MissEmの小説

Eros’s POVHe crouched beside me, head tilted, the fire reflecting in his eyes like a predator watching its prey struggle. “I always hated that look in your eyes, cousin,” he said softly. “That self-righteous glow. Like you were born chosen. Like the moon itself crowned you.”He brushed the hair from my forehead almost tenderly. His touch made my skin crawl.“Did you ever wonder,” he continued, voice velvet-smooth, “how you became king? How the elders suddenly turned to you after your parents’ deaths?”The poison clawed at my veins, burning from the inside out. I forced the words through clenched teeth. “What are you talking about? I was my fathers son, it’s only normal that they crowned me king after him.”“Well, I was your fathers son too. I was your fathers eldest son... illegitimate son, but they still chose you.”My world tilted, all these while I thought he was my cousin whereas he was my brother?“No!” I shook the thought away. “That can’t be! You're lying!” His smirk deepen

Eros’s POVThe whiskey burned low in the glass, amber and quiet beneath the lamplight. I leaned back in my chair, the weight of the day pressing between my shoulders. I could still feel Aria’s scent in the air somehow, faint, and haunting. Even in her absence, she filled the empty spaces. But I didn’t know what to do, she told me not to move until she sent me a signal. But she hadn’t done that and I didn’t want to burst in there and ruin her plans. Ronan sat across from me, the picture of concern and easy charm. “It’s been a long week,” Ronan said lightly, swirling his drink. “You look like you really needed this meeting.”I gave a short laugh. “You always know how to make me feel better.”“Someone has to. The mighty Lycan King shouldn’t carry the world alone.”He raised his glass in mock salute, and I mirrored him. The liquid was smooth, my favorite brand. We drank, even though a part of me told me to not. But we were in the pack house, what could go wrong?The burn was deep, comf

Eros’s POVHe leaned casually against the edge of my desk, lowering his voice as if we shared a secret. “Eros, come on. Don’t play blind. Everyone in the court is talking about it. Aria left you and went back to her ex, she never loved you. She was just using you all along.”Yes, that was it, that was exactly how Aria wanted him to think. “What did you say?”He gave a soft, sympathetic laugh. “You didn’t know?”“I knew she returned to Darren’s territory, but I thought she went to thank him for saving her fathers life. That was her mission.” I said carefully, my tone a warning.Ronan tilted his head, pretending to study me with pity.“You thought that that was her mission? That’s what she told you? Eros I think you’ve been lying to yourself. She’s back with Darren because that’s where she wants to be. You saw the way she looked at him. You’ve always known she still had feelings for him.”I turned away, pretending to hide the fake fury that sparked behind my eyes. He sighed dramatic

Eros’ POVThe evening had grown unnaturally quiet, the kind of stillness that pressed against your ears until you could hear your own pulse. Shadows stretched long across the walls of my office, flickering with the dying firelight, and every muscle in my body sat on edge.Something was wrong, I could feel it but just couldn't place it. I knew that It wasn’t just instinct, it was the gnawing, pulsing ache deep inside my chest where the bond to Aria hummed faintly. It had felt different all day, a little off, like static buzzing through the threads that connected us. I’d been trying to tell myself it was nothing, that she was simply far away, surrounded by enemies, cloaking herself to stay safe. I convinced myself that she was fine, especially since she tied a white cloth on her window last night. But now, now it felt as if something dark pressed between us.I’d been pacing the office for an hour, unable to focus on the endless scrolls and reports before me. Every few minutes I’d glan

Aria’s POVAnd somewhere deep inside, beneath the terror, beneath the pain, something cold and ancient stirred. The ropes bit into my wrists every time I tried to move. My skin burned where the fibers rubbed raw, but the pain was the least of it, it was the helplessness that threatened to swallow me.Darren paced in my front like a predator, calm, precise, and deliberate. Every step of his boots on the wooden floor echoed through the room, blending with the frantic thud of my heartbeat. Elara stood near the window, still rolling that vial between her fingers, the faint glimmer of the liquid inside catching the candlelight. It looked harmless, almost beautiful, the way poison often does before it kills you.“So,” Darren said finally, breaking the silence, “you found the book.”My throat was dry, my voice barely a whisper. “What is it?”His lips curved into that faint, cruel smile. “The Rite of Dominion,” he said simply, almost reverently. “A ritual older than the Crescent bloodline i

Aria’s POVShe poured the tea into a delicate porcelain cup, the liquid curling with steam. “Chamomile,” she added lightly, as if that explained everything.I didn’t move.Darren watched me, waiting for me to drink it. “She made it herself,” he said softly. “You should drink it.”There it was again, the warmth that didn’t reach his eyes. The careful manipulation wrapped in tenderness.I forced a small, a hesitant smile. “Thank you,” I murmured, taking the cup, though my hand trembled slightly.The scent was wrong. Sweet, yes, but beneath it was something sharp. I lifted it halfway to my lips, letting my breath ghost over the surface. “It smells strong,” I said, lowering the cup just slightly.Elara tilted her head. “Oh?” she said sweetly. “It’s just tea, darling. Maybe your senses are sharper than mine.”Darren’s gaze flicked between us, sharp, assessing. “Drink it, Aria,” he said quietly, as if ordering me to drink it. For a heartbeat, I thought about doing it, just to keep th