“Loki took her.” The whole room fell silent, and I was suddenly painfully aware that all eyes were on me. This might not have been the right way to do it, but it was done, and I figured it out, didn’t I? “Who?” Tew´s voice sounded unsure, but I knew who I was talking about like everyone here knew, but it felt like he just could not believe me. Not so strange after all, I guess; I mean, come on! In my world, a claim like this would earn me a nice, snugly white shirt with my arms strapped around me. I saw Arcane from the corner of my eye, getting up and hurrying over to my side. I hated to admit it, but this guy seemed to do everything right for some reason. Make me feel safe, stand by my side, backing me up, always a little too close. Nah, who am I kidding? Too close? I shook my head as I sidetracked myself. Tew´s questions were still hanging in the air, and I was still staring straight at him. Tew exchanged glances with Hades, but he remained quiet, waiting for the outcome to play
Eir´s Pov. I still can’t believe I fell asleep, but felt drained and tired. Fighting heavy eyelids, a fight I could not win. However, I now felt rested, calm, and collected while looking over at him through my lashes and pretending I was still asleep. He was not, staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head right next to me in my bed. I could see his green eyes move; his stare was so intense that my curiosity began to rebel inside me, demanding to know what he was looking at. “How long will you pretend to sleep? Is it a way of saving even more energy?” “No, I’m done. What are you looking at?” Quickly, I brushed it away and rolled over on my back to satisfy my curiosity and hide my slight blush. “Then why do you do it? “ I sighed; why does he always have to ask the weirdest questions? Ask the things most people would not. But I’m beginning to realize I must get used to it, asking the most bizarre and cringiest things. “I don’t know; I wasn’t ready to open my eyes yet. W
This is amazing! No, it is freaking AWSOME! Not at all what I thought he talked about or what I was thinking about! Yes, he was shameless and clearly very comfortable with his own nakedness, but oh my god! Despite the awkwardness and my inner conflict when he demanded, I looked at him, even when he was naked! He shifted into a freaking dragon! When I finally looked at him, I was met with a wide grin before he bent his head back, stretching his arms out and up. Then I felt a slight sensation of fear, fear for what I was about to see. Expecting his skin to split, blood gushing out, and all that, but nothing of it happened. Yes, his skin broke and tore, but blue scales appeared instead of blood and bare flesh. Deep blue and the scales looked soft, moving in waves, taking over more and more of his body, which was growing at an incredible speed. Suddenly, all of the man I just saw was gone; all I could see were flashing and moving scales, deep blue with light blue patches dancing ove
“Oh, come on! Why are you still mad? It was funny! And look! I am dressed again!” All I did was roll my eyes while still trying to get through this thick forest. Bushes, threes, and everything green, filled with leaves and long grass, looked like it decided it wanted to brush my face and be up close. This was supposed to be a place where a pack lived nearby; from what I’ve seen so far, it looks just wild and uninhabited. Drifta is pushing, wanting to shift, almost like she is scraping and clawing at me from the inside, adding to the frustration and irritation. Seb said I can’t shift here, not now, not without talking to or introducing ourselves to the local pack. They might see us as intruders or a threat. However, this doesn't seem to sink into Drifta´s head. She was still pushing me, pacing around in my mind, and whining to the point that an irking headache was lurking far down in my neck, working its way up my skull. Having him jogging up behind me didn’t help either; all I could
Maya´s POV. I watched in a combination of awe, excitement, and a little fear as the massive fire sizzled in front of us. Nyx hummed and whispered in a foreign tongue, a strange language consisting of as many guttural sounds, clicking with her tongue and horror-like sounds from deep down in her throat as words. It all contributed to a mythical, almost magical night, dark magic, that is. The sun had gone down long ago; instead, the full moon cast cold, white light down at us in between the thick clouds. Nyx was an incredibly gorgeous woman, but now her eyes were almost black. She stared straight into the dancing flames reflected in her eyes' endless, deep darkness. Her facial features seemed to change, twisting into something unearthly, almost like she took on a different being. Some creature I’m not sure I should be scared of or fascinated by, but I was not so surprised; I didn’t even feel a little piece of that jealousy I felt towards her earlier. The volume in her voice increased
“I don’t know what happened or why they arrived!” Nyx was frustrated, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. The rest of the pack had slowly backed up and retreated to their homes. I, Hades, Arcane, Tew, and Nyx were the only ones left. The rest of us are sitting on the ground, resting our eyes on her, walking restlessly back and forth. Mumbling and talking to herself, seemingly going through her spells or something. Arcane´s arm is still around my shoulders, always protecting me, and to be honest, I’m beginning to like it. I love it, never feeling alone and almost fully believing I will always have someone to support me. Almost. A new intoxicating feeling I’m a bit scared to rely on or become addicted to because it feels like I am. Again, Nyx’s voice called me out of my own trail of thoughts, “This should not have happened! It is a perfectly normal ritual! The typical Viking ritual for calling for the old Norse gods, appreciating them, and praising them. There was nothin
Eir´s Pov. It had been surrealistic for a while like I had fallen back into one of those dreams I used to have—that little happy girl and that massive black wolf. Slowly, reality snuck up in my head, and I recognized the wolf. The wolf dreamed about it so many times and blamed my imagination, for I even explained it as being fury for a while. Obviously, his beast recognized me or liked me or something. He kept walking around me in circles while everyone else just watched in silence. Brushing his thick fur against me, he sniffed my hair, neck, and even feet. It was weird, really, especially when I finally managed to relax and remember how to breathe again. I can’t claim I recognize him, not even his wolf, but Drifta does for some reason. She wasn’t even with me when I supposedly knew him, but still, she won’t budge. Drifta kept insisting that he was family, that this was our father, that she recognized this wolf as her family, and that I was still struggling with how to handle this.
