As we move toward the center of the Stine Kingdom, we come across an abandoned village. The instant we step into its boundary, the air becomes filled with a heavy, oppressive silence. Everywhere we look, the houses are empty, with windows and doors left open to the elements. However, there is no crumbling in the structures. There are also no weeds and overgrown ivy that hang on the houses, which means it’s not too long since this village was deserted. “Pretty bad,” Gezer comments. “Where are the villagers?” Ruth whispers. I watch Inanna. She is surveying the area, and her gaze eventually settles on a small home nestled on the edge of the village. We follow her as she draws closer to the dwelling. The door is ajar, the same as the other abandoned houses. “There is some faint scent of humans within,” she whispers. She raises her arms and warns, “Stay back.” Then her eyes fall on Ruth. “Being the only human in our group, will you please approach them?” Klevon interjects, “But I am
I stand side by side with Klevon, Ninus, and Gezer. I watch the sun dip below the horizon and the sky lights up in a bright orange hue, followed by the appearance of stars. Outside the castle, everything seems quiet. The Stine looks like an abandoned castle. Other than the ice that cloaks its walls, there is also that aura that suggests something is wrong. “It’s time,” says Klevon, his voice low and determined. The others nod. We talked about the infiltration strategy and the search for General Brandon before, so there is no need for any further instruction. There are a couple of places where Bryer might keep General Brandon. In the throne room, in the towers, or in the deep dungeons. Since Ninus and Gezer have almost the same aura as Bryer, they can easily confuse whatever creature is on those walls. “Let’s go,” Klevon says. Klevon and I stay at the sideline while Gezer and Ninus walk into the great walls of the Kingdom of Stine. I stare up at them, feeling a sense of awe. Upo
I shift parts of my body into wolf form and try to hold my own against Bryer. It proves to be more challenging. I growl and snarl at him, using both magic and human combat, but it’s no use against him. His strength is just too great. Bryer laughs as if taunting me, “As long as Brandon Stine is here, you are doomed even before our fight begins!” I glare at him. I am aware of it. The mere presence of General Brandon here is strengthening Bryer. I need to do something, or anything, to get past this hurdle. “Kaiya, I think you need to kill me for this to end. I am useless for a battle right now,” General Brandon whispers. “Thank you for saving me, though.” I turn my attention to him to check if he’s not doing anything stupid like taking his own life. “No,” I say. “But Stine Kingdom is no more.” “You are still a Pitchford general, even if you are injured right now. Besides, if it’s that gone from you, it doesn’t matter. It’s merely a title.” And then we hear screeching. From outside,
I open my eyes. It is a fretful sleep, and now that I am awake and studying my surroundings, I completely forget about my dreams. “How are you?” Klevon asks who is sitting on the side of my bed. I sit up, and he supports me. We are in the basement of the sibling’s house. I hear activities from the top, probably some construction and rebuilding, based on the pounding against the wood. “How long have I been sleeping?” I ask. “Three days,” he answers. “They cooked soup. Do you like that?” I shift my attention to him. “What happened to Stine?” I ask, ignoring his question about the soup. “Ah!” he exclaims. “Before that, let me get you some food, and we can discuss the events after you fainted.” I nod, and Klevon disappears. While I wait for him, I rub my temple. It feels as if I am forgetting something important again. However, no matter how much I try to think about it, the more it escapes my grasp. The basement door opens again, and Klevon comes inside. This time, he is holding a
Klevon’s arms are around me as we watch the fading view of Stine Kingdom. He is warm, and as we spend more time together, I feel more and more familiar with his touches, as long as he won’t go overboard.“Miss Kaiya and Klevon.”I spin around to see General Brandon standing behind us. His gaze is stern and disapproving, especially at how Klevon’s arms are draped on my shoulders.“The two of you are being too close,” he remarks. He has a look of displeasure on his face.“Leader, we are just taking in the beauty of Stine Kingdom.”“There is no such thing as beauty when referring to my birthplace.”Klevon shrugs and asks, “More importantly, why do you need to come with us? Isn’t your Kingdom destroyed? You should help rebuild it,” Klevon says.“My presence in the castle is unneeded. My cousins can be be royalties for all I care.”“Brrr,” Klevon says, acting as if it’s freezing. “You are so cold, leader. Your family members died, you know.”“They are my family by blood and name only.” He
