Von I returned to the palace late at night, I was feeling quite tired. The fight between me and the rogue had drained me, completely. Right now all I craved was the softness of my pillow, but there was no time for rest I still had other things to attend to—like who started the fire and who was behind Landon’s attack. As I walked through the courtyard, I ran into Landon. I saw the neutral look in his eyes change to a hardened gaze. What was wrong with him? "Why the hell did you go after the rogue without telling me?" Landon demanded, stepping into my path. I exhaled sharply. So, that was the reason why his expression changed. Landon could act like a child sometimes but I still loved him regardless. “Why are you suddenly quiet?” His voice broke into my thoughts. I groaned. “I didn’t tell you I was going after the rogue because I didn’t need you there." Landon’s brow furrowed. "Stop acting like you can handle things on your own. I would’ve helped. I should’ve been there."
VonI stood there, listening to Anna’s words, and something inside me snapped. My blood was already boiling from the earlier news about Rae, and now, this? “Your majesty,” Anna said in a smooth voice. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m telling you the truth.” I didn’t need to hear anymore. “Stop spitting out lies, Anna!” I snapped. “You think I’m a fool? My guards saw Rae escape. So why the hell are you lying?” Her eyes didn’t waver. “Those guards are lying to you, your majesty.“I clenched my fists. This was ridiculous. “So, what, you’re saying Rae didn’t escape and she was taken? Is that what you're trying to tell me?” Anna didn’t flinch. “Yes.”I shook my head. “How do you know this?”“I was going to see Rae when I saw some of your guards dragging her down the hall. I wanted to help her but I knew if I did they would come after me, and I wouldn’t be able to deliver this news to you.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “Did Rae put you up to this?” Anna’s expression changed.“What
Von I couldn’t believe my eyes. The masked man standing before me was one of my newest guards. My blood boiled. “What the hell are you doing here?” I barked, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him closer. “Why are you sneaking around Landon’s house?” He said nothing. I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening. “You better start talking, or I’ll tear your throat out right here.” Still, nothing. “Speak up bastard.” My claws extended, pricking against his skin. His entire body started shaking, but he kept his mouth shut. I growled. “I won’t ask again.” His breath hitched. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but there was none. “I—I was sent by Landon.” His voice was low but I heard him.I stiffened. “Why would he send you here?Silence. I slammed him against the nearest wall, my fangs bared. “Speak.” “I—I was sent to check if the package had been moved.” My eyes narrowed. “What package?” His lips clamped shut. I hated the fact that he was giving me half-baked ans
Von The sharp pain in my stomach was intense, and it was caused by the intruder. He had kicked me, and as I grabbed my stomach he saw this as an opportunity to take control. He pushed me backward and then positioned himself on top of me, trying to push the knife closer to my chest. I knew one wrong move could mean my end. So I stayed still. The room was dark, and no matter how hard I tried to make out the person’s face I couldn’t.“Who are you?” I called out, my voice strained. “What do you want?” The figure stiffened at the sound of my voice. He hesitated, and that was all I needed. I seized the moment, gathering every bit of strength I had left, and I threw the person off me. He stumbled backward, falling to the ground, and into the dim light that filtered in from the window. My breathing stopped. It was Landon. It couldn’t be.“Landon!” I voiced and he turned to look at me with a shocking expression.“How could you?” I snarled, standing up quickly and lunging at him. I gra
VonI could still hear Landon’s voice in my head. His pleas, his pathetic excuses. Even after I had him dragged out of my sight, his betrayal lingered like a wound that refused to heal. I had spent the past few days locked away in my study, drowning in paperwork, anything that would keep my mind from replaying that moment. But it never worked. The memory returned, and I was back to reliving what happened yesterday.I had hauled Landon out of the car, roughly.His lips parted, but I was already speaking. "Your games are over," I growled. Landon swallowed hard. “Von, listen—” “No.” I cut him off, my patience long gone. “Silas is dead.” He froze, his breath hitching. I bared my teeth, letting him see the blood that still stained my fangs. My claws flexed, gleaming under the moonlight. “If you don’t confess to being behind this, I swear, you’ll be joining him.” Landon took a shaky step back. “I—Von, please, I—” “Don’t waste my time.” My voice was ice. “Say what you need to say
RaeI smiled at Von after those words left my lips and said.Von didn’t reply. He just stared at me, shock flickering in his eyes. Honestly, I was a little surprised by my own actions, too. But not too surprised. After everything Von had been through, I figured he at least needed someone to talk to. Betrayal by a stranger was one thing, but betrayal by someone you trusted—that cut deeper. I knew that feeling all too well. I could still remember how much Kayla’s actions had hurt me. But Von’s case was worse. Landon had been his friend.The feeling of the tray leaving my hands caught my attention. I turned back, surprised to see that Von had taken it from me. He sat down in one of the chairs stationed on the terrace. “Finally you give in,” I said with a smile. He didn’t say anything, his face as unreadable as ever. Typical Von—always guarded, never showing too much. But even with his blank expression, I could see the pain in his eyes. "I don't know how I'm going to move past this,
