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You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-11-26 02:00:51Maerilee
I walk back to the throne room with Brook by my side, his hand warm and steady in mine. The feel of his fingers intertwined with mine brings a strange mix of comfort and tension. Comfort, because despite everything, having him here feels right. But tension too, because I know what’s waiting for us inside that room. More questions, more debates, and undoubtedly, more resistance.
As we approach the doors, I can already hear the raised voices, the overlapping arguments filling the air like a storm about to break. My stomach tightens, but I push it down, reminding myself of what I’ve just discovered. Brook is my Third. It’s impossible, absurd even, but it’s true. I can feel it in every fiber of my being.
I push open the doors, and the noise hits me like a wall. Many of the council members are still seated, deep in discussion, while my parents, River, and his parents are locked in their own heated debate. The moment we step into the r
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The One Under Attack
MaerileeThe moment the doors to the throne room close behind River and Brook’s parents, the reality of the situation hits me like a tidal wave. War. Oceana has declared war on us. And with Direken already making threats, the danger to Altinna has never been more real. My heart pounds in my chest, the urgency of finding my Fourth crashing over me with the force of a thousand storms. I can’t afford to wait any longer. Every second we waste brings us closer to disaster.I turn to my parents, ready to discuss how we might find him, how we can gather the resources and magic needed to locate the last piece of this puzzle. But just as I open my mouth to speak, my mother’s face pales, and she sways on her feet. The world seems to slow down as I watch her stagger, her hand reaching out as if to steady herself on an invisible support. My breath catches in my throat, and before I can react, she crumples to the floor.“Mother!” I cry out
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-27The One Maerilee’s Fourth
MaerileeI pace back and forth in my room, my mind a whirlwind of anger and frustration. How could I have been so blind? I should have seen it. I should have known what Direken was doing to my mother. The signs were there. His unsettling presence at the ball, that strange, oily feeling that clung to him like a second skin. It all makes sense now, but it’s too late. My mother lies poisoned, her strength sapped by his treachery, and I’m the one who let it happen.I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I replay the moments in my mind, searching for something I could have done differently. How could I have missed it? My mother’s health has been deteriorating for days, and I just stood by, oblivious to the danger lurking right under our noses. I was so focused on finding my One that I didn’t see what was happening right in front of me.I should have been more vigilant. I should have protected her.Anger courses through me,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-28The One Might as Well
MaerileeThe moment the words leave Permiton’s mouth, I freeze. My mind scrambles to make sense of what he’s just said, but all I feel is a surge of anger, hot and immediate. Did he really just suggest that? That I should, no, that I must, sleep with all of them? My hand moves before I can stop it, and the sharp crack of the slap echoes through the room.Permiton doesn’t react the way I expect him to. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t show any sign of anger or surprise. Instead, he stands there, his expression unchanged, his eyes focused and unwavering.That’s when it hits me. He’s not joking. He’s not trying to make a move or disrespect me. He’s dead serious. The only way that I can access the fullness of my powers is to be connected with all four of my Ones.My anger dissipates as quickly as it came, replaced by a cold dread that settles deep in my gut. I shouldn’t have done that. What an excellent im
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-29The One Enemies on All Sides
MaerileeI don’t ask questions. I don’t stop to think or even take a breath. The moment Permiton’s words leave his mouth, I throw on a robe, my heart hammering in my chest, and run. The corridors blur around me as I race through the palace, my bare feet slapping against the cold stone floor. There’s no time to waste. Something’s wrong. Something’s terribly wrong.When I reach my mother’s chambers, my pulse spikes. The door is ajar, a cold draft slipping through the crack as if beckoning me inside. I push it open, my breath catching in my throat at the sight before me.She lies in her bed, deathly pale, her chest rising and falling with shallow, labored breaths. Her once radiant skin is ashen, and her eyes are closed as if she’s already begun slipping away. I barely recognize her. She looks so fragile, so unlike the powerful woman I know so well.I rush to her side, but her eyes are already closed, her
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-11-30The One The Next Right Thing
MaerileeI’m a broken shell of myself, held together only by Permiton’s gentle embrace. My mother, still lying pale and motionless on the bed, is slipping away. Her chest rises and falls so faintly that, at times, I can barely tell if she’s breathing. I squeeze her hand, willing her to hold on, to give me some sign that she can hear me, that she’s still fighting. But there’s nothing.Someone sends for my father while the four of us wait in the room.“Maerilee,” Permiton says, his voice quiet but firm, drawing my attention away from my mother’s lifeless form. His eyes are unfocused again, and I know he’s seeing something beyond our reach. “The poison wasn’t meant to kill her outright.”I frown, barely able to comprehend what he’s saying.“What do you mean?”He takes a deep breath, meeting my gaze with a weight that makes my stomach churn.“I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-01The One Strength in Numbers
