Astena strode forward, her anger barely contained. Ragnar sat on his throne, his face impassive. Miranda, her niece, stood beside her, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "Ragnar, I demand that you release Miranda into my care," Astena said, her voice trembling with emotion.Ragnar arched an eyebrow. "Didn't you hear what I said?""You know better than anyone else that she doesn't belong here. She deserves to be with her family, not held hostage by you."“Then she shouldn't have been trying to go beyond her boundaries.”Ragnar leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Well, don't think it as meolding her hostage, Astena. Simply imagine thay I'm onlykeeping her safe.""Safe? From what?""From herself," Ragnar said cryptically. "Who knows, I might have her killed if she's not under my nose. If she's here, I can keep an eye on her and trust her to behave."“You know she saw something she shouldn't have?”"Yes, I know. But that's notnher fault." Astena said, her voice shaking with ang
Derek was engrossed in his reading when he heard a soft knock on his door. He didn't expect anyone to visit him at this hour, so he was a bit surprised. He looked up and said, "Come in." The door opened and in walked Aurora, with a maid following her, carrying a tray.Derek couldn't help but stare at Aurora as she walked into his room. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in her flowing dress, and he felt his heart skip a beat. Aurora walked up to Derek and said, "Hi.As Aurora enters the room, the maid hands over the tray to her with a polite bow and quickly leaves. Aurora walks in, taking in the surrounding of Derek's room for the first time. She looks around, admiring the room's lavish decoration and elegance. Derek senses her admiration and says, "It's not as grand as your room, I'm sure." Aurora responds with a smile, "It's different, but I like it."Aurora approaches the table where Derek was sitting and places the tray down carefully. Derek moves the scrolls aside to make roo
Miranda was soaring on a broomstick, her long hair whipping behind her as she flew through the clouds. The sun was setting in the distance, painting the sky with vivid oranges, pinks, and purples. She felt free, weightless, and utterly content.As she turned a corner, she saw a beautiful lady on another broomstick flying towards her. The woman had long, flowing black hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the fading light. Miranda felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed at the woman, and she realized that she was falling in love.The two broomsticks drew closer, and Miranda could feel the woman's breath on her lips. They were about to kiss when Miranda suddenly felt a sharp tapping on her shoulder. She jolted awake, her heart racing, and realized that she had been dreaming.She sat up in bed, her eyes glaring at the maids who had dared to interrupt her sleep. "What is the meaning of this?" she snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "I did not wish to be disturbed. Why are
17.He stood before his father, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I don't understand, father," he said through gritted teeth. "Why didn't you send Miranda away? Why did you leave her there, even as a maid? You know how risky it is if she reveals our plan to Aurora."Ragnar, seated on his throne, looked up at Derek with a cold, steely gaze. "You don't understand, boy," he said in a low, menacing voice. "Keeping Miranda under my surveillance is the best option. It's easy for witches like her to send messages even from miles away. And now that her powers have been weakened by you, it's easier for us to watch her closely."Derek frowned, a deep sense of unease settling in his stomach. "But father," he protested, "I didn't go as far as hitting her magic mole just to have her still roaming around in the Royal arena. I thought that would be the end of her interference."Ragnar leaned forward, his eyes flashing with anger. "Don't question my decisions, boy," he growled. "I am th
18. “I'm a night born, I fear nothing,” Miranda chanted the mantra to herself as she took a deep breath, steeling herself and turning the handle. As she slowly opened the door to the princess's chamber, the growling noise abruptly stopped, leaving her in a deafening silence. She pushed the door open fully and her eyes fell upon the most unexpected sight.In the middle of the room, in a huge cage, was a young girl with long, flowing hair and delicate features. She was dressed in a beautiful gown, fit for a princess, with jewels adorning her neck and fingers. Her eyes were fixed upon Miranda, and she seemed almost relieved to have someone to look at.Miranda was taken aback by the sight before her. She had expected to find a wild animal or some other kind of threat, but instead, she found a young girl, locked up in a cage. She couldn't help but wonder what could have led to this.Miranda was bewildered by the sight of Fel, locked up in a cage like some kind of animal. She couldn't hel
19.Carissa's smile faltered slightly before she quickly recovered. "Oh, that's wonderful news, my son! Congratulations! What is her name? What is she like?" she asked eagerly.Derek couldn't help but notice the fake enthusiasm in his mother's voice. "Her name is Aurora, and she's amazing," he replied, trying to keep his own hurt feelings at bay.The Queen nodded, a forced smile on her face. "I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy. You deserve it," she said, trying to sound as loving as possible.Derek looked at his mother and took a deep breath. "Mother, I'm sorry I kept you in the dark about joining with my mate," he said. "It was done in a hurry because only then could we work towards getting the antidote.""The antidote?" his mother asked, confusion etched on her face. "I don't understand. How is your mate related to the antidote?"Derek looked around the room, making sure no one was listening. He then moved closer to his mother's cage and whispered, "The antidote is
