{Moon realm… A few days later}Tarven…“More ale, you little bitch!” a gruff, drunk male roared, kicking the girl lying helplessly before him. Her arms flew up in defense.“Get up, cûnt!” Kick. “Why—” kick “—are you wasting my—” kick “—time!”She whimpered, blood trickling from her nose, ears, and lips.“Come on, Brat. How do you expect her to tend to you while you kick her like that?” another man said, forcing a female against his table as he played with her bréast.“Look who’s talking,” the gruff male spat, then shot a look at the girl. “Do you want some more?”The young girl scrambled to her feet without being told twice. She ignored the pain tearing through her body and went to get more ales.When she returned, the gruff male scanned her from head to toe.“How old are you?”She hesitated, keeping her gaze low.“Fourteen, sire.”“Fourteen,” he echoed, voice softer but laced with taunt. “What’s your name?”Another pause. “Mea, sire.”“Mea…” he licked his lips, scanning her again. “C
“No. It's dangerous,” Arianna shook her head. “But I'll take you there someday, just not yet.”Rheal looked away momentarily, breathing as if trying to hold back his tears.Arianna’s chest tightened. It had been barely two months since she awoke from the crystal. She had made sure to spend most of her time with Rheal but... It wasn't enough.Her son was beautiful in every inch, the thought of leaving tomorrow made her heart heavy as well.“Come here,” Arianna pulled him close to her embrace, and he wrapped his tiny arms around her tightly.Then a light, muffled sob came—a breath close to changing her decision.“Your auntie will remain here. When the time comes, she'll bring you over. You’ll finally get to see your father as well.”“Promise?” the little boy croaked.“I promise, sweetheart. We'll see each other again soon.”Before his birthday, she'll make sure things get back to normal. She make sure if that.“Ska Myzara! (My Queen!) Come dance with us!” Sylra's voice called from the d
While Lylah spent time trying to help Lucas wake, Arianna was building.Feel the fire.That was a primary fact of being a dragon keeper. Fire is part of you. You are the fire. The fire is you.When determination burns within, there's no stopping.That was the state of Arianna. The power felt strong, yet familiar—part of her, as if she had been in these shoes before.Within a few days, she was thriving, loved and respected by the people, except that something kept calling her. Something she couldn't ignore.Her half was still there. And as badly as she wanted to stay with her son and mother to grow the connection, Arianna still felt empty.Now, she stood on top of a small mountain, below were the werewolf soldiers being led out by the Ouroboros warriors.The werewolves hadn't been starved ever since they got here, and it was time to see if the hospitality had shoved some senses into them.Falcon stood by her right side like the strong protector he had always been, eyes sharp.Eryz was
*It's a good thing. We'll have more of it. Let's go see our mate,* Nyx responded."Nyx, you're the worst."*That's why you love me. Tell me, you didn't enjoy last night.*Lylah rolled her eyes as she walked toward the window.The ghost of Lucas' touch still lingered on her skin. The memory of how he pinned her over sent the blood in her veins igniting, her core clenched.Fuck. After being wrecked, she still wanted it.Was it this addictive?The sky was bright outside. She was still in the North Wing. Good.She sighted a cloak and put it on before heading out. Legs apart, her strong warrior walk had disappeared.There was no sign of Arianna. She was glad, knowing her sister wouldn't let her leave like this. She went to the nearby barn to steal a horse.“Lylah.”Lylah sucked in a sharp breath. Head crooked to the side—and there was Falcon.“Where are you going? Lady Arianna wants you to rest.”“Well, she’s not here, and I want to see Lucas.” Lylah began untying the rope that bound the h
Rodaric’s body crashed onto a rock, the sickening sound of his bones cracking echoed. Fire engulfed his fur.He groaned, quickly rolling over the soil to stop the fire. He had thought Arianna would be weak without her dragon, but he was totally wrong. The female called on fire without a source.Is she truly bearing the goddess's power?There had to be a way to beat her.“What did Valoreth promise you to take mine and my sister’s head? A high place?” she asked smoothly, lounging lazily on another rock as if the fight bored her.Rodaric’s Lycan sneered in response.“As the previous head warrior of the Lunaris Citadel, I expected more logical reasoning ability from you.”“You know nothing about me,” the words grumbled out of the Lycan.“Yes, I don’t,” she said, voice gentle. “Tell me... Did you lose someone in the war? Clearly, you have a story to tell, Rodaric.”The Lycan stared at her for a long while before shifting into his half form. Blood and wounds still marred his body—more visib
Most of the soldiers nodded in agreement. The ones that had wanted to follow Rodaric were slowly contemplating.“I am your commander, and I order you—”“We will do no such thing as following your orders, Rodaric,” the older soldier stood, approaching. “Do you know how hard it is to watch my mate drown in the pit of losing our child all because the ruler of the Moon Realm turned deaf ears? Of course, you don't.”“You are soldiers. Pain is part of what we experience. We swore our loyalty to the throne.”The old soldier laughed bitterly. “I swore my loyalty to the one who deserves the throne, not the one who sent us to die in vain. If King Duncan is truly gone, his blood remains.”They knew of Rheal Thornevale. One of them overheard the whisper and told them.King Duncan’s heir.Rodaric was boiling. “These Ouroboros. You have no idea what they can do. They are tricking us. They did it centuries ago and stabbed us behind our back. We are fighting them to protect our home…”“What home?”Ro