❤️ Nyxoria's Choice ❤️"No, I can't, but I can't hide it from her for long," Tharros said. "I will tell her, but that will be after your fight. I plan to marry her after it's over."Vyrelen grinned."Maybe I will marry Dika too.""I can really see she is the one for you even though you tricked her about your tradition.""Yeah, just like you knew when you saw the Empress for the first time," Vyrelen said. "I managed to convince Dika to stay over.""I'm happy for you, Vyrelen."Vyrelen smiled and stood up, bowed a little and was gone the next second.Tharros lingered in the garden for a moment before heading to the kitchen to inform the cook about the meals he wanted. Afterward, he made his way back to his chamber.After their kiss, Nyxoria had fallen asleep on his shoulder and he had taken her to his bed before heading back to the garden because he knew Vyrelen would come to meet him there first. And now he is back to his chamber and rather than sleeping, he moved his chair closer to t
❤️ Unveiling Fefe ❤️Dika's Dream:Dika saw herself in an empty large room that could pass for a palace, The walls were painted red, but something about the color made her uneasy, it looked too much like real blood. She was alone, yet she felt like someone was watching her. Then, a woman appeared in front of her, tall, striking and beautiful, with two horns on her head."Who are you?” Dika asked immediately, eyes narrowing as she took a defensive step back. Theme first thing she noticed was the two horns in Bana's head.“I am Lady Bana,” the woman said smoothly. “I’ve come to offer you a proposal.”“So, I’m guessing you’re the one who pulled me into this weird dream?” Dika asked.Lady Bana nodded her head. “Yes. Like I said, I have a proposal for you and you will like it.”“And what’s that?” Dika asked, her tone sharp.“Join me,” Lady Bana said simply. “Help me destroy Nyxoria.”Dika blinked. “Wait—Nyxoria as in my friend Nyxoria? That Nyxoria?”“The one you know,” Lady Bana confirme
❤️ Fefe's Fall ❤️Nyxoria had her bath. The water was warm, likely brought in by a servant, so she didn’t waste any time. Once she was done, she slipped into one of the long dresses Tharros had gotten for her that fit her.Not long after, they left for the throne room. This time, they didn’t use Tharros’ shadows. Nyxoria wanted to walk, to stretch her legs a bit.Taking her sword with her.††Throne Room:Fefe, still pretending to be Daisy, was getting frustrated. She had been standing for nearly an hour, and Nyxoria was still nowhere in sight.But what really annoyed her wasn’t the wait, it was Vyrelen.He had left the throne room briefly, returned before she could even blink, and told her Nyxoria and Tharros were on their way. When he first brought her in, she’d tried to sit in one of the empty seats around the round table, but Vyrelen stopped her.“Those aren’t for you,” he’d said flatly. “I’ll bring you a chair.”That was a lie.Instead of fetching a chair, he went to sit in one o
❤️ Thousand Years To Love You ❤️Nyxoria noticed Tharros was leading her toward the garden. Once she sat down, a servant girl arrived with a bowl full of apples and grapes, placed it on the table, gave a small bow, and quietly left, just as Vyrelen and Dika walked in. Dika took a seat, while Vyrelen remained standing beside Tharros."What did she mean by ‘they… and you know them’?" Nyxoria asked Tharros.Tharros snapped out of his thoughts and gave her a small smile. "I might have an idea of who she was talking about, but I can't be too sure if it is them.""And what if it really is them?" she asked again.Tharros let out a deep breath. "They won’t hurt you, Nyxoria. I promise. I won’t let them. Trust me, they can't.""But why are they after me? I haven't hurt anyone and people that I don't know of are trying to hurt me," Nyxoria said with a frown and picked up an apple, biting into it angrily, nearly taking half of it in one go."When she’s upset, she eats like that," Dika commented,
❤️ The Night Before Ashland ❤️"I don’t get it, Tharros. I know Vyrelen is your right-hand man, but calling him your shadow? That’s a little hard to believe," Nyxoria said, frowning."I know it’s strange, my love. But one day, you’ll understand," Tharros replied gently."So, he’s really fighting Oberon tomorrow?" she asked again to be sure and when Tharros nodded his head, she continued. "Where is the fight taking place?""Ashland." Tharros responded.Nyxoria's eyes widened in shock. "Ashland? The same Ashland that is at the outskirts of all kingdoms, the land that is forbidden to enter? That same Ashland?"Tharros nodded his head once again. "That same Ashland.""Why would Oberon choose such a cursed place? I heard there is an evil spirit that lives there who has a Fae blood and is very dangerous. If Vyrelen fights there, he’s walking into death. And we don’t even know who his opponent is.""You’re worried?" Tharros asked, smiling softly."Of course I am! Aren’t you? Vyrelen could di
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins ❤️Early The Next Morning:Elyria Kingdom:King Vyr, who had fallen asleep in his throne room after another failed search, was woken up by his daughter, Nasa.“You didn’t sleep in your chamber, did you?” Nasa asked, helping him to his feet. “Something’s bothering you.”Taking his seat and nodding his head. "Yes, something is truly troubling me." King Vyr admitted."Whatever it is, it can wait," Nasa said which made Vyr to look up at her."It can't wait, Nasa. Don't you care about my feelings anymore? Or do you not realize I will die if I don't find it?" He asked."I am not saying it's not important, but I am saying whatever it is can wait because we have a fight to watch," Nasa said. "Everyone is talking about it in the Arcane, we have got to go." She added.It was as if someone poured cold water on Vyr's body and it drew him to what today is."Today is the day of the fight?" King Vyr asked standing up to his feet, the tiredness gone.Nasa nodded her h
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins (2)❤️Ashland:Ashland, the sacred battleground where Kings and Queens came to prove their strength, was packed with people. Each section was divided by species, the werewolves sat with their council of elders, King Vyr and Princess Nasa seated at the front. Next came the vampires with their queen, followed by the mermaid queen and her people, then the witch king, and more.Everyone was seated and was anticipating the fight that was about to happen, it was as if nearly every kingdom was present in Ashland. At the center of it all was the arena, a place where only one could walk away. A fight to the death.Tharros sat above the rest of the rulers, in a seat made for the Emperor. He had made sure seats were prepared for Nyxoria and her friend Dika. When they arrived, Vyrelen dropped Dika off before heading to the arena. Tharros made sure Nyxoria sat beside her. He turned his seat backwards which faced the arena and sat down.“You’re not watching the figh
