KylanFamily day….Just the thought of it made my chest tighten. It was a day where all families would visit, pretend everything was perfect like all of our lives weren’t filled with secrets and lies.For me, it was even worse. I’d have to see the king again—the man who had never truly forgiven me for what I did to my brother.Shaking the thoughts away, I decided to take a quick shower. Although it didn’t do much to ease the tension, it had at least cleared my mind for a moment. Once I was done, I stepped out of the bathroom, only to see Chrystal still lying on the bed, undressed.“Mind if I shower here and get ready?” she asked, although it sounded more like a statement. “Our dads will be here in an hour.”Without a word, she got up, grabbing her things from her bag like she had planned it all along, and headed straight to the bathroom.“Have you already made up with my brother?” she called out, closing the door behind her. “You know, he never said what happened between you two.”I g
VioletWith fumbling hands, I stood in the grand hall with Dylan and Trinity as we waited for our parents. The room was filled with students everywhere reuniting with their families, receiving warm hugs as laughter filler the air.I didn’t really know what to feel.It was strange to see people have normal bonds with their families, while I had whatever the hell I had going on.Trinity squeezed Dylan’s hand, looking every bit of nervous. “I’m so scared to meet them,” she admitted, biting her lip.Dylan puffed out dramatically, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. “You’re nervous? I’m the one who should be sweating.”“No, you don’t,” Trinity giggled, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “My parents will love you just as much as I love you.”She wiped off the lipgloss she’d left behind, patting his cheek while Dylan smiled like a fool. They were always so sweet with each other to the point I couldn’t help but smile at their little moments.“Trinity!” A woman’s voice suddenly called out.Tr
VioletMom and Dad shared a glance, probably confused by how close Dylan and I seemed. “Of course are,” Mom said softly, reaching for my hand before pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. “It’s nice to see the two of you getting along for once.”I glanced at Dad, not having any expectations—but to my surprise, a smile appeared on his lips. A real smile.A proud smile.“I heard you made the Elite Team within days,” he looked into my eyes. “As expected from you.”“Really?” Clarence looked impressed. “That’s quite something. You must be really proud of your children,” he added, full of admiration.Dad chuckled softly, glancing down with a smirk. “I’m always proud of my two children.”My heart melted at his words.Two children…For a moment, it felt like I was finally seen, acknowledged. The pride in his voice as those words left his mouth was something I had been craving for so long.Even though I walked into it with no expectations, the day started off great.After some more talking, it was
KylanMy grip tightened on the wheelchair as I looked back at Violet, who had just gave me the coldest stare in existence. That little puppy had some nerve.Of all the directions we could’ve gone, we had to pass by her family. Just perfect.They all had looked down at their feet, clearly making it a point not to look our way. My gaze met Dylan’s for a split second, and he greeted with a nod. I returned the gesture, acknowledging him.Surprisingly enough, out of all the Bloodroses, even Hastings, he was the only one I could somewhat respect. He had earned that respect.I didn’t know the other Hastings, but I wasn’t all that interested either. They were nothing, nobodies.As we passed by, the king glanced back at them, stopping in his steps. Everyone stopped, waiting for the king as he released a low chuckle. Then he continued his pace.What was so funny?Did he expect everyone to bow down, kiss the ground he walked on? Probably. He had a way of making everyone feel small with just the
KylanMy eyes widened, and my head snapped up as everything around us turned silent. I appreciated Rochwall, and he had been there for me from the moment I had met him. He was a good mentor to me, and having that close bond, I understood the need to stand up for me—but this was not the way to do it.For a second, I braced myself for the king to release the beast and tear this man apart—but he didn’t. Instead, he burst out laughing, slapping Rochwall’s chest. “James, James—you’ve always been one funny guy.”I exhaled, relieved as the tension in the room disappeared. “But it’s good,” the king continued, slamming his arm over Rochwall’s shoulder. “This place is always so dull. It could use a bit of fun.”As they walked away, Rochwall glanced back at me, shooting a reassuring smile before their voices faded into the distance.~Hours passed, and in those hours, the king made sure to leave his mark everywhere. Each interaction was more awkward than the last—but now that he seemed pleased w
VioletAs we sat around the dinner table, I tried my hardest to disappear into the chair. Sitting here felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from, and all I wanted was to get away.If I glanced to my left, there was Kylan’s brother, Kayden, grinning at as if he knew everything about me—if I looked straight ahead, there was Kylan, glaring at me as if I had ruined his day.To the right was even worse. There was Chrystal, shooting me death stares. If those stares could kill, I’d be dead a hundred times over by now.With nowhere to look, I settled for Nate, who sat beside his sister. He shot me a small, reassuring smile followed by a wink.At the head of the table sat the king, who looked around with a smirk. “It’s nice to have everyone here,” his voice dominated the table. His energy was dark and intimidating, it almost felt like he was sucking all the air out of the room.Clarence and Dad mumbled something in response, clearly not really feeling this so-called gathering.Family day w
