lonely, and because the Gem perceived its master to be distressed, it sought a connection and found me. Xinora was terrified when we met; I was confused, too; it was strange. But then, I realized who she was and why I was there. At that time, I really wanted to come back here, to Vestros, but I knew it wasn’t time, I wasn't powerful enough back then.” He paused, before he continued. “The White King would kill me easily, but being in her dreams was like fate being on my side. She was the only weapon that could be used to kill me—”The only weapon?“Wait. Only a Bearer can kill a Bearer?”“Yes.” “So,” she turned to him squarely so she wouldn't mi
“And you didn't tell me? Why?”“It was over two centuries ago.” He stood up. “She stayed dead during those times, why would I think anything would come out of her now?”Belladonna said nothing and Alaris continued. “With you, I believed she had already been replaced. A new Master, her time was over, gone. The gems will always have their masters, I have discovered. At first, I was worried, but then you proved to be more than one with a mere link.”“I had visions of her. I told you everything.”He shrugged. “I thought it was just her lingering presence since she was the one who was connected to the gem before you. They are just mere visions, they don't suggest a powerful presence to get bothered about.”“You must be joking,” she stated, flabbergasted. “I had dreams of her every time and nothing ever really happened as a result,” he replied with a dismissive tone.“You know that is not true.”“Nothing “real” ever really happened.”With a realization, she stood up. “You are doing it aga
It felt compelling to desire more, it felt right… yet it didn't.Alaris pulled away being the first one to snap back from the spark pulling them together. “I’m sorry, I shouldn't have done that.” He was gone in a flash, leaving her flustered. She couldn't think; the foreign and overpowering feeling was a driving force that sent her out of the room to go after him. She did, reaching the surface, however, and feeling the warm glow of the moon on her skin. Something else seemed to have possessed her, and she went towards the lake instead, strangely seeking the comforting feeling of the water and the floating relief. The reflection of the full moon was cast over the still water and the trees seemed to create a path for her. She walked into the water as a shadow warrior emerged from behind her; the only one of Alaris' shadow warriors that wasn't killed. It swiftly moved into the water, reaching out to pull her back but she turned sharply to it. “Go Back!” She ordered, her voice a gr
Breathing heavily, he turned back to her. “I’m sorry— I just— I was afraid that you’ll shift—”“I have been terrified that this day would come but I thought I was stronger, as strong as I was in your Realm. I knew I would be lacking the moment I saw that annoying thing healing your ankle with his flames,” he laughed, the sound dry of humour as he swept his hand over his hair, pushing it back. “At that moment, I knew there were many things that I lacked, many skills, so many things. I might have been a King there but here, I am like a child. I’m not better than any of those dragon shifters. I’m useless.” “You are not.”With a huff, he sat down next to her, feeling exhausted. “My pretense to know what I am doing can no longer save me. I’m fighting a lost war, Nightshade and you can see it.”He turned to her, to find her shaking her head. “Don't lie to me.”“I’m not.”“Alaris—”“Don't try to inspire me, it won't work.” “I wasn't trying to inspire you, I just want to tell you how disap