Cressida POV—The day of the uprising
It was dreary outside, and the musty old library where my magic professor showed me spells did nothing for my boredom.
I had been at it for hours, creating the same round sphere of light between my hands. The reasoning behind the spell was that I could make this ball into anything I wanted: a source of light, warmth, or protection.
I had perfected it years back, and I didn’t understand why Otis was so pent up on me working on it today.
“Princess, you need to master basic energy spells before trying more advanced techniques. You know this! So, stop pouting and throw that damn ball at me!” Otis taunted.
Fine! I’d give him precisely what he wanted if he wanted to practice attack and defence.
I extended my hand and brought the other under, swirling the ball faster. I opted for offence, so I created a sizzle of electricity around the sphere. Should it hit Otis, his white hair and beard would puff from the static and shock, hopefully even incapacitating him for a few seconds, giving me enough time for a final blow.
I lightly jumped forward, creating more thrust, and launched the energy ball toward my teacher.
He ducked just in time but caught it within the protection of his hands and swerved it back at me. The light sphere had become bright red, leaving a blazing fire behind it.
He had charged it with a different power.
I didn’t expect Otis to start throwing more projectiles at me, and I had to evade as best I could in the confines of the library. I quickly made another energy ball and elongated it into an oval shape, creating a shield to protect myself from the impending contact.
I pushed the shield just as the blazing sphere touched it and sent it flying back to my adversary.
I was now grinning. Otis was making things interesting—finally.
“Oh, it’s on, old man!” I shouted as I jumped from desk to shelf.
Each time I felt an imminent blast coming my way, I ducked or swiped my energy shield to deflect the blow.
I had something up my sleeve that I knew Otis was unaware I had practiced. I dropped my shield, which disintegrated upon leaving my arm, and I quickly placed my hands on the stone floor. I closed my eyes and waited to feel the vibrations in the rock beneath my fingers. Once I sensed Otis’ feet hit the mark I had envisioned, a pool of bright blue light passed through my hands and dispersed in the stone, and shot up a few steps away beneath Otis, ultimately making him fly up in the air with the incredible force of the energy blast.
I heard the thump of his body hitting the floor. I dipped my shoulders at the sound, wincing a bit. I may have overdone it on the blast, I thought.
Otis rolled on his back, trying to regain his breath. His eyes were shut, and I heard him cough a little through the grimace he was making on his face.
I casually walked over and extended my hand to help him up. “Do you give?”
He reached for my hand and said, “Aye, I give….”
“Yes!” I shouted, lifting my arms victoriously. “He ceded! I finally beat you, you old prune.”
He bumped his shoulder into mine, and we laughed at how I bested him. I wiped a laughing tear from my cheek and thought of how much I loved that man. He was, by far, my favourite teacher. He always let me do what I wanted, even if it wasn’t princess-like.
“You best remove those riding pants and shirt and put your dress back on before you go to your next lesson, my princess.”
I stuck out my tongue. “You always ruin the fun, Otis.” But he was right. I needed to put that darn corseted dress back on. Oh, how I loathed it.
As I was going to retrieve my clothes, I felt a strange vibration on the floor. The shelves of the library shook, and ceiling dust snowed on us. A few seconds passed, and we heard an explosion from the courtyard, and the castle trembled again.
“Otis?” My eyes searched for him.
What was going on?
Without a word, Otis grabbed my arm and pushed me toward a bookshelf. He ran his fingers behind several books before I heard a “click.” He pulled on the wooden shelf, and it revealed an entrance to a dark tunnel.
“You must go, Princess. You must flee!”
I caught his robe sleeve and shook my head, “No, Otis. What’s going on?”
“The uprising is happening; your father foretold that this would come. He gave me specific instructions for you. Make it out of the castle, now!” He pressed me toward the entrance and pushed on the bookshelf to close it. I moved back, not wanting to leave him.
There was shouting in the hallway and the clanking of swords. I heard a scream and paled; they were coming this way.
“Please, Otis, I don’t understand! I—”
“Listen to me! You are Cressida Cardinal, and you are a magic wielder. If they find you here, you will die! Now run!”
Hot tears were streaming down my face. Another explosion happened, and this time it shattered the library wall. Big chunks of stone flew in every direction. Book pages floated down and burned as broken oil lamps fed the fire.
The air was thickening with smoke. I coughed and moved a piece of clothing over my mouth and nose.
“Run!” Shouted Otis a second time.
The doors to the library burst, and the last thing I saw before the shelf closed on me was a stream of knights not wearing the Cardinal sigil pouring through the smashed doors and Otis running toward them with a blinding light.
“OTIS!” I screamed.
