The Oracle and her entourage stayed just off the shores of the beach. I didn’t know what they were waiting for. “She’s giving you time,” Veronica said. When she realized that could be cryptic, she added, “Likely to get your affairs in order. She wouldn’t want to scare Elva.” I could appreciate t
We stood in front of the ocean in a line parallel with the water. First Veronica. Then Julian. Nicholas. Elva, and myself. Veronica raised her book. The book light was no longer needed now and turned off. Veronica read the invitation spell by the bright light of the morning sun. The words were f
Veronica hung her head. She left something out? Nicholas and I glanced at each other, before the Oracle spoke up once more, reclaiming our attention. “For the volunteers it will be painful. Perhaps you’ve guessed as much. The sacrifice of life force, even that freely given, leaves it’s toll. Kno
When I blinked my eyes open again, I was reclining on a leather seat with the back dropped way down. The ceiling seemed to be curved. There were other seats beside my own, similar in shape and style. Nicholas was sitting in one of them.The ritual was over, then. I didn’t feel much pain anymore, tho
During the rest of the flight, I was able to convince Nicholas that I did not need to be emergency lifted to the hospital. He didn’t seem pleased at first, but we compromised with allowing the doctor to look me over once we were back at the palace. If she wanted more tests done, I would concede to h
Just as they were about to enter the house, Nicholas turned to look at me. We didn’t truly say goodbye and already we were pulled apart from each other once more.Despite all the trauma that occurred at the island, good things happened too. Nicholas and I being able to spend so much time together wa
“Oh.” Susie’s eyes widened. “I suppose you wouldn’t have known.” She hung her head a little. “Tensions with the Bear People have more or less exploded. Mark says more and more soldiers are being sent to the northern border. War seems imminent.”I didn’t want to believe that. “Surely there’s somethin
“I don’t understand,” I said. My thoughts were entirely addled. How could Nicholas’s parents not only forgive Bridget for all that she had done but also continue to want her to be Queen? Hasn’t she proven herself unsuitable? Unstable? At least, disrespectful?They had to have known that she slapped
Instead, the Queen pulled me into a hug. It was uncomfortable and brief, but a hug none the less. From the Queen, this was a tremendous breach of decorum, and I froze, unsure how to react. Even Nathan, standing dutifully as his King’s side seemed shocked.“I have misjudged you dearly,” the Queen sai
I wasn’t sure what to expect when our car delivered us from the train station to the palace, but even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have guessed what actually awaited us.Cheering crowds lined the outer walls of the palace. Balloons and streamers of various colors were abundant. A stage had been
At once, my heart leapt up into my throat, while simultaneously crashing down into my stomach.I pulled away from Nicholas enough to push myself up onto my hands and stare down at him.The thought of breaking the engagement had never crossed my mind! Nicholas proposing had been one of the best momen
In a war between the wolves and the bears, only the lost bear princess will be able to stop this fighting. Else, the bears will continue to fight themselves to exhaustion or to death.“It’s up to you,” Nicholas said. “I believe in you. You can do this.”I closed my eyes. Miracle was still exhausted,
Slowly, my grief subsided for now, enough for me to look up at Nicholas and feel the relief of being reunited with my fiancé.My… mate.“I love you,” Nicholas said. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to reach you.”“How are you even here? It’s impossible for you to have found me this quickly?”Nichol
Joyce, despite his best efforts, was not a fighter. He was not bred for war and battle like Hawke was, so even calling on the power of his Alpha wolf, Hawk tossed Joyce aside like he was a sack of potatoes.However, Joyce did show amazing tenacity, and stood back up time and time again. Roaring, he
Nicholas was here. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know why. But he was here, and that gave me the strength I needed to act.I ripped my arm away from Joyce’s hold and rushed into the room where Hawk was choking my sister on the ground. Using all of my strength, I plowed into Hawk.My surprise more than
We slipped into the hallway easily enough. The lights were off, so we stuck to the shadows. We didn’t go far when we started to hear raised voices.“I want to know if Piper was telling the truth.” It was Jane.“You cannot mean to trust her more than me,” that was Hawk. His cold voice sent shivers ru
A mating bond…?Yes. Even though Nicholas and I had never talked about the love between us, I had still felt it grow over these months together. Nicholas had never made a bonding bite on my neck, yet inside of me, that bond had cultivated. Our hearts were bound together, mating bite or now.There wa