The dungeon was scary before, now it was scarier. It seemed like the King had grown larger and he was towering over her. She sank into herself, shaking slightly. She had never seen the King like this before and if she had, she couldn't remember. Why was it that there were a lot of things that she couldn't remember? Could it be the fear that was pumping quickly through her veins? "Your M-majesty?" she stuttered. "You should have told me the moment you started having those dreams!" Her foot moved slowly against the stony floor, taking an unnoticeable step backward. "I--I--- didn't know," she cried, tears in her eyes. Was it from fear or from the fact that she sensed that she must have done something wrong? She really didn't know. There were a lot of things she didn't know right now. All the certainty she had in her theory and how sure she had been about everything a while ago, seem to have immediately vanished from her. "I---I--- didn't know." Her voice broke as she sp
Had he read her thoughts?Was that possible? Could he even do that?He had magic, although she had only ever seen him use it on his dragon, there was still a lot she didn't know about him. "In your dreams, had he been intimate with you in any way?" The King asked again, this time his voice angrier.She didn't know what things would await her if she admitted it, told him the truth, but from the looks of how he was clenching and unclenching his fists and how he had stated that this Bride Thief was an enemy that had to be fought against, she knew it would be nothing good."N-no, your Majesty," then she added quickly, "Not that all."He seem to have retrained into himself with relief, because suddenly he didn't look like a mighty beast of a man towering over her anymore.He looked straight at her and for the first time in a long time, she wished he wasn't wearing any mask. He was trying to see if she was lying and the fact that he had a mask on couldn't allow her to read his emotions to
The goblet hit the floor, the ringing sound filling the dinning hall as it bounced across the floor, stopping right in front of Lady Kestra's tall red heels.Long, red polished nails snaked around the cup, picking it up before the sound of heels clicking away on the floor as she approached the dinning table, filled the hall."Please, calm down, your Majesty," she said, placing the goblet gently back on the table.The day had gone by now and the darkness of the night was once again upon them, yet the King still remained furious about the reappearance of the Bride Thief."I cannot be calm!" He slammed his hands on the table with a force that dent it. His golden mask was still over his face but his eyes showed just how much anger he had within him. It was consuming."You are the Witch!" He snapped his attention to her and she stood still, folding her hands calmly behind her. "You performed a ritual to get rid of him last time. Why didn't it work?!"His voice thundered across the room bu
A week had passed but the palace was still filled with tension, one that held Belladonna in a tight grip.Although Lady Kestra had been coming as usual to style her hair while chit-chatting with her, like as if nothing had happened a week ago, the King wasn't keeping the same ignorant energy.He had not invited her for any breakfast, lunch or dinner as he used to, even though what he would have normally done during those times was to pay attention to his scrolls while he kept a mindless and dull conversation with her.In fact, not once had she come across him in the hallway, that could be owing to the suspicion that he might be avoiding her, but for the fact that she, herself, had been spending a lot of time in her room, she couldn't be so sure.Either ways, Lady Kestra had told her not to worry about it, but she couldn't help but worry.What if the fate that had befallen the other Brides, causing them to be replaced wasn't from the hands of the Bride Thief, but from the hands of the
Sleep vanished immediately from her eyes, she didn't know when she rushed out of bed, but soon she found herself sprinting across the hallways, following Raquel blindly to wherever it was that the fire was happening.The closer she got, the more she could smell the burning books.The smoke was thick in the hallway, filling her lungs and making her cough.Finally, they got there.It was the King's Study and it roaringly with flames. There were guards and servants there though, trying to quenched the fire with water while the guards went in to rescue the King.They brought him out soon, his hands over the guard's shoulders while they started leading him up to his room.Was he alright?Had he taken in too much smoke?Did he pass out?Had he been burnt?"Call the Physician!" She recognized Colin's voice in the midst of the commotion.Without thinking, she snapped her hand from Raquel's fearful grip and followed right after the guards who were helping the King to his room. ***No burns,
She had expected him continue, to go down into full details of his woes because that one statement he made, sparked the flame of a long aged question.She was shocked truly, even sympathized with him despite her herself. Although she didn't know the relationship he had with his family, whether good or bad, she knew that a family was a family no matter what. If something were to happen and she lost her own family, as much as she hated them for how terribly they had acted to her, it would still hurt.Because she had loved them once.But he hadn't, instead he continued to look out through the window and a silence settled between them."How did it happen?" She found herself asking once again.Belladonna, have you no patience!If he threw her into the dungeon for being such a talkative right now, she would understand.Actually, no. She wouldn't."I can't---" he paused. "I was too young to know and I just can't remember."A memory flashed in her mind.The framed pictures she had seen in th
"You-- how---"There were too many questions she had to ask and they were crashing against one another."Listen to me," he turned away from the window, looking at her once again. "...a person planned a fire to kill the whole family, one survives. Definitely the fact that one still lived would, in some way, affect the plan of the one who wanted every one of them dead," then his voice dropped and became even darker for emphasis. "What do you think would happen if this killer finds out about this one that survived?""Come for him," she answered immediately."Exactly! That is how I know who the Bride Thief is. His reason, everything! I finally know it," then his voice became lower as he got lost in his thoughts. "That is why he wouldn't leave. He is torturing me."Belladonna staggered back, the more she knew about the Bride Thief in her dreams, the most she hated the times that she had allowed him to be so close to her and how her body had reacted to his touch, how her body had wanted eve
Two weeks had passed and Lady Kestra was still not back. During this time though, a lot of things had changed in the Castle... for Belladonna and the King.Ever since the night in his room, that he had told her about his certain death intent for the Bride Thief and what had happened to him and his family in the past, they had grown closer and closer by the day.Now, they were even more closer than they had been after he had gifted her books for apology and taken her to see his Dragon.Talking of seeing his dragon, she had asked him sometimes if she could see Pamela again but the King had refused, saying that she was being very violent these days and it would forever haunt him if any harm were to come upon her by the claws or flames of the beast. Also he had backed up his reply with the words that Belladonna was starting to believe was his best way of expressing his affection and care for her, while tucking a strand of her curls behind her ear, an act she believed meant the same thing
“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