[Fionna - Unofficial Princess of the Basilisk Family] I paced in the small office that Clyde had set up for me. The Fey clan reached out to me yesterday. The Elder who helped hide the pearl was finally willing to talk, but why did he want to speak with Clyde? Why him? Because he is the King whereas I am… I clenched my fists. I loved my brothers, but sometimes it just stung. No one would understand how it felt to be considered as a princess but not to be recognized as one, to always be looked at with pity and to be the subject of charity. No one would understand at all. But to be not taken seriously was a whole new level of insult. If Brian knew then he would frown but I dare not tell Clyde lest he would go ballistic. I sighed and waited for him to arrive. My mind wandered to the Medeis Challenge. Today the winners would be announced. I let out a wistful sigh, if only I could be a part of this. I heard about the girl who managed to postpone the Challenge which has never happened be
[Clyde] “With all due respect, Elder Felix, how are we to believe that what you are saying is the truth?” I asked, ignoring the heavy stare coming from my sister. “It’s not recorded anywhere and if we are to believe the…existence of this mage wolf, then why doesn’t the werewolf clan talk about her? Or the mages?” I continued. Elder Felix smiled gently. “I know it is tough to believe since there are no written records, especially after The War where mages were killed and the Mage Queen gave up her life. Manuscripts and scrolls were burned to ashes, but you can ask Mage Elias, he might have answers. However, he is very young, and this phenomenon happened before the mages were treated like dirt as I have already mentioned.” I let out a shuddering breath. It might have happened like 2000 years ago probably and I had no way of countering whatever she just said. Madame Xiuying and the mage wolf lady were mates? Not that I am opposed to it but why would the mage wolf be killed? Or what
[Valerie] “Hay, Val? How have you been? Weren’t you starting your new semesters at Crescentville?” an incredibly nosy classmate of mine cornered me. She had been trying to do so since I began my classes. She was my competitor and had been extremely happy when I told everyone that I won’t be continuing my studies at Ravenwood. Everyone else thought I would be going there to study there except Sarah and Kenneth. I replied with a curt smile. “Well, I am here now.” Before she could retort, I side-stepped her and left the class. “What’s Clara’s deal?” Sarah asked when I told them about the incident while taking lunch in the cafeteria. I shrugged as I spooned more yoghurt in my mouth. Mom had told me numerous times to have lunch with them but I never did, partly because I wanted to spend time with Kenneth like a love-sick fool and partly because I didn’t want people to call me names behind my back, although they still did but I stubbornly decided to ignore them. “She is just sad that
[Valerie] I expected to feel indifferent and maybe feel like I had felt before discovering he was my mate, but no, my life was never easy. Therefore, when our gazes clashed, all I felt was longing and hurt. He stared back impassively as if silently reproaching me for creating a scene during the Challenge. I looked back defiantly. But I still felt what I had felt that night near the cliff before rejecting him… the yearning… the pain. I didn’t know why but Goddess Diana had a way of reminding us mortals that we had the opportunity to feel the love that she had felt once for a shepherd boy, that we were given the opportunity to at least fulfil our love and be with our other half as long as we breathed. However, we let go of the opportunities, sometimes due to situations and sometimes… “What are you doing outside?” Dad’s voice made me tear my gaze away from Clyde. I shifted my attention toward him. “I was getting bored.” I hoped no one noticed our stare-off. But then I glanced at Viola,
[Valerie] ‘Ruelle, no,’ I tried to pacify her, my own wolf, my animal counterpart. But she didn’t pay heed. I knew where she was trotting towards, turning a deaf ear to calls and warnings. I felt stuck, felt scared of my wolf. ‘How dare they?’ she growled. ‘They are my friends!’ I tried to reason. I felt so helpless because I knew the sadistic pleasure she took in hurting others, in making them feel helpless and weak. It felt as if two souls completely opposite to each other resided in my body now. ‘Is it? You seriously think that we are different?’ she scorned. ‘Yes, because I would be angry with my friends but never think of hurting them.’ I felt helpless. Yes, I was hurt by what Irene told about Sarah and sad at the thought of Ken having to compromise. ‘I told you that she-wolf doesn’t consider you her friend. She planned to even make us feel jealous of our sister. She tried to sabotage us. I would have snapped her neck had I not been recuperating,’ she growled as she br
[Clyde] The dinner was a quiet affair with an anxious Alpha King trying to look put together and Queen Erica remaining absent. Mage Elias ate little, seemingly wishing the dinner to get over. I felt the same. Fionna was feeling restless, more often than not letting out an almost audible sigh. Everyone seemed to be a sort of relieved, and I couldn’t even blame them. ‘The woman has to create a chaotic scene every time we meet, doesn’t she?’ I thought. I wondered what triggered her to transform, but that piece of information could wait. Fionna almost cornered Mage Elias as everyone began to murmur goodbyes and retire to their respective quarters or houses. “Elias,” she called. The said man gave a strained answering smile. He turned to Alpha Xavier and said, “I need to speak to them if you don’t mind, Your Highness.” I could see a silent conversation being exchanged before Alpha King nodded reluctantly. I understood that the esteemed Mage would hardly share any real information t
[Clyde]It was the first time in years that I woke up gasping for breath, sweaty and with a pounding heart. Brenton rumbled at the back of my mind. I lifted my arm to find that my scales had surfaced. I touched my head to feel the horns that protruded a little. Dammit. The healer had given me the medicine, which would keep Brenton from taking the rein. I laid back down on the bed. My thoughts went back to the muffled cry of help from Valerie, to her wolf’s nonchalance and disregard for our bond…well, a dead bond now. ~~~~~The next morning, I was woken up by consistent knocking on my door. Fionna was asking me to hurry and wake up. When I opened the door, the initial irritation turned into concern when I saw her anxious and tense. “What happened?” I asked. Fionna doesn’t answer immediately. But when she did, she glanced away. “Valerie attacked her friend, Sarah I think last night and now she is in a critical condition.” The words are barely out before I am making my way to the door
[Clyde]I don’t know what I was expecting, but silence and shock were at the very bottom of the list. I swept my glance around the room. “It is… true. That is why she could breach the barrier in the first place and maybe also because she is…” I had never felt so awkward and so out of depth, not since I was called by my mother who informed me that I would take over the dragon clan. I clasped my hands behind my back and waited for them to speak. “You are… Valerie’s soulmate? But dragons find their mates when…” Elias trailed off. “Yes, many think we find our mates much later in life since our dragon takes time to mature and grow,” I said. “Your Highness, why did you not tell this earlier?” the lady who had been quiet until now asked. She sounded tense. I pursed my lips. “Because we mutually rejected each other.” This time, instead of silence, the room reverberated with a growl. Alpha King stood up from his seat, his eyes' irises resembled twin flames. “What? She…rejected you or is i