LydiaI wake up in a dark room. I’m lying on something soft. Opening my eyes, I realize I’m on a bed with a fur blanket. My neck aches. I touch it gingerly to find dried blood.I try to get up, clinging to a bed post for support. Moving makes the world start spinning around me. Lying back down on th
KaneLord Gavin reluctantly hands over the Firebird in its cage to Thomas. He does seem regretful at having to lose such a rare bird in his collection, but he’s hardly at a loss. I’ve given him enough land and gold to keep his descendants in the lap of luxury for centuries to come. This Firebird has
KaneI’m speechless with fury. I want to slam my fist into King Myenas’s smug face. It’s not surprising that he would try something like this. Everyone has told me there is no use trying to reason with this madman. This is what I get trying to resolve all this without having to spill any blood.I gr
EmoryLater that evening, I sit down in my office and pick up the phone to dial Alpha Gerald. He’d much rather speak to me than Kane since we are the same species. Kane has locked himself in his office and hasn’t come out since we got home from Burgandy Bay. I’m sure he’s trying to come up with a pl
“I wish you the best of luck, Emory. If anything changes, let me know. In the meantime, I will be talking to the other Alphas to see if they are willing to unite with us.”With that, he hangs up, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. It doesn’t work.Since Kane is dealing with the new ter
LydiaRainer managed to sneak me some food from the kitchen, and I’m feeling better after getting some rest. I’m able to walk without feeling nauseous which I can contribute to that fast shifter healing. He also took a dress from the servants’ quarters for me to change into as the heavy velvet gown
RainerI walk quickly down the hallways, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. Unfortunately for me, Castle Pestera being a smaller castle has a more limited number of guards and servants, so it’s harder to blend in. The guards all talk and joke around in between their shifts as there’s really n
WillowI receive a letter from Rainer asking for help about a spell or potion that could make someone appear dead without actually killing them. This is beyond my level of magical expertise, so I take the matter to my niece. Ivy has a nearly encyclopedic knowledge for spells and potions. When I tell
Fractured memories of the night I nearly drank myself to death careen to the forefront of my mind. There was a woman. I don’t remember her face or her name. I was so far gone with drink and self-loathing that I gave in to whatever kind of attention and stimulations she had to offer. It was consensua
ColeThe letter came in the dead of night, rain-soaked and smeared, but I’d know her handwriting anywhere, in any condition. She’d written that she needed to see me, urgently, that it couldn’t wait, and she couldn’t explain why, not in a letter, not at the risk of what she needed to tell me going pu
EmeldaIt’s a quiet night. A long, silent walk from the castle. I needed this quiet, this stillness in the late summer air. Ravenfell comes into view beyond the trees, twinkling in the darkness. I smile, shaking my head as I look down at my shoes. I can still feel the weight of the twins in my arms
MichaelI haven’t been to Scarlet Thunder in… years. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until I pulled up to the back of the castle, somewhat startled by how small it looks compared to my memories from my childhood. Not that it's a small castle, but I'm much bigger now. I step out of my car, my fac
Faye“Oh, Faye, this is beautiful,” Emory says as she walks around the wide room on the second floor of the newly constructed manor. She runs her fingers over the pale blue and pink floral wallpaper and white trim, her jade eyes sparkling as she takes in the lace curtains and soft cream carpet. “I l
EmeldaIn the week since the twins were born, I’ve been busy with the final touches on my cottage. I spent days this past spring digging in the front garden, planting herbs and vegetables, and fixing the front path. I hired a group of shifters to replace the roof and update the inside, installing ne
Emelda“Thank you,” I say, hurrying at a near run as a maid takes my cloak. The castle is buzzing with nervous energy but remains quiet with even the maids tiptoeing around, trying not to make a sound. I’d remained in Ravenfell for the birth. I spent all night and most of this morning at Alma’s hou
FayeSomething’s wrong. Something has to be wrong. “You’re doing great. Keep pushing, Faye. You’ve got this,” Alma says, her face glistening with sweat and determination while I roar in pain. Michael clutches my hand, his other hand bracing my inner thigh as I bear down with all the strength I hav
Michael“It could be hours–or a day,” Alma says quietly as she arranges her tonics on a table just outside the bedroom where Faye’s finally getting some rest. “It’s been hours already,” I tell her, motioning toward the window in my suite in the castle where moonlight drifts through the panes, casti