AdelaideLike every morning, I knelt by the creek in the woods, scrubbing the wooden bowls from the temple. It wasn’t because we had to, but because we wanted to.From giving us a place to stay to help me strengthen my powers—Grandpa Aelius had done so much for us, and I guess this was our way of repaying him.Usually, it was just me and Alaric, but for the past five months, it had changed into the three of us.A smile crossed my face, hearing Violet’s soft giggles behind me. I turned my head to see Alaric lying on the grass with Violet on his chest. He was tickling her belly as she squealed in delight.That was one of the best things about her—her laugh.It always brought smiles to many people’s faces as it rang through Bloodstone, and everyone knew it belonged to Violet—the brightest baby around.She rarely fussed, was always happy, babbled too much, always watching the world as if she already had things to say—but most of all, she was so, so loved by her daddy.I let the bowl slip
AdelaideMy eyes were glued to Claire, my heart pounding in my chest. How could it not when this was the friend I had worried about the most? The one whose validation I had sought the most.Even though she was still breathtakingly beautiful with her golden hair and bright blue eyes—there was something in her gaze that I couldn’t quite place.What did Elyx mean when he said she was right?“Elyx…” Alaric breathed, stepping past me. I followed his movements as he immediately pulled his friend into a tight embrace, still holding Violet in one arm. Surprisingly enough, Elyx reacted instantly.“It’s really good to see you, Addy,” Greg sighed, stepping forward. It was good to see he hadn’t lost his bright smile. His stance was a bit awkward, like he didn’t know whether to hug me, shake my hand, or not do anything at all.From the corner of my eye, I caught Aelius sending the villagers on their way, and since they trusted his word—they all retreated, himself included. Since he had left, I kne
AdelaideEverything stopped.My breath hitched as I turned to Elyx. Was he serious? My eyes shifted to everyone in the room, but no one dared to say a word—not even James.It had always been like that.Back in the day, he might’ve been the leader of the Elite Team—but even then, no one dared to go against Elyx.Mostly because he was too stubborn and too full of himself.“I don’t know why the two of you fled,” Elyx continued. “I assume it has something to do with your mother, who has been harassing us for years. But Alaric has a duty to his people, and they need him.”I took a small breath.Mom…so she had been looking for me.I wanted to ask about her, about Esther—but now was certainly not the time. Not when he was trying to take Alaric away from me.Alaric let out a soft chuckle. “Then you’ve wasted your years looking for me for nothing because I’m not going anywhere—”“Your father is sick, Alaric!” Elyx snapped.My stomach twisted, watching the shocked look on Alaric’s face. Whateve
AdelaideMy eyes were closed, hands in my lap, as I sat in the temple, trying to concentrate. As always, I didn’t get very far with Violet giggling beside me, interrupting my peace.She was always like this, and it didn’t matter with who—even with my friends who she had only seen a few times. She was just a happy baby.A month had passed since the others started visiting Bloodstone Haven. Every Monday, around the same time, they would come and visit, just like I knew they would today. We would catch up, talk, and they even bonded with Violet. In some ways, it almost felt like old times—even with Elyx, though deep down, I knew better.I just knew he was up to something, and because of that, I lived every day in anxiety—not knowing when all of this happiness would end. One thing I did conclude was that it had something to do with Baelor. Otherwise, there would’ve been no point in Aelius teaching me about the Veil.Some things still did
AdelaideWhile everyone was inside, talking and catching up, I found myself sitting in the corner, watching Violet as she tried to crawl on a plaid. Even though my focus should’ve been on Violet and Violet only—it wasn’t.It was on Elyx…Not because I wanted to, but because he was staring at me with those dark eyes. Neither of us had to say a word to feel the tension, and I knew what my problem was—but what was his?I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About how he…they…would betray me, and most importantly—why?If he truly didn’t trust me, if he was really against me—then why would he bring his children here?Just like that, my gaze shifted to the two toddlers. Kayden, who still had his arms wrapped around Elyx’s legs, and Kylan, who stood with his arms crossed, mimicking his dad’s gaze.I had to admit, for a two-year-old, he had an attitude that was way too advanced. One could tell he was already trying to be like Elyx, but it was cute.I gave him a small wave to grab his attention, t
AdelaideAsking whether someone was okay was just a normal question—but deep down, I had already started panicking.It was just words, and I hadn’t meant anything by it—but the look on Claire’s face sent a cold chill down my spine.What if today was the day our friends would betray us?What if that was the reason why Aelius acted so strangely in the temple?“Everything is perfectly fine,” Claire’s voice trembled as she swallowed. She reached for Violet. “Let me hold her, please?”I hesitated but then gently passed her over. Claire had always been careful with her. She smiled warmly and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead while Violet stared at her. The color of their eyes was nearly identical, both a beautiful shade of blue, and their blonde hair was not that different either.Violet was a carbon copy of Alaric, but one could easily mistake her for Claire’s.My heart ached. It ached because I could tell she genuinely shared a connection with Violet, yet she would go as far as betrayin