VioletThe atmosphere changed instantly, and my heart sank as Mom’s memory was brought up in such a careless way.How dared he?Did he even know her like that to bring her up?I clenched my fists under the table, trying to keep calm. How could he even say something like that?The rogue attack that took Mom and Dad was something unfortunate, but it was not inevitable. His comment felt unfair, especially because it was something beyond Dad’s control. And the way he said it, with such coldness, made me realize just how terrible he truly was.He really was a heartless piece of shit—an even bigger piece of shit than his son.The king continued chewing, completely oblivious. “I was just talking to Jack yesterday about how I miss my Starlight days.”I glanced at Jack, wondering how someone like him had ended up as the Beta of someone like the king, or even Chrystal’s dad. All throughout dinner, that man had been nothing but kind and respectful—just like Nate.A smile tugged at the corners o
Violet“My mom,” I replied. He probably thought I meant Sonya, but that didn’t matter. I’d spare him the backstory.“How long ago?”I squeezed my eyes a bit. “Like ten years ago?”“Ten years ago,” he whispered, still inspecting the glasses on my face.“Well, make sure to keep them on at all times,” he spoke, his face serious. “We wouldn’t want you to lose them.”If only he knew…I swallowed, nodding quickly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”The king didn’t give another response and simply walked past me, leaving me standing there. I let out a slow breath, feeling more than happy that he had left.Even though I tried not to focus on Kylan, it was hard not to, especially when Chrystal laughed out loud, leaning into him like he had just made the funniest joke on the planet.As if it couldn’t get any worse, Kylan wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered something into her ear, making her laugh even more.At times it seemed like he hated her, but then he did stuff like this.It was just like he
VioletI stared down at the mat, sweat nearly dripping from my forehead as I did another push-up. One wouldn’t have guessed it, but Commander Jorn ran across the training hall, clapping his hands and yelling like always.Strangely enough, I could almost keep up with everyone today. Almost!If I wasn’t so sore and tired from yesterday, I probably could’ve given it my all. It was too bad my arms felt like jelly—and to make matters worse, my brain couldn’t focus with all his yelling.I know Adelaide would’ve pushed through, but I also knew that I definitely didn’t see the old Elite team do any of these exercises when I was in the Veil. The training days in the past were definitely easier than this.I changed the position of my hands, stumbling a bit—and then a soft fist suddenly connected with my back. It was Commander’s…of course.It was just a little touch, but it was enough to make me drop flat to the mat.“Ow!” I muttered, grabbing my nose as I managed to sit up. It hurt like crazy,
Violet“You tell me,” I answered. “You are the Lyperian.”Nate sighed and looked at a still-tense Dylan with a teasing look. “She’s getting smart now.”He tried to involve him, but other than a low hum, Dylan didn’t have much of a reaction.“Actually, I don’t know,” I responded in all honesty. “We should be receiving a message soon. Could be anytime now, I think.”Those were my hopes. I just wanted to get it over with—and quick.“If all goes well, I might have to address you as Your Highness!”“No—”“Do you want a water, Your Highness?” Nate offered, mocking a bow.“Your Highness?” I repeated, laughing. “I’m not…”My words faltered because technically, he was right. I was a princess, but…of what? The common lands? A place no one had ruled for ages?It’s not like anyone knew, for that matter. I couldn’t exactly shout it from the rooftop.“You know what,” I changed my mind, “maybe I do need that water.”“Great,” Nate placed his hands on my shoulders. He gave them a squeeze, but all I co
VioletKylan and I walked through the halls in the early morning, hand in hand, on the way to Elite training. What was supposed to be a regular walk had gathered even more attention than the initial mate reveal.We were still the center of attention, and all eyes were still on us. It even went as far as some students pulling out their phones to take pictures, while some whispered as we passed.I couldn’t even remember it ever being like this for just Kylan before. Sure, people respected him, followed him, stared at him—but this? This was different.I knew what they were thinking.What had a girl from the Bloodrose done in her past life to get mated to the heir of Lyperia? Or maybe not. Maybe they were making fun of me because he was literally dragging me with him as he walked, and I struggled to keep up.I let out an embarrassed chuckle, trying to let go of Kylan’s hand so we would at least look a little less stupid, but he wouldn’t let me.A frustrated growl came from his lips, and h
