Chapter 26 - HazePenelope It was as if all rational thought left me whenever I was around Garren. Like my brain turned to mush, and the bond had taken over my ability to function. Though Kyra was still on guard about our mate, she didn't seem to fight the bond as much as she once had. And it seemed that Garren had fallen prey to the bond just as much as I had in the short time we had spent together. It was why my mask had slipped ever so slightly when Garren had informed me that his mother would be taking on training me every spare second I had left. It was a short lap of judgment that had me hoping that once my training was over for the day, maybe, just maybe, I could steal some time away with Garren, not to jump into a relationship but to give myself a chance to know the male who had been so willing to push me out to save me from his people all while denying himself the happiness he too deserved. In the short time I had been here, I had learned rather quickly that Garren would s
Chapter 27 - ImpactPenelope "Again," Mildred commanded. I raised my bow without complaint, notching another arrow and lining up my arms until I was in position. I stared at the target taking in the direction the gentle wind blew around the last of the dying leaves and the feel of the chilled air against my face. I took a deep breath in through my nose and out my mouth. With one final inhale, I held my breath, releasing my hold on the arrow as I slowly released the air from my lungs.The sharp whistle of the arrow whizzing by my ear was the only proof that I had given it enough power to hit my mark with a hard impact. An impact that would have been strong enough to pierce through an enemy's heart. My arrow cut through the air at full speed ending with an audible thud as it hit the bullseye. I didn't give myself time to admire the shot, raising another arrow and firing it into the next target and then the next, and the next. Each target was farther than the last, but my aim held tru
Chapter 28 - HeavenGarren The trip to the realm of dreams was an annoyance I didn't plan on. Not when I had bigger things to worry about. Like my mate and her upcoming battle for her throne and title. From dealing with constant meetings with the royal council and the summons from my people alongside the extra training I had been squeezing in with Penelope on whatever free time we had left, I had no space for last-minute departures or week-long trips. But even though I didn't have time to leave or the patients to be around Penelope's cousin to help him with the final touches to his latest project, I had to make an exception. Balor's school would help prevent a lot of future attacks against many realms and also allow students from all walks of life the opportunity to create lasting friendships and strong ties that could better their futures. It also gave them a chance at gaining a top working position within some realms after graduation. Though I would never tell Balor how great h
Chapter 29 - PretendPenelope I felt like I was in a dream, one I never wanted to wake up from. The air in Kailani smelt so crisp and fresh that it felt like I was breathing for the first time. The flowers were so bright and full of life as they danced in the breeze, moving with such grace as the birds above us sang a beautiful melody. I felt as if I had just entered a painting.My breath was caught in my throat; my lips parted in awe as I took in the cascading waterfall and the bright blue skies above us. The wind was warm as it blew around us as if wrapping us in a welcoming embrace. I followed Garren in utter silence, too amazing to think beyond moving my feet forward. As we crested the hill, a small log cabin came into view. I felt like I was actually living in a fairytale for the first time since coming here. Except this was real, as real as the breath leaving my lungs and the beating of my heart in my chest. "I never thought I would ever see the day when you were actually sho
Chapter 30 - PrideGarrenI was as strong-willed as any male when it came to fighting and ruling a kingdom. I even held a firm grasp on my self-control when other females tried to persuade me to take them to bed for a night. Having no desire to be with anyone else when I knew I had a mate out in the world waiting for me to find her. Because I knew she would be worth the wait, worth every second it took me to find her. And I wasn't wrong; Penelope was everything I wanted and needed in this world; I knew that the first moment I laid eyes on her. It was what drove me to want to protect her at whatever cost.But with Penelope, I was as weak as a vampire was to their craving for blood. All my willpower went out the window as soon as she opened her sweet little mouth. I had fantasized about this moment time and time again, how she would taste on my tongue, how her naked flesh would feel against my calloused hands. I thought I would know what to expect when the time to claim her finally cam
Chapter 31 - CracksPenelopeI woke up to the smell of fresh rain and smoke; the warmth of a firm body radiated from behind me as the weight of an arm rested across my lower stomach. I was in a blissful haze; my body ached all over but in the best way possible, not from countless hours of training or from cleaning out horse stalls. But from my body experiencing levels of euphoria I hadn't even known existed until last night. I didn't want to welcome the new day ahead of us; just wanting to stay in this reality forever. The one where nothing else existed outside of this world. This place where only Garren and I lived, our bodies entangled with one another, losing ourselves to each other over and over until we were left breathless and completely satisfied. Garren let out a low hum in the back of his throat, his hand gripping my stomach tighter as he pulled me closer to his chest. His voice thick with sleep as he pressed his lips against my ear. "Keep thinking whatever it is you're t
Chapter 32 - HonourPenelope "I guess I'll have to restart my count for how many days it's been since you were last here, Penelope." Perseus teased as he entered my room. His onyx hair pulled back, his gray eyes sparkling with amusement. "Haha, so funny." I groaned as I adjusted myself on the bed. Due to my lack of dragon warrior fighting skills, I visited this place more often than most. And because of those frequent visits Perseus and I formed a patient-doctor friendship. It was nice to know the male who was working on me, but at the same time, I would have much rather gotten to know Perseus from a different standpoint. "You should be proud of me, Perseus. I managed to go for a whole eight hours of training today." "Ahh yes, well, as great as that is, I believe your body would say otherwise, Poppy," Perseus muttered, his voice dropping to a more serious tone as he moved his hand across my jaw. I let out a slight hiss of pain as he pushed against a fresh bruise before moving to m
Chapter 33 - Blow upGarren "Did Penelope cancel our meeting, and you just forgot to tell me?" My mother's soft voice filled the silence of my study. I stopped my pen mid-swoop. My head snapped up, unease filling me as I stared at my mother in confusion. Her blonde hair was down today, making her look younger than she was. To a human, she would look like she was in her mid to late forties. When in actuality, she was well over eight hundred years old, my father fifty years older than her. "No," I said cautiously, my voice coming out calmer than I felt. Ever the King as I was forced to remain calm even though I wanted to run out of the castle like a madman. I was insisting that a search take place to locate my mate. My mother watched me with assessing eyes, the corner of her mouth tipping down into a frown. "Well, I'm sure she just got caught up with training. I will reschedule with her. There isn't much more training I can do anyways. She is a fast learner, that girl. She reminds