SERENE'S POV As we slipped into the mansion, I clutched Ivar’s hand tightly, even though I knew it made no difference. No one could see us. His invisibility spell cloaked us both like a second skin. Still, my heart pounded like a war drum in my chest."Relax," Ivar whispered beside me, his voice nothing but a breath against my ear. "No one can see us."Relaxing seemed like a distant option, despite the fact that I knew I was safe with the edge his power gave us.I had found out about it the night we had dinner at the Alpha King's. When I'd asked him about how he knew what happened between Ianthe and I in the King's palace, he'd caved in at the end and admitted that he had the power of invisibility and he had been in the King's compound with us all along, watching as the meeting went on.A part of my plan formulated then and there, and now I needed that power. I wanted to see Daphne and speak with her. I couldn't leave her to rot here.“You okay?” Ivar asked, a low murmur. “I’m fin
“So?” asked Ivar as he saw me appear at the top of the stairs.I nodded. “He gave his go-ahead.”He raised an eyebrow from where he sat at the dining. “Really?”“Yes,” I responded, decending down the stairs slowly. My thoughts felt heavy—soaked in everything I was about to risk.“So what are your plans?”I wanted to reach Daphne first to discuss with her, and then the rest of my plans would unravel.I told him. “Are you going to bring her with you? This girl you talk about.”I shook my head. “No. I just want to talk to her first,” I would unravel the rest of my plans slowly when they were solid.“Is she your sister?”“No,” I replied, but she'd helped me like a sister would, and now was the time to pay her back.“Saw you running from the fields yesterday,” he suddenly said. “Saw something you weren't supposed to see, didn't you?”“How did you see me?”“From my window.”I paused, then added, “Do you know about the people who live after the fields?”He nodded. “Yes. I go there once in a
Agnar's PovI watched as she opened the door and slipped out, leaving room for Sebastian to come in.“Hello, Serene,” said that bastard as he took her hand and raised it to his mouth.A wisp of a smile touched her lips. “Hello, Sebastian.”“Had a nice night?”“Yes, I did. Thank you,” she said.I raised an eyebrow at the reply.I doubted if she indeed had a nice night — with seeing the NightMarchers yesterday evening and being consumed by her plans for Roman, I doubted if she'd had a nice night in a long while.Sebastian entered the room and shut the door close. His eyes swept over the desk and landed on Serene’s teacup.“Been playing the charming British host, I see.”“Just the charming host,” I corrected. “Nothing British about it, but I don't blame you. It's something you can't relate to as a Neantherdal.” I raised my cup to my lips and lowered it. “What do you want?” “Don't I at least get some tea?”Wordlessly, I took another teacup from the bar beside me and poured. I watched as
SERENE'S POV I intercepted Ivar the next morning as he made his way down for breakfast.“I need your help.”He paused and looked me over slowly, an apple in one hand and the pirate-like earring in his right lobe catching the morning light.He took a bite of the apple before answering me. “Oh, yeah? What for?”I told him.A flicker of interest lit in his eyes, but he shrugged.“Can’t help you.”“Please.”“Go ask Agnar first and then come back and tell me what he says. Good luck.”With that, he walked off, leaving the sharp scent of apple trailing behind him.I turned towards Agnar’s room. I knocked once and was ushered in with a calm reply.I pushed the door open and entered.“Good morning, Serene,” he said as he saw me walk in.“Good morning,” I murmured, trying not to let the memory of his arms around me last night cloud my thoughts.I approached him at the desk where he was seated, shirtless as usual.“May I offer you some tea?” he gestured to the teapot beside an open journal on t
Serene’s POVMy legs moved on their own. I didn’t remember starting the walk, but there I was—heading home.Thoughts crashed in my mind like thunder, loud and relentless. Everything felt tight in my chest as I recalled what I’d seen: the marching, the glowing eyes, the unnatural stillness.I tried to shake the image away, but it clung to me like glue.What were they? Why did one of them look at me like that? And who was the man that saved me? Where had he come from? How did he know I was Agnar's mate?My breathing turned uneven. My chest rose and fell too quickly, as though I couldn’t get enough air. The night was cool, but my skin burned like I had a fever.I tried to quiet the noise in my mind, but the memories clawed their way back, sharper than ever.“You’re fine,” I whispered to myself.But I wasn’t.Every tree I passed, every flickering shadow, made me flinch. It felt like the night had grown teeth—watching me, waiting.I shivered and pulled my shawl tighter. The path home stret
Serene's Pov I couldn't stay still that evening, and while the others laughed and joked around, I decided to go for a walk around the fields near the mansion.I grabbed a shawl, wrapped it around my neck, and slipped out of the house without anyone noticing.I walked without paying attention to where I was headed. I wasn't scared. This was Agnar's land, and there was nothing to fear.What I wanted to know was how to get at Ianthe.Her face kept flashing in my mind — smug, untouchable. Pregnant and protected. How do you destroy someone who was poison herself? How do you make someone like that bleed?There had to be a way. There was something that could be done. I just needed to know what it was.Then something struck me: my conversation with Ivar earlier at dinner. As I thought more about it, I got more excited. It could work. It had to work.Oh, I would make it work if it was the last thing I did.I turned to go, but I suddenly tripped over a stone and fell. As I pushed myself up, b