It was already getting late when I decided to see Peter off. He insisted on being the one to see me off, but I had to convince him to leave it for our next meeting.When we both passed my parents house, I felt her presence. She was in the house; that witch is in my house. I felt anger consume me. How dare she enter that house after destroying my life?“Lilly, are you okay? You seem too quiet; is there something on your mind?” Peter asked, and I quickly smiled, hiding my anger.“I'm fine, Peter; you worry too much.”“Do you want to come in and say hi to my mum? You can even sleepover; we have extra rooms for guests.”“I had love to, but not today. I promise I will come by another time.”“Come visit soon, okay, and stay safe.” He hugged me before saying goodbye. I turned and started walking down the street. Even though the street was lit up with street lights, I still felt like I was being watched.I hastened my footsteps, and so did she. She was hiding in the shadows, so I couldn't see
I woke up to the sound of someone sobbing beside me. It was Lilly; why was she crying so much?"Lilly,” I called her. My voice was so weak, and so was I."Lilly,” I called her again, but she shook her head continuously with her eyes closed. Her hands held mine tightly."Lilly, open your eyes.”“Eric?”“Why are you crying?”“I'm sorry”“Then open your eyes." I managed to push myself up and lean close to her. Her cheeks were all flushed. How long has she been like this?“Then open your eyes." But she shook her head, refusing to."Lilly, please just open your eyes.” I cupped her cheek, wiping her tears off her face. I was glad when she opened her eyes and stared at me. There was disbelief in her eyes for a moment.“Eric?” I smiled at her. She caught me off guard when she rushed into my arms, wrapping her arms tightly around me as she sobbed.“Lilly, why are you crying?” I asked again, not understanding why she was crying so much. It breaks my heart to know that she is hurting.“I missed
I watched her sleep as I tried to ponder what happened between us earlier. Should I even say it was between us since I wasn't in control of my own body? The dragon’s spirit is taking over me little by little, but I'm still amazed.It has never hurt Lilly from the get-go, but now it is trying to be intimate with her. Why do I have this feeling that I'm not the only one who loves having her around? I pressed a kiss on her cheeks before laying her back on the bed.I went into the sitting room and met Jess and Alex. I wasn't expecting to see them awake. Alex had his head resting on Jess’s shoulder with his eyes closed. I never knew they could stay this close without bickering over each other's heads.“Hey guys,” I said, calling for their attention. Alex was the first to come running to me. I wasn't surprised when he hugged me and started faking a sob.“You scared me. I thought you were going to die!” He said. He tightened his hand around me, holding me closer to himself.“Either you let m
I couldn't sleep all night. I was the first to get off bed while leaving Eric behind. I went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water before heading back to my room but was surprised to find Jess in the sitting room.She looked so lost in thought that she didn't notice me standing behind her.“Hey Jess,” I called, drawing her attention.“Lilly, you're up?”“Yeah, I couldn't sleep.” I sincerely told her.“I understand; I couldn't even sleep either. I know we didn't have the chance to discuss Mr. Philip, but today is the day we have been waiting for.I need you to prepare yourself; it's either we bring him down today or nothing.” I just want you to know that there will be reporters. Do you think you can handle that?“I have come this far to let a few people with cameras stop me,” I replied, forcing a smile to my face.“How come your cheeks are all flushed, and your eyes are also swollen? I told you not to cry too much.” Jess said with a worried expression on her face. She walked up to me
When we arrived at my dad’s company, I was so tensed. I was scared of facing Uncle Phillip after all these years, but most of all, I was raged with anger.He was involved in what happened to my family, but yet he lived a comfortable life while I suffered.“Hey, are you okay?” I turned when I heard Eric's voice behind me.“Yeah, I'm good. Are the reporters ready?”“Yes, we just need to wait for Jess to give us an entirely permit."“Okay, I can do this,” I said to myself as I kept taking a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves down.“Hey, relax; you look so tensed.” Eric said, holding my hand in his. I looked up at him and found him staring at me with nothing but concern in his eyes.“I just don't know how to face him. It has already been eleven years, but it still feels like it all happened yesterday.”“I know it's difficult, but I want you to know that I will always be by your side.” He said, pressing a kiss on my cheeks. I smiled at him as I stepped into his arms, lovin' the warmth I
"Congratulations, Lilly,” Jess said as she pulled me in for a hug.“Thank you so much, Jess. It wouldn't have been possible without you three. I bless the day Alex found me.” I said, hugging her back.“I made a fist,” she said and dragged me to the dining room while Eric followed.“I also helped,” Alex said, raising his hand like a child seeking permission to talk.“I know Alex, and I'm very grateful.” I said and hugged him. He hugged me back as he slightly patted my back.“You are welcome, Lilly, but I think it is time we pull away because someone's eyes are shooting daggers at me.” He said as we pulled away from our little hug. I found Eric glaring at Alex and couldn't help giggling.“Guys, let's eat; our food is getting cold.” Jess called after us as we all took our seats. Anna helped us in ditching out the food as we gisted and talked over our success.I have never been this happy in years. It almost felt like a dream. When we were through with dinner, Alex insisted the men do the
