"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.
"It came in with the report from Inaymi," Eli said, handing the letter to her. "I will be back shortly---""Stay. Let's read it together."Something glinted in his eyes, his voice betrayed the childish eagerness that glimmered in those brown orbs though."Are you sure?""Yes." She nodded, cutting off the seal so she could finally read the letter. Lytio had a lot to tell her, he had started by reporting about her family's situation.The trial was over, as was her mother's freedom. She would be marched to her quick death in a week, having been found guilty of murder as well as other crimes. Her father had hit rock bottom mentally, absolutely losing his mind at his wife's judgment. He was crazy and now he was locked away somewhere to be taken care of.The first night without his wife, he had attempted suicide. The second night, he had held his grandson hostage and threatened to kill Arlo if his wife wasn't released back to him. Belladonna frowned as her gaze passed over the words of t
"You like him," Seb said, leaning against the wall of the hallway. Nadia who had been looking out through the window at the bright sky, swung around, her eyes a dead giveaway because of how wide they went."I don't." "Do you even know who I'm talking about?" She blinked, shaking her head. "I don't.""You are a terrible liar.""I'm not." She frowned, offended. "So you are a liar then, a good one.""I'm not." She whined. "You are the best liar, there is," he patted her shoulder in false encouragement. "The best one that will ever be.""Stop it." She shrugged his hand off. "I not a liar and I don't like him.""You go so red around him, you passed out because he carried you. Passed out twice," he gesticulated. "Everyone knows you like him, in fact, the only person that doesn't know you like him is him." He nodded. "General Anok is a bat and he will never see you. A friend to another," he moved his fingers between them, pointing his pinky at him then at her, "just give up. It will be
“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