KAELEN POV
The moment Prince Rion’s presence graced the training grounds, the atmosphere subtly shifted. Ever observant, I noted the immediate change. Though my focus remained on Seraphina, I could not disregard the palpable tension that accompanied the Prince’s arrival. My eyes flickered toward Rion and Aric as they approached, Rion's gaze unwaveringly fixed upon Seraphina. The intensity in Rion's stare was unmistakable, a look that spoke of more than mere interest. I understood the nature of that gaze all too well, but I chose to temper my thoughts, burying any personal inclinations beneath a layer of professional detachment. "Seraphina," I addressed her in my customary composed manner, "that will suffice for today." I withdrew from her, my expression impassive as I observed the subtle shift in her demeanor—she avoided Rion’s gaze, her posture suddenly more restraineSERAPHINA POV The afternoon air was thick with tension, whispers of an impending battle spreading like wildfire across the palace grounds. I had caught word of it whilst deep in my thoughts, my mind swirling with ways to persuade Prince Rion to grant me access to the royal archives. While I had already been granted access to the archives by the Prince, his written permission was still required for me to enter. This formality, though seemingly redundant given my purpose for being in the palace, was a necessary step. But as the clang of swords echoed from the training grounds and the boots of soldiers prepared for war thundered in my ears, my thoughts were unceremoniously shattered. I could not idly wait while the soldiers prepared for battle, nor could I shake the desire to stand among them, for the field beckoned me. I donned my armor—a simple leather garb, not as adorn
My breath caught in my throat as I observed him from the shadows. The Prince, usually adorned in the grand attire befitting his station, was now clad in more practical garb—a simple black tunic and trousers, designed for the exertion of training. I had never witnessed him in casual attire before. His appearance, in this context, was... different. He moved with an ease that seemed almost foreign to me, his usual royal bearing stripped away to reveal a man whose form was honed by years of practice and discipline. His sword sliced through the air with graceful precision, each swing accompanied by the low hum of steel cutting through the night. There was an intensity in his movements, a barely restrained energy that spoke of some inner turmoil—a struggle I had not seen in him before. I found myself unable to look away, captivated by the sight of him.
RION POV I lay in my bed, restless and contemplative as the early hours of the morn pressed heavily upon me. Upon departing the training ground, I attempted to attain rest, but sleep remained elusive, seemingly beyond my grasp. My thoughts turned to Seraphina, the night’s training having stirred emotions within me, and to the soldiers who had ventured forth to battle while I remained confined by the constraints of my station. The thought of being left behind while my people engaged in battle filled me with an abhorrence that permeated my very essence. However, I possessed no agency in this matter. My father, the King, would never countenance my participation in the conflict. Despite my repeated pleas and entreaties since the war's commencement, my efforts proved futile, akin to attempting to reason with an unyielding force. He remained unmoved. His justifications centered around the notion that he could not risk sending his sole heir into the crucible of war, along with a pl
SERAPHINA POV I had been dutifully aiding the healers since the soldiers returned. The infirmary, a place teeming with the scent of blood, sweat, and suffering, had become a new battlefield—one I was determined to navigate. Yet, it seemed my every effort was met with resistance. Some soldiers grimaced at my touch, while others outright refused my assistance. One man, in particular, was more vocal than the rest. His voice, sharp and laden with disdain, cut through the already heavy air. "You reek of weakness," he spat, his face twisted in disgust as I tried to adjust his bandage. "No wolf in you. You don't belong here." I exerted considerable effort to resist the urge to flinch at his words. My apparent indifference appeared to enrage him, as his expression contorted in anger. But he didn't stop there. His voice grew louder, his insults more venomous. "You should leave," he snarled. "You're nothing but a burden." I once again ignored him and continued with my work.