She was wearing my oversized shirt, her hair dripping wet and tangled from the shower. The fabric clung to her curves, accentuating her feminine form. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at me, a hint of mischief dancing in their depths.She padded softly across the floor, her feet bare and her movements graceful, as if she were gliding towards me. I couldn't help but be drawn to her, my heart racing with anticipation. I set my laptop and glasses aside, watching her every moment.As she moved closer, I could see the faint outline of her legs beneath the shirt and the way the fabric hugged her hips. Her hair dripped water onto the floor, creating a tiny puddle that reflected the light. She didn't seem to notice, her eyes fixed on mine with a playful intensity.I felt my pulse quicken as she drew nearer, the air between us electric with tension. The shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of her chest, and I found myself wondering what lay beneath. She stopped in front of me as
I sat on the bed with my legs hugging my chest. He was fine, and we were both perfectly fine until that side of him showed up.He is probably angry at me; I never should have pretended not to know what he was going through.I know he told me to stay away, but I don't think I can. I need to talk to him. It's been over twenty minutes since he went to the bathroom, and I just can't help being worried.I summoned my last courage and went in search of him. I stood at the bathroom door without knowing what to do. Should I knock or call out for him?With how quiet it's in there, he could hear me. Wait a minute, why is it so quiet in there? He usually has the shower on whenever he is going through this, or else he passes out. My eyes widened in shock as I started banging at the door after noticing it was locked from the inside.“Eric! Eric! Please open up.” Just like I thought, there was no response. I panicked and continued banging and pushing the door with all my strength.I don't know how,
Lily's POVIt felt like I had been swimming east for ages, every little sound sending a jolt of fear through me. The water was eerily silent, but no monstrous creatures had surfaced—yet. That didn’t mean they weren’t there, lurking beneath, waiting.I didn’t have much time. I needed to reach the Heart and return to Terranovae before it was too late.Drakemere was growing colder with every passing moment, the icy grip of the deep tightening around me. My mind had wandered, lost in anxious thoughts, when something suddenly caught my eye—a glimmering fragment of light against the dark water.A small, diamond-like stone was embedded in the jagged surface of a massive rock, its crystalline glow hypnotic, almost calling to me.Curiosity pulled me forward. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the smooth, shimmering surface, but as I shifted my gaze beyond the rock, I froze.A veil of liquid silver wavered before me, stretching across the depths like a living curtain of light.I gasped.
"Eric, this is insane! There is no way I’m letting you go to the Witch City just to seek their queen. It’s already obvious they’re planning to attack us like they did before, and you’re at your weakest moment. No, I think you should do as Tythorax said," Jess argued, her voice firm with defiance.I wasn’t surprised to find her waiting when I resurfaced from Drakemere. The moment she saw me, suspicion clouded her eyes, and she demanded to know why I had gone there. As we made our way back to the palace, I had no choice but to tell her everything.“I am not at my weakest point, Jess," I muttered, exhaling heavily. "I’m about to lose myself. That’s not weakness—it means I’m losing control over my powers. If I stay here, I become a danger to every demon in Terranovae.”Her expression hardened. “Then what about the Black Stone? What are you going to do about it?”“I don’t know,” I admitted, my gaze flickering toward the vine-covered barrier. The creeping plants had nearly sealed off the en
Before I could realize what was happening or remind myself that this wasn't real, I missed a step and slipped down the stairs. My body collided with the wooden steps, and pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning.When I finally hit the floor at the bottom of the staircase, leading into the sitting room, I couldn't move. The pain was paralyzing, making me question whether this was real or just another nightmare. I forced my eyes open, and that was when I saw it—a glimpse of a shadow standing in the darkest corner of the room, where the dim glow of light barely cast its reach.Panic surged through me as I pushed myself off the floor, backing away from the figure. My body screamed in agony, but I ignored it. A wave of cold air wrapped around me, sending chills down my spine, every hair on my body standing on end. From the size of the figure, I could tell it wasn't an adult—but a child. A girl."Who are you?" My voice came out small, unsteady, weak—barely a whisper."Me?" she echoed,
