LOGINSeptember 14, 2026. Chapters 1-2.
~ Elara ~*Northern Borders of Frostfang*“We are almost there,” Kael said, drawing in the scents carried by the breeze. “I can smell Frostfang and the snow. I never thought I’d say this, but I find myself missing the snow.”The sun was rising. Around them, the treetops were becoming clearer, and the whispers of the forest were slowly fading.Kael was carrying the stranger on his back while Ilias carried most of the bags.Elara stared at the man they had saved. She and Celia had wiped away most of the dirt and blood, but his face was still obscured by the remaining smears. He had long, silver hair, like many of the pure-blooded Northhavners.He was thin, malnourished, his skin a bit wrinkled, and appeared not to have seen the sun in years.“I wonder who he is,” Elara muttered.“We don’t know much about Northhaven,” Kael said.“But not all werewolves from Northhaven are cruel, Elara,” the Moonborn said. “There are those who opposed its leader’s tyranny. This was true in the past, and
~ Elara ~Elara watched as the wounded man sank to his knees, his breathing ragged. One trembling hand pressed against his wound while the other reached toward the pale moon above. His lips moved silently, as though whispering a final prayer to the Moon Goddess, pleading for mercy or one last chance at life.Her heart ached as she watched the scene.She did not know who he was or where he came from, but one thing was certain: Elara could not just stand by and watch this man die.She was about to come out of hiding when she heard other voices.“He came this way! Hurry!”“Ahhh! I can’t stand the voices!”“Stop talking!”Just then, the wounded man collapsed, looking lifeless on the ground.From a distance, two warriors emerged from the trees. Their eyes were glowing, and their fangs were elongated. On their armor were crests that belonged to Northhaven.“I can’t take it anymore!” one of the warriors cried. He stumbled backward, his hands trembling as he glanced frantically into the surro
~ Cassian ~Cassian immediately felt guilty seeing Seth, Cedric, and Magnus arrive in front of them.“Your Highnesses, what brings you to my home?” Seth asked, dismounting from his horse with a smile.Seth looked remarkably well, his hazel-green eyes bright and his skin glowing. In fact, Cassian thought he looked healthier than ever, with an energy that suggested he had somehow rejuvenated. It was as though he had spent his time vacationing in Redstone rather than carrying out a mission.Then, his gaze landed on Cedric.His Commander did not look pleased. Cedric held his chin high and made no move to greet him or Mira. When he finally did, his greeting was laced with hurt and disappointment.“Your Highnesses, I presume there is a reason for your visit to my warrior’s home?” Cedric asked dryly.Cassian’s throat felt dry. Before he could find an answer, Mira spoke.“I had a terrible dream last night,” Mira began, placing a hand over her chest. “I dreamt that Seth was attacked by wild boa
~ Mira ~*Mooncrest Castle*“I have received word of the threat against your life, Mira,” King Aldric said gravely. “My greatest fear has come to pass. It would seem the news of your being a Fireblood has reached the ears of our enemies.”“But who could it be?” Queen Elowen asked, her face full of concern.“There is no one else, Elowen,” the king answered. “It can only be Northhaven!”Cassian and Mira had arrived at Mooncrest Castle for the monthly Royal Dinner. The king had postponed it several times, hoping Kael and Elara would return from their journey. Alas, the two had been gone for so long that it seemed they had no intention of returning at all.“I shall order the fortification of our northern borders,” Aldric declared. “Double the number of guards at every crossing and dispatch scouts to patrol the mountain passes and forest trails. I shall not let no stranger pass without scrutiny. If our enemies have learned of Mira's heritage, we must assume they shall soon seek her out.”Mi
~ Elara ~*The Whispering Forest*“Great Moon Goddess, whose light has watched over the rise and fall of kingdoms, hear my plea. Through the whispers of the forest, grant me thy wisdom, that the fallen kingdom of Embre may rise once more from the ashes of its ruin.”Elara watched as the Moonborn Healer knelt on the ground, her silver-white hair moving in the breeze as she gazed at the night sky.The moon shone brightly over a clearing deep within the Whispering Forest, far beyond the healer’s dwelling. Elara and Kael had never ventured this far. The clearing stood on elevated ground, where the moon seemed close enough to touch, its silver light bathing the ancient trees.Towering trees surrounded the clearing, their branches reaching toward the sky. Yet despite the gentle breeze, an eerie stillness hung over the place.Then Elara heard them. The words of foretelling lingered in the air. Elara had grown accustomed to the forest’s whispers by now. Rather than let them distract her, she t
~ Elara ~*The Whispering Forest*“Unique herbs and minerals,” Elara said, inspecting the first three jars.“Those are needed to bind the ingredients together and stabilize the magic during the ritual,” the Moonborn replied.“And this one has blood,” Elara said, checking the next.“That is Celia’s blood from when she was still a Fireblood.” The healer sat up from the wooden chair and massaged her back. “I have kept those jars in a small cavern farther upstream, where the cold air preserves all my ritual materials for many years.”The healer motioned to Ilias. “I had sent your cousin to help me recover them while you were asleep.”Elara moved on to the last jar and found reddish-golden resin inside. “And this one? What is this?”“This is resin,” the Moonborn said. “It is a sticky substance that oozes from tree bark and hardens over time. The one inside is Firetree resin.”They gathered around the healer as Elara examined the ritual ingredients, hoping to discover what had caused the rit







