LOGINEven though we live in modern times, the coven seems stuck in the Dark Ages. As the heir apparent to the throne, Zalindra is under pressure to marry in order to maintain the lineage's strength. Seriously? That feels so out of touch with today's world. Her true passion lies in honing her skills to protect the coven. Romance? Not a priority for her, let alone marriage. But everything changes when she encounters Lucian and Lorian. I hate to sound cliché, but it was a case of instant attraction. Just one tiny hiccup: they have no idea they're witches. That doesn't make me want them any less .
View MoreThe chamber of the High Circle had never felt so small.Once, the vaulted ceiling had inspired awe. Gold-inlaid runes glittered in the candlelight, carved into stone worn smooth by centuries of ritual. The seven thrones of the Elders, set in a half-circle, had stood as symbols of permanence, unchanging, untouchable.Tonight, they were little more than cages.Elder Maelric gripped the arms of his throne so tightly his knuckles were turning white. “It should not be possible.” His voice trembled with fury as much as disbelief. “The Hollow Crown returns, and the land itself bends to their will? A mansion that moves, gates that expand? Madness! Heresy!”Across from him, Elder Ysolde smoothed the crimson silk of her robes, though her hand shook faintly. “Not heresy.” Her voice was thin, her eyes sharper than usual. “Old magic. Older than this Circle. Perhaps even older than the Coven itself.”Murmurs rippled through the thrones.Elder Varick slammed his staff against the stone floor, sparks
Night settled over the mansion, though inside the gates it did not feel like night as Zalindra had known it. Stars gleamed sharper, almost close enough to touch, and lantern light glowed from newly formed cottages along the winding paths. The air itself seemed to breathe in rhythm with the Hollow Crown, a calm pulse that soothed frayed nerves. And yet, peace could not erase the heaviness in her chest.Zalindra stood at one of the high windows of the great hall, looking at the courtyard below. Families huddled near crackling braziers conjured by the land itself. Apprentices passed bread to one another with shaking hands. A group of children, more children than she’d expected, played chase around the fountain that had not existed that morning. Their laughter reminding us of the importance of what had transpired. Every sound was a reminder. These people had come here because they believed the Hollow Crown could protect them. They had nowhere else to go.Lucian appeared at her side, a sha
The mansion had always been theirs, though none of them could have explained why. Even before it rose in mist outside the Coven walls, its bones had felt older than stone, older than the Elders’ laws. Now, standing once more inside its black-iron gates, Zalindra understood what she had never been able to name: this was not just a house. It was a living inheritance, a sanctuary that had waited for them all their lives.The air within the fence was different, lighter, calmer. The heaviness of the Elders’ wards melted into nothing at the threshold, replaced by a hum like a heartbeat thrumming through the ground itself. Zalindra let her hand trail against the wrought-iron gate, and the metal pulsed faintly in answer, almost warm beneath her fingertips.She exhaled, shoulders loosening for the first time since the confrontation. “It feels… like it knows us.”Lucian gave a sharp grin, though his eyes were wary as he scanned the fog-dampened gardens. “I have always spoke to her like she was
Zalindra and Layla should have felt at home here, but everything felt so foreign. Stone columns climbed high into shadows, and banners of ancient lineage hung heavy with dust, their colors muted with age. The Elders sat elevated on their carved thrones rigid, cloaked in black authority, eyes sharp as knives.It was not a welcome.It was a trial.Zalindra stood at the center, the Hollow Crown at her side. Lucian’s presence coiled with restrained danger, Lorian’s calm mask tightened at the edges, Layla’s serenity radiated like a blade hidden in silk. The bond pulsed between them, steady, unyielding.One of the Elders rose, his voice carried cold command.“Zalindra of the Sapphire Flame. By decree of this council, your offer to be considered as Queen is revoked. The Hollow Crown is no longer welcome in Coven territory. Any who aid you will be marked as traitors and punished accordingly.”The words fell like chains. Murmurs rippled among the gathered onlookers, witches who had come to wit
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.