CeliaMy mouth fell open after hearing that.“You…you are….” I began and Xenos sadly replied,“Yes, I am her husband and the son she lost was mine, too. To be honest, she had lost her family long before she succumbed to the dark magic. She lost me when she let greed overpower our love. She lost our son when dark magic began to corrupt our veins.”I took a moment to process this. She had imprisoned her own husband in the dungeon, letting him rot forever in a secret chamber that nobody would find?How cruel she could be?My expressions must have conveyed my growing hatred of her because Xenos added, “I know you must be thinking of me as a bad person, too. Trust me, I tried a lot to stop her, but she was too stubborn, too headstrong. When she found the Lycan castle, she wanted it immediately as her den. She wanted to sit on that throne and make people bow to her…”I could not say I understood that. What would a throne of a mortal give her when dark magic had almost made her immortal? Or
Celia“Please have mercy, the kids are naive and innocent. Just like your son was. You are a mother, you will always be, do not put all mothers to shame by killing little children, I beg you.”But the witch shook her leg hard, throwing Arwen away. “Shut up you pathetic scum. Don’t you dare remind me what it means to be a mother.”Arwen’s head hit a pillar but she was unbothered by it.“Please, don’t kill them. Kill me instead. Not the three children. I know you loved your son, I love them like my own too. I know you were wronged but these three little souls did not do that.”The witch roared, pointing a finger at Brigdain and the court trembled.“He was the one to kill my son. I have waited all these years to make him go through that pain, to make him suffer. Do you think your words can quell my hunger? Only their deaths would avenge my son!!!!”The King tried to push through again while the two women were talking. He had almost inched closer to the witch and was about to attack her w
Celia Xenos raised an eyebrow at that. The question should have made him say something like ‘you are muttering nonsense’ but he only looked at me curiously. “Why would you ask that?” I bit my lower lip nervously. What I was about to say could topple the fae kingdom and my friend’s life. I had to be very careful. So, I pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear and asked, “Forget it, just a random thought” However, Xenos saw the hesitation in my eyes and straightened his back. “I am just asking if you know anything about it. There has been no mention of the witch for ages. It is like she disappeared into thin air.” My words sounded lame even to me. “But you asked if she would remarry? Why that?” I let out a sigh, my fingers playing with the tablecloth. “I mean the loss of a child is the greatest grief of a mother. So I thought…she might have wanted another one. It is only natural.” Xenos thought about it for a while. “You could say so. But I have no idea if she ever…remarrie
Celia Jasper broke the awkward silence as he grinned upon seeing his best friend. “You are here” He took a few steps forward but Nymeria merely raised her hand to smack him on his shoulder. “Ow,” Jasper winced as Nymeria glared at him. “Do you have any idea what important work I was doing? And you just don’t say anything else apart from Help and Please? I half-expected to see you bruised and injured but here you are, smiling at me.” Jasper looked to me for help. “Look what kind of best friend I have. She is unhappy to see me smiling. She would rather prefer to see me bleeding and injured.” I ignored their bickering and pulled Nymeria into a hug. “Sorry, I could not risk stating the reason for calling you here in the letter.” Nymeria hugged me back and replied, “Either way, my work was almost done. So, what was the emergency?” She asked and I slowly turned her to face Xenos. “This is Xenos. He might have a solution to the curse” I said instead of revealing anything else. It
CeliaMy heart sank when he said that. By now, I was beginning to doubt if a way to break the curse really existed.It was getting annoying to get a ray of hope, only for it to be snatched back from you at the last moment.A soft breeze was flowing and I looked up to see the window pane moving due to the winds carrying the curtains inside.It would have been a pleasant night to gaze at the star studded sky with the moon shining brightly upon the trees, upon all of us.‘Why moon Goddess? Why would you make it so hard for us? Can you not see the efforts I am making? The pain we are going through?’I silently grumbled while staring at the moon. My mother used to say that the Goddess had a palace on the moon and observed all her subjects from above.I was fairly certain she was ignoring me.Jasper saw my sullen face and came forward to close the windows. Suddenly, the winds began to roar and I saw the sky darkening.The stars were soon shadowed by dark clouds and winds began to howl. The
CeliaXenos studied the dark book of magic for a long time, flipping through the pages while we watched him in silence.The pages looked paper thin as if held together just by a spiderweb thread that would crumble at any instance.When I could not bear the silence anymore, I finally asked.“Can you still use it to get to the altar of light? Altar of shadows?”Xenos did not answer immediately as he kept reading through the pages intently. I thought he had not even heard me so I decided to open my mouth again but he added,“The pages of the book have worn out a little. But as I predicted the dark witch wanted to have a way to get to the altar. So yes, it might work.”Hope filled my heart when he said that but Jasper’s fingers closed around mine.“But you have to know that this is dark magic…corrupted and vile. The shadows would trick you, they would make you see things, and experience pain and sorrow at the extreme. They would test your resolve. And it might….”He trailed off as his gaz