Maerilee“What do you mean by that?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, but my question hangs in the still air of my mother’s chamber like a command.My father stands at the foot of the bed, his gaze steady as it meets mine.“You have enough power, Maerilee,” he says, his voice low but certain. “You must. You wouldn’t be where you are right now, wouldn’t have found your Ones, if the power wasn’t there. You can do this.”I blink, trying to process his words. I have power, yes. I can feel it, especially with Akin, River, and Brook close by. But enough to seal the entire room? To protect my family from whatever forces are marching on Altinna? The weight of his belief presses down on me, and I swallow hard, feeling the familiar thread of self-doubt pulling tight.“I’m not sure if I can, ” I confess, looking down at my hands as if the answer could be found in my own skin. “The most I’ve managed is a barrier around Duchess’s ball. I’m not sure I’m powerful enough to protect you all.”I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-02The One This Has to Work
MaerileeAs soon as River and I step into my mother’s chamber, I’m struck by how still it is. My father stands near the bed, his hand resting gently on my mother’s arm, while my three siblings, Jimmen, Orindan, and Carmelina, are gathered around the room, their faces pale and drawn with worry. The weight of the situation hangs in the air, thick and suffocating. My mother, once so vibrant, now looks so small, so fragile, lying there motionless.I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I have to be strong. For her. For all of them.“I’m going to try something,” I say, my voice trembling slightly, but I force confidence into it. “I’m going to erect a barrier to keep you safe while we figure out how to save her.”My family watches me closely, their eyes filled with hope and fear. I can feel their expectation pressing down on me, and for a moment, the weight of it makes me falter. But I shake it off. I have to do this. I can’t fail.I focus on the magic within me, on the connection I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-02The One Impossible Goodbyes
MaerileeI close my eyes, focusing on the magic coursing through my veins. The power is there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for me to command it. I can feel the barrier beginning to take shape in my mind, a protective shell around this room, around my mother and family. But this time, I need more. It needs to be specific, targeted, able to allow some things in and keep others out. Food, water, air, those must pass through. But nothing else. Nothing that could harm them.The magic resists at first, slipping through my grasp like water. But I don’t give up. I take a deep breath, reaching deeper, pulling on the strength I know I have inside me. And not just my own strength, Akin’s, River’s, Brook’s, and even Permiton’s. Their magic intertwines with mine, amplifying it, making me stronger. With their power, I push through the resistance.Suddenly, I feel it solidify and obey.The barrier flares to life around us, invisible but undeniably there. It hums with energy, a quiet pulse
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-02
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*Maerilee*My barrier hums around us, seemingly unnoticed by everyone but Permiton. His hand squeezes mine and the tension in my chest eases as I realize the barrier may not even be necessary. Permiton hasn’t led us wrong yet, and I know that he’s seen something in the future that makes him confident the rebel’s aren’t hear to harm us.I drop the barrier as a measure of good faith, my fears easing as Caelan steps forward, his sword sheathed, and drops to one knee. The other rebels follow suit, their heads bowed in reverence, their arms crossed over their chest in a sign of Altinnian allegiance. Tears spring to my eyes as I realize that Caelan didn’t come to attack us. He’s here to help us.Caelan looks up at me, his expression steady and filled with deep respect.“Princess Maerilee,” he starts, his voice carrying a weight that quiets even the rustling trees around us. “I apologize for the
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*Maerilee*The morning light filters through the canopy of trees, casting soft golden rays over our little shelter. Through the leaves, I can see the waters shimmer, still and peaceful, as though they’ve forgotten the chaos of the day before. River is still sleeping soundly, his arm draped around me as his chest slowly rises and falls. There’s nothing left on his skin but a faint silver line from where his wound healed.I carefully extract myself from his arms, surprised at how reluctant I feel to leave him. His face is peaceful, an innocent smile playing on his lips as he dreams. I place a gentle, chaste kiss on his forehead before I dress.Once I’m decent, I go to stand at the edge of the river, the sound of the waterfall a soothing backdrop, but my mind is anything but calm. Something inside of me has irrevocably changed since this journey began. It isn’t just my relationships with my Four, but there’s a growi
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*Maerilee*The world around me blurs into chaos as the guardian rises from the water, its iridescent form casting a ghostly glow over the riverbank. It advances toward our group, though it seems done with me now that River has been shot. I hear the sharp, metallic twang of arrows and the clash of magic as Akin and Brook fight it off, but my focus is solely on River.He’s sprawled on the ground, his face pale and his chest heaving as blood pours from his wounds. My hands press desperately against his chest, trying to staunch the flow, but the crimson warmth seeps through my fingers, relentless and terrifying. I can’t make it stop, and he’s fading fast.“Stay with me, River,” I demand, my voice trembling. “Please, don’t do this.”His skin is cold to the touch, his breaths shallow and ragged, raspy and labored. Panic claws at my chest, threatening to choke me, but I force myself to focus. I tear a strip of cloth from my tunic, pressing it against the wound near his heart, but it’s not en
