KAEL I sure as hell wasn’t in the mood for my father today. Today of all freaking days. Hell, I wasn’t in the mood for anyone. Not after the chaos with Selene. For some reason, she had woken up and decided to be extra cranky, nagging me about the smallest things, including what side of the bed I had decided to sleep in. I could tell something was definitely wrong with her, but I wasn’t ready to bother myself with what just yet. I’d barely gotten five hours of sleep that night, with Selene breathing down my neck and all, but the guards still came knocking at dawn, telling me the king wanted to see me.So there I was, on my way to see my favorite person in the world. My father’s chamber was colder than usual. Not the kind of cold that hit your skin. No. This one went bone-deep. I liked to think it was as a result of the irritation that creeped up my skin when I saw the two girls that sat on my father’s desk, no doubt making love to themselves as he watched with a wicked smile on h
ELORA It was hard to keep still when I had not received word from the one person whose help I could use to put an end to this nightmare I was living. My feet needed to move, and no matter how hard I tried to stay still, they wouldn’t listen. Yet, I was feeling very light headed. The healer had told me the potions would help, but they only ever worked for a few nights, and I just couldn’t keep going back there. Not with the eerie feeling I got the last time, like someone was following me. I had gotten the feeling a thousand times over in the past few days, but this was different. Very different. I knew something was wrong the second I tried to stand and the world tilted sideways.My breath hitched. Quickly, I rushed into my bathroom and clutched the edge of the washbasin, before I leaned heavily against it. I was desperately trying not to groan as nausea rose like bile in my throat. My legs began to wobble, and my skin felt clammy with sweat. I could bear all of it though, until
AUTHOR The shadows danced long and low in Selene’s private wing of the palace, where the lanterns were few and the people rarely walked through. The Luna kept this wing of chambers for…special events. And the visit of her sister’s personal maid was as special as it could get. Ilya moved quickly, her slippered feet barely making a sound against the cold stone floor as she guided Tamika deeper into the forgotten hall. The handmaid clutched a tray of folded linens to her chest, her brows furrowed.“Why did you say the Luna asked to see me?”Tamika asked again, her voice tight with unease. “This part of the palace…no one uses it anymore. Why didn’t she just ask us to meet in her bedroom? That’s where you attend to her, right?”Ilya forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “She said it was urgent, but wouldn’t tell me what it’s about. She doesn’t want others overhearing.”Tamika swallowed. She hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? The thought of standing before the Luna—that Luna
AUTHOR “What…what can I possibly say, your highness?” Old lady Serena shook as she held the empty jar in her hand. She would be breaking her solemn vow as a healer if she disclosed the princess’ condition to the cruel Luna. After all, there was absolutely no one in Stormrider who hadn’t heard of Selene’s wicked actions against anyone who dared to stand against her. Nobody was safe from her wrath, not even her own husband, the alpha king. Selene’s face twisted in annoyance. The healer had to be very silly if she thought she was going to waste one more minute than she ought to. She took one step forward, blue eyes looked on the rather round woman in front of her. “I have asked once, and I believe you heard me properly. I would hate to repeat myself, for your sake more than mine. Tell me,” another step forward had Serena the healer taking three steps of her own backwards. “Has anyone ever told you what happens to people who make me waste my time?”“She had a fever.” The healer repl
ELORAI had never thought a day would come when I would say those words to anyone, especially not my worst enemy. But it came, and the words left my lips as loud as they possibly could, dragged from the deepest part of my heart and soul. I thought I would fade away and die from the heavy silence that followed. Perhaps this wasn’t the time. Of course it wasn’t. My teeth dug into the skin of my lower lip. Bad timing, Elora. Very bad timing. Ryker, on the other hand, was frozen still. His sharp, haunted, and exhausted eyes locked on mine.He didn’t speak. He didn’t blink.The cruel and aching silence continued to stretch between us. Silence was the last thing I needed. I wanted him to speak to me, at least respond to what I had said. My fingers curled tighter around the iron bars separating us, and I felt the sting of rust against my skin. I swallowed the lump rising in my throat.“I didn’t plan to say that,” I murmured, breaking the silence. “I know that it’s a very weird thing t
I swore to the goddess, again and again, that they would burn. If I ever step feet out of the cell, I would graze this pack to the ground. All of them.Every last cursed bastard in this godforsaken pack. I would watch the ashes from their flesh ascend into the heavens. I would offer them as sacrifices to the moon goddess without a second thought.But I wasn’t out. Was I? I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even flinch. The chains bit into my wrists like claws, the heavy silver glowing faintly against my skin. It tore into my flesh with every breath I dared to take. But none of it…nothing about the pain from the silver could be compared to the hell of a nightmare in front of me.Kiara.My Kiara.Proud, fierce, unbreakable Kiara…was on her knees.I watched, helpless, as one of the filthy, grinning, drunk guards slapped her across the face so hard her head whipped to the side. She spat out, and her blood sprayed the stone walls. Kiara let out a pitiful scream as she crumpled to the ground.