(Raya’s POV)I have goosebumps all over and tears in my eyes at this point. I know the story is a tragic one, but hearing the words still hits you hard. “Oh no…she died!?”Tilda sighs. “It's called ‘hamferð’. I believe in English you may call it as some sort of a vision, but ‘hamferð’ is specifically a Faroese term for seeing the dead and ninety-nine percent of the time it’s because one of your loved ones had drowned while at sea and they would show themselves to you in ‘hamferð’. The dead ones almost never speak. Most often they just show up, look at you or point at something, maybe even do some chore they always did when they were alive, but then they’d disappear and would never be seen again.”“That’s so sad…what happened to the little sister?” I’m so invested now and I stare at the little island with different eyes.“Little Eva knew that this probably meant her beloved big sister had fallen off the ferry and drowned. Overcome with grief, little Eva wailed, full of grief, waking up
(Kaan’s POV) Sylvana’s lessons are starting to really be a pain in the ass and I feel like the room is closing in on me. I stare at the folder with all the faces I need to remember before the day is over and I have the strongest urge to cast it into the fireplace. I stand up and take Raya’s hand. “Let’s go.” Sylvana frowns, standing up to block the way. “What!? Wait a second, where the hell do you think your royal arse is going!?” “I need a break or I’m gonna go crazy and if you don’t want me to go King George the third at the festival, you will get out of my way. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.” I say dismissively, pulling Raya with me as I exit the door, ignoring Sylvana’s protests that we don’t have much time as it is. Raya quietly follows behind me. Instead of going to the usual cliff where it’s most likely Sylvana will follow, I pull my mate towards the higher side of the island, ready to carry her if need be, just to get away from my cousin for a while. I know she mea
(Raya’s POV)Eldra Systr island—or even the surrounding ones that would be hosting human astronomers and enthusiasts of eclipses—has probably never seen such a traffic of private helicopters going to one tiny island before.Despite our fear that the sons of Fenrir will snub the event as planned and encourage others to do the same, it would seem meeting the elusive future king and his odd choice of a queen makes for a more alluring option.Kaan and I stand side by side on a make-shift pavilion which is adorned by thick creamy white curtains blowing in the wind. Should it start to get very cold, it could be used as a makeshift cover to shield us as well.These last few days, the ever-efficient Elijah has brought with him everything money can buy to give the event all the simple elegance and discreet pomp possible in such a small island. All the comforts that can be offered to the guests, anything they might ask for, Elijah tried to foresee and made sure that they will be provided.The e
(KAAN’S POV)My mate looks so lovely and graceful today and at the same time ready to do battle. Despite the practiced demure smile, she has that determined look in her eyes that makes her even more beautiful in my eyes.The encounter with the sons of Fenrir actually affected me more than it rattled her, probably because she is too worried about me to notice the subtle insults and condescension thrown her way. Or maybe she did but had simply ignored them for my sake.Her hands held mine and lent me the support I badly needed in events like this when I don’t really give a rat’s ass about being present, let alone being the one in charge. But all of a sudden she leans over and tells me she just needs to stretch her legs for a bit.Unfortunately, I am in the middle of a business conversation and it would be rude for me to leave but one look at her and I can only surmise that it is urgent—she probably needed the necessities but cannot say it directly—otherwise, she would never have left my
(Raya’s POV)I stop walking, carefully thinking of the words to say. Having met her already, I opted for honesty instead of flattery. “I was hopeful at first…but then you disappeared,” I respond cautiously. “Sylvana said you left. That perhaps you weren’t interested enough. I didn’t really know what to think anymore after that.” I take a deep breath, looking her straight in the eyes. “But when I saw you just now, I must admit to a little bit of hope again.”“Very diplomatic. I like it, just as I liked what I heard you tell the prince’s secretary. And I did tell Lady Sylvana to keep mum about my whereabouts. Who doesn’t enjoy a dramatic entrance…or in this case re-entry? You should have seen your face.” She chuckles and resumes the walk again. “If you must know, Your Highness, I went to the mainland to meet with someone. That email I told you about reached the right people, hence the numbers you see today. You are right to walk around a little, away from the prince’s side for a bit. I
(Kaan’s POV) A few minutes before the gong… I groan internally as I see the next guest standing before me, not because I don’t particularly like him but because I’m not really in the right mood—nor do I have enough focus right now—to tiptoe around someone of a rather delicate nature. Orthros, the only two-headed lycan in our history that actually survived to adulthood. He is in his human form now, which means…I need to guess who exactly I am talking to at the moment. As a human, he looks quite ordinary, head-wise. Physically, he only has one when he’s in this form. But it becomes a little bit more complicated when he opens his mouth because you never really know which one of his two personalities will be speaking to you. And it wouldn’t have been a problem, if not for the fact that his two personalities are polar opposites. Let’s just say that it’s a bit like playing Russian Roulette. One serves the King as a decorated and well-respected warrior, while the other… Well, with th
(Raya’s POV) An almost deafening silence has descended upon the whole island. The anticipation is palpable in the air as wisps of daylight linger, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape, as if nature itself is holding its breath as it bears witness to this spectacular cosmic show. I dare not blink lest I miss anything of this surreal experience. A thin veil of darkness nibbles at the brightness of the sun at first. As the moon’s silhouette softly approaches the solar canvas, things begin to change, the shadows becoming more defined and sharp. Slowly but surely, the gentle moon claims the mighty sun, descending upon its head like an invading celestial crown. I turn to look at Kaan and I see that just as everyone else, he is staring at the sky like a fanatic, utterly mesmerized and with bated breath. If I hadn’t looked down, I would have missed the moment when the guests started to take off their clothes, before shifting into their wolf or lycan form. My jaw drops as I realize
(Kaan’s POV)I stand alone near the helipad as the last guest’s helicopter flies away. Raya is feeling a little unwell so I told her to rest. She must be really exhausted or the stress must have finally caught up with her because she didn’t fight me on that one and went straight to our room.The moment the helicopter is out of sight, my cousin Sylvana appears right beside me, as if she’s been standing there all along. Perhaps she was.“Well?” I ask quietly. “What did you find out?”Sylvana scoffs. “The usual dirty laundry—literal and figurative—and whispered scandals brewing under the surface. I was almost bored out of my mind until…” her face darkens as she grits her teeth and hisses. “Those three old maggots. They mean trouble, and not the petty kind. They will never accept a human queen because—and I quote ‘It will sully the pure blood of the lycan kings and produce inferior half-breeds’. I wanted to throw up while I was in their tent. They feel entitled because their families have