Elixir's POVThe rogueโs lifeless body lay sprawled on the floor, its twisted form illuminated by the pale moonlight filtering through the shattered window. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, the faint hum of the bond still buzzing in the back of my mind. What had I done? The others were still staring at meโLucian, Soren, and Ewenโall three with expressions that I couldnโt quite decipher. Awe? Fear? Suspicion? I wasnโt sure, but the weight of their gazes pressed against me like a physical force. Lucian was the first to break the silence, walking toward me with slow, measured strides. โElixirโฆ What was that?โ His voice was firm, but there was an edge about it that made me pull away โIโI donโt know,โ I stammered, my voice trembling. โIt justโฆ happened. I didnโt mean toโโ โYou saved us,โ Soren cut in, his tone softer but no less intense. His blue eyes searched mine as if trying to piece together a puzzle. โBut that wasnโt just the bond. That was something else entirely
Elixir's POVThe moon hung heavy and low in the sky as I stumbled back into the manor, the eerie silence wrapping around me like a second skin. Every shadow in the hallway felt alive, each creak of the wooden floor beneath my feet echoed like a gunshot. My heart raced as the weight of everything Lucian had said lingered in my chest. Who was trying to kill me? The question gnawed at the edges of my mind, demanding answers I didnโt have. Iโd only just begun to understand the prophecy, my role, and the bond I now shared with Lucian, Soren, and Ewen. But this? This was something else entirely. The faint glow of candlelight spilled from the open door of the sitting room. My breath hitched when I heard voicesโlow, urgent, and filled with tension. I pressed my back to the wall, inching closer to the doorway to listen. โSheโs not ready for this,โ Sorenโs voice was firm, yet there was a rare note of worry laced in his words. โWe should have waited. The bond isnโt strong enough to prote
Elixir's POVThe slight rustle of leaves was the only sound accompanying the nightโs quiet. As I stood at the edge of the clearing, the moonlight appeared dimmer, as though the skies themselves were holding their breath. My heart raced, pounding loudly in my chest, drowning out any coherent thought. Whatever comfort I had found in the presence of Lucian, Soren, and Ewen was now overshadowed by the storm brewing within me.It all felt wrong. The ceremony, the bond, the sudden shifts in their behavior since that night. Something was amiss, and I couldnโt shake the suffocating sensation clawing at my gut.Lucian appeared first, his tall figure emerging from the shadows like a phantom. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw somethingโfear? Guilt? Whatever it was, he quickly masked it with his usual stoic demeanor.โYou shouldnโt be here, Elixir,โ he said, his voice low but firm. โItโs not safe.โโAnd yet, here you are,โ I shot back, crossing my arms. โD
Elixirโs POVThe heavy silence stretched across the dimly lit hallway, only broken by the soft creak of the wooden floor beneath my feet. My breath hitched, and I pressed my back against the cold wall. The faint glow of moonlight seeped through a crack in the door ahead, casting elongated shadows that danced eerily in the corridor.Something was wrong. A deep worry twisted in my stomach.โStay close,โ Lucian's voice came from behind me. He sounded calm, his tone low and commanding. Despite his calm demeanor, there was a slight edge to it that mirrored the unease growing in my chest.I nodded without looking back. My pulse pounded in my ears, and my hands trembled as I gripped the dagger Ewen had handed me earlier. Its weight felt unfamiliar in my palm, but tonight, it was my lifeline.Sorenโs sharp eyes scanned the hallway. โWe shouldnโt have left her alone,โ he muttered, sounding frustrated. โThis is risky.โEwen, who had been quiet, finally spoke. โShe insisted. You know how stubbor
Elixirโs POVThe air felt heavy with an unspoken tension as I stared at the faintly glowing rune carved into my wrist. Its silver hue pulsed gently, like a heartbeat tied to something far beyond my understanding. Despite the comforting warmth it brought, my instincts whispered that something was wrong.โElixir, are you okay?โ Lucian asked. His dark eyes studied mine. I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. That wasnโt like him and it made my stomach churn more.โIโm fine,โ I said, forcing a smile. It was weak. Deep down, I knew I wasnโt fine. The ceremony felt unfinished. We had opened a door meant to stay closed.We were all gathered around a big oak table in the dim war room. Maps and old scrolls were spread out, lit by candlelight. Shadows flickered on the walls, making the place feel tight and small.โThe seerโs prophecy didnโt prepare us forโฆ this,โ Ewen muttered, his fingers tapping an uneven rhythm against the tableโs edge. His usual calm demeanor seemed fractured, a rare cr
Elixirโs POVThe icy air clung to my skin as we returned to the house, silence stretching like a taut thread between us. Every step felt heavier, my mind swirling with the cryptic message whispered by the shadows: โBeware the false bond. The true queen has yet to rise.โWhat did it mean? The bond, the prophecy, my place in all of this felt like a cruel game, one I didnโt know the rules to. As we stepped into the dimly lit war room, Lucian was the first to speak. His sharp voice cut through the stillness: โWe need answers now.โ Sorenโs usual calm was fraying at the edges. โFrom who? The seer? Sheโs as cryptic as the shadows themselves.โ Ewen crossed his arms, his jaw tight. โWeโre not going to find answers by snapping at each other.โ I stayed silent, my fingers brushing the faintly glowing rune on my wrist. It pulsed softly, a quiet reminder of the bond that now felt more like a chain. My gaze flickered to Lucian. โYouโve been keeping things from me. What else do you know?โ L
