No, no, by Ignas, no. Her mother was evil. She delighted in others' misery. She, on the other hand, found no delight in this. She was only doing this because of her son and her. If there was any other way that gave more guarantee and would harm no one, she would have used it. If there wasn't so much at stake, she wouldn't even be doing this. She wasn't becoming her mother; she was only being realistic.Aniya knew she most certainly looked like the evil one here, but she wasn't, and neither was she stupid enough to sacrifice her and her son’s life just so she could end up with the lycan she wanted. Every step in life had consequences, some could be amended, and others would just have to be lived with, like the scars on her face that would be there forever. “Pray to your Moon Goddess and maybe she won't pick you. You still have a chance.” Ula nodded but it was obvious she wasn't pleased with her options. She should be glad she even had one.“Does he still cry all the time?”“No-no
Lucky for her, she had found Syon to help with delivering the letter.He seemed trustworthy enough not to open the letter, but if he did, well then, that was on him. “Are you sure this will not be difficult for you? After all, your presence isn't supposed to be noticed here,” she asked him before handing over the letter to him. “Worry not. I will be fine and he will get your letter.” With that Syon had left.Aniya stayed up for more hours plotting the rest of her plan, and finally, when she was supposed to go to sleep, she found something strange in her room, like a shadow of a being that she couldn't see. She screamed and someone rushed in, with a stick in his hand and a lantern in another. “Syon?!”“You screamed, Milady. Are you alright?”She panted, breathing heavily as she looked around the room and right back at the spot where the towering shadow had been.“I saw something?” she whispered to herself, her voice laced with doubt. Syon moved forward, rushing to check her window
“You do not mean that.”“I do.”“Milady?”“Aniya,” she corrected him. “Milady.” Surprise was still evident in his eyes, a glimmer of doubt too, like he just couldn't believe this was happening, like he felt that his eyes and mind were playing a trick on him. “Aniya,” she pointed to herself, then to him, “Syon. It is that simple. Friends.”He stared blankly at her for a moment, then finally, he smiled, nodding enthusiastically. “I like it. I like it very much.” He interlocked his fingers, letting them go the next second. “By the Moon, I don't know what to do now. How must I behave now?”She chuckled, understanding how he felt. She had been nervous like this when Zesika extended a hand of friendship to her. “We are friends. Just act the way you've been acting. I like you the way you are.”“I don't know why it is suddenly so hard.” “I’ll make it easy. Tell me more about this festival.” It seemed to be something he enjoyed talking about. That would help him forget how nervous he was.
So many things!By Ignas, so many things she would rather not think about it. “It feels terribly hot all of a sudden.” She stepped away from the window and Syon's gaze followed her with confusion. “Are you sure the object that fell was the Moon's Gift? Are you sure it wasn't the Sun?” Syon’s worry increased. “You are sweating. Shall I get a healer?” She shook her head. That didn't feel necessary. It just felt like she had on too many garments, but all she had on was her dress, so what was going on?That Moon’s Gift must be filled to its brim with heat. Syon just couldn't feel it because his body must be used to it by now. “You should—” Syon had taken a step forward, then he had stopped abruptly, then taken two steps back. Another. So three. “Milady,” his voice sounded deeper, and she was forced to look up at him, but he wasn't looking at her, “you should soak yourself in the bathing tub. Do not leave this room for tonight. It might get dangerous.”“Can you explain what is—”Her
“No!” She blurted, her eyes filled with anger that was directed at him. “No, don't touch me. I don't want you touching me at all. I won't let the hands of my intended murderer bring me pleasure,” A hurt look took over his face for only a moment but she refused to believe that he was hurt at all. He was so manipulative, he couldn't trust him. She couldn't take pity on his blunt words and insensitive attitude, she couldn't take pity on him. He wasn't even hurt. By Ignas, she hated him. “Also, I’m in no outfit to run around the Castle either. I’m too naked for that.” Two of her fingers slithered into her folds, and her body jolted forward, bringing her closer to Ikrus, who she now realized could see her absolutely naked under the clear water. “Ikrus?” she moaned.He hummed, his eyes darkening. “You should leave now.”But he didn't!He stayed, like he was frozen to that spot, like he couldn't move even if he tried. He just stayed there, kneeling by her bathing bowl, his grip tight around
She jolted into a somewhat sitting position, the hand that was in her hair, flying to the edge of the white bathing bowl and gripping it. The next words she wanted to say dissolved into a moan, but she wasn't done yet. She leaned forward, closing the distance between them and since he was slightly hunched as he knelt, his angry breath of painful restrain fanned her face.“Ah— Ikrus. Will you help, please?” Her voice quivered, her body giving into a slow tremble, the movement of the water becoming even more around her. “I don't want to tangle in the sheets with my own death, I want —something else, someone else.” She couldn't keep herself up in her sitting position any longer, her head collapsed against his chest as she struggled. A growl rumbled from his chest, but the pounding of her heart was louder in her ears, her quivering so much that it consumed her voice. The warm contact had done nothing but spike her feelings like a deadly intoxication. Her eyes slid shut. “Anyone but you. W
Several moments later, Ikrus stepped into the room. Aniya was now dressed in a nightgown, her feet on the floor as she sat on the edge of the bed.“You can't sleep here tonight,” his voice was rough around the edges with his dissatisfaction but Aniya ignored it. “Obviously, you have broken my door down.” She pointed at the doorway, gesturing that the door had been knocked down. That made it two doors. “ I guess I should thank you for that being the only damage you've done. Thank you for not shifting into your wolf and chasing me around like an unhinged beast.”He heaved a sigh. “I am sorry.”She frowned, folding her arms across her. “You speak the right words too late.” Then her frown deepened. “Why do you do that?”He arched her a questioning eyebrow. “Speak the right words too late?”No, the shifting and hating me, wanting me dead. Is that even right? I thought the bond was supposed to remain no matter the body you are in, or is it because I am not a lycan too?”“The problem is not
Aniya stood up from the bed slowly, her gaze fixed on the door. Her mind went to Syon and she silently wished that he would have one of his night terrors that would wake him up so that he would wander through the hallways and come and save her like he has done the last time.It was a selfish wish but right now wasn't the time to be considerate. She tried to tiptoe her way to the door, but Ikrus turned to her at that moment, his eyes still red and he shifted into more wolf than man. She opened her mouth to speak, to beg for her life but she could say nothing. In a flash, he was in front of her, his hand around her neck, his claws digging slightly into her skin.She gasped from the fear and pain, but the true terror took over her heart when he buried his face into her neck. A silent scream died on her tongue as she froze in fear. Then she noticed something, his sharp claws on her nape were gone, replaced by warm flesh and nails. It was only then she realized that he had now shift
“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