Novels by Zophirya

RAVENAfter they had deliberated for hours, they finally held a feast to celebrate it. I sat at the head table in a simple chair, not the ridiculous throne they’d tried to force on me. Marek lounged to my right, his powerful arm draped possessively over the back of my seat, fingers occasionally brushing my shoulder in a way that sent sparks down my spine. Theo sat to my left, eating with his usual quiet precision, but every time our eyes met, that small, knowing smile curved his lips. Across from us, Dominic watched me with dark, heated intensity, while Jax grinned like a devil, licking sauce from his thumb with deliberate slowness that made heat pool low in my belly.Marek leaned in once, his breath hot against my ear. “You keep looking at us like that and we won’t make it through dessert.”I turned, catching his lips in a quick, promising kiss that drew a few cheers from nearby tables. “Good,” I whispered back. “I don’t want to.”Jax caught my gaze again and winked, his foot slidin

RAVENBy morning, Blackridge looked like a place that had survived a war and honestly?That was pretty accurate.Smoke still drifted faintly from some of the lower tunnels beneath the mountain. Guards moved through the halls carrying debris out of damaged sections while engineers argued loudly near the entrances about what parts of the underground city were still structurally safe.Apparently setting ancient cursed kingdoms on fire created logistical problems.Who knew? Oh well, I had done what I needed to do. I stood near one of the upper balcony corridors overlooking the main hall below. Territory leaders had been arriving since sunrise after hearing what happened underground last night and from the amount of noise echoing through the building, they were already exhausting me.I was tired and it was the kind of exhaustion that settles into your bones after seeing too much at once and realizing the world will immediately start demanding things from you anyway.Footsteps approached b

DOMINICI was already moving before anyone properly explained what was happening because the fire alarms were going off and all over the place.Theo met me in the corridor first, half-dressed and still pulling on his coat like he hadn’t decided whether he was going back to sleep or not.“What the hell is going on?” he asked.“I don’t know,” I said, even though that was already a lie forming too late to matter because I could feel it.Heat and it seemed to be coming from underground.Jax appeared from the opposite side of the hall like he had been running through the building for a while already.“I’m going to say something deeply unhelpful,” he said, breath uneven. “It’s worse than anything we’ve seen.”“That narrows it down to absolutely nothing,” Theo snapped.“Yeah,” Jax replied. “That’s the point.”Marek was the last to join us and didn't look surprised. That was the first thing that made my chest tighten. Like he had been expecting this outcome in a way none of us were allowed to

RAVENI didn’t go back inside after the elder finished speaking.I stayed outside Blackridge longer than I should have, standing near the edge of the upper walkway. Everything he said kept repeating in my head in a way I couldn’t shut off.The Hollow was never hunting your bloodline. It was waiting for it to awaken completely.It didn’t feel like information anymore.It felt like something inside me had been waiting to hear it spoken out loud before it could finally move. I turned back toward Blackridge after a while, but even inside the building it didn’t feel quieter. It felt worse. Too many corridors. Too many eyes. Too many people who now looked at me like I was the next thing they were going to misunderstand.Theo tried to speak to me near the entrance.I walked past him.Jax said something under his breath that sounded like a joke meant to soften the tension.I didn’t answer.Dominic didn’t say anything at all, which somehow felt heavier than the rest. By the time I reached the

JAXBy this point, I genuinely believed Blackridge was incapable of giving us normal days anymore. Every morning started with somebody uncovering ancient psychological damage beneath the mountain and every evening ended with the realization that history had somehow been lying harder than the people currently alive.Honestly, impressive consistency.I was standing near the lower archive entrance watching engineers carry recovered records upstairs when Theo approached holding another stack of documents against his chest.“You disappeared,” he said.“I was avoiding responsibility.”“That’s not a real task.”“It is if you commit to it emotionally.”Theo looked exhausted enough that he didn’t even argue properly. That was concerning because usually he enjoyed arguing with me far more than was medically reasonable.The lower tunnels beneath Blackridge had become significantly busier over the last two days. Territory leaders kept arriving after hearing about the discoveries underground and a

DOMINICIt started without warning. One second I was still in Blackridge trying to process what Raven had said, and the next I was standing somewhere that made me confused as hell.It looked like a council chamber.Stone polished smooth in a way that suggested control more than design. Tall pillars lined the room, carved with symbols I didn’t recognize. People were speaking before I even fully realized I was inside it.“The outer territories are destabilizing faster than expected.”“We cannot maintain narrative consistency if they continue asking questions.”“The child cannot remain referenced even indirectly.”That last line made something in my chest tighten immediately.Child.I turned toward the sound without meaning to. A long table stretched across the center of the chamber. Advisors sat on both sides, leaning forward like the weight of their own decisions was physically pressing them down.At the far end sat the First King and he didn't look like the portraits. He looked tired

