LOGINThe 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
I woke up startled, and I called, “Mother,” with tears drying on my cheeks. For several seconds, I didn't move. I looked up at the ceiling, trying to understand where I was.In my bedroom.The familiar faint light. The familiar smell of herbs Mother Elara placed in the small bag by my bed.Everything was real.But my mother's voice still echoed in my mind.Tell me where I should go. I am coming home.I pressed my hand to my mouth. She was coming home.My mother was coming home.The thought seemed too huge to fit in my chest. I sat up quickly. The pendant was touching my skin, still warm from the dream.I grabbed it. "You're real," I whispered.For years, my mother had been an illusion.Memory.Face.Voice I could barely remember.A pair of hands braiding my hair.Now I'd seen her.Had spoken to her.Held her.And she promised to come back.I looked toward the window. The sun was already rising over the treetops. I couldn't wait. I got up quickly, dressed and went out of the room.I ha
Silence had swallowed the packhouse whole by the time I retired to my bedroom. The weight of the silver pendant lay heavy against my collarbone, safely tucked under the folds of the nightshirt. Outside, the wind brought a soft rustling through the dark forest, but my mind disturbed much too loudly to allow me any rest.I sat at the edge of the bed, absently tracing the cool shape of the silver metal with my fingers.My mind continued to play through the memories I'd glimpsed in the herb room. The giggles of my child-self. The gentle rhythmic movements of my mother's hands, braiding my hair. The comforting warmth of sitting on her lap, begging for a bedtime story, her eyes filled with tender affection as she looked down at me. Then came the choking terror of violent bangs on the door and her desperate eyes, forcing me to promise to keep the secret of my blood.An acute pain stabbed at my chest.I just want to see her. My eyes closed against the pale glow of the bedside lamp. Even for







