Therrin’s POV
Therrin stepped lightly through the forest, the soft moss underfoot cushioning each careful step. She didn’t know exactly why she had come, only that something inside her ached for a place untouched by chaos. The scent of pine and wet earth hung heavy in the air, mingling with faint traces of wildflowers. The forest whispered around her, leaves rustling in a rhythm almost like breathing.Eventually, she stumbled into a glade that seemed as though it had been waiting just for her. The clearing was small and secret, surrounded by a ring of ancient trees whose branches arched high, creating a cathedral of leaves. Sunlight poured through in golden shafts, glinting against the small stream that curved lazily through the middle. The water sparkled like scattered diamonds, and the soft hum of life—birds trilling, insects buzzing, the wind whispering—pulled her into a fragile serenity.She sank to the grass, letting the softness beneath her absorb soAri’s POVThe world felt sharper from here, more intimate, yet unbearably fragile. I moved as she moved, every step, every tremor, a note I couldn’t ignore. Being inside her was both a blessing and a curse. I could feel her heartbeat, rapid and uncertain, a storm contained in a fragile cage of skin and bone. Every breath she drew was mine as well, and every flinch, every hesitation, hit me like a drum against my chest.She stopped at the edge of the glade, letting the sun warm her face. I watched, trapped in her awareness, as she raised her arms toward the light, stretching slowly, almost worshipfully. It should have been peaceful. The grass bent beneath the soft wind, the trees whispered secrets I could almost hear, and the river in the distance laughed its gentle song. But there was tension in her shoulders, and that tension sang to me more insistently than the babbling brook.I wanted to speak—to push my thoughts into her mind—but restraint was necessar
Therrin’s POVTherrin stepped lightly through the forest, the soft moss underfoot cushioning each careful step. She didn’t know exactly why she had come, only that something inside her ached for a place untouched by chaos. The scent of pine and wet earth hung heavy in the air, mingling with faint traces of wildflowers. The forest whispered around her, leaves rustling in a rhythm almost like breathing.Eventually, she stumbled into a glade that seemed as though it had been waiting just for her. The clearing was small and secret, surrounded by a ring of ancient trees whose branches arched high, creating a cathedral of leaves. Sunlight poured through in golden shafts, glinting against the small stream that curved lazily through the middle. The water sparkled like scattered diamonds, and the soft hum of life—birds trilling, insects buzzing, the wind whispering—pulled her into a fragile serenity.She sank to the grass, letting the softness beneath her absorb so
Grimm’s POV The stars were heavy tonight. I watched them from the lowest branch of the old ash tree behind the cabin, tail curling and twitching against the bark. Lantern light spilled from the windows below, warm and flickering—a glow that didn’t belong to war, prophecy, or obligation, but to something far more foolish. Hope. Inside, she was laughing. I heard it, faint but real. Therrin. Her voice had changed—not just in tone, but in shape. It no longer curled with the guarded tension or iron-walled silence I’d come to know. It had begun to bloom. And Ciaran was the one coaxing it open. I narrowed my eyes. He had her sitting beside him, her head tipped slightly toward his shoulder. They weren’t touching—not in the way I would have worried about in the past—but something more dangerous passed between them. Quiet intimacy. Ease. A closeness that wasn’t just comfort—it was binding. Not by chains,
Therrin’s POVThe sun had just begun its descent, painting the sky in washes of peach and violet, when I followed the narrow garden path behind the cottage. I didn’t know what to expect. Ciaran hadn’t said much—just that I should come outside when I was ready.The scent of blooming night jasmine hit me first, curling around my senses and pulling me forward. Each step felt heavier, not with fear but with anticipation. My stomach twisted with a mix of excitement and nerves. Part of me wanted to run, to hide among the shadows of the trees, to tell myself I wasn’t ready. But another part—the part that had always longed for a space like this, for someone who saw me, truly saw me—propelled me forward.And then I saw it.A low wooden table sat in the center of the clearing, surrounded by tall wildgrass that swayed gently with the breeze. Lanterns—some glass, some hand-carved metal—hung from the trees like floating stars. Their glow shimmered in soft gold
Ciaran’s POVThe world outside the cabin had grown quiet, settling into the soft lull of evening. The forest breathed around me, leaves whispering in the wind, the river’s current carrying secrets I would never hear. I stood at the edge of the clearing, lantern in hand, and let my mind drift to her—Therrin. The way she moved, so certain and fierce, yet fragile in ways only I could see. My pulse quickened at the thought, a subtle ache in my chest that demanded acknowledgment.I had spent hours preparing tonight. The clearing had to be perfect. The lanterns, hundreds of them, carefully suspended from the low-hanging branches and along the path leading to the riverbank, needed to cast a warm glow, soft enough to create intimacy but strong enough to guide her steps. Each light was a promise I wasn’t sure I could yet speak aloud. A promise that she belonged here, with me, even if only for a moment, even if the world tried to pull her elsewhere.I lit the first
The Mistress’s POVThe room was silent, but silence here was an illusion—a veil hiding the pulse of power humming beneath every surface. Shadows pooled at the edges of the chamber like dark water, curling and writhing with anticipation. The candles flickered, their flames bending toward me as if drawn by some invisible gravity, dancing to a rhythm only I could hear.I stepped back from Therrin, now fully marked by my hand, the brand glowing faintly at the base of her throat. A perfect sigil, carved not in flesh but in essence, a tether woven into her soul. I had watched it bloom like a seed beneath her skin, watched her aura shift, tremble, and finally yield. The fire of her will had flared for a moment, curious, defiant—but it was extinguished, folded neatly into my control. She would obey me. Every word, every command, would ripple through her very being like a pulse she could not resist.The thrill of victory surged through me, potent and intoxicating.