I breathe in the sweet, salty air as soon as I step onto the island. I have been away for far too long and have almost forgotten what it feels like to be here. However, the island is—fundamentally different. Children are running about, playing, and laughing. There is the smell of grilled fish and tropical fruits.My gaze goes to the tall trees that line up the beach. They are the same trees I have seen so many times before. But now, they seem taller, lusher, and more alive. Or maybe, it’s the residents that are more alive.“General Brandon, I didn’t know you would visit today,” one werewolf remarks.It’s Roscoe, one of the adult werewolves in the hunting park. He shifts his eyes to me, and a look of recognition passes over his features.“Kaiya!” he exclaims. Abruptly, he encloses me in a bear hug that almost takes my breath away. “You are back!”“I am,” I say, not quite believing what I am seeing now.“You look different now,” he says. “Cleaner.”“I live in a castle and am forced to t
The shore is a busy place. Pitchford warriors are preparing to leave while General Brandon is talking to other werewolves. Klevon stands beside me, quiet and just silently taking in the scent of the sea and nearby flowers. I feel sad about leaving Nowra again. I shift my attention to her and reach for her hand. We exchange a sad, knowing smile. We’ve been inseparable ever since I arrived on the island. “Kaiya, they are calling for us,” Klevon whispers. I embrace Nowra tightly, and she whispers, “I promise we will meet again. I will do my best to pass that exam.” I nod and step back from her. Her eyes are glistening with unshed tears. Her eyes shift to Klevon, and she says, “Well, Klevon, for the past few days that you’ve been tailing Kaiya, I know you like her. Unfortunately, you won’t have a chance with her.” “I am born persistent,” he says. She smiles. “I’ve been born persistent, too. And I am telling you to just take me in,” she says and winks at him. “You will not be happy w
“It’s dark now,” Theo comments and offers his hand to me. “I will walk you to your quarters.”I place my hand in his and smile. I allow him to lead the way. And before I know it, we are already standing in front of my door.Theo and I have been spending a lot of time together for the past few weeks. There may be a few kisses and touches here and there, but that’s it. We mainly focus on our conversation rather than on our desire. Although, as days go by, it is me whose desire is getting more and more uncontrollable.“Seems like you will get another promotion soon.”I nod. I look into his eyes but I can’t help but wander on his lips. I want to kiss him, however, there is a hesitation. Should I allow us to be together now?As if sensing my need, he leans towards me, and I close my eyes as he presses a kiss on my forehead. I want to feel him more and much longer.“Kaiya?” he calls.I open my eyes. He is peering at me. I flush scarlet at being caught enjoying his kiss.“The others helped a
I stand in the middle of an arena. In front of me is an enormous man covered in armor and holding a broadsword in front of him. I pull my sword out of the sheath and face my opponent. He is the biggest of the warriors–at least in mass. His armor covers most of his body except for his joints. A helm covers his face, but even so, I can see that he is very ready to fight. “Ready…” the announcer starts. “Fight!” The crowd of spectators cheers at the same time that the man rushes towards me. He swings his broadsword and I dodge to the left, missing me by a hair’s breadth. I counter by thrusting my sword forward, aiming for his exposed shoulder joints. He parries with ease and strikes back, the force of his attack sending shockwaves down my arm. I take a step back, regaining my composure as he advances once again. This time, I feint to the right and quickly pivot to my left, slashing at his unprotected knee joints. The crowd roars as my blade makes contact, biting into him and drawing bl
It is noisy. Why are people talking about me in my room?! I open my eyes in exasperation. They are saying that I am... Wait, is Kaiya my name? I try to sit up, but my body feels heavy and sluggish. I look down and feel relieved that I have legs... Why though? Nothing is making sense. Confused, I look around. “Kaiya? You’re awake!” a handsome man with black-purple hair says. He hugs me, but I push him away. “She doesn’t like you anymore,” a handsome red-haired man says this time. He’s smaller than the first one but still exudes strength. “Kaiya, you remember me, right? I am your mate.” They wait for me to speak and so I ask, “I am Kaiya?” “Yes, your name is Kaiya,” a woman informs. “The guy with the purplish hair is your lover. The guy with red hair is your mate.” “How does that work? A mate and a lover?” The woman named Inanna shrugs her shoulders and adds, “By the way, I am Inanna.” I try to process what Inanna has just told me. Mate and lover? It feels so foreign to me. “I..