They had gathered around the roaring bonfire, the flames casting flickering shadows across the faces of the werewolves gathered there. Magnus, the alpha, had provided a great bounty for the feast that evening. A whole tiger had been roasted over the fire, its flesh sizzling and its scent filling the air.They lounged on furs that had been spread out around the bonfire, their bellies full of the succulent meat that had been cooked to perfection over the flames.Magnus had always been a generous leader, sharing the bounty of his weekly hunts with the villagers that surrounded their pack's territory. The bonfire ceremony was always celebrated with great fanfare whenever Magnus returned from his hunts with such a great prize.The people chattered and laughed, their merriment buoyed by the plentiful supply of ale that had been provided for the occasion. They regaled each other with stories of their own hunts, boasting about the prey they had brought down and the battles they had fought.Th
Masai, an old woman who had watched Aurora grow up as a child, sat at a table near the front of the room, surrounded by other elders from Aurora's hometown. Despite her age, Masai was still sharp-witted and full of energy, and she was a beloved figure in the community.Masai bowed deeply to Aurora, causing everyone to pause and turn their attention to her. "My dear Aurora," she said, "I am honored to be in your presence once again." Aurora stood up from her seat and approached the old woman, embracing her warmly. ""Please, Masai, you don't have to bow," Aurora said, standing up from her seat. "Please sit down."Masai smiled warmly at Aurora and shook her head. "I must show respect to my lady," she said. "But forgive me, my leg has been giving me trouble lately."“Oh my, your leg! Does it still hurt so much? I remember you used to complain of aches. Should I have it checked with the royal physicians? At keast before you return home.”Masai waved her hand dismissively. "No, no, my d
LAST CHAPTER.The market square was bustling with activity as people went about their daily business. The sound of merchants haggling with customers mixed with the clucking of chickens and the neighing of horses. Suddenly, a hush fell over the square as rumors spread that the king and queen were coming. People started to run frantically around, hurrying to catch a glimpse of the royal procession.As the excitement grew, people began to push and shove each other, trying to get a better view. Some even fell to the ground, but they quickly got back up and continued their attempts to see the royal family; the leaders of their pack. It was clear that many of them had never seen the Alpha king before, and this was a momentous occasion for them.As the excitement grew, people began to push and shove each other, trying to get a better view. Some even fell to the ground, but they quickly got back up and continued their attempts to see the king. It was clear that many of them had never seen the
Gasher's heart was pounding so hard that he thought Ragnar might wake up. Ragnar's guards were nowhere to be seen, and the room was eerily quiet. Gasher took a step closer to Ragnar's bed. He could see the veins bulging on Ragnar's neck, and his chest heaving up and down with each breath. He felt a surge of anger and hatred towards the man who had caused so much pain to his family.As he got closer, Gasher could see the sweat on Ragnar's forehead, and the look of tension in his sleep. He wanted to laugh at the sight, but he knew he had to stay focused. He couldn't let his guard down, not for a second.Gasher raised his sword, ready to strike. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say something. But then he realized that there was nothing to say. Ragnar had brought this upon himself, and he had to pay the price. Gasher looked down upon him with a cold, hard stare, and then he swung his sword down towards Ragnar.Gasher stood in the darkness of the night, sword in hand, rea
"Speaking of the queen, have you heard about what happened between her and Ragnar? I heard she attacked him in his chambers!"The group erupted in laughter at the thought of the petite queen attacking the powerful Ragnar. "I can't believe she had the strength to do that," one of them said between chuckles.Zen, the man who had noticed Gasher's distraction earlier, chimed in with a more serious tone. "I heard that the princess was stabbed by a guard.”Some of them nodded in agreement.“He's still at large, but who knows, one of us might even be the killer,” another added looking at the others with playfully suspicious eyes."But do you guys reckon Ragnar will do if the prince and his wife are eventually found?" one of them asked, his voice shaking slightly."I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be in their shoes right now," another replied.The conversation died down as they continued to walk in silence, the only sounds coming from the rustling of leaves and twigs under their feet. Th