I turned around and ran as fast as I could. I tumbled to the ground many times as my vision was blurry from the tears wetting my face. They were mixed with sweat and burned my eyes each time I wiped them away.
The tunnel was narrow, but it took me to the other side of the castle. I hit a wall and searched for the exact mechanism Otis used to open the library wall. My fingers were numb from the adrenaline, but after fumbling a few times, I heard the familiar “click,” and it gave way.
I ran out and saw the forest up ahead. I had to make for its cover.
Shrieks of castle residents being slaughtered rang in my ears as I went to the dark, dense forest. I knew somewhere I could go for help in there. There was a cabin used for hunting, and Gideon—the game hunter, would hopefully be nearby.
Three branches slapped my face and stung me as I passed through them, not wanting to slow down.
When I finally reached the cabin, I knocked on the door viciously, pleading for help. My voice was hoarse, and my lungs burned from the run. I could taste the metallic tang of blood every time I tried to swallow.
The lights in the cabin were not lit, and I panicked.
An enormous hand wrapped itself over my mouth while a thick hairy forearm held me from the front. Someone had just grabbed me and was leading me further into the forest.
I kicked and wiggled, hoping to slip from my captor’s grip. When I bit his thick fingers, I heard a grave yelp and recognized the voice of the game hunter.
“Shush, Princess, or they will find us,” he removed his hand from my mouth, and I turned to him, burying my head in his thick chest. I was relieved he had found me.
“I’ve got you now, Princess. Don’t fret.” Gideon pulled me next to him while he continued walking into the forest.
“I’ll bring you to a house loyal to King Cardinal. Once there, you must lie low until it is safe to come out. You will need to go as far as you can from Cardinal City,” he whispered close to my ears.
He scrunched his nose when he looked at my head and grabbed my long braid that fell onto my back. “We’ll need to do something about your red hair; it’s a dead giveaway.” He groaned.
Gideon pulled out his hunting knife. “I’m sorry.”
My eyes were closed and wet with tears when I felt him slice my hair with his blade. The long braid fell to the ground, and the game hunter continued slashing pieces off my head.
I passed my hand through whatever was left of my once long, fiery mane. It was choppy and short, shorter than a man’s hair. I choked on a sob, understanding that it was necessary for now.
“You’ll need a new name, Princess. But don’t tell me, so I can’t expose you if I’m captured,” said Gideon gruffly.
I stayed silent, walking over logs and swatting tree branches away from me. I pulled the thick shawl I could grab before fleeing the castle library over my shoulders. It smelled of smoke, as I had used it to cover half my face when the fire inside was blazing. It was my mother’s.
My mother had never called me by my full name; she always used an abbreviated version. She was the only one to use it when we were alone, and I thought it would help me remember who I was while I went into hiding.
Ida, I thought. I will answer to Ida.
I was woken up by a heat flash, so I threw the sheets away from my body. I felt hot even though I could see goosebumps all over my arms and legs through my copper-coloured lashes.I tried to focus on my breathing and slowing down my heartbeat. At the rate it was pumping, I’d probably go into shock again.I was still too hot, so I clawed at my nightshirt. I needed to take it off quickly before I combusted.I sensed someone swatting away my fumbling hands and placing an arm behind my back and under my knees to lift me up. Then I was weightless, floating toward another dimly lit room.I felt faint from the insane heat pulsing through me, and after a moment, something wrapped me in a cold envelope. I didn’t think I had a fever anymore. It was simply me swimming in the cool darkness. My lungs had slowly returned to a normal breathing rhythm, and my limbs felt slightly numb from the cold. But I didn’t mind the sudden temperature change. I welcomed it.Soft fingers brushed my cheek, pushing
I was done fighting back my desires and welcomed their possession over my body.I dragged my nails over Xander’s chest, scratching his skin and leaving red trails everywhere. I suddenly wanted to leave whatever mark I could to finally show that he was mine.Xander’s arm snaked up the length of my back, and he fisted a bunch of my hair, crashing my lips to his once again.His kisses commanded attention, and I moaned when he bit my lower lip.He returned his arms to the front of my wet nightshirt and ripped it open. Buttons flew on the bed and rolled onto the floor.The sudden breeze against my breasts made them peak, and I felt Xander’s hands explore my mounds hungrily.He had moved his mouth down my jaw, following my neck, and kept kissing and nipping until his tongue latched onto my breast. His other hand made circular motions on the other, taunting me and making me wet.My juices started wetting the inside of my thighs; the heat was building up between my legs. I arched my back, all