As the purification of the Moon Goddess starts, I am overwhelmed by my own memories. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. The pain is excruciating, and I scream out in agony. But as time passes, the pain only intensifies. Tears flow down my face. But judging from the sting as it flows across my face, I think it is blood. I can feel my mind slipping away from the pain, and I can hear the screams of the werewolves inside my head. Suddenly, a warm hand grabs mine, squeezing it tightly. “Stay with me, Kaiya,” a voice says. Inanna. She presses her forehead against mine and whispers words of comfort. I can feel the calming magic from her as well. Through the pain, I manage to grasp onto her hands, anchoring myself to reality. Her magic and tone stabilize me, and slowly, I begin to focus on what’s happening around us. The Moon Goddess is suspended as her purification process starts. I can hear screams from outside the mimicked Realm that Inanna has done. “Don’t give up now...” she
As we leave my chamber, I can hear the sounds of battle growing louder outside. I can sense humans against humans. But there are also vampires and werewolves fighting against humans. There is the sound of swords clashing against swords or armor. Worse, I see the destruction that the fighting is doing to Orttenburg. Even in the early moments of the war, there are already casualties that can be seen around. I clench my jaws. We must end this war soon. All I need is to get General Brandon and purify the Moon Goddess. After that, we can persuade these kingdoms that there’s no need for war. As we hurry through the chaos, I feel a pang of guilt. I can’t help but feel responsible for the destruction and loss of life in Orttenburg. It was my selfishness that led to this war. I have to make this right. Finally, we reach the hall where Inanna and Ruth are waiting for us. Inanna looks at us with a stern expression. “Good, you’re here. Time is of the essence.” I nod as Gezer puts me down. Ina
After sighing, Seth says, “Fine! But only with Theo, at least him–I trust will not hurt you.” I frown. “If you know that then—” “He will not hurt you, but he might take you away!” “Oh,” I mutter because Theo might really do it. I take a deep breath and the room spins for a moment. Seth helps me back to the bed and sits with me while the room steadies. “You should rest more,” he says, but I shake my head. “I can’t waste any time,” I whisper, trying to suppress the tremble in my voice. “Invite Theo. I will meet him in one of the sitting rooms.” “There’s no need for you to move. I will lead him here.” As Seth leaves the room, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I analyze the current situation. Theo will always help me. The only problem is, I need him to understand the situation. All we need is to trap General Brandon, take out the Moon Goddess, purify her, and that’s it. I can talk with the Moon Goddess and plead with her about my case. All I need is to be strong enough to wr
Suddenly, I am whisked away from my own mind. I open my eyes to see both Inanna and Seth looking down at me. “Kaiya, what’s wrong? What did you see?” Seth asks. “I come here because I sensed some distortions in the air,” Inanna informs. “What happened?” I swallow hard, my head reeling from all the information. It is my fault in the first place! “There’s no dark entity inside me, but I’ve found out something else instead.” “What is it?” Seth asks. He is looking worried as seconds pass. I grin at him. “I am an apostle, rather than a Vessel—if it makes any sense.” Then, I glance at Inanna and ask, “Did you know?” “Just a hint,” she says. “The Blood God told me that you are technically different from us. Gezer, Ninus, and I are Vessels. You are a little bit different, though.” “Then why did you say that I am...” “Because I don’t know what to call you.” “How is an apostle different from vessels?” “I am guessing that it’s in the amount of blessing you received. Once, the Blood Go
I watch as Theo’s ship slowly reaches the horizon. I can still feel the warmth of his embrace, and his words still echo in my heart. ‘No one can take your place, Kaiya.’ I let out a rush of air as I hold back my tears. He’s only been away for a while and I am missing him already. And so I watch as the ship eventually disappears from my sight. At the same time, Inanna reaches for my hand. “I heard that you will be doing a ritual today. Just inform me if you need help,” she says and leaves me and Seth alone on the balcony. I turn to the ocean and take a deep breath. Despite the distance, I can still feel him inside my heart. “Kaiya,” Seth calls from behind me. I turn to him and smile. “Are you ready for the ritual?” “Yes,” I nod. “Let’s start.” We both take out our supplies and prepare for the ritual. We walk to the King’s private garden—a quiet clearing where no one can disturb us. We start by setting up candles, incense, and some crystals that Inanna provided earlier. When all
“Come on, Theo.” I take his hand and we walk to my room. I open the door slowly, revealing my small but cozy room. Light from the moon spills through the window, bathing everything in a soft blue hue. “Welcome to my room,” I say warmly. He looks around carefully with curious eyes, and I can’t help but laugh at his reaction. “Do you like it?” He draws me close before answering. “It’s lovely.” His arms wrap around me tight and he nuzzles his head against mine before kissing me tenderly on the lips. “I really missed you.” I push back and grin at him. “Well, I missed you more.” I take a step back from him and remove my clothes. He watches me as I peel every piece of clothing in my body. He looks at me with such devotion that it makes me blush. “I think it’s about time you bare yourself to me too.” “Nope, I enjoy seeing you like this.” “Like what? Naked and embarrassed?” “No. Looking at me with desire in your eyes.” Theo takes a step closer and runs his hand down my naked back, se
“What the hell is going on here?!” Theo booms, his eyes blazing with fury. I freeze as I see him, my heart pounding in my chest. “King Theo! I told you that this is King Seth’s private area! You are—“ “Your King has done the same thing in my land!” he growls at Darius, who is much taller and bigger than him. Seth stands up calmly and meets Theo’s gaze. “There’s nothing going on here, King Theo. We were just talking.” Theo steps closer and takes in my state, his eyes flickering between Seth and me. “Talking? With your hands all over her? I’m not stupid, Seth. I know that you wanted her even before you have the mate bond with her!” Seth’s jaw tightens as Theo approaches him. Standing tall and unflinching, he says. “I’m not trying to do anything, Theo. Kaiya and I were just having a moment.” “A moment? Is that what you call it?” Theo sneers, grabbing Seth by the collar of his clothes. I stand up, panic rising in my chest. “Theo, stop! We were just talking, I swear!” But Theo doe