LOGINMaera quietly observed her surroundings, her gaze fixed particularly on the area beyond the trees where faint murmurs continued to rent the air in a distant hum. What was going on? It was bad enough that she could neither see nor hear anything clearly from where she was confined. But that person had said they would transport Her Majesty by noon. And this was noon. Maera’s gaze quietly shifted towards the men’s cage, agitation surging through her chest as her fingers curled against the fabric gathered loosely over her knees. When is it starting? Cold beads of sweat gathered along her forehead as she turned her attention back towards the area beyond the trees, straining to hear something, anything that might tell her what was happening beyond their limited view. They needed to get out quickly. They needed to go after Her Majesty, but nothing was happening. Why is nothing happening yet?Maera gritted her teeth as her pulse quickened, her temperature rising alongside the hot, prick
A strangled shout tore instantly through the air as the coachman’s body jerked violently, his hands releasing the reins as his fingers lost their hold on the leather straps. Then, his body slumped forward, the now lifeless weight collapsing against the front of the carriage.The leather strap slipped through his fingers, and the horses, startled by the sudden shout and the violent movement behind them, immediately sensed that something was wrong. They stomped uncontrollably, their hooves striking wildly against the ground as loud neighs rent the air, their bodies rearing and twisting in panic while the carriage jerked violently behind them. “What the hell?” a guard shouted at the coachman. “Control the fucking horses.”But there was no one to control them because by then, the coachman had gone limp, his body falling off the carriage as the horses bolted. The carriage lurched so violently, throwing Lillia against the wooden wall. Her shoulder slammed painfully into the frame hard e
Everything about Bellamy’s message suddenly began to make more sense, and Lillia almost smiled as she stared at him. But while Lillia’s spirits had lifted at the sight of him, Luka’s features grew colder in her presence. His body was still covered in the remnants of his father’s punishment, dark purple bruises spreading across his cheeks and jaw, with a few cuts already beginning to close, but there was something else in his eyes that caught Lillia’s attention. Anger. It was still present in the cold glare he directed at her, and the moment their eyes met, that familiar disgust crawled through Lillia’s body again, making her gaze shift almost immediately towards the man seated beside him. The boss. And just like he had been when she first met him, his expression remained pleasantly calm with the same warm smile spreading across his lips, as though there was nothing unusual about having his son, whom he had brutally beaten hours ago, share the same carriage with the woman he
Late noon…The next time the door opened, Lillia was unmoved. She remained seated calmly in the chair, her posture composed, her expression giving nothing away. Only her gaze lifted gently, her eyes snapping towards the entrance as Zen appeared outside the door, his expression as unreadable as ever.I’m guessing it’s time.“Let’s go.” Zen verified Fenris’ statement, and Lillia quietly stood. She carried herself gracefully as she walked out of the room. But what waited outside was not what she had expected in the slightest.There was a crowd of rogue landers.Maidens stood scattered throughout the yard, some whispering amongst themselves, while others simply stared as though they had never seen anything quite like her before.There were also several guards lingering nearby, along with other inhabitants of the den… workers probably. Their attention shifted towards her the moment she appeared, conversations rising one after another, until the entire courtyard hummed with voices.But Lill
Lillia sat on the chair in the same room she had first woken in.Her silver hair had been arranged neatly, every strand carefully packed into place without a single loose strand escaping. Her dress had also been changed, and this time, it hugged her features in all the right places.The wounds on her body had been treated again, wrapped neatly with fresh bandages, while the faint scent of perfume she had been given lingered delicately against her skin.She looked breathtakingly beautiful, enough to be mistaken for the Queen she was.Yet, she barely noticed. On that effortlessly beautiful face, sat a tight scowl.Unlike the time she had first woken, the door was now bolted shut.A moment passed quietly, and she lowered her gaze to her hands… useless. Lillia gritted her teeth. She could still remember the cries vividly, each one tightening the knot in her chest until she could barely breathe.The pain in their voices had been impossible to ignore. They had to suffer such pain because of
“I almost didn’t believe it before.” A low chuckle vibrated through his chest as he lifted his gaze towards the area beyond the trees. “The note,” he hummed. “It said the Ice Queen is here.” “The Ice Queen?” Maera met Selene’s equally confused gaze and neither woman spoke for a moment. Yet, it was clear that the same question had settled between them. Who was that?“Who is she?” Selene finally asked, her brows furrowing. Without looking at them, his gaze remained fixed beyond the trees. “She is the current Queen of Wolfsbane.” His head tilted slightly as though the answer itself had only made his thoughts more difficult to understand. “What the hell is she doing here?” He seemed to be thinking aloud. The current Queen of Wolfsbane… Lillia? Maera’s heart skipped. Her eyes widened as her gaze remained fixed on him, and it took another moment for his words to properly settle, for their minds to catch up with what he had just said.Then, almost simultaneously, the confusion cloudi
The gala dragged on in a blur. By then, the heavy silence had lifted, replaced by lively music that soon filled the hall with laughter, and little by little, the noise grew again. However, it never changed the assessing and scrutinizing eyes fixed on Lillia. After she sat, the herald
The sun had long dipped below the horizon, leaving the castle bathed in the soft, amber glow of lanterns, and Lillia stood before the mirror, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders, gleaming like threads of moonlight as she watched her reflection. She was no more the fragile girl who had fal
Ishtar woke with a gasp that tore violently from her chest.Her body jerked upright as though dragged from drowning, lungs burning, and heart hammering so hard, she thought it might split her ribs apart. Cold sweat slicked her skin, as her fingers clawed at silk sheets, breath coming in ragged, bro
“Run, my lady. Don’t look back. We’ll hold them back as long as our breath stays in our lungs. If one of us lives tonight, it has to be you. Please—live.”Muffled sobs bled into the darkness of Clearwater forest, as Ishtar tore through the tangled branches and choking undergrowth. Every word from







