Later that nightI was in the library, my sanctuary of chaos, flipping through spellbooks and sharpening the dagger I kept in my boot, when the door creaked open.Damian stepped inside. His coat was half-buttoned. His eyes, dark.“Couldn’t sleep?”“Couldn’t stop thinking about you charging into that Rift like a wrathful goddess.”I snorted. “I had a point to prove.”He approached me, something unreadable flickering behind his stormy gaze. “And what point was that?”“That I’m not afraid anymore. Not of monsters. Not of court. Not even of my father.”Damian stood in front of me, close enough that I could see the faint bruises along his neck from battle.“You forgot something,” he murmured.“Oh? What’s that?”He leaned in, lips brushing my ear. “Not afraid of falling for me either.”I rolled my eyes. “Try again, Romeo. I’ve just survived orcs, curses, and nobles. You think one charming prince can rattle me?”He grinned. “One can hope.”*****MacMayer Mansion Throne HallThat afternoon I
“I don’t know yet,” I said honestly, trying not to meet his eyes. “But maybe.”Thunder cracked again. He didn’t press.We walked the rest of the way in tense silence, and when we reached the edge of the Rift, I looked back one last time.“Next time,” I muttered, “we bring more firepower.”“I thought you were the firepower.”“I am. But I like backup.”When we finally emerged from the Rift’s edge, the rain had started to fall again, soft at first, then heavier, as if the sky itself wept in exhaustion. The guards stationed near the camp were stunned at our return, their eyes widening at the state of us—soaked, burnt, bloodied, but victorious.Sort of.I handed the golden flower to our healer and told her to guard it with her life. Damian collapsed onto a bench, his hair soaked and crown slipping slightly. I joined him, still buzzing with residual lightning under my skin.“I don’t know about you,” I said, “but I’m eating three whole chickens when we get back.”“You’ll share?”“Hell no.”H
The deeper we went, the more corrupted they became—monsters that had no names, with too many eyes and flesh that shimmered between forms. Abominations birthed from the rift itself. The deeper we went, the hotter the air grew, charged with the scent of brimstone and decay. Stones floated mid-air, defying gravity. Rivers ran backward.And still, the mana stones glittered all around us, embedded in the rocks like pulsing hearts—blues, reds, purples, each humming with stolen power. Damian broke a few free, stuffing them into his satchel.“They’re reacting,” I breathed.“To your magic,” he said. “To you.”Then it came.The beast of the rift.It erupted from beneath a collapsed ridge—a monstrous thing of molten scales, serpentine and massive, its horns scraping the jagged cliffside. Its eyes burned bright as twin suns, and in its chest, a glowing lump—a magic stone the size of a knight’s shield—pulsed like a heartbeat.It opened its jaws and roared.My legs nearly gave out. It sounded like
For a long moment, I stared at the flickering spell runes on the wall—then at Damian.“So what do we do?” I whispered, hating the tremble in my voice.“We leave in the morning,” he said. “We head for the Blackfang Rift.”My eyes widened. “That’s... days away.”“I know. But the last scout returned half-dead, speaking of a massive beast guarding a core—a magic stone unlike anything we’ve seen. Enough to heal my father. And maybe, enough to fight back.”I nodded slowly, the weight of my father’s betrayal and the coming war sinking like cold iron into my bones. “Then I’m coming.”Damian gave me a sharp look. “Are you sure?”“You just said someone wants me dead. I’d rather not wait for them to knock politely.”Three days later, we rode under storm-heavy skies.Our caravan was small—two supply carts, half a dozen knights sworn to Damian, and Norma riding beside me with her usual no-nonsense expression. Annabelle had packed dried soup sachets and warm bread for the journey, insisting I eat e
Back at the capital – the storm still hadn’t stopped.From the northern tower, far from the warmth of the Queen’s wing or the safety of the Prince’s quarters, a palace guard watched the lightning strike across the hilltops. He adjusted his soaked helmet and blinked at a flicker he thought he saw far in the distance.Torches.Moving torches.Through the trees.He leaned forward but the rain blinded him. Still, his gut tightened.“Something’s coming,” he muttered, just as the thunder cracked again.But no one would hear him.Not yet.And by the time they did…The trap would already be closing.*****Abby’s POV – “Betrayal and Beasts”I hadn’t slept in days.The scent of old parchment, scorched herbs, and dried roses filled my chamber—an unsettling blend of magic and memory. Scrolls were strewn across the table like the aftermath of a storm, and the crystal basin beside me glowed faintly with residual magic from my last summoning attempt. I was chasing a theory, a dangerous one, but perh
THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE – A STORM IN THE SHADOWSThe rain came down like a curtain of needles, veiling the outskirts of the capital in a thick gray gloom. The cobblestone path leading to the old hunting lodge was nearly swallowed by overgrowth and mud, as if the land itself had tried to forget the structure still stood. It was far from the polished marble of the court, hidden deep within the forested hills near the southern border—a place of old blood, older grudges, and secrets that festered like rot.Inside, the air was warm with firelight and heavy with the scent of wet fur, damp wool, and sour wine. The stone walls sweated with the storm outside, and the wooden beams overhead creaked like the bones of a dying beast. A single iron chandelier cast swaying shadows across the long table at the center of the room.Seated at that table were men who had once held honor.Now, they held daggers behind smiles.Duke Edmond of the Southern Kingdom lounged in his chair, his silver-ringed fingers