~CASSIANI couldn’t sleep.I kept tossing around the bed, unable to find any sort of rest. My brain refused to shut down.Thoughts kept roaming through my head, centering around the events of the day. But the highlight was Nyra—it was always Nyra.A grin danced on my face as the image of her in that dress played through my mind. Gods! She was beautiful in that dress.In fact, if not for Lyon’s little episode, I could have been having fun with her right now… Or at the very least, I could have been watching the fun happen.As the thoughts crossed my mind, a chuckle escaped my throat as I recalled the way Nyra and Rylan had been exchanging looks.“Hmm, naughty bastards…” I laughed as my thoughts finally made sense.It all started when Sylver had placed that punishment on Rylan. From the look in Nyra’s eyes, I knew that little spitfire would go to Rylan to give him what he couldn’t get when we were all together.My chuckle grew louder as it became crystal clear.Of course, the entertainme
~RYLANI was trembling from fear and nervousness.I had defied my brother— the strongest of us all— something Cassian and I had never done. We knew the monster that lived inside Sylver.We knew the sort of beast he could become.Yet even as I stood there, scared out of my brain, I felt strength. A strong pulsing energy that came from the undying need to protect the woman in my arms.—The very emotion that pulled me out of my sleep and brought me down here. And it didn’t stop; it threw me into a conflicting position.I could feel Sylver’s angry eyes burning over me and, at the same time, I felt Nyra’s tremors of fear that intensified that energy—one that screamed at my wolf to protect her.“Have you lost your fucking mind now?” Sylver growled, his stern voice pulling me back to his rage.But I swallowed and slowly looked down at the woman in my arms. She needed me to be strong, and somehow, she was helping me focus on that energy ball sizzling through me.“Are you going to give me a fu
~NYRAAs Sylver's command left his lips, I knew for certain that he had gone mad.His head was no longer functioning correctly— even the gods knew this!He was insane. A complete bully that had to be reformed or he would never come down from the high horse he had placed himself.My eyes went to the bathtub waiting for me and I glared back at him in disbelief. How in the world would a normal creature even think of such absurd punishments?I hated how cruel his brain worked. I hated the person he was in that moment and all I could think of— was how to get far away from him.Surely he wasn't normal."Do you want me to repeat myself?" He whispered in a low menacing voice that jolted my eyes back at him.He was obviously having fun at my pain!My stomach twisted at his stone-like expression. My anger grew inside of me highlighting only one thing— revenge.Fisting my hands, I marched to the cursed bathtub and without preparing my brain, I got in."Ah!" I cried out as the searing cold water
~SYLVERI was known to be prone to anger, but the level of rage I felt could not even be defined.It was the sort of rage that tore through my pores and left my brain screaming for one thing only— blood.The blood of that bastard spilling on the ground for the rodents to drink!Cassian had mentioned that his name was Lyon— the fool who had dared abduct Nyra from under our noses."No," I growled to myself. Nyra wasn't abducted under mine or Cassian's nose. It was under Rylan's control.My visions turned red as I thought about him. My fists tightened even harder, my mind screaming for blood.The blood of those who made me reach this level of rage. The first culprit was the fool, Lyon and my brother, Rylan!Gods! If that fool wasn't my brother he would have been dead tonight. I would have had his insides opened for everyone to fucking take a look!How could he have been so careless? Punishing him to stay away from Nyra might have been good enough but it still didn't appease the anger I
~NYRAAnger from the crowd was still palpable as they shuffled out of the hall — their eyes burning holes into me.And for once, I couldn’t truly hate them for their anger. It was sort of justified, thanks to Ried’s cruel treatment.How could a King not trust his own people? I mean, if you had your doubts about a couple of people, why punish everyone along with them?“Not you, Danielle—” Ried’s voice suddenly filled my thoughts.I blinked to find him beckoning to her as she approached the exit along with everyone else.“—You can’t leave like everyone else. You are our honored guest.” He held his chest as she got closer. “In fact, allow me to apologize for what happened here today…”Even my mother had her brows lifted in surprise as she swiftly left my side and went to him.“Your Highness, it’s nothing. I completely understand…” Danielle mumbled, her ever-bright smile never dimming. “But the party has come to an end… I guess I have to go home.”“Danielle, my dear, this is your home too
~NYRA“Nyra!” Their familiar voices called.I looked in the direction the sound was coming from, only to see them running toward me. Their faces were clouded with different levels of emotions.While Cassian looked relieved, Sylver had anger burning in his face, and Rylan looked… guilty.“Fucking goddess!” Sylver exhaled as he got to me first.I slowly tried to force an awkward smile, but he strangely pulled me into his arms and hugged me.Cassian arrived at that moment, and he took my hands, placing hundreds of kisses over them.Rylan appeared behind me, and just as he tried to hug me from behind, Sylver snatched me away from him.“Don’t you even dare!” he growled, and my eyes narrowed at him.But before I could say anything, he held my wrist protectively and raised a warning finger at Rylan.“Since it was your fault that she got taken, your punishment will be to stay away from her. You are not allowed to touch or even breathe the same air that she does!” he growled.“But Sylver, I wa