"The King is back." Four words that changed everything. Four words that brought happiness with a shimmer of fear through her heart. Eli was back. Anok had been the one to bring the news to her, and he had not been happy to see that she wasn't in her room, along with the fact that Seb was not performing his duty, but the news had put a hold on whatever displeasure he bore towards the whole situation and Belladonna bolted through the door, past him, heading for the stairs. The thought of the nightmare she had woken up from a while ago was long lost, the hammering of her chest from the fear of seeing the dragon's eyes trapped in that particular gem that she was always dreaming about was now lost on her, along with the familiar, yet unfamiliar voice she had heard in her dream. It had called her a name she couldn't pinpoint and her mind would have been occupied by it, if those four words hadn't come to swipe the worry right out of it, and taken a dwelling place in her chest. "The K
"What about your bride?"It was hard to conceal her smile but she did it anyways. "What about her? Does she know about this?"She shook her head.Eli took in the information. If she didn't know about this then they were certainly not that close. For a second there, he had been scared that he had forgotten something of much significance."Then I see no reason why I should be bothered. I need to go now. I will be back shortly, Kestra." He said as he headed to the door, then he paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Are you certain that you are alright enough for this?""Yes, your Majesty." She sat up eagerly, her action supporting her words, something she hoped that he could see from the corner of his eyes."In fact, we can do it right now. I advise that we get down to it, so you can regain your strength as soon as possible." She added, putting all her hope into her words.He could regain his memory any moment from now. In fact, he could step out of that door and remember everything, from
"You know my name?" She shrugged and Eli frowned beneath his mask.Kestra must have told her. Kestra had appeared concerned about her earlier. They must be close. She must have been the one to have given her those keys too. How had he condoned that, such intrusion of privacy?He would deal with this later."Well, I will need you to erase your presence from my chamber and never step foot here again."What? You don't like this kind of ambush." Belladonna feigned a shocked gasp, burying her pain beneath it. Crying right now would not help her. She had to continue no matter what. She just felt this intense drive in her veins to keep trying, like if he stepped out through that door, it would be over for both of them. "That's strange." She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "You begged me to let this happen."He blinked, taken aback."I beg your pardon?"Belladonna nodded. "You were very convincing too." Her smirk was suggestive. What nonsense was she rambling on about?
She dissolved into his embrace, pulling him tighter to her, tears filling her throat and spilling out from underneath her closed eyelids. "You remember."It had been only one night, yet it felt like forever. She hoped something like this would never happen again. It was too much for her to bear. "I am so sorry. You are so important to me. How could I have forgotten you? How---" his voice trailed off and his arms tightened around her. "Oh, by Ignas, how? I love you.""I love you too and it's not your fault." She paused slightly, "you remember now."He pulled away after her, checking her all over as words of worry tumbled out of his mouth.Her eyelids shot open, it was more than pleasing to be able to see his face again. "How are you? Do you feel fine? Are you alright?""I'm alright, Eli."He nodded, sighing in relief. "I had to leave. I apologize for not being by your side when you woke up, I really wanted to wait---"She shook her head and smiled. "I understand." What was he apo
He gulped, feeling his need launch through his veins, that need that came over him anytime his necessity to feed came knocking. He had been suppressing it for a while now and that had been more than difficult. Although, asides from his desire to have his Donna to himself, he had been curious about her essence.Would he be so lucky that they would be compatible?Her promise stood in the way though and he had been trying to help her keep it as much as he could. He knew he would never let her go, the thought of losing her to someone else plunged violence into his veins. He was her fulfilled promise in flesh and blood, she just couldn't see that yet. Till she does that and lets him take her, he would wait. Patiently.Yanking away the control she was holding onto might shake her mentally. He had lost control of his life once and he knew that hadn't been his best moment."I will escort you to your room." As excited as he was, tonight wasn't a night he was sure about practicing restrai
Eli hovered over her, an image her unfocused image wouldn't really let her see. That was an experience her fingers had never given to her. She could still feel her body giving into a light vibration and heat raised to her cheeks when she saw how her release coated his lips down to his chin, under the golden dim light of the room. "You taste good, Donna." She didn't have just his words as proof of that, his lips moved against hers immediately after, his tongue gliding into her mouth and dominating it, presenting to her better evidence.Her hand clenched around his shoulders, the warm taut skin that pressed against her palm making her body hum with pleasure. The fact that she was tasting herself and him at the same time sent electrifying sparks to her brain and did things she couldn't find words to describe to her. She had only just tumbled from the hill of ecstasy yet she could feel her body jolted against his as pleasure built at her core anew."You have no idea how many nights I h
Kestra stared at the broken jar in front of her, her brows furrowed and her lips drawn under her teeth, blood dripping down the puncture. She shivered with rage, dashing to the broken jar on the floor, with the scattered scales that glimmered under the dim golden light of her room, as tears swirled over her silver orbs.No. It couldn't be.It just couldn't be broken.She pulled a robe over her, hiding away her silk and transparent underwear. Then she dashed out of the room, down the hallway, and straight to her magic room only to meet horror. All the jars that she had stacked over the years had all broken, fallen down the shelves, and shattered on the ground, the scales spilled everywhere and mixed with the sharp, broken pieces of glass. She sank to her knees, her fingers desperately brushing over the scales, to pick them back, the broken glass cutting sharply through her flesh, but she continued, tears streaming down her face, her forehead glowing red, and her lips quivering.Her
"How do you feel?" Eli's question floated to her ears and blinked, still trying to stop herself from seeing stars.They were still in bed and Eli was eager to know if she was alright."Wonderful.""Any pain whatsoever?""Just a little discomfort here and---" her voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of his observant eyes. Eli could be protective to a fault. What if she tells him about the discomfort she had experienced from his welcomed invasion and he decides they wouldn't have sex again for a while? What would she do then?"I am perfect. Are you perfect? You are perfect. We are both perfect. What lovely perfections we are." She grinned, too wildly."Donna."His look was intense and she couldn't hold her ground for long enough."Fine. Just a little uncomfortable and I feel kind of stretched out, but that is no fault of yours, I swear by Ignas. Let us do it again, please let us do it again." "Of course, we will do it again, anytime you want." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
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