The castle stirred long before dawn, its stone corridors echoing with hurried footsteps. Maids moved swiftly through the halls, their arms laden with linens, flowers, and garlands of ivy to adorn the grand hall. The kitchen was the busiest part of the castle. The air was rich with the scent of herbs, spiced wine, honey-glazed fowl, and fresh bread drawn steaming from the ovens. Pots of stew bubbled, and trays of sugared fruits and almond cakes lined the tables. By afternoon, the courtyard and halls were alive with color. Noble guests arrived on horseback, their retinues trailing behind, their laughter and greetings echoing through palace walls. As evening drew near, the castle seemed to breathe with anticipation. The torches were lit, the grand hall glowed with candlelight, and the scent of the feast drifted upward into every corridor: roasted meats and spiced wine. Outside, the bells tolled, summoning the lords, ladies, priests, and elders to the great ceremony. In Helena's
The stone wall was biting cold against her back as he pressed her firmly on it. Once again, Leah's eyes flickered downward—straight into the dark abyss below. The ground was so far away it seemed to blur, a void waiting to swallow her should she slip. Panic prickled in her veins; she gazed at him.“You think it's that easy, trying to escape the very thing that hunts me?” He questioned. Leah didn't understand a word he said when he saw the fear in her eyes. He finally lets go of her, and she straightens up. “I didn't come up here because I knew…you would be here.” He confessed, and Leah was shocked by his words. “So you avoid me like some cursed plague?” Leah said, looking into his eyes, as if the answer to her question resided in them.“You know exactly what it means.” Vinson said, running his hand through his long, dark hair. “I don't! Leah said in a firm tone, frustration taking its place on her face. The atmosphere was tense, and for a while, everywhere was silent. “Yo
The long grass was trampled under Racheal's shoes as she walked through the meadow field just outside the castle back gates. She was wearing a blue dress, her brown curly hair draping down her shoulders, and her green emerald eyes were fixed ahead of her as the evening wind blew and caressed her cheekbones. The field stretched endlessly, and at its edge, the cliff dropped away into the restless sea—its waves catching glimmers of the rays from the setting sun. The evening sun, glowing with a golden ray, leaned over the field, which drifted up to a cliff up ahead. The lily flowers swayed from side to side, dancing to the wind.Racheal's gown brushed past the grasses as she slowly raised her gaze, and it rested on a lady standing some distance away, almost close to the cliff, the rays of the evening sun kissing her skin. Racheal made her way to where the lady stood; it was Jazell. She slowly turned and then scanned her face, searching for any possible trace of emotion, and she found
The day Jazell was born, Kora, her mother, had always known she was special, destined for great things. The gods had consoled her with a good child since her husband, greedy King Jarob, was a selfish man. But as Jazell grew, she became more… dynamite. The way she walked. It was different; she walked as though the weight of the world was on her very fingertips.She became self-obsessed, wanting to do better, wanting to amass power…she wanted to be perfect.She would spend hours reading books about ancient kingdoms and her ancestors. She would absorb their knowledge and put it into practice in her day-to-day life, and it was brilliant! Jazell believed that one day she would have to rule as queen, and when that day came, she wanted to be ready…more than ready. She was born an oracle of beauty; many men from great kingdoms came to seek her hand in marriage, but she turned them down bluntly, refusing to be a puppet for any man to use as a political alliance. A queen had to be mercifu
“Guards seize her! Vashi froze on the spot; she could recognize the owner of that voice anywhere. It was Ragaleon's! From behind the nearest pillar, a shoe emerged; it was Micah’s.Another appeared on the upper deck of the hallway, her hand trailing on the wooden railings, the sound of soft clicks coming from a pair of shoes echoing. It was Racheal. One by one, figures stepped from the darkness: Selena, Helena, and the whole royal family. Last of all, from the shadows at the far end, the Ragaleon himself stepped forward, his presence heavier than the silence that followed him.Vashi's breath caught in her chest. She turned slowly, eyes darting from one familiar face to another, only to find their gazes sharpened, cold, and predatory.They had been waiting. Watching. And now she stood exposed in the center of the hall, the circle closing in around her.Jazell made her way to where Ragaleon was and took a stand beside him. As she watched two guards grip Vashi aggressively. “Let
Vashi's eyes remained tightly shut, her breathing slow and measured, though her mind was sharpened with unease. She could feel it again—those shadows shifting at the edges of the room, lurking, circling. Closer… closer. The air grew heavier, colder, as if something unseen leaned over her. She did not flinch, only waited, every muscle coiled in silence beneath the blanket, her grip tightened on the knife she was holding. Then…when the presence drew near, so near she could almost feel its breath against her face, her eyes snapped open. In the same heartbeat, her arm shot out from under the covers, striking upward with sudden, deadly precision.The blades of the knife only pierced through thin air. Vashi bolted upright, her chest heaving in a frantic rhythm, each breath louder than the silence around her. Strands of hair clung wildly to her damp forehead, her once breathtaking appearance now reduced to a disheveled ruin. In the pale moonlight, her eyes glimmered with a feverish in