(This chapter is Eir´s father’s pov. How he met her mother and the time they spent together) It all seems so trivial now, but it meant the world to me back then! I had turned 22 and was the only Alpha son who had not participated in the mate hunt before I turned 20. I spent year after year pushing myself through tournaments and contests. It had cost me blood, sweat, and what I will never admit in front of anyone else, tears. I’ve crossed deserts and hunted wild boar in human form without weapons. I’ve crossed the wild sea in an open boat alone late in the fall, the one time of year the weather gods raged through the lands. The waves reached way above my boat, even the ships, but I still did it, and I survived. I excelled as a front warrior, footman, strategist, and even as a medic. I fought werebears and lions and came out of the old Alpha games, something that is more like what used to be seen in old colosseums in Roma than anywhere else, and lived alone all winter without supply an
Chapter 2 of book 2. Queen of KingsThe reaction was immediate, and no matter what I told myself, I lost control of it even before it started. My heart dropped; it felt like I was pulled back into an alternate reality where I watched the Fay march through the pack´s village. Sound and shapes faded out around me as I felt an unbearable need to cry. My chest started aching, my heart raging against my rib cage, and a lump threatened to suffocate me as I struggled to swallow. It was a real-time fight-or-fight reaction, but they conflicted with one another, crashing inside me as my body began to run. All I could think of was my kids. I forgot all about Eir; there was no room for anything else as my feet carried me in a rush between small cottages and houses. Are they okay? Still with Arcane? They are fine! Of course, they are! But still, all I saw was their small little faces, crying and calling out for me in desperation. Calling for their mom, and I wasn’t there! Irrational, it is irratio
Chapter 1. of Book 2. Queen of kings.Three years later.Maya´s POV.“Stop that!”“I don’t like it!”“I don’t care! Stop being such a baby, Arcane; stand still and try it on! Dressing you is worse than dressing the kids! And they have the ability to turn into wet noodles whenever I try!”"Is it really necessary? It feels like you’re trying to hang me!""Oh, stop the whining! It’s just a tie!""From what I’ve seen, nobody dresses up with something tied around their neck if they’re not going to hang! This is unnatural! Do you even think she will do it this time?"I paused, let my hands fall, and watched with a plain face as Arcane ripped that poor tie off him like a burning curse etching on his skin. I wanted to yell at him, and I wanted to hit him, but I knew it wasn’t fair. He was right, after all. It had been over two years already, and three times, Eir and the Dragon had prepared for the Royal mateing ritual and every time, she had found a reason to back out of it.There was no longe
Amon/ Dragon King´s POV.The deep-rooted frustration and disrespect faded the second he laid eyes on her. Dragon vision zoomed in, and his wings had stretched as he lowered his head and aimed. Everything was different now, and everything had changed. Why? I’m not sure, but I will figure it out. Her sob-filled laughter danced over the dark field yet again, and I wanted nothing more than to relish in this feeling. A quest for later, I thought to myself, right now, all I need is here. All I need is her.For once, I understood her. I hated to see her cry, and my heart felt pain with each heartbeat. But she cried while smiling, cried while laughing. I’ve never seen such love between two creatures, the way they fight joy, pain, heartbreak, and love. Because Maya, the lost Valkyrie, acted just the same as she did. Despite all the darkness that tightened around both girls’ hearts, love and happiness shone through just by seeing one another, and I think that is the only thing that kept me sane.