The six rainmakers were travelling through the thick bushes in silence. They had all their ritual tools and materials being pulled in a cart by two men. Fred, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped walking. The other five members of the party looked at him with worry in their eyes as he remained silent, his gaze fixed on something ahead of them.One of the cautiously asked,“Why did you stop? What is going on?”There was no answer from Fred as he continued to look around warily. He then took out a small Dagger from his belt and soon after three more men did the same, taking out their daggers too. The two women held onto each other tightly as they felt fear rising within them about what might happen next. In a flash seven masked men jumped out of the bushes and charged towards them. The two men who were pulling the cart immediately ran for their lives, leaving the other four to fend for themselves. The attackers began slashing and stabbing at them mercilessly as they screamed i
The six people in white robes stood still, eyes closed, hands clasped together as they waited for Fred to start the eclipse calling ceremony. The burning pyre in the center of the square emitted a warm glow, casting flickering shadows on the ground. Suddenly, Fred began to dance around the square, howling words that were incomprehensible to everyone but him. He walked around, rattling the short stick in his hand, while the others in white robes began to sway to the beat of the music.Gasher watched from the sidelines, his face tense with anticipation. Fred's dance grew more intense, his howls louder as he worked himself into a frenzy. His feet pounded the ground as he twirled, his arms flailing around him.Ragnar watched from his seat, his eyes fixed on the spectacle before him. He was surrounded by Gasher and a few other guards, all of whom looked on with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. As Fred's dance reached its climax, Ragnar leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he watch
92.Carissa stirred from her slumber as she heard the faint creak of the door opening. Her eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the dimness of the room. "Who's there?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse from sleep.A familiar figure stepped out of the shadows, and Carissa's eyes widened in recognition. It was Era, one of the maids who worked in the palace. Carissa struggled to sit up, wincing as she felt the dull ache in her bones. "Era, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.Era walked towards her cage, her footsteps as silent as a cat's. "The princess asked me to give you this," she said, tossing a key towards Carissa. The princess? Carissa thought, confused. Why would she give me a key?Carissa looked down at the key, hesitating before picking it up. She turned to Era, about to ask her what it was for when she spoke up. "What else would it be for?" Era said, a hint of impatience creeping into her voice. "It's the key to the cage. The princess
The maids frantically packed their belongings, the room filled with commotion. Some were shoving each other, while others were arguing about their belongings. One maid shouted, "That's mine, give it back!" while another retorted, "No, it's not, I had it first!" The room was chaotic, with everyone trying to grab their things as quickly as possible.Another maid was trying to pack her jewelry when she realized that her necklace was missing. She searched frantically through her belongings, but it was nowhere to be found. "Has anyone seen my necklace?" she asked the others, hoping someone had accidentally picked it up. But nobody had seen it, and her panic only grew as she thought about losing something so valuable.In the midst of the chaos, one of the maids accidentally knocked over a vase, causing it to shatter on the ground. "Oh no, what have you done?" exclaimed another maid, irritated. "Can't you be more careful?" The maid apologized profusely, but the others were already rush
Magnus furrowed his brows in a deep frown as he observed the vast plains below. The beauty of the land was undeniable, with its rolling hills and expansive fields, but Magnus couldn't appreciate it in his current state of mind. His thoughts were consumed with anger and frustration.Overlooking the vast expanse of the plains below the beauty of the landscape was undeniable - rolling hills stretched out before him, dotted with verdant trees and grassy fields. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over everything it touched. The sky was a canvas of oranges, pinks, and purples, with wispy clouds painted in hues of gold and silver.But despite the beauty of the scene before him, Magnus could feel a deep anger burning inside him. He clenched his fists tightly behind his back, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip. His gaze shifted beyond the horizon, where the borders of the Scorpion Zeal pack lay. Hatred for his enemy burned within him, fueled by a desire for ve
One of the men, engrossed in the task of cutting down the tree, noticed a faint movement in the distance. He squinted his eyes, trying to make out what it was. Suddenly, he realized that it was a woman walking towards them. He called out to the others, "Hey, look over there, a woman is coming!"The others stopped what they were doing and turned to see for themselves. They chuckled amongst themselves, joking about who the woman might be and whose type she might be."Maybe she's into tall, dark, and handsome," one of them said, eliciting a round of laughter from the group."Or maybe she's into strong, silent types," another chimed in, earning a few nods of agreement.She appeared to be weak and disoriented, barely able to stand on her own two feet. Her movements were slow and unsteady, as if every step required all of her strength.Her hair was disheveled and fell messily around her face, which was pale and contorted in pain. Her dress was torn in several places, and blood had soaked t