Chapter 32 - Run AloraNothing about this was easy; going back to your own personal hell wouldn't be easy for anyone, I suppose. But as I boarded my ship for what would most likely be the last time, I couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate the feeling of the smooth oak beneath my palm. Or how every carving held a story of my past, present, and future dreams. Every journey was a new opportunity to see a different part of the world. From travelling to the realm of witches or to the realm of dragons, there was always something new to discover. I tilted my head toward the sky, letting the heat from the giant sun soak into my skin. I took a deep breath, embedding the smell of the salty air into my memories, knowing I would never be allowed this close to the ocean ever again. I pushed the thought of being trapped in a tower for the rest of myself to the side, not wanting to darken this already depressing day further. "Everyone has boarded, Captain. The sails have been raised, an
Chapter 33 - Past selves Damon "Alora," I shouted as she vanished into the fog. "Damon." Garren's voice was urgent as he pushed me to move. The fog was so thick I couldn't see anything in front of me. But, as far as I knew, we were all possibly running towards whatever had captured the others. "Apollo, Kier, Alora, Lir," I shouted as we ran. Balthazar, Drabek, and Garren close behind me."Nah ah ah. I can't have you all working together. You wanted a trial, after all, Prince Damon. So a trial you shall get." Sorin chastised.Before I could even warn the others, hands gripped my ankles, pulling me into the fog. Cold and darkness surrounded me. I expected to encounter the hard ground but found myself falling through space instead. I yelled out as I fell, my stomach tensing as I prepared for a hard impact that would undoubtedly kill me. "This isn't real." I heard a soft voice echo through my head. The voice grew louder, chanting the same sentence over and over again. "This isn't r
Chapter 34 - Crossed LirMy senses were on high alert—every rustle of a leaf and every twig snapping beneath my feet had me moving closer towards my prey. At this moment, I was more animal than person. This was a trick it had to be because if I was back here, then it was all for nothing. I couldn't start over; I worked years to get out of here. I had spent decades building up a rebellion to escape the Dark realm. So until proven otherwise, it was some crazy illusion the Empress of Dreams had created to fool me. The red moon hung high in the air; I could hear the distant laughter of men in the field. My men. The men I trained from the ground up. I was their Commander, in most eyes, the true heir to the throne. I held more authority than the King did to them, but that was before; now, I was probably nothing more than a traitor who turned his back on them."Brother, to what do we owe the pleasure of your traitours presence." I spun around at the sound of the Vampire King's voice. Ther
Chapter 35 - Wrath KierMy throat burned, the thirst now becoming unbearable. I couldn't think straight, the need for blood overpowering my every thought, controlling every instinct. Blood I needed blood, and then I could see clearly, again. Bum-bum. Bum-bum.My head snapped in the direction of a distant heart beating. I tilted my head slightly, the monster in me honing in on the sound. Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum. My nostrils flared as I smelt the air, the scent of roses and grapefruit filled my nose. The scent made my mind reel with this odd sense of recognition, but the urge to quench my thirst and numb the fire in my throat didn't allow it to come forward. I was running before I could register where I was, the monster in me taking complete control. Blood, blood, blood. I needed blood, and then I could think again. I could breathe again. I spotted a female lying in the open meadows, the sun kissing her tanned skin. Her hair was the colour of a sandy beach, and the smell of
Chapter 36 - SacrificeDamon I followed the young illusion of Alora, weaving through the thick pine trees. Helix right beside me, never missing a beat. Though the moon's glow never shifted, it felt like we had been running for hours through the dark forest. Finally, we started to slow down, and I followed Alora's lead as she appeared from behind a pine tree. A similar stone path to the one I had travelled to get to the fire was now before us. "He's down there," Alora whispered. My brows pinched together. "Who?" "Your friend, he's the one who helped me find you and Apollo. It's why you didn't see your fears, unlike your friends. I couldn't get to the others fast enough. My powers aren't as strong here as they are in the real world." The thought of the others being in danger made me want to run through the forest and towards whatever person helped her. I knew only two people who were with us that even had enough power to help like this, but it could also be a trap.So instead of ru
Chapter 37 - Judgement DamonIt was like the world was moving in slow motion. I could see the moment when Alora looked at us and decided that our lives were worth more than her own. It was like I was reliving my mother's death all over again, watching her sacrifice herself to protect the ones she cared about. But this time, it hit me differently. It wasn't like the loss of my mother. It also wasn't like the loss of my mate either. Both times they destroyed me but not the way this death would. Maybe it was because Alora sacrificed herself for me or because, deep down, I knew that at some point, I had crossed a line I couldn't step back from. It had been so long since I had felt that way about a female that when it happened, I didn't realize it at the time, the unfamiliar feeling making me vulnerable to her beauty and her attitude only aiding in my confusion and anger. I was so lost in the pits of my own mind that I had become so out of touch with my own heart. It was confusing how o
Chapter 38 - Reborn AloraWhat happens after death? Most believe that you enter the Veil, your lost loved ones all waiting to greet you on the other side. But what happens for those who are made, not born or a true life force?What happens when they die?Do they just disappear and become nothing but matter in time and space? Is there an afterlife for them too?If that were true, then when would it happen? When would I feel myself fade away and become whatever it was I would become?"You ask a lot of questions for someone who is supposedly dead." A female voice echoed from somewhere in the distance. It was harmonious, her words stringing together like a song. My eyes shot open; bright white light filled the space, but despite being lost in the dark for so long, it didn't burn my eyes. Nothing existed around me—no floor or ceiling. No grass or even a sky, just an empty white room except for the throne that sat a female and her Onyx colours wolf, I noticed as I sat myself up. I could
Chapter 39 - Memories DamonI left Alora with Nova and Nesrin, going against everything I wanted because the council requested my presence. The last place I wanted to be right now was in that stuffy room dealing with insolent fae who disregarded my words at every turn, but I knew it was inevitable. Everyone saw us, saw her. There would be questions I would have to answer, questions I didn't want to answer right now, questions I didn't even know the answers to myself. All I wanted was to be with Alora and forget the world. She sacrificed herself to save mine and Helga's lives to save the Kingdom. Then, she was gone; I felt her die; I felt her magic leave her body. But out of some strange miracle, she was here now, and I was gifted a second-chance mate. I only knew of one other mated couple who was given such a thing: Rachel and Drake. I didn't know what to do with the newfound knowledge. I immediately wanted to claim her as mine, but my past made me second-guess it. Would she even