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*River*The air shifts as we cross through the remnants of the barrier, its hum of magic dissipating behind us. For a moment, I can only focus on the ache in my legs and the burn in my lungs, the physical strain of the journey catching up to me. But as the path widens, my breath catches for an entirely different reason.Past the barrier Permiton’s just broken is a large, expansive grotto. It stretches before us, a breathtaking expanse of green and blue, shimmering like something out of a dream. A massive waterfall cascades from the mountain above, its waters glowing faintly in the dim light. The air is thick with moisture, cool and refreshing, and the sound of the rushing water drowns out everything else.A sound like rumbling rocks comes from behind us, and we turn to see that the barrier we’ve just come through is back up. My heart falls, crushed by the thought that we’ll have to go through that again. Though Permiton did most of the work, he still drew a lot of power from all of us
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*Maerilee*The sun shines down brightly on us as we press forward, the air thick with the promise of something monumental just ahead. My chest feels heavy, not from the climb or the journey, but from the weight of everything riding on us reaching Bright Waters. Time feels like a noose tightening around my neck, pulling tighter with every passing moment. This journey has already taken much longer than I’d ever anticipated. If we don’t get back to Altinna soon, I fear what we’ll find when we return.Brook walks by my side, quiet but focused. Recently, I’ve come to rely on his calm, steady presence, in his new sense of confidence and authority. And now, my heart swells with the love I have for him, something I did not expect at all. It took me by surprise, knocking the wind out of me, but it makes trusting him, relying on him, that much easier.“How much further?” I ask, my voice a whisper against the rustling leaves.Brook glances at me, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Less than a d
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*River*The path winds endlessly through the rocky terrain, the air thick with the hum of magic. I should feel some sense of triumph, I suppose. After all, we’re nearing Bright Waters, the mythical source of all of the power in Oceana. Legend has it that it is the single greatest source of power in the entire realm, maybe in all of the realms. But all I feel is frustration, a simmering anger that burns low and constant, its flames licking at the edges of my thoughts.For days now, I’ve watched Maerilee grow closer to everyone but me. Akin is always at her side, a steady rock she leans on without hesitation. He, at least, I can understand. He has been her bodyguard for so many years. There’s been a trust there that runs deeper than Bright Waters themselves. Even if I don’t exactly like Akin, I can respect their bond.But how the hell has she allowed Permiton to worm his way back into her good graces? None of us missed the way
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*Brook*The air at the top of the cliff is cooler, sharper, and the electric hum of magic is only getting stronger the closer we get to the Waters. My body aches from the climb, but standing here, looking out over the rugged, unforgiving terrain below and the shimmering haze ahead that marks Bright Waters, I feel an intense rush of dopamine. We’ve made it this far, and we’ll make it the rest of the way too. I also begin to understand that we’re only going to make it together. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.The rest of the group takes a moment to catch their breath, their exhaustion palpable. Maerilee has nearly collapsed against Akin, who has her in a tight grip. After her fall, he’s completely unwilling to leave her side, though he isn’t the only one who feared for her. Still, I know that he needs this more than I do right now, so I don’t let it bother me.
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*Akin*I wait for Maerilee, but she doesn’t come back that night. It turns my stomach, nearly sends me into a rage when I realize that she’s spending the night with Permiton. What does she possibly see in him? What smooth words can he possibly offer her to explain away his indiscretions? It’s not that she’s with another man. I’ve gotten used to it. It’s that she’s with him!He’s a traitor, pure and simple. I don’t care what she believes. This is one point I can’t trust her on. I’ve followed her here, and I’ve seen that she is often right, but for some reason, Permiton is a blind spot for her. I eventually slip into a fitful, restless sleep, often hoping I’ll wake up, and she’ll be beside me, but when I awake in the morning, she and Permiton are walking back to our camp, looking freshly fucked and bright as the sun.Part of me wonders what would happen to Maerilee’s powers if Permiton were to “accidentally” fall off the cliff to his death. It’s a selfish thought, of course. She clearl
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*Maerilee*The sun beats down on us mercilessly as we trudge forward, the rocky terrain stretching endlessly in every direction. My legs ache, and every step feels heavier than the last, but I push on. We have to. There’s no room for weakness now, not with the stakes as high as they are.Brook leads the way with Akin and River close behind, their sharp gazes scanning the horizon for any sign of danger. I follow, and Permiton lingers at the rear, as silent and enigmatic as ever.The landscape changes as we go. The jagged hills grow steeper, the vegetation sparser. By the time we reach the base of a tall cliff, the sun is sinking low in the sky, casting long shadows across the ground. The cliff towers over us, a wall of stone that seems almost impossible to scale. My heart sinks at the sight of it. There doesn’t seem to be a path around it.Brook turns to face us, his usually lighthearted expression somber.“This