RaeI thought things between Von and I would be different from now on. But, I was wrong. Very wrong.The entire week leading up to Solstice Night had been buried in planning. Everyone had been running around, trying to make everything perfect. And then, when the night finally arrived, Von had acted like a grumpy child, barking orders and yelling at the maids like they were incompetent. And then he made Anna cry. That was my breaking point. I stormed up to him, not caring that he was in one of his moods. “Von!" I yelled. He snapped his head in my direction, flashing me a stern gaze.I wasn’t intimidated by his looks. I stood in front of him meeting his stern gaze. "What do you want?" Von asked in a firm tone."You didn’t have to yell at Anna," I snapped. "She just mixed up the dishes, that’s all—""I don’t need you telling me how to handle my staff." His voice was cold, his glare sharper than usual. “I’m just trying to let you know that what you did was wrong.” I continued not ca
Rae“Sorry!” I said as I bumped into someone.“Can’t you see where you’re going?” She snapped, turning to look at me.I noticed the girl looked like those ugly step-sisters in story books, with her long nose.“I’m sorry!” I repeated stifling a laugh.“You better be!” She spat, shooting me a glare and I flashed her an awkward smile. She turned to face the man she was talking to before I hit her, and as I glanced at her one more time I wondered if she had a mate and if she didn’t if she was ever going to find one.Pulling my gaze away, I quickly walked past her trying as much as possible not to bump into anyone else.My focus returned to Von. I had been walking for a second but there was no sign of him. Wasn’t he at the party?As I continued weaving through the crowd, I could feel eyes following me, lingering a bit too long. I felt weird about the attention I was getting. It had been so long since I’d been around so many people. The last time I’d gotten this kind of attention was bac
Von The sound of the crowd's cheers echoed through the gate, as I raised the artifact in my hand. “I have found a way to end the curse,” I repeated.“To save us all!” I continued. “This would wipe off the pain and suffering we have endured.”“Our lives shall once again be filled with joy.” They continued to cheer me on but their joyous voices faded behind me as I turned my back on them, my heart hammering in my chest. I needed to see Rae. Now.“The Luna has given birth,” Roy said as I stepped through the entrance. His voice was calm, but the weight of his words brought me to a halt. I looked at him in disbelief. “What?” “It’s a girl,” he added, smiling. I didn’t waste a second. My feet carried me up the stairs like the wind was at my back. When I opened the door, I saw Rae—cradling the child in her arms, her face bathed in soft light. My breath caught in my throat.She looked up at me with tired eyes, and then down again at the tiny baby bundled against her chest. I moved c
RaeI stood in front of the mirror, my hand hovering gently over my stomach. My skin was stretched, round, and tight.I rubbed my hands round my stomach and I smiled, but the smile didn’t last. It had been four months since Von had left. Four months since I had last seen him. I never got to say goodbye. The thought still ached deep inside me. I wished I had listened to Anna, wished I had stopped him or at least spoken to him before he left, but I didn’t. I let my emotions take over and eat my mind.Behind me, a voice broke the silence. “Are you okay?” Anna’s voice was soft. I turned to face her and nodded slowly. “I’m fine… I was just thinking. The baby’s almost here.” She stepped closer, worry written all over her face. “Are you scared?” I hesitated before answering. “I’m worried. Not for myself… for the baby.” Anna furrowed her brow. “Why? The baby will be born into a better world—once Von returns with the artifact.” “That’s what scares me,” I whispered. “What if they
Von The distance between Rae and me grew day by day. And I didn’t try to close it. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I understood why it was happening. This was too much for her to process—there was too much pain involved. She needed space, and I wasn’t going to force my presence into a storm she hadn’t calmed yet.So I kept to myself, locking the emotions away and burying my mind in strategy. Every hour was spent thinking, reading old texts, flipping through scrolls.I was searching for any solid thread that could lead to the artifact the seer spoke of. I wanted to be sure that it was real and just something that was made up, when I finally found an old book that documented old artifact I was happy. So it exited. As I closed that book, I made my decision. I was going to find it. And I wasn’t going alone.Landon was coming with me.The idea settled like steel in my bones. I dragged myself out of bed, the morning chilly air biting at my skin as I stood before the mirror and