AdelaideSqueals filled the hut as Alaric tossed Violet into the air. “Who is my little princess?” he cooed, catching her.Although Violet obviously couldn’t reply, she responded with loud giggles.“That’s right, you are,” Alaric grinned, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “And Daddy loves you so so much.”This was nothing new in our small household. Alaric throwing Violet into the air while I watched and occasionally warned him to be careful—but today was different. According to Claire’s words, today would be the day that they would attack, during the full moon.The Lyperians, the coven, the kingdom…and Alaric still did not know a thing.I swallowed hard, the corners of my lips trembling as I tried to maintain my smile. Truthfully, it felt as if a rope had been tied around my neck. That’s how tense I felt.The imaginary rope felt even tighter each time my mind went back to Elyx and the way he had betrayed us. I could handle it, but I wasn’t sure whether Alaric could.That was his brother,
AdelaideOther than the sound of Violet’s babbles, everything went quiet. It was as if the world had stopped moving, but only inside this hut.No one spoke, no one breathed—while outside was chaos. In the distance, we could hear the sounds of shouting, howling, and heartbreaking screams.The villagers were in danger…Aelius was the first to move. He stepped forward with a calm expression and pushed Violet into Alaric’s arms. “Take the baby,” he instructed. “When the time comes, you will know what to do.”“Grandpa—”I didn’t even have time to finish my sentence before he had already walked out the door, leaving me to think about his cryptic words.My body froze as I looked at Claire, unsure of what would happen. Aelius had always told me Violet would be safe—but how could he be sure? How could he be certain when he would also share his wisdom about how nothing was set in stone?Not even a Soothsayer could know everything…Oh my…they were going to kill Violet, I would fail at opening th
Violet“I see you’ve come back to your dorms,” Esther said, a fake smile plastered on her lips.“I have,” I answered shortly.“Good,” she squeezed her eyes together. “I won’t report you. You’ve already been through so much.”I felt something twist in my stomach. Seeing this woman smile in my face after all the things I knew about her bothered the crap out of me. Whether it was a real or fake smile, she didn’t have any right to laugh.“Thank you, ma’am. That’s kind of you.”I waited for her to leave, but at the same time, I knew she wouldn’t. She had clearly come here because she wanted something from me. However, it was still unclear what she wanted.She kept staring at me with that uncomfortable grin on her face, like she had practiced it beforehand.After some time, she took a small huff. “Do you really not want Starlight to expel those girls, sweetheart?”There it was again. She was trying to push me—wanted me to think about it and get angry, lose control so I could light up Starli
Violet“If that creepy woman bothers you again,” Trinity’s voice blasted through the empty cafeteria, “you better tell me!”She was clearly talking about Esther. I turned the other way, silently ignoring her words.Although I was back in my dorm, I had managed to escape her for the night, but I had run out of lock. I had Healing Class today, so there was that.“Dylan went downtown with the boys, and for some reason, it bothers me because it was supposed to be our thing,” Trinity complained. “Like, didn’t they already go yesterday?”I didn’t have to look at her face to figure she was most likely pouting. “Maybe it’s time for you to let him breathe a little,” I chuckled.Trinity gasped, holding her heart. “Let Dylan breathe?” she spoke in horror like I had said something awful. “The same way you let Kylan breathe?”Yes, that was definitely sarcastic.“Speaking of Kylan, have you heard anything from him today?”I smiled through the slight ache I felt in my heart, then shook my head. “No
KylanThe market was packed.As usual, people were talking loudly, laughing, and the air had a strong scent of the market food. It was everything I hated.Bright, colorful, loud.We had some time between classes, and Nate had begged us to go downtown again. He said he felt left out, that the three of us hadn’t done anything fun in weeks. So now here we were, Nate, Dylan, and me, walking through the same market where everything had changed.Where we met Aelius…Where Violet found out the truth…It felt strange being back here. Almost like walking into a memory I wasn’t ready to deal with.I couldn’t help but wonder what Violet was doing at this moment, just like I couldn’t help but wonder every damn second if she was doing okay.At least, knowing that Dylan and Trinity still stood by her side after everything she had told them, made me feel a bit better. We weren’t the only ones holding onto the secret anymore. It was out in the open, and seeing Violet look past her fears to tell them