CeliaMy heart pounded in my chest as I took that fateful step into the swirling vortex of darkness. One moment I was standing beside Jasper and the other I was being sucked into a never ending pit.My heart raced, and I felt like I was being sucked into a nightmare. The world around me twisted and contorted, and I was enveloped in an overwhelming sense of foreboding. The very air felt heavy with an oppressive darkness that seemed to seep into my very soul. I could not understand what was happening or how to fight the sudden claustrophobic sensation engulfing me.I could not find ground to put my feet on. Everything around me was moving at a dizzying speed and all I could see was blurred images of something around me.Was it trees? The library walls?It was hard to make sense of it and the effort made my head ache.Hence, I shut my eyes tightly, and pulled my hands closer to my chest, trying to curve into a ball in an attempt to escape the suffocating grip of this place. It felt like
Celia I looked up so fast that I thought I had almost snapped my neck. The voice sounded raspy and rough. I tensed and looked around, fearing the shadows were again after me. However, I could not find anyone. Had I imagined it? I began questioning myself and clutched my chest nervously. “W-who is there?” I asked, but was met with silence. The shadows kept swirling around the huge black pillar and cast an ominous eerie gloom on my already petrified heart. I looked back at the portal and was relieved that it was still there. But all of them were still staring at me in anticipation. Had they heard the voice too? “Jasper, did you hear the voice?” “Maybe he didn’t” Rain spoke in my head and I was so startled that I doubled back. My wolf had gone eerily silent and was simply observing the things. I looked nervously through the portal but slowly some of the shadows stopped circling the huge pillar. They began drifting towards the portal, slowly blocking my view of Jasper and the
To all my lovely readers, I cannot thank you enough for staying with me on this wild roller coaster of emotions until the end. You cannot pick a favorite child but writing this book was magical, simply because, I got so many of you who were invested to read. I sincerely hope I've improved as a writer when compared to my old books and continue to write stories that touch your hearts. Last year was especially tough for me with fighting depression and a few other issues that I do not want to make public. Some of you loved the story, others not so much. But I want to thank every single one of you for giving this story and this author a chance. If my story managed to provide a temporary escape from reality or simply added a sprinkle of joy to your day, then my mission as a writer is complete. And to those who patiently endured the plot twists – I promise, I only did it because I love you all. Okay, maybe that is not the complete truth. Perhaps there was a hint of mischief in the twis
Jasper I turned my head to look at her from a distance. I could see the nervousness in her gaze, in her body language. My gaze flicked to the guests, all of whom were looking at her. She cleared her throat, “Today is going to be a big day of my life. But before I take that step…I…I wanted to tell you all something.” Her gaze found mine and I only smiled at her. Before she could speak another word, one of the many people in the crowd placed a hand on his chest and bowed down to her. Celia was stunned and watched him In surprise. Behind her, Nymeria, Xenos, and Vasil were slowly descending the stairs too. Following the first person, a few more did the same- place a hand on their chest, their heart to be precise, and bowed to her, going down on one knee. “What is going on?” She asked In a low voice. Soon, everybody followed suit. In a matter of minutes, the entire crowd was on its knees, bowing to her. Her eyes flicked to me and I too did the same gesture. Placing my hand on my
JasperI cleared my throat and looked down at the crowd of people who had come to witness the wedding. There had been no happy event or celebration in the palace after my birth.That day had been a day of celebration but Isadora had turned it into a nightmare. And after all those years, finally, we were having a moment to rejoice.But as I watched the hopeful eyes of the people surrounding me, I could not shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at me.I had to get rid of it. And the only way to do that was to be honest.For a confused moment, I stood on the stairs, looking at the excited faces of the people around me.My gaze flicked to my father and brothers, all of whom were smiling proudly at me.“Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?” I asked in a loud voice, turning even those heads that had been momentarily distracted while looking at the grandeur of the palace.“First of all, I would like to thank you all for being present today. Frankly, I did not expect so many of
