Mag-log inFor a beat, no one spoke. Then, he lowered Kaelani gently until her feet touched the ground, but he didn’t let go—his fingers slipping into hers, holding on like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kaelani’s gaze dropped to their hands. The contact stilled something inside her. No one ha
“You do.” He let his gaze drop—just for a second—to the space between them, the inches that still separated them. Then back to her. “But I meant it when I said I’d never leave you again… that was real.” A brief pause—not for effect, but because he meant it. “Not when it’s hard. Not when it’s me
Kaelani’s smile hit him harder than anything else had. For the first time, it was meant for him. Julian stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and shutting out everything beyond it—the chaos, the noise, all of it. In here— was his peace. His heart. His whole world. He move
The room. The light. The faces. A breath caught in his chest. “Kaelani…?” His focus sharpened. His room. His packhouse. Familiar walls and scent. But something was wrong. His gaze moved quickly—his mother at his side, Jace by the window. No Kaelani. Julian pushed himself upright, pain tear
She didn’t look at him. “Julian Hale… fugitive status removed.” Another keystroke. “Jace Romano… fugitive status removed.” Her fingers paused for a fraction of a second before continuing. “Garrick Blake… charges dropped.” A quiet tap followed. “Release scheduled for… tomorrow morning.” Then—
A brief pause. “Am I wrong?” Councilor Voss didn’t answer. He simply watched her for a moment longer before speaking. “What is it that you want?” Kaelani held the room for a moment. “What I wanted the day I stood before you in the Chamber of Elders,” she said. “What I asked for then.” “To liv
Kaelani returned to her bedchamber, the night pressing close behind her. She didn’t like the idea of someone else deciding her fate. Of destinies written in ink she never chose. She missed the illusion of simplicity—when she thought she was human. When life felt like a series of choices, not proph
“If she was the last of the Unseelie royal bloodline… wouldn’t that have made her queen by default?” Draevyn’s gaze didn’t shift. “Yes,” he said quietly. “And for a time, she was treated as such.” He stepped toward the shadows at the edge of the clearing, as if the truth lived somewhere just beyo
Slowly, he turned back. A thin line of red bloomed down his face. His jaw was tight. Challenging. But his lips remained sealed. Draevyn’s gaze didn’t waver. There was no flare of fury in it. No warning. Just a quiet, ancient promise. Say one more word. The warrior swallowed them back… hard. Dr
The forest was alive with pursuit. Unseelie warriors tore through the dark underbrush, their sleek armor whispering against thorn-laced branches. Gold shimmered at the heads of their spears—pulsing, humming, and alive with charged magic meant to paralyze on contact. Kaelani moved like smoke betwee