Elixirโs POVAs I took an awkward step forward, the world around me appeared to blur. My breath caught in my throat. The truth had been directly in front of me, but it had stayed elusiveโobscured by veils of half-truths and secrets. Now, in the thick of it all, I couldn't tell if I was more betrayed or afraid.The room was eerily silent except for the faint hum of the wind against the windows. Sorenโs expression was unreadable, but there was tension in his clenched jaw, a crack in his usually calm exterior. Ewen stood off to the side, his fists curled tightly, his knuckles white. And Lucian... his eyes burned with an intensity that made it hard to meet his gaze.โElixir,โ Lucian said, his voice low and controlled, but I could hear the tremor beneath it. โYou need to trust us.โโTrust you?โ I repeated, my voice sharper than I intended. โHow can I trust you when every step forward feels like falling into a trap I didnโt see coming?โLucian took a step closer, and I instinctively backed
Elixirโs POVThe silence that followed the seerโs words was deafening, as if the world held its breath alongside me. My knees felt weak, my chest tight, and the weight of a thousand unanswered questions bore down on me. I could hear the muffled sounds of chaos outsideโdistant shouts, the snapping of branchesโbut inside this room, it was just us. The seerโs piercing gaze remained fixed on me. โElixir, you must decide now. The longer you wait, the more dangerous it becomes.โ Decide. The word reverberated in my mind like a mocking echo. What was I supposed to decide? Every choice seemed shrouded in mystery, like walking a tightrope in the dark. โI canโt choose if I donโt even know whatโs happening!โ My voice cracked, frustration and fear pouring out like a dam breaking. โYouโre asking me to trust you, to trust all of you, but how can I when I donโt even understand whatโs at stake?โ The seer didnโt flinch, her expression calm but unreadable. โYou already know, deep down. Itโs not
Elixirโs POVThe torches flickered and then went out completely, leaving the courtyโถin โธโธโนin total darkness. I felt a heavy lump in my throat as everything faded away, the last image stuck in my mindโmy father's twisted smile, his empty eyes, and that unnatural chill that seemed to wrap around him.I couldnโt budge. It felt like my body was made of stone, and my heart was racing in my chest. My mind screamed that this wasnโt real, that it couldnโt be true. But deep down, where the dark thoughts lingered, I knew better.I had brought him back.Lucian was the first to react, moving in front of me, his growl low and dangerous. โThatโs not him.โ His voice was strained like he was pushing the words out through clenched teeth. โWhatever that is, itโs just using his face.โSoren quickly drew his blade, the moonlight glinting off it. โHow is this even happening?โ His voice was louder than a whisper, but the disbelief hung heavy in the air.Ewen stepped forward, his sharp gaze fixed on the fig
Elixirโs POVDarkness.It curled around me like a living thing, tendrils wrapping around my limbs, pressing against my skin like ice and fire woven together. It wasnโt just an absence of lightโit was something deeper. Something ancient. It called to me, whispering my name with a voice that wasnโt mine, yet I knew it. Knew it like I knew my own breath.Victorโs voice cut through the void, low and firm. โDo not fight it, Elixir.โLucianโs grip on my wrist tightened. โDonโt listen to him.โI looked between them. Lucian, wild-eyed and protective, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might shatter. Victor, calm but unyielding, watching me like he already knew what I would do.And then there was me.I had spent my whole life running from what I didnโt understand. From the curse in my blood. From the power waiting beneath my skin. But now? I couldnโt run anymore. The shadows had found me. The only choice left was whether I controlled them or let them consume me.My breath shook. โTell me
Elixirโs POVFrigid air hit me hard as I sat up, my whole body shaking from the lingering effects of the darkness. Lucianโs hands were solid on my shoulders, keeping me from totally losing it, and I could feel his heart pounding just as fast as mine.โItโs gone,โ Soren said, but there wasnโt a hint of relief in his voice, just a boatload of worry.Ewen cleaned his sword, his eyes darting around. โNo body, no blood.โ He ground his teeth. โThat wasnโt a normal spirit.โI gulped. โThat wasnโt a spirit at allโฆโThe room went silent, heavy like a wet blanket. The truth hung in the air. He-or whatever it was pretending to be himโwas connected to me. I could feel it that way the shadows stuck to me, whispering things only I could hear. It was like some sick cosmic joke.Lucian squeezed my shoulders. โWe gonna go. Now.โSoren nodded. โCanโt fight what we donโt get.โEwen paused, then gave in. โOkay.โI took a wobbly breath and forced myself to move. Every step away from that creepy place felt