VioletI nudged his shoulder. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, Kylan.”He shrugged. “Oh, really?”He opened the gates, and we walked the dark and quiet campus ground. Being back on these grounds after experiencing Adelaide’s time was a big difference. Maybe I was insane, but I liked the old Starlight much better.The Starlight before the renovations, when the academy looked like it might collapse any second. The new Starlight was too modern, too elite…“Starlight is slacking these days,” I muttered.“How so?”“Well,” I looked around. “Did you know that back in Mom’s time, people didn’t even dare step out past curfew? The gates were always open, but everyone just followed the rules without even thinking about it…except for our parents of course. They were definitely something else.”“Mom?” Kylan lifted his brow.I rolled my eyes. “She’s my Mom, is she not?”He mumbled something under his breath. Something I couldn’t quite understand or cared for. It still felt strange to know that I
VioletThe car ride back to Starlight was full of stories. I had told Kylan everything I could remember, mostly about Adelaide, Alaric and the royal family, Gloria, Esther—and of course, Baelor.I even told him about the bond between Adelaide and the Elite Team, how much they loved and protected her—but most importantly, how King Elyx ended up betraying her.There were too many details, I could hardly remember. I was certain I might have forgotten something along the way, but for now, it was enough.Once I finished talking, I glanced at him, waiting for his reaction. He didn’t respond, his eyes were fixed on the road, and his expression was unreadable.For some reason, I had expected him to match my energy. I thought we could laugh together about Adelaide or even the king’s nickname, but there was nothing.“So what do you think?” I asked, attempting to get a reaction out of him. Kylan squinted his eyes. “So,” he finally spoke up. “We’ve met before and our parents exchanged names?”Th
Violet“And what does that mean?”I gritted my teeth, trying not to let out a yell. Aelius spoke in riddles, avoided answers, and now he was questioning whether I was worthy? I had just relived Adelaide’s pain, seen flashes of things I barely understood—and since they all came from his beloved granddaughter, having him doubt me was unfair.Kylan must have sensed my frustration because, in the very next moment, he moved. He got up from the cold ground, his eyes sharp as he headed straight for Aelius.“Kylan—“ I gasped, reaching for him, but he was already there.Aelius just sat there and let it happen as Kylan wrapped his tight fist around his cape, yanking him closer. “Listen, you old fuck,” he growled. “Violet said she wants you to teach her, so you will teach her. I don’t care what kind of cryptic bullshit you’re on, but I do know one thing.” He shoved him back, pointing at me. “You’ll do what she asks.”Silence fell over us. I held my breath, waiting for something—anything—to happe
VioletI gasped for air, my heart pounding in my chest. I’d been in the Veil all this time, but now I found myself back in the caves. Everything was blurry. It was just as dark as I remembered, the only source of light coming from the campfire.My mind was still spinning as I sat up straight. I couldn’t get far because a pair of hands steadied my waist. That familiar touch belonged to Kylan. By now, it had been imprinted in my memory—so much that I could bet my life on it.“Violet,” I heard him whisper in my ear, though my eyes were on Aelius, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised by all of this. “Breathe.”Focusing on Kylan’s voice, I quickly regained my vision, but my heart was nowhere near at ease.How could it be?“No!” I choked out, shaking my head. I turned halfway to look at Kylan, those deep brown eyes staring back at me as if I had just said the worst thing possible. “I have to go back—she was there!”No reaction.This time, I tried my luck with Aelius, looking at the man A
AdelaideI ran through the woods, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to get to Violet. Every few steps, my eyes glowed, lighting up the path Alaric had carved out ahead of me.My legs were so numb I could barely feel them, my head was spinning, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—stop.I had to find her…I had to find my Violet…After failing to keep Claire safe and failing to lock Baelor away the first time, not failing Violet was the least I could do.A warmth spread through me as I finally reached the den I had seen through Alaric’s eyes.Right in front of it stood a rare white fox with bright eyes, guarding my daughter—the same one I had seen through Alaric’s eyes. I didn’t know what it was doing here, how it had gotten here—but I was grateful.“Violet!” I gasped, running toward the entrance. The white fox moved aside as I fell to my knees and crawled into the den.And there she was…My Violet.She was wrapped inside a blanket, her tiny hands reaching for the air as giggles filled the s
Adelaide“It’s okay,” I said, my breath hitching as I fought back tears. I turned the wolf’s head with my hands to take another look into those red eyes. Then, I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his snout.“I don’t regret anything,” I said softly. “You made me live again, and if I could’ve chosen any life, any path—I would’ve done it all over again just to be with you.”The wolf let out a low, broken whimper and nuzzled his head against my hands, as if trying to hold onto me one last time.“I love you.”Then, with every bit of strength I had, I sent him through the Veil, watching him disappear into the small gap of the portal. It flickered a few more times before closing…and just like that, he was gone.My glowing eyes faded.“Claire—please!”I focused on the voice beside me and turned to Greg, who was still holding Claire in his arms, crying as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She wouldn’t have long anymore.Defeated, I sank to my knees. I had to find Violet, Baelor, but