NeemAs I put a hand on the handle of Celine’s door, Maria’s words from earlier ring in my head. I played along with her and told her everything that has been going on with my life. She joined me in cursing the prince and the mood was light, until I mentioned that I now serve Celine as her personal maid. After lobbying about a hundred questions at me questioning me about how I ended up working for her and effectively shattering the light hearted mood, her parting words sent chills down my spine. She said I must quit working for her immediately. I should quit today and remove myself from the dynamics between Celine and the prince. I might have looked unconvinced because she shook me so hard my teeth rattled, making sure I had her full attention. Then she told me that there is a war coming, that Celine’s presence is the equivalent of the bad omen that everyone must steer clear of. There is a war coming, and I must make sure I am as far away from it as possible. She didn’t elaborate fu
CelineWhen the door opens again, I expect Neem so I’m a little surprised when I find Prince Ismir occupying the doorway instead.“Hey.” I say, climbing out of bed. “Hey.” He says, looking me over with his eyes swimming with thoughts. “I’m glad you are settling in well.” He says and my brow cocks in question. “Am I?”He holds his arms at his back and nods. “I heard you went out yesterday.” He says. Of course he heard. Those morons that tailed me were not for show. “You are hearing alot. Makes me wonder if it is by chance or if you have your ears on the ground. Am I being watched? In what should be my ‘home’?”“Not actively.” He says with some hesitation. “I want you to love it here, with my people, your people. I want you to accept us and become comfortable so I was overjoyed by the news.”Hardly. He was worried, that is why he came running. “I merely went sightseeing. I was curious, how developed you all can be living in a tiny box for millennia.““And? What do you think?”I shr
NeemI seek Aden out, apprehensive of how I will be received. Our last conversation stank. He opens the door on my first knock and I freeze, my hand halfway to the door. “Hey.” I sign instead, my heart in my throat. “Come in.” His arms are crossed in front of him as he stares at me and the distance between us physically hurt. I put that there. “I’m sorry.” I say, diving in headfirst. “It was the prince wasn’t it?” He cuts in and I wonder how I thought he wouldn’t notice. He is exceptionally smart and little goes over his head. “I was... confused.” I sign and a shadow settles into his eyes, like I’m tormenting him with my words. “I was stupid.” I say, deciding to come out as honest as possible. “I fucked up, and knowing how much I must have hurt you.. it puts me in pain. I’m so sorry Aden.”He swallows hard. “Are you still confused?” He asks and I shake my head immediately. I needed the space after-all, to clear my head. I don’t like that the prince made a fool of me but after
Celine“Again.” The disconnected voice says and I shake my head vigorously. “No!” I attempt to scream but my mouth is muzzled up tight. “No! No!”They don’t heed me of course. They have not heeded me once since they strapped me in. I am tightly strapped to an iron chair, my arms and my legs tightly bound to the limbs. A helmet has been thrown over my face and my mouth muzzled shut, and since then, shots of something has been injected into my veins. It burns like acid from the point of entry directly into my veins as it climbs its way through my body. The feel of wolfsbane is now familiar, and yet it is different. This has been made a lot more potent, enough that is simply unbearable. It would be better if my limbs were torn apart from my body one by one. He brings the syringe again, and I buck and fight to get away from it but it is a futile attempt. “Why are you doing this?!” I yell but of course my words only come out garbled. He injects the content of the syringe into me again
LorFor the umpteenth time, I put a hand on the barrier and it goes straight through. My hand curls into a tight fist and I punch it hard. Nothing. It is just air. The demarcation that shows the island of Lyria, a slight shimmer in the air is quite obvious if you know what you are looking for. Otherwise, your eyes would probably skip right over it. We have besieged this perimeter for two days now and to my frustration, we have nothing to show for it. Not a soul has stepped out of it, and neither can we step inside either. If I didn’t have a strong gut feeling that she is behind that barrier, I would have believed that it is all a conjecture of my deranged mind.Maddilla comes to a stop beside me and peers into the barrier. It is not just Bloodbound pack but nearly every damn pack this side of the world out here. There are more than a hundred and fifty packs here, each one of them as eager and enthusiastic to pierce the barrier of the island as the next. I didn’t have much convincing
Prince Ismir“How did he come through the barrier?” Father snarls, finally thrown off his feet by the unexpected happening. “I don’t know.” The Whisperer says, my first time hearing him utter those words. “It should be impossible.”Apparently not, if he’s right there. “What do you know about him?” I ask. There is something about him that has my hair standing on end. It is simply my most primitive instincts recognising a threat, a major one.“Nothing,” The Whisperer says. “But judging by his power and the fact that he entered the barrier unscathed, there are only a few people that come to mind. I believe that is her mate, the one commonly known as the demon wolf.”“What?” I say, startled out of the blue. Is that where the sense of familiarity comes from? Am I feeling her familiarity with him? “She does not look like she recognises him.” I say, tracing her location.“Not with the the amount of poison we had to pump into her system.” He says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t ev
