The torch flickered as I moved quickly, but carefully—not fast enough to be detected, not slow enough to be caught.The map trembled slightly in my hand, the parchment was worn thin at the edges from use. I had memorized the path weeks ago, but I still checked every turn. One wrong step and I’d end up in the waterway beneath the Citadel or completely lost.It was very helpful that Caelin had drawn these maps. He knew these tunnels. Too well. They thought it was because of his rank. But he told me once that he used to run down here as a boy. Long before the council. Now he was just another secret buried under our feet.I kept walking.The air grew colder the closer I got to the exit. And the stone passage eventually gave way to roots and soil. The path narrowed before opening into the hidden hatch.Caelin had told me once during one of our late-night meetings "If you ever need to disappear, follow the mushrooms" I found the tiny glowing caps now and smiled bitterly.Disappearing was e
I didn’t feel the cold—eating away at my heart until I stepped back into the ballroom.The air had shifted. The music, the laughter—it was all a blur to me. My mind was still replaying Lucien’s voice, still picturing his eyes and that broken look on his face.He knew now.He knew the truth.That didn't change anything for me. But I couldn't deny that fear—the uncertainty echoing in my head.What was he going to do? Would he just accept defeat and return to his pack? Or... would he try to take the twins?I scanned the crowd, immediately looking for them. I was still conscious of all the pepole gathered so I forced myself to stand tall and smile. I didn't need anyone to know I was unraveling.I soon found them near the far corner, hidden behind a pillar. Talia’s curls bounced as she giggled, folding a napkin into some messy shape. Kael sat cross-legged beside her, watching quietly like he always did.My heart gave a small ache. For a second, I just watched them. Safe. Unaware.Then I m
Lucien.He looked like a ghost. Paler than I remembered, thinner too. Seeing him like that made my stomach twist—not out of longing, at least not anymore. What I felt was a mix of old pain and something I couldn’t discern.He didn’t move for a while. Just stood there eyes never leaving mine. Then he started walking toward me, slowly, almost hesitantly.“Aria,” he said, voice low.My body stiffened. I contemplated just walking away, but then I saw his eyes. They weren’t full of rage or cold indifference like they usually were. They were just… tired and empty. He looked broken in a way I wasnt quite sure I'd felt myself.“Can we talk?” he asked. “Just… somewhere quiet. Please.”I hesitated. Every nerve in me screamed to say no. To turn and walk away. I owed him nothing. But the way his voice cracked at the end... it wasn't like Lucien to beg. Something had happened.“Five minutes." I muttered. He nodded. I followed him out through one of the side doors. Even now, I still noticed his sc
"You killed him, didn't you?" My voice came out low. Steady. But it felt like I was holding a knife to my own throat with every word.Selene tilted her head, smiling like I'd just given her a compliment."Which one?" she asked sweetly. "Your father? Or the girl you once loved?"I surged forward before I could stop myself, grabbing her by the neck, slamming her back into the wall with a growl that came from someplace deeper than rage. Somewhere black and endless.Her smile didn’t falter."You think this scares me?" she whispered, her breath brushing my cheek. "You have no idea who I am, Lucien.""Try me," I spat.She laughed. Actually laughed."Your father," she said, her eyes glinting. "He never liked me. He saw right through me the second I arrived. So I silenced him. A little blood, a little magic, and one stupid girl in the wrong place at the right time. Aria never stood a chance."I froze. My grip faltered, but I didn’t let go."I found him... dead," I said, barely able to breathe
By the time the inner circle assembled, I was fully in control of my emotions again and the storm in my chest was nearly over.The Council chamber was filled with sharp eyes and stiff postures as I walked in. I sat at the head of the room, regal, cold. Untouchable.That was the version of me I wanted them to see.Ronan was seated just by my right, a constant reminder that I wasn’t alone. He knew the purpose of the meeting and I reminded him before we entered—watch Vane. Every twitch of his face, every shift in his tone. The plan was to bait him into a trap or to force him into going tonsee Selene. “Thank you for gathering so quickly,” I said, voice level. “The Citadel must begin preparations. War is no longer a threat—it is a certainty.”That got their attention.Elder Thorne leaned forward, fingers interlaced. "Has the threat been indentified?”“Not formally. But yes, and a proper briefing will be done during our next general meeting.” I replied. “But it is of urgency that we strike
I blinked hard, the blur of the forest fading like fog lifting under the sun. The scent of moss and the rush of wind vanished, replaced with stone walls and Ronan’s voice breaking through the haze."Aria!" he was gripping my arms now, his brows drawn together, his golden eyes wide with concern. "What did you see?"My throat felt like sandpaper. My lips parted, but I hesitated.How could I explain that I’d just been ripped into another world — that I saw a man cloaked in shadows speak like he knew me? That it didn’t feel like a dream but something more… tethered to fate?So I lied."Nothing," I said hoarsely, shaking my head. "It was just... a random surge. Everything went dark."Ronan’s expression didn’t shift. He didn’t call me out or push. But I could feel the weight of his gaze trying to peel back the truth I’d sealed inside."Alright," he said quietly after a beat. “Your powers are still fluctuating. Maybe it was just... overload.” His voice was careful, like he didn’t quite belie