“What do you mean? Are you saying the Water Demon Princess is alive?” I asked, waiting impatiently for his reply.“Great, so now who am I even talking to? Because I don’t understand a thing,” Tythorax complained, but I was more focused on whether Eric’s biological mother was truly alive.“Yes, she is still alive. I thought you, of all people, would know that,” Tythorax finally answered.“I never expected her to be.” I shook my head, disbelief tightening my chest. “You and I both know how devastated she was after being forced to leave her baby at the doorstep of some random humans. I don’t even know if I should say Eric and I were lucky to end up with Mr. and Mrs. Sarton.”Memories of that fateful night came rushing back, burning through me like wildfire. I could still see the agony on the princess’s face as she made her way to Drakemere, pleading for her baby’s life. Even when she was warned of the consequences, she still agreed to them.No mother willingly gives birth only to abandon
We swam as fast as we could, the icy water pressing against us like an unrelenting force. Time felt endless, every stroke stretching into eternity, but finally, after what seemed like forever, we arrived.The first thing I noticed was the storm—a raging, untamed force swirling right in front of us. The water churned violently, reacting to our presence with a low, menacing rumble. I wasn’t surprised that the sea itself seemed to resist us, but what unsettled me was why the sea god had chosen to place a storm here, turning it into the first trial to reach the heart.The sheer power of it sent a shiver down my spine, a stark reminder of the impossible task ahead."This is it," Jess murmured beside me. "The Forbidden Abyss."I exhaled, staring at the churning waters. "It looks far more terrifying now that I’m actually here. When Tythorax spoke of it, it seemed like a legend—now it feels like a death sentence." My voice wavered slightly, but I steadied myself. "I guess this is my first tri
"Does this mean the power barrier created by Drakemere won’t be enough to stop them?" Jess asked, pacing anxiously across the room."You and I both know it takes Terranovae’s full barrier power to keep the witches out. The fragment that remains here might hold back the creatures, but definitely not the witches."Jess let out a heavy sigh, frustration evident in every step she took. But my attention remained fixed on Lily. She stood still, lost in her own thoughts, the fear in her eyes something I never wanted to see. I had hoped to shield her from this truth, to spare her the weight of it, but keeping it from her wouldn’t have been right either.“This is bad,” Alex muttered under his breath."Jess, you know what to do. Make sure Lily reaches the Abyss safely—please, look after her for me," I said, my voice carrying a silent plea. Jess gave me a firm nod of assurance."Hey, Lily," I called gently, taking her hands in mine."I never wanted you to worry about this—that’s why I didn’t men
“You did a great job,” I said, taking her hand and offering an encouraging smile. She returned it, but there was a heaviness in her eyes that refused to lift.“You think? I just hope this is a new beginning for all of them,” she murmured, her voice laced with worry. It wasn’t just her voice—her entire expression carried the weight of uncertainty.“You worry too much. You just managed to get all of Terranovae’s leaders to work together—something that hasn’t happened in decades,” I reminded her. She needed to believe in herself if she was going to make it to the Abyss of Vareth. That place required strength, not doubt.“I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without Jess,” she admitted with a heavy sigh. Then, after a brief pause, her expression shifted. “But there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”“Okay, ask me anything,” I said, giving her a small nod of encouragement.“Can you really not come with me to the Abyss of Vareth?” she asked, her eyes locking onto mine, pleading.
“Enough!” I screamed, my voice ringing through the hall, sharp and commanding. The room fell into silence as I finally drew their attention back to me.“What is wrong with all of you? Why can’t you work together for once to save our home? The chaos that has fallen upon us is the result of your petty disputes and the foolish mistakes of our forefathers—mistakes they passed down to each generation! If they hadn’t driven the dragons away, if Drakemere were still here in Terranovae, none of this would be happening! But it did. And now, instead of bickering like fools, put aside your arrogance and fight for what truly matters!"I let my gaze sweep over them, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yes, I am Princess Jessandria, the runaway princess. But at least I am better than every single one of you here. Do you know why? Because I love Terranovae! And I would give my life to ensure its safety!” My voice shook with passion, the weight of my words pressing into the heavy silence.“I left Terrano
As we approached, the sheer grandeur of the castle became even more overwhelming. The towering gates, adorned with intricate silver filigree and engraved with the ancient symbols of the four demon clans, loomed over us like silent sentinels. The air was thick with tension, an oppressive weight pressing down on the demons who lingered outside their homes. Their anxious gazes followed us, their whispers barely audible, as though they feared even the wind would carry their secrets to unwanted ears. It felt as if we carried the fate of Terranovae on our shoulders.When we reached the gate, the guards immediately stepped forward, blocking our path. Jess wasted no time; she jumped off the horse with a determined stride, her presence alone demanding attention. The moment they recognized her, they bowed deeply, a show of respect, yet not a single one of them moved aside."I need to speak to my father. Now!" Jess commanded, her voice cutting through the heavy air like a blade.“We were strictl