LOGINI closed my eyes. "Thank you for choosing my life, Mother."She pulled me to her and I rested my head on her shoulder. For some time, we remained silent. Then I asked the question that had quietly rested in me. "Did you know about Kael?"Her body stiffened slightly. "I knew that you were married.""You knew?""I knew that you had found yourself a partner and I knew that you had given birth."I pulled away slightly. "How?""Because your blood changed."I frowned. "Changed?""Your powers started to stir." She looked at me carefully. "I knew that you had bonded yourself to someone. I did not know what kind of man he was."I looked away. "He wasn't what I thought he was.""I am sorry you had to go through such humiliation, it hurts me to know I couldn’t protect my only child.”I swallowed. "He rejected me," saying it brought the feeling of humiliation back to me, and I swallowed again but harder. "At the Luna ceremony. Mother, he could have told me before then and I could have left quietl
Aria’s POVI found Draven alone in his study. He was standing at the window, looking at the kingdom.He turned to me as I came in. "You should be sleeping.""So should you."He smiled. "Fair."“But I came to thank you for hosting us, it really means a lot to me.” “It’s a pleasure to me to host your family.”I walked toward him. "Mother and Elena are still talking.""I know."There was something different about his expression.Thoughtful.Nervous, even.I stopped. "What is it?""Nothing." I narrowed my eyes. "You are terrible at lying."He laughed quietly. "The same thing your mother said."I stepped closer to him. "What did you talk about?"He hesitated and then looked at me. "Aria…"Something in his tone made me curious. "What?" I questioned.He took a breath. "I want to marry you."My heart skipped.He went on without pausing. "I've been wanting to for quite some time."I gazed at him. "But I do not wish to ask you just yet.""Why?" I frowned."Because you have spent too many year
The palace had settled into what should be its evening routine. Everyone had gone off to their rooms for the night, the last remnants of the dinner dishes had been cleared by the servants, and I was standing in the doorway of Alpha Draven's study.A servant had shown me the way.I knocked gently."Come in," came his reply from inside.I opened the door.Draven was standing behind his large wooden desk, looking at some of the documents. He quickly looked up when I entered."Elena.""I hope I'm not disturbing you.""You aren't."He put the documents aside. "Please." He motioned toward the chair.I walked into the study but did not take my seat right away. Instead, I looked at him.Draven noticed. "You have something you wish to ask me."A smile played around my lips. "You're observant.""I have to be."I finally took my seat. "I wanted to talk to you without the presence of my daughter."Draven leaned back slightly. "Of course."There was no hesitation in his reply.I folded my hands in
Aria’s POVI had never seen Mother Elara so happy.I mean, I had known her for about six months now, I had seen her in different moods, in different shades of happiness, but never in this height.Draven had decided to host my family to welcome the arrival of my mother. I hadn’t gotten the chance to thank him yet, probably because I hadn’t been able to stay a minute away from my mother.Even the same with Mother Elara.She had been smiling ever since we had left the herb room and even now as we walked into the dining hall, I could see that her eyes were red around the rims with tears.I could hardly blame her.Considering all those years she and my mother had spent apart, it must have felt strange for Elena to sit next to her and have Elena at Draven’s table.The dining hall had been transformed for the evening.There was nothing particularly formal about it.There were no rows of silent servants lining the hall, and there wasn’t enough silverware to make anyone feel intimidated.Inste
My feet stopped moving.I had envisioned this moment.So many times.I had envisioned throwing myself into my mother's arms. I had envisioned crying. I had envisioned the sound of her voice calling out my name.But nothing could have prepared me for this.My mother stood at the end of the corridor.Alive.Real.No, not the way I saw her through the dream.My mother.Elena stood as still as stone. Our eyes met and everything else vanished around us.The guards.The castle.The faces that went by us in the background.The noise.There was nothing but her.She looked just the same as she had in my dream.The amber eyes.Gentle curve of her lips.The face that I managed to piece together using scraps of memories. Except that there were no shadows around her now.No fear hovering in the background.No frantic whispers ordering me to run away.She stood there waiting for me.Her lips trembled. "My Aria."That was all it took.I started running.I didn't care if anyone was watching. I didn't
By the time I finished breakfast, I was on my way to the herb room. I just couldn't hold it in any longer.Mother Elara was leaning over the long table, separating lavender herbs into smaller bowls when I came in.She looked up. As soon as she saw my face, she smiled. "You look different today.""I have some good news."She immediately put down the herbs. "What happened?"I walked right up to her. "Your sister is coming back home."For a moment, Mother Elara just stared at me. Then her hand flew to her mouth. "Elena?"I nodded. "She is coming back."Her eyes began to fill with tears. "How?""I saw her yesterday.""Did she come to you in your dreams?""I walked to hers."Mother Elara got up so fast that the chair slid a little bit. "What did she say?"I told her everything. And how in the end, I persuaded her not to hide anymore. After I finished speaking, Mother Elara was crying openly."That stubborn woman," she whispered, drying her cheeks. "For all these years..."I smiled between