Sophia ~I didn't go home that night. Or the next.Alexander didn't show up at the institute. Didn't have Marcus follow me. Didn't call except for one text each morning: "Good morning. I love you. I'm waiting."Simple. Direct. So unlike the Alexander I'd known.On the third day, flowers arrived at my workspace. Not the extravagant arrangements he'd sent before—a single white rose with a card in his handwriting: "One day closer to earning your trust. - A""Secret admirer?" James asked, smirking."Persistent husband." I touched the soft petals, my heart aching."You know, for what it's worth, I think he means it." James leaned against the doorframe. "I've done some digging. Alexander Wyndham hasn't been seen with Elena Hartley since your confrontation. He's turned down three major business deals. And according to the society pages, he's been notably absent from every social event.""How do you know all this?""I have my sources." He grinned. "Also, your friend Jennifer won't stop textin

Sophia ~I stayed at the institute until seven PM, burying myself in work to avoid thinking about Alexander's parting words."You should go home." James appeared beside my workstation, concern etched on his face. "You've been staring at that canvas for twenty minutes without moving.""I can't go back there." The admission came out broken. "I can't face him. Not tonight.""Then don't." He pulled out his phone. "My sister has a spare room in Brooklyn. She's traveling for work. You can stay there as long as you need.""James, I can't impose—""You're not imposing. You're surviving." He squeezed my shoulder. "Let me help you, Sophia. Please."I nodded, too exhausted to argue.The apartment was small but warm, filled with plants and books and the kind of comfortable chaos that came from actually living in a space. So different from the sterile perfection of the penthouse."There's food in the fridge. Extra towels in the bathroom." James handed me a key. "And Sophia? Turn off your old phone

Sophia ~I made it to the Morrison Restoration Institute by nine AM, my heart still racing from defying Alexander's order to stay home."Mrs. Wyndham!" Dr. Morrison greeted me at the entrance, his white beard and warm smile instantly calming my nerves. "Or should I say, Ms. Chen? I wasn't expecting you until Monday.""I wanted to see the workspace." I forced a smile. "Get reacquainted before my official start date.""Wonderful! James is already in the lab. He'll be thrilled to show you around."James Chen looked up from a Renaissance painting as we entered, his dark eyes crinkling with genuine warmth. At thirty-five, he had the kind of easy confidence that came from passion for his work rather than inherited wealth."Sophia." He set down his tools, extending a hand. "Welcome back to the real world.""It's good to be back." I shook his hand, surprised by how natural it felt. No pretense. No calculation. Just simple human connection."I'll leave you two to catch up," Dr. Morrison said,

Sophia ~ Alexander came home two days early. I was in the kitchen making coffee when I heard the elevator ding at six AM. My stomach dropped. He wasn't supposed to be back until Friday. "Sophia." I turned slowly, mug in hand. He stood in the doorway still wearing his business suit from Tokyo, his tie loosened, dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. Good. "Alexander. I wasn't expecting you until—" "Where were you Monday night?" He cut me off, his voice dangerous and quiet. "I told you. I had dinner plans." "With who?" He moved closer, and I forced myself to hold my ground. "I called Jennifer. I called your parents. No one knew where you were." "Because I didn't tell them." I took a sip of coffee, proud that my hands didn't shake. "I'm allowed to have privacy, Alexander." "Not when you turn off your phone. Not when my security can't locate you. Not when you disappear for eight hours without explanation." His jaw clenched. "Do you have any idea wh

Sophia ~"You're unusually quiet."Alexander's voice broke through my thoughts as we rode home from the gala. I'd spent the rest of the evening watching him orbit Elena like a planet drawn to the sun, all while maintaining my perfect smile."Just tired." I kept my eyes on the passing city lights."You barely spoke to anyone after Elena left.""Did you notice?" The question came out sharper than intended. "I thought you were too busy with foundation business."His jaw tightened. "Sophia""It's fine, Alexander. Really." I turned to face him, channeling every ounce of Eleanor's words into armor around my heart. "You were networking. That's what these events are for."He studied me with those calculating gray eyes. "You're angry.""I'm tired," I repeated. "There's a difference."The penthouse felt suffocating when we arrived. Alexander loosened his tie, watching me kick off my heels with unusual intensity."What did Eleanor Hartley say to you?"My hands stilled on the zipper of my dress.

Sophia ~Three days passed in tense silence.Alexander worked late every night, though I suspected he was avoiding me as much as I was avoiding him. We moved around the penthouse like strangers, carefully orchestrating our schedules to minimize contact.But Saturday arrived too quickly, bringing with it the charity gala Alexander had demanded I attend."The dress is in your closet." Alexander's voice came from behind me as I stood in the bathroom, staring at my reflection. "Valentino. Your stylist will be here at four.""I don't need a stylist.""You need to look perfect." He appeared in the doorway, already dressed in his tuxedo. God, why did he have to look so devastatingly handsome? "The Blackwood Foundation Gala is the social event of the season. Everyone will be watching us.""Watching me, you mean. Watching to see if the Wyndham marriage is cracking." I turned to face him. "That's what this is really about, isn't it? Appearances."His expression remained neutral. "Appearances ma