I lay in Xander’s bed, basking in the pool of sun that shone directly over me. The higher part of the windows contained stained glass, and as the sun streamed from the half-closed curtains, it cast a rainbow of colours on my skin. It felt magical to see those dancing tints vanishing and reappearing from the movements of clouds in the sky. Xander had left early, not wanting to wake me. I groaned at the thought. I hoped that was the reason and not out of regret. Faiths, I hoped it wasn’t out of regret…. I hid my warm, red face in the pillow beside me to stifle my groan of embarrassment. I bit my bottom lip, thinking back to the steamy night I had shared with him and flushed a deeper crimson at the memories of his touch on my skin. The bedroom door opened, and it startled me to see Xander walk in, his gaze finding me immediately. I flashed him a stunned smile and bunched the covers to hide my nakedness. He removed the vest of his black two-piece suit and sauntered to my side. H
With Xander knowing I was a magic wielder, he had encouraged me to practice magic again. He assured me it would be safe in his quarters, and I believed him, but I was still wary of Leo. The boy had always known this world—this hatred against Unnaturals. I didn’t know what he would do if he saw me performing a spell. Still, I engagingly accepted Xander’s encouragement and trained regularly by doing spells. I always did so when I knew I was alone. I was a little rusty, so I asked Xander if he had any books on spells or casting techniques in the estate. He had looked everywhere after I made the request, but the answer to my question had been “no,” and I received an unfortunate look from Xander, who knew this was important to me. It didn’t surprise me that there weren’t any books on that subject anymore. After Osprey came to power, anything regarding magic was destroyed. Priceless knowledge simply vanished at the beginning of his reign. It broke my heart. I almost regretted my lazines
Xander POV I looked over the finances. I felt terrible leaving Ida alone in my wing while I tended to business my father had ordered. I longed to be back with her, and my Lycan was in one of his moods. I had a lot of difficulties keeping him in check ever since we had found our mate. For him, it was inconceivable that we parted from her. I kept reminding him of our duties, but he snarled at me. Besides, I was down to our last bit of business before I could call it a day and finally be able to see her. I had to get Ida’s papers from Mr. Crane, my notary. I had them drafted the morning after I had marked her, but I was missing some information before they could be signed and sealed. I had finally gotten word that they were ready. Ida had reluctantly provided some information about her family and past, simply saying that she didn’t have a last name since she was orphaned and lived most of her life as a slave in different houses. It made my job harder since I had nothing to go on. Not
Sitting in the main parlour, I looked over the papers Xander had drafted for my freedom. I traced the ink of my new name with my index finger. It was written in beautiful cursive lettering: Ida Raven. It felt bizarre to see it written on an official piece of paper. Papers that were supposed to prove my free citizenship in Airedah. I was no longer a slave to the new regime. Legally binding documents… that were a complete lie. I thought of my father and mother and silently asked what they would think of their daughter’s new identity. Would my choices to survive for the past decade disappoint them? I had buried the Cardinal name to ensure I did not perish alongside them—but would they approve? Wouldn’t the fact that I could live secretly ease their deception? The Cardinal line was not dead, not entirely—Princess Cressida still lived inside me. She wasn’t gone, simply hiding until it was safe to come out. But I feared that the new Cressida would never be a sliver of what she once was;
I had woken up early with Xander to go find Leo. Xander had given me a blanket and asked me to wait in the hallway before entering the room. Once he called me in, I lifted my hand with the oil lamp and entered the darkness. Through the flickering flame of the light, I noticed the small boy lying naked on the ground. I curiously looked around and noticed deep bloody scratches in the stone walls. There was a small table and a single chair. I guessed it was for Xander when he came over to stay with the boy through hard nights. Xander had explained that since wolves respected Alphas and he was naturally stronger than most shifters, Leo’s wolf never attacked him. He did have to restrain him with a shackle around the neck and one leg when Leo became a danger to himself, though. When I reached the boy, I placed the light on the ground and pulled the blanket over his tiny body. Xander slid a strong arm under him and lifted him. We brought Leo back to his room, where we cleaned and put him
Xander was walking fast through the familiar corridors. I understood he was taking me back to his floor. My breathing had increased as the pain in my hand became more and more intense. The adrenaline was most likely leaving my body, allowing entrance to the complete agony of my injury.I examined my bent fingers. They were disgusting to look at. Bile rose in my mouth, and I had to swallow it back down. I didn’t know how to fix this; however, I knew going to his room would not help. I needed this fixed now before the damage became irreparable.“Go to the kitchens. I know someone who fixes injured workers.”“The physician works in the kitchens?” Xander asked, surprised.“No, but the butcher does.” I retorted.He gritted his teeth at my answer, took a left to the stairs, and hurried into the kitchens.After dinner, most of the cooks left, and the kitchen maids cleaned and prepped the area for the following morning.I hoped Saul was still there. I knew he stayed a bit later most nights to