Elixir's POVIt was dark all around me - not just dark, but like being stuck in thick mud. Each breath felt like trying to suck air through a straw, and my lungs were screaming. The darkness felt alive, sucking the air right out of me.This can't be real. Please, no.But then I saw it. Standing right there in front of me was a figure with my dad's face. It was him, no question.Think you could just get rid of me by dying, huh? The voice was soft, but it cut like ice, wrapping around me like smoke.I couldn't stop shaking. My heart was going crazy, banging against my ribs. You're not him, I choked out, my voice shaky. He's gone.His face twisted into a slow, mean smile, and his eyes... they were totally empty. The kind, warm light that always showed on his face was nowhere to be found. Really? he whispered, taking a step closer. Or are you just now finding out the truth?I stumbled back, every part of me screaming to run. But my feet were stuck, frozen in place. The air felt heavy, and
Elixirโs POVThe instant I walked into the war room, the heavy quiet hit me, like the air before a thunderstorm. The fire in the fireplace was jumping, casting freaky shadows on the stone walls. Lucian, Soren, and Ewen were standing around the table, looking super serious. Maps and scrolls were all over the place, but they weren't looking at them. They were staring at me.I swallowed hard. What's up?Lucian's jaw tightened. His dark eyes locked on mine, giving me the chills. Another attack happened. Not by those rogue guys this time. By something else.My stomach did a flip. Something else?Ewen crossed his arms, looking grim. Wraiths. More of them than before. And this time, they didn't just attackโ He let out a sharp breath. They left a message.Soren slid a piece of parchment across the table to me. My hands were shaking as I picked it up. I gasped when I read the messy, scrawled words:Give back what you took, or we'll take her instead.My blood turned to ice. What was taken? I as
Elixir's POVEverything around me shakes crazily. Light and dark twist together, fighting each other. The air is heavy with so much power that I can feel it pushing on my skin and getting into my bones.Soren is next to me, not backing down, every muscle tense. The gold figures stand there, their empty eyes staring at me like they're waiting for something.I grab my chest, breathing hard. The power under my skin feels alive. It squirms; it needs something.You have to pick, the woman who looks just like me whispers.My head became heavier. I know that the second I walk toward her, toward that gold place, there's no turning back. I'll become something scary or maybe unpredictable. Something not connected to the world I fought so hard for anymore.But if I stayโฆ and I fightโฆ I don't even know if I can make it through this. A scream cuts through the air. Soren jumps, quickly turning his head toward the sound. My stomach dropped.That voice, I know that voice.Lucian.The air shifts al
Elixirโs ViewWe're falling, It feels like it's never going to end, like the void swallowed has us whole. Everything just poof disappeared. The shiny gold people, the super bright light, even the little voices from that weird world I never belonged to. Gone.I can't even scream or take a proper breath.The only thing keeping me together is Soren holding onto me like crazy. His fingers are digging into my wrist, and heโs squeezing so hard. I can feel his arm shaking like heโs putting every ounce of strength into keeping me from falling into this dark pit.But it's probably not even enough.This dark pull is way stronger than I thought. For a split second, my heart drops because his grip goes a little loose.Oh no.I freak out and grab his arm with my free hand, digging my nails into his skin.Hold on! He manages to yell, but the wind is so loud I can barely hear him.I feel myself losing it.This unseen thing is dragging me down with no mercy.If I let go now, I'm never coming back.I
Elixirโs POVThe area between the gold statues and Soren feels like a tense standoffโquiet but about to blow. You could cut the tension with a knife.My heart's hammering in my chest like crazy, warning me. I try to move, to get away from whatever's holding me here, but I can't. The gold womanโthe one who looks just like meโis staring at me blankly.You don't get it yet, she says, her voice smooth. But you will.I feel a weird tingle under my skin when she says that, like I should know her. But I don't. And I don't want to.I don't belong here.Soren takes another step, and the darkness around him looks like armor. His face is set, and you can't read what he's thinking, but I can feel him. He's ticked off but determined.I said, let her go, he says, his voice sharp.The gold figures don't move, and their presence just crowds the space, makes it hard to breathe. They aren't scared of him. But they should be.A low hum vibrates through the place, making my skin crawl. It's not a languag
Elixirโs POVThe second my foot touched that bright ground, everything flipped. I felt this jolt of something old shoot right through me, something that felt like it shouldn't even exist. It was just raw force. No holding back. It didn't just hang around inside me; it took over, like this thing that had been waiting for me to come back finally had what it wanted.I tried to catch my breath, but the air was thick with voices. They weren't far off anymore; they were right there, all around me, speaking some language I couldn't make out. And yet, somehow, I knew what they were saying.Welcome home.My body felt like it weighed nothing, but at the same time, I felt this pressure, like a thousand lives were pushing in on me. Then came this wave of images, none of them mine. They flashed by so fast I could hardly make them out.I saw this seat made out of bone, empty.There was this battle, all fire and shadow. A whole place in trouble, begging for someone to save it.And a lady who never