DAMION'S POV The sphere glimmered on my desk, showing Aurora and her crew moving cautiously through the dense, hostile terrain. My fists clenched at the sight of her face streaked with dirt and sweat, her breaths ragged as she swung her blade to fend off creatures lunging at her.“Damn it, Aurora!” I snarled, slamming my palm on the table. “Watch your left!”Of course, she couldn’t hear me. That didn’t stop the words from tearing out of me.Another flash—Volak appeared behind her like a shadow rising from hell.“No, no, NO!” I roared, grabbing the edge of the table so hard the wood cracked under my grip. “I swear, if he lays a hand on you, I’ll tear him apart myself!”Aurora barely managed to dodge Volak’s attack. My breath caught, and then rage exploded in my chest. I kicked a heavy case stacked beside my desk, sending it flying into the wall. The wood splintered on impact, pieces clattering to the floor.Outside, I heard gasps from the staff stationed near my doors.“Leave me the h
AURORA'S POVThe winged beast roared .Every instinct screamed at me to run.The hairs on the back of my neck rose as a shadow glided over us, blotting out what little moonlight pierced through the canopy.“Stay close,” Caesar growled, his voice low and tense.The trees ahead exploded as the winged beast descended, its massive talons tearing through branches as if they were paper. It landed with a deafening crash, wings unfurling, blotting out the sky. Its eyes burned like molten fire, locked on me.But this time… it wasn’t alone.Figures slithered out from the darkness—dozens of them. Their twisted, nightmarish bodies crawled low to the ground, limbs too long, movements jerky and unnatural. Their guttural hisses sliced through the silence like knives.Lucien’s face hardened. “Shadow monsters.”Caesar’s jaw tightened. “And where there are shadow monsters…”A slow, mocking laugh drifted through the clearing, sending ice through my veins.“…there is me.”A tall, cloaked figure emerged f
AURORA'S POVThe piranha shot upward, its jaws wide open.I swung my leg hard, kicking it mid-air. It flew back into the water with a sickening splash, but three more took its place, leaping straight for me.“Climb!” Caesar roared from above. His voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding.I scrambled higher, dragging Lidia with me. Her hands were slippery with blood, her grip faltering. The current below thrashed violently as the piranhas circled, snapping and tearing at anything that touched the surface.Lucien cursed under his breath, hooking his arm around Lidia’s waist to keep her from falling. “Hold on! Don’t you dare let go!”Lidia’s eyes were wild with fear. “It hurts—”“Shut up and climb!” Caesar barked.The swarm below exploded. Water splashed so high it drenched my face as dozens of piranhas leapt at once. One of them clamped down on my boot, teeth slicing through the leather. Pain shot up my leg.“Dammit!” I screamed, stomping until it let go. My heart pounded like
AURORA'S POV“Everybody wake up!”Lidia’s scream cut through the early dawn like a blade.I jolted upright, coughing as icy water slapped my face. My entire body was soaked, my clothes clinging to me like a second skin. I tried to stand, but the ground shifted beneath me. No—not ground.We were floating.“What the hell is happening?!” I shouted, shoving wet hair out of my face. The water was already at my knees, swirling with a frightening current.Caesar spun around, his jaw tight, scanning the area. His face darkened. “We camped in a damn riverbed.”“You’re kidding,” I snapped, panic spiking in my chest.“See what you’ve done?!” he snarled, pointing a clawed finger at me. “You picked this spot!”I waded through the water toward him, grabbed his oversized ear, and yanked as hard as I could. “Blame me one more time, and I’ll rip this off! We don’t have time for your ego right now!”“Bitch!” he roared, jerking back, rubbing his ear furiously.Lucien, standing a few feet away, crossed h
Aurora's POV"Uhm, ma'am moonfang….." Caesar breathed heavily, his hands resting on his knees as his chest rose and fell in deep, labored breaths. "I know you’re eager to prove to the world how strong you are, but some of us aren’t exactly made of steel. We’ve been walking for hours, and some of us are tired. Can we… I don’t know, maybe set up camp for a while? Proceed at dawn?"I froze mid-step, my boots sinking into the soft, damp forest floor. My fingers curled into fists at my sides as I shot him an incredulous look. "Agh, unbelievable," I scoffed, irritation dripping from my tone. "This isn’t about proving anything, Caesar. It’s about getting there before it’s too late.""We’ve been pushing non-stop since sunrise," he shot back, his voice tense but not disrespectful. "If we keep going at this pace, we’ll collapse before we even reach Damion’s castle."I opened my mouth to argue, but then my gaze fell on Lidia. She wasn’t even trying to pretend anymore. She let her body drop heavi
AURORA'S POV Lidia’s scream cut through the forest, sharp and urgent. My head snapped toward the sound, and my chest tightened. The woman who mirrored me stood ahead, still, her gaze sharp and unreadable, but there was no time to wonder who she was. Lidia’s life came first.I sprinted, wings flexing instinctively, scanning the trees until I spotted her tangled in huge dry vines, dangling high above the ground. My heart hammered as I surged into the air, slicing through branches. “Hold on!” I shouted, lunging toward her. The vines scraped her skin, but I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed her just in time, feeling the vines snap beneath my grip.She shivered in my arms, breath ragged. “You’re safe now,” I whispered, ignoring the pull of fatigue through my body. There was no time to rest. The dangers that lurked around us was great.When we landed, Lucien and Caesar were waiting, tension radiating off both of them. I glared at Caesar immediately. “Don’t tell anyone what happened,” I said fir