NeemI burst into the library, unconcerned about the racket I’m making as I race through the shelves to the back. Maria is reading a book and doesn’t bother to put it down. “Ordinarily, you should be banned from coming into the library.” She says placidly. “Outside.” I say urgently. “They are engaged in a fight. Celine and-““I know.” She cuts me off, not taking her eyes off the book. I gape at her. “You do? Then how can you be so calm?”“I am calm. I would recommend some to you too. What concern is it of mine if two idiots want to kill each other?”She’s right, she doesn’t give a fuck. She has said it enough times and yet she was the first person I thought of when I needed help.“I need your help.” I say and she finally puts the book down and pins with a stare piercing enough to make me squirm. “I see you got your tongue back.”“I need your help.” I say again, refusing to be redirected. “No.” She says, making me gape again. “No? But you don’t even know what I want to ask.”“I d
Neem“You found the source.” He says. His voice is cold and the way he is looking at me scares me. I affect a light tone. “Prince Ismir-““I cannot allow you to live.” Chills race down my spine and I laugh awkwardly. “What are you talking about?” I say, my voice pleading. I always knew my inquisitiveness would land me in trouble one day. I cannot believe the day is finally here. “Why do you always have to go around snooping and putting yourself in situations you have no business being in?”“I’m sorry!” I say, taking a step forward. “I’m sorry okay? This will never happen again.”“You are right, it won’t.” He says and then he shifts. I scream and dive to the side as he leaps, coming up on my knee and watching him nearly crash into the crystals. He sidesteps them in a precarious move in the last second and spins around, furious. I’ve never seen him shift, and for good reason, I realise. That is no wolf, he looks like he belongs amongst the deformities on the front line. He is thre
Neem "I thought you would be done dressing up. We are going to be late." I tell Aden. "These buttons are hell." He mutters. "There should be about a hundred buttons on here.""Hardly." I say, amused. "There are only fifteen."Our clothes in Lyria never had buttons and it's always amusing that something so simple always gives him so much trouble. "Might as well be a hundred." He mutters and shaking my head, I go to help. He stares down at me as I work one button to the next. "You are staring.""I can't help it, you're beautiful." He says and I smile. "One would think you were only seeing me for the first time.""It feels like that sometimes." He says. "Sometimes I wake up amazed to have you by my side.""Only sometimes?" I tease him and he laughs. "Come here." He pulls my lips to his and kisses me and I forget about the buttons as I hold on, revelling in the movement of his lips on mine. I moan when his tongue darts in to taste me and his hands clench conclusively on my ass. "D
EmmaOne of the creatures runs at us, foaming at the mouth and bleeding from a dozen cuts. Celine intercepts him and kills him and I stare at her. “They said you controlled these creatures. Control them and end this wretched war.”She shakes her head. “It’s not that easy anymore. I was able to control them when my cat was dominant, when they absorbed my wolf. Someone donated her energy to bring back my wolf, but she neglected to mention that I would lose control of the soldiers when she is restored. I wouldn’t have it any other way anyway.”I sneer. “How pathetic. Of what use are you with your wolf then? You should sacrifice her to save hundreds of lives if need be but you are nothing but selfish as ever.”Her brows rise. “I’m not receiving a lecture on selflessness from you, am I? Now I have seen it all.”Behind us, Lor finally rips the king’s heart out with a roar. The war seems to stop for a second, everyone watching as he twists his head off his throat and sends it flying. And t
Celine They are unending. It is as if the entire world has moved against the Island. My soldiers are not enough, and so people of Lyria have joined, fighting against the enemy but they are lacking in spirit. Perhaps because they have been broken down by the economy but they fall like corn stalk against the enemy. I keep soldiers on their leader constantly, but he is not the only one to be worried about. My soldiers tear into most of the soldiers before they have a chance to defend themselves but too many of them are experienced killers, cutting through our numbers in swaths. I glance behind me but the king and the Whisperer are now gone from their perch, and then finally the harpies are released. Terrible terrible creatures that can ice the blood in your veins with a touch. Where they go, death follows, immortals shrivelling up and dying in numbers. And yet more of their army comes. There are about ten of the harpies and I’m surprised when one of them streams from the ground right i