❤️ The Fight for Her Hand Begins (3)❤️"I should make a move? Did you not see what he just did to the Cindercloak warrior?" the spirit's voice echoed through King Oberon's mind, filled with hesitation. "You’re not blind, are you, my Lord? That man didn’t even lift a hand to win.""Are you defying me?" Oberon snapped back through their mind link, his fists clenching tightly on the armrest. His eyes stayed locked on the arena. "You made a promise to fight my opponent. And you know well, the Fae never go back on their word.""A promise is a promise," the spirit replied calmly. "I will fight. But you could’ve told me your opponent was Tharros." There was silence for a moment. "Fighting someone connected to him is not like you fighting a warrior."Oberon ignored the warning and returned his focus to the arena."The winner of this round goes to the Emperor’s warrior," High King Vyr’s voice rang across the silent crowd, breaking the tension. "According to the rules, the fight continues until
❤️ Possession and Promise ❤️Dika’s heart slammed hard against her chest, each beat loud and shaky in her ears. She hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected this talk to twist and turn into something so raw, so heated, so intense that she could barely breathe.She stood frozen, staring at him, unsure if she should move, unsure if she should speak.“I will never hurt you,” Vyrelen said softly, pulling her out of the whirlwind of her thoughts. His voice, low and rough, slid into her like a warm knife. “I told you I love you and that I will marry you. Do you really think a man out for revenge would go this far? Would go as far as wanting to bind you to him forever as his mate?”Dika’s throat tightened, her hands clenched slightly at her sides. She opened her mouth, her voice trembling. “I…I believe you, Vyrelen.”The breath Vyrelen let out was sharp and deep, like he’d been holding it for hours. Slowly, the wild, writhing shadows in the room began to sink back into his skin, pulling away fr
❤️ A Heart Torn in Two ❤️Dika didn’t sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned on her bed, her eyes wide open in the dark. Even though she had acted like her mother’s words didn’t bother her, deep down, they had hit her hard.She kept thinking and thinking, her mind spinning in circles. What was her mother’s story? Why had her mother looked so worried, her face tight with fear? Was it true? Was Vyrelen just playing with her, pretending to love her when, in reality, he didn’t care at all?The more Dika thought about it, the more restless she became.At one point, sometime in the middle of the night, she almost stood up to go back to the castle right then. But she forced herself to stay put. No, she would wait for morning. She needed her strength.When dawn finally came, she sat down and ate as much as she could. She ate until she was sure her body was full, because she knew that if there was even the smallest chance her mother was right, she would need every bit of energy she had
❤️ Before She Returns ❤️“What did she say to you?” Ora’s voice came softly, but Nyxoria could hear the eagerness hiding underneath. It was clear Ora was hungry to know what she and her wolf dragon beast was talking about.Nyxoria let out a slow breath. “I… I couldn’t really understand what she was saying,” she answered honestly. She didn’t want to lie about it, not now. The only thing that stuck in her mind was that Nevera had said she had made a wrong choice. But no matter how hard she tried to pull at the memory, it stayed hazy, slipping through her fingers like water. She knew it must be tied to that night, that night when her parents had brutally died. Something had happened, something important, and she was sure she had missed it.Nyxoria rose slowly to her feet, brushing dust from her clothes.“That’s how they are,” Ora said gently, stepping closer. “They speak in riddles and parables, and most times, their chosen ones don't understand. At least, not at first.” she added.Nyxor
❤️ Mark Of Obsidian ❤️"You can go," Queen Lynn said, waving her hand like she was brushing away something unimportant.Lady Bana gave a respectful bow and turned to leave, but she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when Queen Lynn’s voice floated after her, stopping her in her tracks."What about Daisy? Has her brain finally been reset?"Lady Bana paused, keeping her back turned for a second before slowly facing the Queen again with her head slightly bowed. "No, my Queen," she answered quietly.Queen Lynn clicked her tongue and shook her head, walking slowly to her bed like she was dragging the weight of memory with every step. "You do know that if Daisy hadn’t had a change of heart at the very last moment, you wouldn’t be where you are today, right?" she said with a strange kind of calm in her voice. "You would be serving under her, just like that obedient little Noah and that Fefe of a girl who always follows you around."Lady Bana's fingers curled into fists at her side, and her f
❤️ A Dance Upon Fate’s Blade ❤️Vampire Kingdom: Queen Aurora Chamber:Queen Aurora had been quiet all through the journey back to her palace. She had kept a calm face, not letting anyone know what was going on inside her. It was only when she finally stepped into the safety of her chamber and closed the heavy door behind her and removed her boots that she allowed the flood of thoughts to crash into her.She leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in slowly. King Oberon was dead. No matter how many times she said it to herself, it still felt like a lie. Like maybe she was dreaming and would wake up any moment.First, it had been High King Laka and his wife, Queen Lynn. Now Oberon too. One after the other, they were falling.Aurora opened her eyes and began to slowly walk around her chamber, her bare feet making soft sounds on the cold floor.“What is happening?” she muttered under her breath. “Is it the sins of our past coming back for all of us?”