Von I was torn between two options—go after Rae or deal with the information that the guard just delivered to me.My feet itched to chase her down the servants’ quarters, and to make her feel better… but duty pulled me in the other direction.Roy was already a few steps ahead, and I followed him down the corridor, my gaze still locked on the hallway Rae had disappeared into.“He told you he found a witch?” I asked, my voice sharp.Roy nodded without looking back. “Yes, Your Majesty. Said he found her near the valley.”“And you believe that nonsense?” I pressed, picking up my pace.“What do you mean?” Roy glanced back at me.“Do you really think he found a real witch? Or is this just some random old woman he picked up to fool us again?” My tone was filled with suspicion.Roy hesitated. “I… I don’t know. He seemed sure of her. That’s all I can say.”I didn’t push him further. I clenched my jaw and kept walking, letting silence carry the weight of my thoughts. Landon was a snake—one wh
Rae I stared at Anna in disbelief, my lips parted but no words coming out. I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I felt like I was in a nightmare. I managed to pull myself out of the haze staring back at Anna. “You’re saying… I have to die to save the kingdom?” My voice cracked as I spoke, and my legs felt unsteady beneath me.Anna gave a slow nod, her eyes filled with sadness.“I don’t understand,” I said, forcing myself to stand. “Why me? How am I the reason for the curse?”“I don’t know, Rae,” she replied gently. “But Von might. He’s been keeping everything to himself. I think he knows more than he’s saying.”I shook my head. “This can’t be real. I refuse to believe it.”My heart pounded in my chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The walls were closing in. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind, crashing into each other. I didn’t want to cry, but tears burned behind my eyes anyway.Anna stepped closer. “Please calm down. Landon’s looking for a witch. He believes there might b
RaeThe dim light crept into view, it was blurry and soft at first, like a distant memory trying to settle into focus. My head felt heavy, and my body… foreign. I blinked a few times, trying to ground myself in the space around me. Everything was unfamiliar. I was disoriented. My arms ached, and when I looked down, I noticed wires—tubes—stripped across my body. I couldn’t tell if they were for healing or restraint.Then suddenly I heard soft sobs which broke through my haze.I turned my head, and my eyes landed on Anna. She was hunched over in a chair across the room, her shoulders trembling. Her voice cracked as she muttered to herself, “I think I’ve made a mistake… I shouldn’t have let him go…”What was she talking about? And why was she crying?“Anna…” My voice came out hoarse, it was low and if she wasn’t sitting close by. I was sure she wouldn’t have heard it.Anna’s head jerked up after those words left my lips. Her eyes widened like she’d seen a ghost. “Rae?” she gasped. T
VonThe moment, I saw Landon move I halted my steps, trying to figure out where he was heading. He directed his horse towards the side of the river while he rested on one of the stones. He was facing me now, but because of the trees I was well hidden and I couldn’t be easily detected. I kept watching, waiting for the opportunity when he would finally turn his back. Eventually, he did, and just as I was about to launch myself at him, my horse let out a sharp, loud snort.Landon jerked his head up and during that moment his eyes found mine. I wondered if he had seen me, but the moment I saw him reach for his horse I got the answer to my question.Landon pulled his horse out of the river in one fast move, climbed onto the saddle, and kicked hard. The animal responded instantly, racing through the shallow water, splashing and tearing through the trees.“Landon!” I growled, then yanked my reins.I mounted quickly and dug my heels in. My horse moved forward, its hooves digging into the t
VonI stared at Anna with a coldness that could freeze fire. My eyes locked onto hers, searching for answers, for some kind of remorse, but all I saw was silence. Her lips stayed pressed together, and it was clear she wasn’t planning on explaining anything anytime soon.My anger ignited. It roared up from my chest like a beast unchained. I hit her against the cage once again.“You dare remain silent?” I growled through clenched teeth. “You set him free and you stand here with your mouth shut like it means nothing?”Her gaze flicked to mine, and finally, she spoke in a soft tone. “Even if I explain things to you… you’ll never understand.”I scoffed, tightening my grip. “Did he promise you something? Huh? Is that it? Did Landon feed you some sweet little story?”“No,” she snapped back. “He didn’t promise me anything.”I let out a humorless laugh. “Then why? What in the hell made you think this was a good idea?”She yanked her arm out of my grasp. “Because he said he wants to help this c
Von The night had arrived.I sat in my chambers, wide awake. My sword rested beside me on the table, a sharp glint catching the flicker of torchlight from the wall. I hadn't slept, not even for a second. My instincts told me tonight would be the night they'd try it—the traitors among my guards. Anna’s warning had been clear, and my men were ready. My loyal guards were stationed throughout the palace, hiding in shadows, crouched in corners, armed to the teeth.I paced slowly across the room, boots echoing faintly against the stone floor. Then—just as I paused—came the sound. A low grunt. Then another. It started outside my door. The fight had begun.I moved quickly into the shadows, pressing my back against the cold wall. I could hear the scuffle grow louder. Then came footsteps rushing toward my chamber. Someone was coming for me.I didn’t move.I waited.The door creaked open. I saw the silhouette step in, sword drawn. He didn’t see me. He thought I’d be asleep.He took three step