CelineI feel it when Ismir dies, like a lance directly into my heart. I scream in pain and my attack falters. No. I look back, knowing I will not find him at he balcony he once occupied with his father and the Whisperer. My eyes meet his father’s and I wonder if he knows. My distraction costs me. Strong arms wrap around me from behind and I’m plastered hard against a male chest. “Stand back.” He orders the creatures, keeping them in front of us and me as a shield between them. They angle and pace, the front liners reluctant to attack and skewer me. “What do you think you are doing?” I grit out, trying to break out of his grip but he’s too strong. “You’re coming back with me.” He says, shuffling back. I burst into laughter, a little hysterical. “Are you daft as fuck? You want to leap through the barrier to freedom? The both of us will die before our next breath.”“I passed through the barrier to get here.” He says, his voice resolved. “By some freak accident. You will not be so
EmmaHe has grown so much in three days alone, this baby that has become my last surviving shield.“Dan!” I snap, heading to the balcony. “Yes, Emma.” She says from where she balances precariously on the ledge, not even bothering to look up. I thought the female stuck to my side because she had grown a soft side for me, as I have worked hard to lower her guard. I should have known better, she is an omega herself, an emotional fortress. Since the end of the three days that we raised Alaric, she has completely withdrawn, not even bothering to stand for any other person but the little brat. ”You said the three days were all we needed to ensure his survival.”“Yes. Your boy is stronger than a horse.” She says, raising her face to the sun. “Mama!” The culprit comes toddling out, holding chubby little hands out to me with a grin. I stare at him, my face going sour. “So why the hell does he still follow me around everywhere?!” I ask in dismay. I can’t look across a room without finding h
Neem“You found the source.” He says. His voice is cold and the way he is looking at me scares me. I affect a light tone. “Prince Ismir-““I cannot allow you to live.” Chills race down my spine and I laugh awkwardly. “What are you talking about?” I say, my voice pleading. I always knew my inquisitiveness would land me in trouble one day. I cannot believe the day is finally here. “Why do you always have to go around snooping and putting yourself in situations you have no business being in?”“I’m sorry!” I say, taking a step forward. “I’m sorry okay? This will never happen again.”“You are right, it won’t.” He says and then he shifts. I scream and dive to the side as he leaps, coming up on my knee and watching him nearly crash into the crystals. He sidesteps them in a precarious move in the last second and spins around, furious. I’ve never seen him shift, and for good reason, I realise. That is no wolf, he looks like he belongs amongst the deformities on the front line. He is thre
NeemI burst into the library, unconcerned about the racket I’m making as I race through the shelves to the back. Maria is reading a book and doesn’t bother to put it down. “Ordinarily, you should be banned from coming into the library.” She says placidly. “Outside.” I say urgently. “They are engaged in a fight. Celine and-““I know.” She cuts me off, not taking her eyes off the book. I gape at her. “You do? Then how can you be so calm?”“I am calm. I would recommend some to you too. What concern is it of mine if two idiots want to kill each other?”She’s right, she doesn’t give a fuck. She has said it enough times and yet she was the first person I thought of when I needed help.“I need your help.” I say and she finally puts the book down and pins with a stare piercing enough to make me squirm. “I see you got your tongue back.”“I need your help.” I say again, refusing to be redirected. “No.” She says, making me gape again. “No? But you don’t even know what I want to ask.”“I d
Prince Ismir“How did he come through the barrier?” Father snarls, finally thrown off his feet by the unexpected happening. “I don’t know.” The Whisperer says, my first time hearing him utter those words. “It should be impossible.”Apparently not, if he’s right there. “What do you know about him?” I ask. There is something about him that has my hair standing on end. It is simply my most primitive instincts recognising a threat, a major one.“Nothing,” The Whisperer says. “But judging by his power and the fact that he entered the barrier unscathed, there are only a few people that come to mind. I believe that is her mate, the one commonly known as the demon wolf.”“What?” I say, startled out of the blue. Is that where the sense of familiarity comes from? Am I feeling her familiarity with him? “She does not look like she recognises him.” I say, tracing her location.“Not with the the amount of poison we had to pump into her system.” He says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t ev
LorFor the umpteenth time, I put a hand on the barrier and it goes straight through. My hand curls into a tight fist and I punch it hard. Nothing. It is just air. The demarcation that shows the island of Lyria, a slight shimmer in the air is quite obvious if you know what you are looking for. Otherwise, your eyes would probably skip right over it. We have besieged this perimeter for two days now and to my frustration, we have nothing to show for it. Not a soul has stepped out of it, and neither can we step inside either. If I didn’t have a strong gut feeling that she is behind that barrier, I would have believed that it is all a conjecture of my deranged mind.Maddilla comes to a stop beside me and peers into the barrier. It is not just Bloodbound pack but nearly every damn pack this side of the world out here. There are more than a hundred and fifty packs here, each one of them as eager and enthusiastic to pierce the barrier of the island as the next. I didn’t have much convincing