ARIC POV The infirmary’s doors creaked behind me as I stepped out into the cool air, the sharp bite of the morning doing little to ease the discomfort at my side. I was cleared from the infirmary this morning. My stay was an unpleasant one, characterized by a sense of "death and suffering," which I found deeply distasteful. I had hoped to leave yesterday, but unfortunately, I was required to remain overnight. My injury still pained me, though not enough to justify any further confinement.I pressed my hand to my ribs, the bandages beneath my tunic a reminder of the recent battle, and how I had once again escaped the claws of death, and my thoughts began to wander to something far more irksome: Seraphina.How that woman managed to worm her way into the lives of the people I respected most was beyond me. Rion’s softening demeanor around her, Kaelen’s protective presence whenever she was near—it grated
KEALEN POVThe palace halls were eerily quiet, save for the distant hum of conversation and the occasional echo of footfalls upon polished stone. I strode through the corridors, my mind a tempest of thoughts.The battle, though recent, had left a far deeper scar than anticipated. It was not the mere physical toll of war that troubled me but the unsettling whispers that lingered in its wake. Peace was elusive, the air heavy with the weight of unfinished matters.The enemy's abrupt retreat left me uneasy. Something felt amiss, a nagging suspicion that wouldn't be silenced. As I made my way toward the barracks, my sharp hearing caught wind of a conversation—muted, but not imperceptible. I did not intend to eavesdrop, yet the mention of her name caused me to slow my steps, pausing just beyond the chamber where several soldiers congregated."She does not belong here," one of the men muttered, his
SERAPHINA POV My eyes fell upon an especially ancient tome, its cover decorated with intricate patterns of gold and silver filigree.I had been drawn to it earlier but had set it aside in favor of more promising leads. Now, with most of the other sources yielding little more than fragments of disconnected information, I reached for it once again. The tome was heavier than it looked, its weight symbolic of the knowledge within.Opening the book with care, I found the pages filled with strange symbols and glyphs—none of which were familiar to me. Some of the script was faded, lost to time, but the remaining text was clear enough to be read. It was written in a language I barely recognized, an ancient tongue that had long since fallen into disuse.Yet there were words I could piece together, and as my eyes scanned the page, my heart began to race.There, in the center of the page, was an image that sent a chill down my spine—a symbol. It was one of the markings I had seen before, e
SERAPHINA POV A thick mist surrounded me, cold and unforgiving. I stood alone, my feet sinking slightly into the damp ground beneath me. I couldn’t tell where I was—everything around me was a haze of shadows and indistinct shapes. The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding, a suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.Then, out of the swirling mist, a voice echoed. It was soft but carried with it an urgency that made my heart pound faster. I strained to hear, my ears picking up the faintest hint of words."You’re running out of time, Nymeria." The voice was unmistakably feminine—gentle but commanding, as though it was meant to soothe me while simultaneously urging me forward. I turned, searching for the speaker, but no figure emerged from the fog. I was alone."Who are you?" I called out. The mist seems to swallow my words. "What do you mean?" The mist seemed to grow thicker, closing in on me. The voice came again, more insistent this time. "You’re running out of time.
SELANARA POV It pains me deeply to watch my oracle go on with her life without me, but oh the joy it fills me with. She was happy, dare I say happier, than she had been when she served me. There was no goddess to burden her life with her problems and needs, her sadness and rage, her love and hate. She was free from that burden in this life, and I wanted it to remain that way. Mortals would do well without the gods mingling in their lives. That was a future I hope to bring about. A future where mortals would have no connections to the gods, where there would be no oracle and envoy. That was what I should have done centuries ago but I was selfish. Now, I had seen that it was the right thing to do. Some gods and goddesses would resist, that was expected, but they would be forced to obey. The immortals liked having a link to the mortal world, a tool to carry out their works, some dirty works included. Why have I not done this sooner? The immortals have polluted the mortal realm eno
SERAPHINA POV I was confused when I blinked open my eyes to see familiar walls surrounding me. Was I still dreaming? Had my dreams been diverted from the past and now to the present?The familiar scent of my room wrapped around me, enveloping me in a warm hug as if telling me welcome.I was back in the palace, but how? How long have I been asleep?I searched my mate bonds for my mates and it seems they were nearby because it responded immediately. Not long after there was a knock on my door and my men entered inside."The sleepy beauty finally awakes," Aric said as he leaned in to kiss my forehead. I smiled up at him. "Hi." He smiled back.Kaelan and Rion took their turn kissing me before they sat, waiting. "How am I in the palace?""Well, we carried you on a horse and rode here," Rion said, with a smirk on his face. "Fast, if I may add."I rolled my eyes at him and turned to Kaelen, knowing he'll give me the answers I needed. "You've been asleep for two weeks," Kaelan said, his voi
NYMERIA POV (Two centuries ago)"You look brighter than the sun in that dress, my pretty," Varrik teases, a small smile on his face.I giggled. "Oh stop being silly, you." The dress I was wearing was the exact opposite of bright. I was dressed in a gown as black as the night. It flowed to my feet and pooled at the ground, a long slit that shows my leg when I move at the left side. My black hair was tied up and swept away from my face, showing my neck."Nah. I would say she looks as serene and captivating as the moon," Lysandor added, his arms crossed as he leaned against the pillar. I shot him a look but my smile was wide."It would seem I'm the only one not in a poetic mood today," Myrran said as he stepped into the room and placed a kiss on my forehead."And bless the gods for that small mercy," I said as I turned to face my mates. They were also dressed beautifully, each in their different, unique colors and styles. There wasn't a special occasion today. It was just one of those
RION POV Selanara was strong, stronger than any goddess recorded in history but Malakar seems to be her match. Malakar turned shadows into spears and they went flying towards Selanara.I wasn't going into a panic mood yet because I knew any harm that came to Seraphina's body would be healed when Selanara left her. But still, panic was at the top of my chest as I watched the shadows tore through the air with unholy speed, the jagged tips aimed straight for Selanara’s chest, her heart—her very soul. She couldn’t move fast enough.No! I screamed in my mind.But Selanara’s power surged one last time. With a defiant scream, she thrust her hands forward, and the temple exploded in a torrent of light. The ground shuddered and cracked, sending stone and dust flying into the air as the cosmic force she unleashed sent the shadow spears flying off course.For a moment, I could only watch in awe as Malakar was consumed by the explosion, his figure disappearing into the swirling void of light.
