Just as I suspected, Lily was still sitting in the exact spot she had been when I left earlier. But now, she looked far worse—her face blotchy and swollen, as though she'd been crying the entire time.Eric stood silently at the doorway, his eyes fixed on her. He looked utterly heartbroken, his pain written plainly across his face as he watched Lily in her despair. She hadn’t noticed our presence yet, lost in the dark cloud of her thoughts.And then, her head lifted, her glassy eyes locking with mine for a brief moment before shifting to Eric. Recognition flared in her gaze, and in the next heartbeat, she flew into his arms.Understanding they needed this moment, I stepped out of the room, giving them the space they so desperately needed. I headed toward the sitting room in search of Jess.When I walked in, I found her curled up on the couch, her legs hugged tightly to her chest. Even in sleep, exhaustion clung to her like a heavy weight, her face taut with tension. The sight of her vu
“Lily, is not going to be easy,” Jess said, but that was not what I wanted to hear.“It has never been easy, Jess, and I’m done waiting around for some miracle when we can end this. What I need right now is everyone’s support. With you, Alex, and Eric, I believe I can do it,” I said, taking her hands in mine. I needed her to see how much I wanted to get this done.“Lily, I believe you can do this, but we don’t have much time. We need to make it back to Terranovae before Eric’s second transformation. I spoke to Eric’s dragon side, and it wants us to find the heart before the second transformation, or both the dragon and Eric will be lost. If that happens, a beast shall be born. It doesn’t matter if Eric or the dragon is in control—they will both go wild because they’ve been together since birth,” Alex said, leaving Jess and me staring at him.“Okay, I’ll help you, but first, I need to heal myself. I can’t help you if I’m this weak,” Jess said, and in that moment, all I wanted was to hu
I stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting with the hem of my swimsuit. It felt like it exposed far too much of my body, leaving me vulnerable and self-conscious. Maybe I should’ve ordered something more modest, but it was too late to change that now. With a deep sigh, I grabbed my bathrobe and headed to the pool, knowing Eric’s dragon side was already waiting for me.A part of me wished Eric, the calm and composed version of him, was in control. But deep down, I knew this was my chance to connect with his dragon side, no matter how intimidating he could be.When I reached the pool, he was already in the water, sitting casually with his back to me. The tattoo on his back drew my attention immediately, as it always did, its intricate details glimmering in the dim light. He must have sensed my presence because he turned to face me, his glowing green eyes locking onto mine. A smirk curved his lips, an expression so different from Eric’s usual demeanor that it made my heart skip a beat.Hi
I stared at him, utterly confused. What is he talking about?“How do you usually do that?” he asked, his eyes scanning me intently.“Do what?” I replied, unsure of what he meant.“How do you always walk in without me hearing you? You did it in the bathroom, and now again. I wouldn’t even have known you were standing behind me if it weren’t for your scent calling my attention to you.” His words made me frown as I instinctively sniffed the air and glanced toward the bathroom, trying to understand what he was referring to.“You smell so good, and I can’t help but admit that your scent was the first thing that kept me grounded—especially the night we met. You know, after witnessing the death of Eric’s parents, it awakened a fierce, protective side of me. A side that always wants to keep him safe. A side that wants to keep us safe.”His confession didn’t just leave me stunned—it set a whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind.“What? Did you just say you witnessed what happened to Eric’
I walked into the sitting room and found Lily on the couch, her figure slouched as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. She seemed lost in thought, so much so that she didn’t notice me enter.It took a moment before she finally looked my way, and the exhaustion in her eyes hit me like a punch to the chest. Guilt twisted inside me, sharp and unrelenting, as I realized how much pain I might have caused her. I opened my mouth to apologize, to say something—anything—but the words refused to come out.“I see you’re ready. Let’s go. I’m sure Jess and Alex are already waiting for us,” she said, her tone flat, her eyes distant. She didn’t wait for a response as she walked past me and headed outside. All I could do was quietly follow her, the weight of her coldness pressing down on me.When we reached the car, I moved to open the front passenger door for her, hoping she’d sit beside me. But instead, she slipped into the backseat without hesitation, creating an invisible barrier
“Lily, stop! Please!” Eric’s voice was desperate as another wave slammed into me, knocking me back for the tenth time. I was exhausted, but I didn’t care. That was until Eric stepped directly into my path, blocking me.“Move out of my way,” I said, my voice laced with warning.“No, this is insane!” he shot back, but his words only stoked the fire of my anger.“Why is it insane? Let me guess—you don’t think I can make it to Terranovae, do you?” I asked, staring him down. He avoided my gaze, and that hurt more than the waves ever could. He didn’t even have a shred of faith in me.“Lily, I’m just worried about you! I don’t know what that dragon told you, but the skills he taught you? They’re useless! He’s just setting you up to get yourself killed. Let’s go back to the shore. You’re soaked, you’re freezing—please!” He reached out to touch me, but I stepped back, anger flaring.I stared at him in disbelief. How could he say that to me? “I don’t need you to worry about me, Eric! Worry abou
“Lily, Lily, wake up!” A voice whispered in my ear. My eyes fluttered open, and I was met with nothing but darkness. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head.I couldn't understand what was happening or where I was. Looking around, I couldn't pick up a single sound or light. But the strange thing was—I was still floating. Then it hit me. I was still beneath the sea. Panic shot through me as I immediately swam up to the surface, but that only made my fear intensify.Nothing made sense. When I reached the surface, the moon that once shone brightly on the sea’s horizon was gone, leaving me and the vast body of water swallowed in total darkness.But the moon wasn’t the only thing missing—the storm had vanished too, leaving the sea eerily silent. A chilling stillness settled over me, and worst of all, I was completely lost, with no way of finding my way back to shore.I turned left, then right, but all I could see was endless water stretching around me. A shiver ran down my spine as pa
So, Eric was the reborn version of Azhadrex, and if his heart wasn’t found, he would turn into a beast and destroy all of Terranovae—the very place he was meant to protect. My blood ran cold.“We're here. Welcome to the dragon world. It's where we’ve learned to adapt, hoping to be saved,” Zyron said. My jaw dropped.There were so many of them—each with different eye colors and body structures—but they all looked so majestic, so breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t believe this was real.And I had to admit, Drakemere City was stunning, even beneath the sea. Zyron led the way toward the grand castle at the center of the city, and as we entered, we were greeted by more dragons. Their faces lit up, their gazes filled with joy and anticipation.“Why is everyone happy to see me?” I asked Zyron, feeling overwhelmed by the warm, expectant stares.“Because we've waited for your arrival for what feels like forever. You being here means hope—maybe even a second chance for us.”My chest tightened
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