Novel-novel oleh Phoebe

The Broken ChainThe darkness moved faster than Zara could think.One moment, Kael was standing beside her. The next minute, a wall of black smoke slammed into him."Kael!"He disappeared.Zara ran after him, but a force threw her backward. She hit the stone platform hard.For a second, she couldn't breathe. Then she heard him let out a growl.The darkness had wrapped itself around Kael's body, swallowing him from view. His silhouette shifted inside it.Zara forced herself upright.The first king shouted something, but she barely heard him. All she could see was Kael. The black veins had returned across his neck, his eyes flickered between gold and black.He was fighting, she knew he was still there somehow. "Kael!"His head snapped toward her. "Stay back." His voice was strained.The darkness laughed through him. "She won't."Kael's body jerked, his hand went to his head. "Get out."The Shadow King's voice came through his mouth. "You've already failed her once."Kael froze.Zara's

: The Kingdom of Shadows The first thing Zara heard was screaming.It rose from above them, muffled by layers of stone but unmistakable. The kingdom was in chaos.Zara pushed herself upright, coughing as dust filled her lungs. The chamber around them trembled again, sending small pieces of rock crashing from the ceiling.Kael was already on his feet. His hand went instinctively to his side where the old wound had never completely stopped aching. His breathing was uneven, and when he looked at Zara, the black veins beneath his skin had returned.Zara's stomach dropped. "Kael.""I'm fine." "You don't look fine."He glanced at the dark lines crawling toward his wrist and quickly pulled his sleeve over them. "I'm still standing."Before Zara could respond, the first Lycan King stepped toward them. His face had lost what little calmness remained. "We have to leave."The six guardians moved immediately.The passage behind them groaned as if the mountain itself were trying to swallow the r

: The Choice Between UsThe chamber shook so violently that Zara nearly lost her footing but Kael caught her before she fell.Above them, something screamed. The first guardian remained chained to the stone platform, her silver eyes fixed on Zara."Choose."Zara stared at her. "Choose what?""Whether you will control the bond..." The woman's gaze moved to Kael. "...or allow the darkness to control it for you."A black crack split the ceiling, dark smoke poured through.Kael immediately moved in front of Zara but the darkness struck him that he was thrown across the chamber."Kael!" Zara ran after him.He landed hard against the stone wall and dropped to one knee.His breathing was ragged, the black veins returned, pulling towards his chest and towards the bond.Zara understood what was happening, Arven was trying to force his way through Kael.She grabbed his hand. The moment their palms touched, the darkness recoiled.Kael looked at her. "Don't let go.""I won't."The bond between t

The Heartbeat Beneath the ThroneThe heartbeat came again. It was close enough that Zara felt it beneath her feet.Everyone in the palace courtyard went still including Arven.For the first time since he had appeared above the kingdom, the Shadow King looked uncertain.Zara tightened her grip on Kael's hand. "What is that?"The first king didn't answer, his eyes were fixed on the palace. Something that was never supposed to wake."Another heartbeat shook the floor, dust fell from the palace walls. Then the throne room doors slammed open. A wave of darkness rushed through the entrance, forcing the guards backward. Zara raised her arm to protect her face as the shadows swept past her.Kael pulled her against him.When the darkness cleared, the throne room looked nothing like it had before. The marble floor had split down the center, a crack stretched from the entrance to the throne and beneath it was a staircase.The stones were black and covered in silver markings.The first king stare

: The Bind they wanted The bells did not stop.Their sound rolled through the kingdom, deep and relentless, sending a strange vibration through the ground beneath Zara's feet.Then Kael collapsed."Kael!" Zara dropped beside him.His hands were pressed against his chest, his face twisted with pain. Black veins spread rapidly beneath his skin, reaching his neck.The guardians immediately moved closer. "Don't touch him!" one of them shouted.But Zara ignored him, she caught Kael's face between her hands. "Look at me."His eyes opened. For one terrifying second, they were completely black. Then, his eyes flickered open."Zara," he rasped."I'm here."The darkness inside him pushed again making him dig his fingers inside the earth. "Run."She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you.""You don't understand." His voice cracked. "It's using the bond."Then Zara felt it, something sharp pulled in her chest..Something was tugging at the invisible thread connecting them.The first king stepped fo

The Kingdom of Shadows The first thing Zara heard was screaming.It rose from above them, muffled by layers of stone but unmistakable. The kingdom was in chaos.Zara pushed herself upright, coughing as dust filled her lungs. The chamber around them trembled again, sending small pieces of rock crashing from the ceiling.Kael was already on his feet. His hand went instinctively to his side where the old wound had never completely stopped aching. His breathing was uneven, and when he looked at Zara, the black veins beneath his skin had returned.Zara's stomach dropped. "Kael.""I'm fine." "You don't look fine."He glanced at the dark lines crawling toward his wrist and quickly pulled his sleeve over them. "I'm still standing."Before Zara could respond, the first Lycan King stepped toward them. His face had lost what little calmness remained. "We have to leave."The six guardians moved immediately.The passage behind them groaned as if the mountain itself were trying to swallow the ru