Novels by Moana Mark

The silence that ensued after Elowen left the chamber was worse than her presence. It wasn't a silence that brought comfort, it was one that pressed itself against my lungs and coiled around my bones.Her last words kept re-echoing in my ears, burning like frostbite. Freedom is an illusion.I kept my gaze on the chamber door long after it was closed, just as if her shadow stood there, expecting me to falter. My hands were trembling as I placed it at the table’s edge. So much has been uncovered.Yet, the facts remained undeniable. She was aware.She knew a lot beyond the council, alliances and duties. What I wanted to remain a secret and finally be seen by her. I have been betrayed by Alaric's name, and it was evident even in every breath that I drew.I couldn't help but admit how deep the betrayal had cut into me. She had gotten those facts from someone, a spy that was within. The chamber has never been my own private room, it was another prison in disguise.I exhaled slowly, but it e

I had always believed that stillness was comforting. The sound that came from the rustle of the branches and the hum from the unseen creatures had always felt like a shield, a veil that had covered and protected me from the world. Even though my chambers were overwhelmed in stillness, It was that kind. It was overwhelming, heavy and filled with unsaid truths that I wasn't ready to deal with.Every part of the council chamber replayed in my mind, the silent whispers, how Elowen was using her eyes to search through the room, every murmur of Alaric’s name dragging me back into the storm that I still struggled with.Alaric.My chest aches as I remember his name. The summit should have ended the fragile connection, the fragile though undeniable thread of recognition that we had. Now, his presence still remained with me.I placed my palms on the table that was before me.“I cannot afford this,” I whispered, though there was no one in the room to hear.But the words tasted hollow.The words

The forest had engulfed me.I took each step softly but I heard them in my ears, even though I tried to move silently and unseen. My cloak became my second skin. It clung roughly to my skin and my cheeks were burnt by the cold night wind. I struggled with the thought of looking back but I couldn't. Looking back could bring back memories of the walls of the palace, the chain, the voices, the blood I had shed, the man I had once thought a saviour who had almost become my destroyer, back to my mind.I was convinced that this was freedom but I couldn't help but wonder why it felt so heavy.The silver blade, thin-like moon that was above which cut through a sky that seemed to bleed darkness. My chest tightened at every snap of a twig and the distant cry of an owl. My thoughts echoed more than the forest. They were chasing me, whispering doubts to me.You ran. You left without saying a word.My mind was occupied with Alaric’s face–the sharp jawline, the unreadable reflections in his eyes, h

I had never believed reflection. They always moved too easily, too silently, as if they carriedsecrets the rest of us weren't meant to see. Tonight, however, I wasn't merely watchingreflections were walking among them. And I am so sure that one of them still has its breath.Coldness had always engulfed the passageways of the fortress, but it seems the stones bleed with uneasiness tonight. I took each footsteps softly, yet they still echoed in my ears. I pulled my cloak tighter, as though fabric could shield me from whatever lingered justbeyond the reach of the torchlight.There had been whispers in the hall earlier, servants muttering about strange movements near the western wing. At first, I shrugged it off but then Servants thrived on gossip. But then out of the corner ofmy eye caught a flicker, a presence that was gone as quickly as it came. Not Alaric. Something else. Something to watch.I should have gone to Alaric. Or perhaps. But trust is a delicate thing nowadays.Alaric'

The silence between us ensued for a moment. It was a living, breathing thing. Ryn moved ahead, his shoulder rigid as though he carried a weight that was too heavy for him to carry. The floor beneath his boots crackled, but he remained silent. I walked behind him as he took each step that pressed hard against the ground, expecting him to speak toe or even look at me but he maintained his cruel quietness. The scent of damp pine filled the air, but something heavier hung in the air–the smell of blood that was spilled earlier on. My heart pounded as the thought of the ambush, the chaos and how he had struggled to keep me alive came to my mind. He rescued me again. I had been haunted, more than the claws that had almost torn me apart, by the look on his face filled with unspoken truths, “Ryn,” I finally said gently. He didn’t slow. I walked a bit faster until I caught up with him, refusing to be muted. “It's better you stop being like this, stop doing this.” “What do you

The narrow passage was filled with the scent of damp stone and decay, yet the oppressive air felt alive, like we were being watched by it as we moved. I struggled with steadying my trembling hands, the warmness of blood still clung to my fingers, reminding me of the life I had taken. Heart beat faster, echoing in my ears, Ryn held my shoulders firmly, encouraging me, but his look betrayed his words. “We need to keep moving. We would be able to get to the lower courtyard through the servant’s passage. Then, we can be safe…at least for now.”I nodded. I struggled to take a step, I felt aches all over my body, distressed not just because I was tired but by the gravity of what I had done. The scene rushed through my mind: I had taken someone’s life. Beneath the shock, I had a strange clarity, one which was strangely to me.Without saying a word, selves. Rays of light faintly lightened our part due to faint cracks, painting our shadows onto the rough stone floor. I sensed movement–a s