KAELAN POV I stared, stupefied, as Seraphina, no, Selanara, floated off her feet, so she was staring eye to eye with Malakar.My Seraphina was still in there but the goddess was in full control. I knew this wasn't hurting Seraphina in any way—her goddess loved her the way we did, so she wouldn't bring any harm to her.Malakar tried to keep his expression blank but a flicker of something flashed in the god's face, there and gone the next."And how do you intend to end me, my love," Malakar said, his tone flat. "We've had this dance before. It resulted in you losing your name, your legacy, and me being imprisoned. And you losing your name meant no one has been praying to you. You're weak, my sweet."A god grows weak when no one prays to them or offers offerings to them. Selanara being forgotten for centuries meant no one has been praying to her. How she was even standing here was a wonder. It has been recorded in history that three gods have vanished to the void after being forgotten
SERAPHINA POV A ball of darkness formed on Malakar's palm, moving like snakes, darker than the night. He was in front of me before I could blink, slamming his palm onto my chest with so much force, I went flying back.The crash of my fall wasn't what made me scream, nor the crack of my bones that made my eyes water. It was the agonizing pain that ate at me from the insides. The pain was beyond anything I’d ever known—like something was eating me alive from the inside, consuming my flesh and bone. My organs twisted, each breath a fire of searing agony, as though my very soul was being ripped apart. I fell to my knees, gasping, screaming, my body shaking uncontrollably. The darkness burrowed deeper, turning everything inside me to dust. I screamed—raw, desperate—and tears streamed down my face as the torment tore through me with brutal force.Joining this brutal pain, I felt the mate bonds in my chest, their own agony adding to my pain. My mates… My mates…I couldn't bring my head
SERAPHINA POV "Eryndor," Malakar called, his voice booming. Eryndor was immediately at his side, his head bowed."Yes, Dark One," he answered.Malakar's eyes were still fixed on me when he said, "Restrain her.""Yes, Dark One." Before I could speak, shadows had already coiled around me, restraining me so tightly that I couldn't even move a finger. It felt as though the wall had returned, and once again, my powers were sealed away."You will understand that this is for your own good, Nymeria," Malakar said, his eyes darker than the night. "Your mates are distractions, liabilities. You'll survive without them. Losing your mate's bond would not kill you."I would survive without my mates but it'll leave me empty, hollow, just a shell. Panic squeezed me. I tried to fight against the shadows, but it was useless. The more I fought, the more they tightened, but I still didn't give up. I kept fighting. Death would be better than to live without my mates.Malakar turned away from me and faced
SERAPHINA POV "Oracle," Malakar said, his voice soft and smooth, "This day has been far too long in coming. I've waited an eternity for your wolf to awaken, for your true power to be unleashed." His finger gently pressed against my chin, a subtle reminder of his presence. "My impatience got the better of me at one point. I sent others to test you, thinking a little danger might be the catalyst. Alas, my hopes were dashed when it failed to ignite your transformation." I gasped at him. "Y-you sent people after me?" That wolf that had attacked me in the woods that day I went training with Kaelan in the woods. That soldier that had taunted me and then touched me. My first months in the barracks when those bandits had attacked the barracks. Those were all Malakar. "I did indeed.""But...you were imprisoned," I breathed, my head pounding. "I was," was his short reply. I stared back at Malakar's eyes, feeling a storm of emotions—fear, anger, hate, panic. But underneath all that there wa
SERAPHINA POV When it comes down to letting the greatest evil be released, letting the world be ruined, letting darkness reign, and my mates, I was choosing my mates. There was no need to think about it. I looked at each of their perfect faces, their eyes telling me what their mouths couldn't and I knew I was making the right choice. I would burn the world to ashes myself if it meant saving them. I looked back at Eryndor standing in front of me, his eyes still pitch black. "Give me your word that you'll release them," I demanded, my voice cold and detached. "Including Miranda."Eryndor nodded. "You have my word."I stared at him, letting him know how painful his death would be if harm were to come to my mates and friend and nodded. He gestured towards the diagram and I stepped into the center wordlessly. Eryndor picked up the bowl he had dropped earlier and walked to me, a dagger in hand. I offered him my palm and winced when he cut me, blood flowing out. My mates fought agains