Belladonna woke up the next morning, feeling absolutely refreshed and her mind a blank slate. That might just be the most peaceful sleep she had ever had since she got to the Castle.Her face beamed with a smile, while she stretched and watched the red glow that slighty emitted from the curtains a few distance away. The sun was up already?!By Ignas, she had overslept. With swiftness, she pushed the blanket aside and jumped out of bed. Her head felt a little lightweight though and she almost swayed on her feet. Her hand came over her forehead, as she steadied herself, her smile slowly dwindling when she remembered why she had fallen asleep in the first place.She had wanted to help Eli find out more about the Bride Thief, then tell him the things she found out afterwards. It was strange that she hadn't dreamt about him at all, despite her determination. She wanted to keep on thinking about it but somehow, the importance of dwelling on that thought felt lacking, so she gave up on it
"Good morning, My Lady!" The tallest of them said, bowing her head lightly while the rest followed suit. "My Lady.""My Lady."Belladonna looked at the three ladies through narrowed eyes, they all seemed like her age mates. The tallest one had brown short wavy hair, equally warm brown eyes and a large, round birthmark that took up most part of her left cheek. Unlike someone that Belladonna couldn't remember at that moment, the lady didn't seem shy of it at all. Nice. The other was slightly the same height as Belladonna, she might be a little shorter or taller than she was though. The lady had a clean shaven head that Belladonna might catch her reflection on if she looked long enough, and an uneven set of teeth that seem to be chasing themselves around her mouth, her smile was just as friendly as the first one, her eyes even more stunning with the flecks of gold in it. The third one was quite plump and short, not by a long range though. Her hair was made into an all back cornrow an
With no more use for the bowl of water, Belladonna had to go back and return it. It was swift but coming back to the room didn't come with as much ease. Somehow, along the way, her steps had become clumsy, her sight a little blurry and the fogginess returning toback to her brain. She felt a great need to rest her weight upon something so she wouldn't fall, laughter bubbled from within her and chuckled for no reason, as it increasingly felt like the floor was playing jokes on her with it's unsteady movements.It was slight though, nothing she couldn't handle, at least now that she was in her bed and well fed, she might just sleep it off and get better when she wakes up.Before she could lay in bed though, there was knock, one that came in rapid succession. Why were there so many knockings this morning? She didn't remember always having so many knockings by this time. Eventually, she got the door and the person on the other side turned out to be..."Isn't that my masked lover?" Her sm
He wondered if this was on purpose or her mind had truly blurred out by how dangerous this position was. Despite his instinct to bring his hands to her waist, he kept them curled into fists and burried into the bed."Donna." The tip of her nose nuzzled against his scales as she sniffed them in. He shut his eyes momentary trying to recollect himself from the struggle he had within him. The blossoming need, the igniting desire. No. He must remain the logical one here."Donna, you have to stop---ah"The sharp yanking of his hair backward stopped his words to a scratching halt, a groan that almost sounded like a moan slipping past his lips as something jolted in him.He gulped, staring up at her with brown eyes that glinted with shock and surprise, his breath shaky with the lust that shot through his veins, straining with promising scandal against every restraint he was desperately trying to put forward. What was she doing to him? The electric blue orbs that gazed down at him did not
Eli spring up halfway but Belladonna clung to him, her nails scratching against his back, digging into his flesh and drawing blood, her breath harsh against his ear, her chest raising and falling beneath him, her eyes partly closed and filled with lust. She had no control of herself.He had thought that her emotions had been merely heightened but the theory that they might have completely taken control over her was something that didn't cross his mind. Despite how much his own desire stood in the way, he knew he had to put a stop to this right now. His hands move to hers to pull them away from him, but her lips connected with his neck, savoring his flesh, sucking his skin and leaving a hickey behind to evident her brutality. He groaned, panting, feeling his bulge strain against his pants, as she pressed herself further against him. His fists that were resting at either sides of her, on the bed, buckled at the feeling that surged through him, making them fall back into the bed, but
"How dare you?" Her voice was a little breathy, as she staggered back from the door that Eli had just flung open and came in through before slamming it shut just as instantly. "You left me alone. I was withering away, I was dying."Eli's face scrunched up into a frown underneath his mask. Dying?"Look at me, I can barely stand." She accompanied her statement with a dramatic fall and he caught her just in time, laughter rumbling from his chest.She would certainly be mortified with the memory of this when she recovered. "Take me.""I will," came his reply without an ounce of hesitation."Now." She emphasized.He slipped a finger underneath her chin, his gaze holding hers."Listen to me. Do you remember that you said you wanted to get married first, and that will happen during the Red Moon when you will be crowned Queen." His fingers slipped from her chin to caress her cheek. "My Queen.""I don't want to wait anymore. Please, don't tell me that I have to wait.""You do not."Happines
Yes, he did. Who wouldn't love Kestra. She was like family. The only one who had been with him through his trying times, stood my him through it all. He loved her.But there were different types of love and for the one his Donna was asking him about, the answer was 'no'. What bothered him though wasn't the question but why she must have asked it. For everything there was a reason. So why?"Why did you ask?""You haven't answered me yet." She said with a click on her tongue against the roof of her mouth, although the glint in her eyes held no playfulness."No, I do not have romantic feelings for my right hand woman."She chuckled, casually checking through the wardrobe again. "You must be in love with saying too many words." "Do you find it disturbing, perhaps?"If he could have it his way, he would try to make sure everything about him was perfect to her, that there would be nothing about him that she would have a problem with. She shrugged. "I guess it has grown on me." She
Belladonna woke up to the sunlight seeping from the curtain and flashing warmly against her eyelids.Asides from feeling like the world had slipped away too fast and the time had most likely jumped, there was a slight banging in her head that she had to deal with. Her fingers ran through her hair, meeting it tangled though, she had to pull them out and pressed them against her creased forehead instead in a search for relief.Why did it feel like she was forgetting something?Just as that thought had crossed her mind, images folded her mind, she cringed as she remembered how she had acted intoxicated and how shameless every of her move had been.The knock on the door made her jump and with slightly stumbling steps from how weak she felt, she had answered the door. It was the new maid but she didn't really have anything to say it her. It was weird to see someone else attending to her that wasn't Raquel, she would have to check on her later today to see if she was getting better. In se
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