❤️ Cracked Shell, Shattered Truths ❤️“You don’t understand, Dika,” Queen Ashani said, her voice calm but serious, trying to make her daughter see reason. “I honestly thought you’d be smart enough to figure things out on your own, but now, now I’m starting to wonder if you’re even using your head at all.”Dika’s eyes narrowed, her chest rising and falling as she tried to keep her emotions steady. “Mother, whatever it is you’re trying to do right now, just stop it. Please. This thing you’re trying to plant in my heart, the doubt, the confusion, it won’t work. I won’t let you mess with what Vyrelen and I are beginning to have. If something happened between the two of you, that’s your business. I don’t want to know, I don’t need to know. Don’t drag me into it. Leave me out of your past mistakes.”Queen Ashani didn’t flinch. "What if it involves Nyxoria? Do you still think you will be her friend if she comes to know the truth?"That made Dika pause. Her heart skipped a beat. “What does Ny
❤️ Queen Ashani ❤️Queen Ashani Palace: Dika's RoomDika blinked a few times when she saw where they had ended up. It wasn’t the Emperor’s grand castle, it was her mother’s palace, and more specifically, her own chamber.She turned to Vyrelen, a bit confused. “Wait… I thought we were going straight to the Emperor’s castle. Why are we here?”Vyrelen raised an eyebrow, a small playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “And here I thought you’d get angry if I dragged you off to that huge castle, my chamber, instead of bringing you home. Aren’t you happy I’m finally thinking with my head, for once?”Dika rolled her eyes and pushed herself slightly away from him, realizing she’d been leaning on him without even noticing. She cleared her throat and looked around awkwardly.“Whatever. Thanks… for bringing me home,” she mumbled. "You can leave."Vyrelen just shrugged casually and leaned against the door like he owned the place. “I never said I was leaving.”She frowned. “What do you me
❤️ Daisy, the Unbroken ❤️An Unknown Place:The room was dim and cold, with barely enough light to see the stone walls. Daisy was still chained, slumped quietly in the corner like a broken doll someone had forgotten. The air smelled like dust and iron.Lady Bana appeared without warning, her dark dress swaying slightly as if it had caught the wind, even though there was none. She walked slowly, her presence filling the room like a heavy fog.Noah, who had been standing near the wall with folded arms, straightened quickly when he saw her. He hadn't expected her to come here.“My Lady,” he said, trying to hide the nerves in his voice. “Did Oberon win?”Lady Bana didn’t answer with words. She raised her hand slowly, like she was pressing something in the air, and in an instant, Noah’s hands flew to his throat. He began to choke, clawing at something invisible wrapped around his neck.“Does this look like my happy face to you?” she growled, her voice sharp and angry. Her teeth were clench
❤️ A Friend Worth Fighting For ❤️When Tharros entered his chamber, a soft smile crossed his lips as his eyes landed on the peaceful, sleeping face of his soon-to-be wife. She looked so calm, so beautiful, lying there like she belonged in his arms.He quietly pulled off his boots, then removed his shirt before carefully climbing onto the bed beside her. As if sensing his presence, Nyxoria instinctively moved closer and rested her head on his chest, breathing in deeply like she was finally at peace.†††Nyxoria’s Dream:She found herself standing alone in the ruins of a palace. Silence stretched in every direction of the ruined throne room as she waited for Ora to come but when she didn't she decided to call out her name, trying not to raise her voice up.“...Ora?” she called out softly.She called the name again, and just like that, the veiled woman appeared beside her without a sound. Nyxoria stepped back a little, putting some space between them.“Is there anything else we’re suppos