"Oh shut up, Hades, you know you love me."Nida winked at him before shifting her focus back to me, and to my surprise, the beautiful snake-like woman smiled at me with a beaming smile. Her white teeth looked unnaturally white, and her sharp canines glinted in the light. Deadly, stunning, and mythical. Nida was not someone I had expected to meet ever again and to be frank, I had no idea how to react. I should hate her, and she worked with Loki. But then again, she never did me anything wrong. Not really. To my surprise, Hades mumbled and looked down to the side, giving Nida all the space she needed without hesitation. I heard him beside me, still mumbling uncoherent words like a scorn teen.A cold but delicate little hand with long nails gently lifted my chin."Don’t let him sour your mood, little human. He is an expert at sulking. I mean, he beat the most skilled, spoiled, and stubborn toddler I’ve ever met anytime."I couldn’t help it; her voice was so cheerful, and I felt drawn towa
Eir´s Pov.She had long and thick brown hair in soft curls over her shoulders. Sparkling blue eyes, her skin was pale, but she had miniature roses on her cheeks. With a beaming smile, she looked nothing like I remember her. Blinking slowly, once, twice, and then three times. But she was still there, so healthy and... normal? Yes, normal. This couldn’t be real, but I couldn’t help myself; I had to talk to her!“Mom?”“My little Elly girl! Look at you!”Her hands reached out for me while she walked up. I couldn’t stop looking at her, and she was so different. But I still could not accept it, even when all of me knew and wanted to take it. Accept her, smiling at me! Wanting to hug me! So, of course, I just stood there, gaping, unable to move a muscle.“You grew up, baby girl, I’m glad. ““ I… Who are you?”“You know who I am, Elly! This is like I always told you: In the next life, Elly! In the next life. Well, technically, we are between, but who cares for the details!”Her smile faltered
Maya´s Pov.“WHAT DID YOU DO!?”The beast split into two men, both running straight for me, screaming. I could see the hatred, the evil, and their accusation pierced my skin. But I couldn’t react to them, could acknowledge their presence. All I saw was her, her white wolf, lying lifeless on the cold and dirty ground. Fur drenched in blood burned patches from my sword up her front leg where it had hit the bracelet.Shouting and cussing, words meant to hurt, bounced off the walls all around me. Tew and Arcane stopped them, curling them to the ground with no mercy or gentle touch. But I could feel even their eyes on me. The doubt, the shock, and the accusation they so desperately tried to hide. My sword fell to the ground, and the clang of metal against stones echoed down the darkness, over and over until the sound died out.“I didn’t kill her, I didn’t kill her…. I DIDN’T KILL HER!”A whisper I had no control over, a chant meant to convince myself. It didn’t work, and I didn’t hear mysel
Oh, goddess, was I wrong! I wanted to run and leave this incredible, horrifying darkness so many times, but Hades held me back. Took my hand and led me forward or held me back; eventually, we slowly walked down the narrow, black stone tunnel, filling my head with whispers. Stories about how they died, their last memories, their lust for revenge and despair. All through the hall, desperate cries of a baby echoed all around us. It was horrible, full of pain and fear, and despite not being used to babies, all I wanted was to pick up this poor soul and comfort them. But just walking there, not doing anything, made my heart shatter, my chest ached, and tears streamed down my face while walking silently.I clinging to Hades’ hand like it was the only lifeline I had, and I am not sure I will ever be able to forget this. I don’t know if I will ever stop hearing the poor baby crying in utter desperation. I can’t explain this feeling, cannot explain how this sound haunted me, pained me, and tore
“Anja? How the hell can you call that thing something so casual?!”“Because that is, or it was her name at the beginning.”We had finally stopped, sitting down in the pitch-black depths of the cave. The cold stones bit my back as I leaned against the cave's walls, pressing my knees up against my chest.“All lost souls, detached or roaming spirits, end up here. When she did, she was a woman like you. I am not sure what she was, but the legend says she was a shifter, but there are many stories about what kind. However, they said she was a greedy woman, sly and conning, and that she would use any means necessary to get what she wanted or felt she deserved. Nobody knows how she obtained the fallen dragon, but somehow, she did, but she did not anticipate the cost of her greed. There is nobody she can complain to, nobody that can change her faith, so as the years passed, her spirit became part of the skeleton. Together, they are now one; together, they collect all lost or wandering spirits a
*Mumbling* Goddess me, what an annoying sound! *Louder mumbling* A voice, a familiar voice at that. Do I really know people with such an annoying voice? “WAKE UP!” The shouting cut straight through the fog and mumbled and yanked me out, leaving me confused and annoyed at the same time. My eyes were soar and dry, making me blink several times before managing to make sense of the scenery around me. Still, it was so dark, and it all felt so strange. Surreal. The air was neither cold nor warm; it just kind of was there—no wind, but no wind still. No fresh air, no dense old air, heck, I'm not even sure there is air here. However, I am still breathing, not struggling. I feel no pain, no relief, just an immense void inside of me. “You took your time! Hello? Do you hear me? “ His voice was too loud, too close, and sounded so irritated and impatient that it rubbed off on me. Blinking desperately now, I tried to see him, remember him, but my head worked so slowly. Damned, did I drink last