JasperThe huge room suddenly felt too small and the air in the world did not seem enough to fill my lungs.Celia had spoken something, but I was too busy staring at her.My heartbeat was roaring in my ears as I took in her beauty that shone radiantly, nothing short of a thousand lanterns.Her face looked distraught and her eyes were red, her cheeks puffed up. Her makeup had smeared a little too.But despite that, she looked like an angel. A Goddess.I had only seen her in her usual gowns and training clothes, but this marvel…this was just for me.For a minute, I simply stood in front of her, drinking her features. How could she be so blissfully ignorant of what she was doing to me by just standing there in that beautiful dress?I took a step forward, and I saw a tear trickle down her eye.“Shh, don’t cry,” I said softly, reaching for her face and cupping it. And when I did, a surge of electricity rippled through me.My Lycan roared in my head, feeling exhilarated to see her all dolle
CeliaDread settled in my heart when Xenos and Nymeria revealed my life’s biggest secret. My whole life had been a lie?But then what about the people I grew up with thinking they were my parents?Nothing made sense anymore, and I only stared blankly at Xenos.“Is…is that true?”I asked, and he nodded. “There is a reason I never found the courage to tell you all of this earlier. And to be sure that I was not guessing it all wrong, I asked Nymeria to allow me to show her that memory, too. I touched her and with her permission, I looked through her memories…childhood memories, to be specific. There was no trace of me or Isadora in it.”My heart felt like it would break into a million pieces.“But then, how could I never do magic? I never sensed it and…and then why was I not able to fight her when she…she killed me?”I was sobbing hysterically and Nymeria’s face looked like she was cursing herself for ruining my day.She apologized over a thousand times that she did not want me to learn
Celia "Are you going to tell her, or should I?" Nymeria's question hung in the air like a storm cloud, casting a palpable tension in the room. I looked from Nymeria to Xenos, confusion and a growing sense of foreboding twisting in my chest. Their solemn expressions conveyed that something grave was afoot. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my heart beginning to race. "Tell me what?" I pressed, my voice laced with unease. Xenos, usually a man of few words, hesitated for a moment. His eyes held mine for a second longer than I expected, and I could see a mix of guilt and apprehension in them. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, the weight of his unspoken words lingering in the room. Nymeria, her expression torn between sympathy and responsibility, finally broke the silence. "Celia, there's something you need to know." I felt a shiver crawl down my spine. The room, once filled with warmth and camaraderie, had now become suffocating with uncertainty. My thoughts raced as
CeliaThe grand lycan palace was alive with anticipation, every corner adorned with flowers and delicate decorations in celebration of our wedding day. Two weeks had passed in a blur since the night Jasper had proposed to me in front of my pack.And every day after that seemed like a dream to me. I would wake up and pinch myself, wondering if it was all my imagination.But it was true, every single moment of it…just like today.The air was thick with the sweet scent of blooming roses, and the palace echoed with laughter and the sound of joyous conversations.In my room, the one I used to live in before I moved in with Jasper, a sense of nervous excitement filled the room as I sat before a beautifully crafted vanity mirror, surrounded by my maids and my dear friend, Nymeria. Their skilled hands moved with grace, tending to every detail to transform me into the radiant bride I aspired to be.The maids began to braid my long, dark hair, weaving flowers and jewels into it.As their nimble
"Are you guys ever coming out?" Jasper called with a good-natured grin, standing a few paces away from the porch.He had his hands placed on the doorframe and looked at us with his eyes furrowed as he saw Vasil holding my hand which I gave a gentle squeeze.“Don’t forget what I told you. Think about it,” I added, looking at Vasil while getting up from the chair.Jasper folded his hands over his chest and asked, “What secret are you guys discussing?”Vasil too got up from his chair and gave my arm a light squeeze.“Of course. And just so you know, if he ever hurts you or makes you sad, you know where to find me.”“Ha ha ha, very funny, bloodsucker,” Jasper replied humorlessly and looked at me to indicate that he wanted me to come out of the room.Vasil outstretched his hand as if to say, “After you” and I looked at him with my eyes wide, “Why are you always mean to him?”Jasper grinned, “He tried to take you from me. Am I not great for letting him live?”Vasil, who was just behind me,
CeliaAs Jasper walked beside me, his very presence filled my being with warmth and comfort. His scent, a heady mixture of earthy woods and his own unique, intoxicating fragrance, enveloped me like a protective embrace. I observed him, my heart overflowing with gratitude for the incredible man who had become not just my love but my lifeline, my mate.Isadora had tricked me into believing Vasil was my mate but the true pull of the mate bond was poles apart from the confusion she had tried to insert in my head.It was as if whenever I saw Jasper, my heart filled with hope and the promise that if he was around, nothing would ever go wrong.Every time I recalled the way he had jumped up and down the floor when I called him my mate and the way he ran through the palace telling everyone excitedly that I was his mate, my eyes would grow moist.What had I ever done to deserve him? I barely tried to fight Isadora but he literally fought both the devil and the Goddess, just like he had promised