Violet“Yes,” I clarified.“Who escaped?” Dylan asked.“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know,” I replied.Aelius wouldn’t tell me, and I’m sure he has his reasons for that.“Wow, Violet,” Trinity spoke, in awe. “So you’re a child of blood, a highborn witch… and a princess?”“I wanted to tell you both because you’re important to me,” I said quietly. “I’ve been holding all of this in for so long, and I kept thinking… what if it pushes you away?”“Pushes me away?” Trinity spat, offended.I let out a nervous laugh. “Honestly, I thought your reactions would be worse.”My eyes flickered toward Dylan. “Especially yours… now that I’m not a Hastings anymore.”“Not a Hastings anymore?” Dylan chuckled softly. He leaned forward. “Violet, you will always be a Hastings,” he said. “And you are a Bloodrose. You and I are still family.”My voice cracked a bit. “Yes?”His words were strong, and I could tell he meant every word with his whole heart. He looked almost repulsed, even, that I could eve
VioletIt went silent.I was met with complete silence after I said the words. I looked at their faces, trying to figure out what they were thinking, but neither one of them reacted. They just stared at me with blank expressions.“I’m half witch,” I repeated, only to be met with the same silence.I knew it.This was a bad idea. They were shocked, disgusted, and couldn’t even find the words.Kylan and I glanced at each other, both confused, and then I continued speaking. “My real mom and dad…” I explained. “They weren’t Claire and Greg. Claire and Greg raised me, but they’re not my birth parents. My mom was a witch—a child of blood. That means I am too. And my dad was a prince, the Alpha prince.”Still, no one said a word.I was just about to fumble my hands, but Kylan grabbed my wrist before I could do so. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the two. “Say something,” he quietly demanded.Trinity and Dylan slowly turned their heads to look at each other, then they looked back at me. Dyla
VioletAfter a short day of classes, I found myself back in Kylan’s room. I leaned against his door, watching him with a weak smile as he played with Jumper, the squirrel he had sworn he didn’t want anything from but now pretty much treated like his daughter.My stance might’ve been calm, but my mind wasn’t. It had been around fifteen minutes, and I had barely spoken because I wasn’t sure how to start the conversation. I wasn’t sure how to tell him that I would not only go back to my dorm but would also tell the others about my true identity.Kylan patted Jumper over her back. “What is it?” he finally asked after a long moment of silence. “You’re still here, not handcuffed, so it can’t be your eyes.”I knew he wasn’t a mind reader, but I guess anyone could tell something was clearly going on. Hesitant, I looked down for a second.“I’m going back to my dorms today,” I said. “I don’t want Trinity to feel like I’m ignoring her or something.”Kylan paused for a second, his hand resting on
VioletI slowly pricked my fork into a piece of fruit, watching the two lovebirds in front of me.Dylan and I had met up with Trinity for lunch, and they were all over each other. Kissing, hugging—basically everything except for acknowledging my presence.A sigh left my lips as Dylan pressed his face into her neck. Trinity, giggled as she pushed him away. “Stop it!” she hissed. “Violet is getting sick of us.”“No, I’m not,” I smiled. “It’s okay.”It was so out of character for Dylan, and above all—a bit hard to get used to. He wasn’t the same grumpy, know-it-all I used to know—and while it was supposed to be something positive, I just couldn’t help but compare.I knew I shouldn’t, but deep down I couldn’t help but picture a scenario of Kylan being a little more like that.Open. Gentle. Warm…“You’re just so beautiful, I can’t help myself,” Dylan whispered, cupping her cheek. They deserved each other. In a way, the two reminded me of Claire and Greg. To be honest, that scared me becaus
VioletI stared down at the mat, sweat nearly dripping from my forehead as I did another push-up. One wouldn’t have guessed it, but Commander Jorn ran across the training hall, clapping his hands and yelling like always.Strangely enough, I could almost keep up with everyone today. Almost!If I wasn’t so sore and tired from yesterday, I probably could’ve given it my all. It was too bad my arms felt like jelly—and to make matters worse, my brain couldn’t focus with all his yelling.I know Adelaide would’ve pushed through, but I also knew that I definitely didn’t see the old Elite team do any of these exercises when I was in the Veil. The training days in the past were definitely easier than this.I changed the position of my hands, stumbling a bit—and then a soft fist suddenly connected with my back. It was Commander’s…of course.It was just a little touch, but it was enough to make me drop flat to the mat.“Ow!” I muttered, grabbing my nose as I managed to sit up. It hurt like crazy,
Violet“You tell me,” I answered. “You are the Lyperian.”Nate sighed and looked at a still-tense Dylan with a teasing look. “She’s getting smart now.”He tried to involve him, but other than a low hum, Dylan didn’t have much of a reaction.“Actually, I don’t know,” I responded in all honesty. “We should be receiving a message soon. Could be anytime now, I think.”Those were my hopes. I just wanted to get it over with—and quick.“If all goes well, I might have to address you as Your Highness!”“No—”“Do you want a water, Your Highness?” Nate offered, mocking a bow.“Your Highness?” I repeated, laughing. “I’m not…”My words faltered because technically, he was right. I was a princess, but…of what? The common lands? A place no one had ruled for ages?It’s not like anyone knew, for that matter. I couldn’t exactly shout it from the rooftop.“You know what,” I changed my mind, “maybe I do need that water.”“Great,” Nate placed his hands on my shoulders. He gave them a squeeze, but all I co