AYLAI watched as every King of one Kingdom or the other bowed to me. It felt like a dream. Me, Ayla of nothing now seen as superior in front of powerful kings and being loved by the most powerful King of her. King Slade, love of my life.I felt Hilda's hands tightened around me and I smiled. I could feel my strength returning to me by the second but my sister wouldn't let me go.“You know I can walk by myself Hilda,” I said to her.“I have lost so many years of not being by your side. I won't let you go now,” she said with affection in her voice.“Oh Hilda,” I brought her head towards me and our forehead met. “We are bound by blood, sisters. That will never change.”She nodded, shading uncontrollable tears. “I'm only leaving you when Lady Berah gets here.”“That will be now, my lady,” we heard Berah's voice and saw her in front of us. My eyes met hers and she gave a sign of relief. “It's so good to see you, your grace,” she took my hands from Hilda.“It's good to see you too, Berah
SLADEIt has been hours since Commander Osborne arrived at the camp. Camp Salton. Just because we are fighting on the field of Salton. A land that stands between our armies and my banished brother.Commander Osborne had told us about the traitor, and she has been bound and chained waiting for Ayla. But where is she? Osborne said he was only a few hours ahead of them but it feels like days.I had met Philip on the way to rescue Ayla, but he insisted on being the one to do it. Himself, his sister, Lady Hilda and their army. They needed to be the one to rescue her.There was a large sound coming from a detector. Which means Ayla had arrived. I raced out of my tent. Philip and Hilda rushed out of their car. The look on their faces meant something was wrong.I rushed to the car, the back door was open and Ayla laid there, looking lifeless. “Ayla,” I called her name softly.“She needs a healer, your Highness. Right now,” Philip said and I nodded. I scooped her into my arms and carried her
AYLAIt's been weeks since Sven, the banished son, has held me captive. There haven't been news of rescue parties or the sounds and clashing of soldiers fighting.But, I haven't lost hope yet. I know he will come. He has to come. I was allowed to see my people just once, and they seem to be holding on like I was.“Keep fighting, Luna,” Commander Osborne had said to me. “Because we are still alive, which means there is hope.”I smiled at the word ‘hope.’ Will there be any hope in the world when Sven has drained me of my powers and taken it for himself.Will the world survive with him as her ruler? I don't think so. At least not according to the vision my mother had shown me.Where is she in all of these? Not once has she even given me a glimpse of that word ‘hope.’She has forsaken me. The tears flowed down my cheeks like a fountain. Maybe Slade and the others have as well.“No one has forsaken you, Child,” I heard a familiar voice and I turned to my left. “Mother!” I got up and she h
The command center was too quiet. Too still. I didn’t like it.Damon stood at the map table, his jaw tight as he looked at the glowing red dots marking our border defenses.“Still no word from Ayla?” I asked, my voice calm, but every soldier in the room froze when I spoke.“No, my King,” Damon replied. His tone was respectful, but I could hear the same frustration I felt deep in his voice.I clenched my hands behind my back, keeping my face straight. No one needed to see what was going on inside me. Only Damon could feel it, he had known me too long.“The mind link?” I asked.Damon shook his head. “Blocked. Commander Osborne hasn’t reported in either.”Blocked. Which meant interference. Which meant danger.“Send a search unit.”“My King, we’ve already….”“Double it.” My tone left no room for argument. Damon gave a sharp nod and signaled to the soldier at the communication board.I walked to the window, staring at the sky above Mercia. The clouds were heavy, dark. The air felt differen
AYLAI felt a nasty headache as I opened my eyes. I still felt dizzy and my vision was blurry.“Where am I?” I whispered. Trying to get a sense of where I was. But I didn't get a response from Kyra.“Kyra?” I called out but there was no response.“You can't access your wolf here,” I heard a voice and my eyes opened wide, and my vision brightened.I tried to use my powers, then I felt the chain around my hands. “You can't access your magic either,” I could hear the smirk in his voice.He was in front of me, standing by the edge of the window in what looked like a cell that I have been kept in.“Who are you?” I asked, and he laughed loud. There was something familiar about him. He smelt like someone I know, that I have been with.Suddenly the hair on my neck stood as I realized who he was. Sven, the banished son.“Yes, now you know who I'm,” he said as he walked towards me.“What do you want from me?” He bent down, and ran his fingers through my face. I flinched at the feeling it gave
AYLAMy eyes stayed on the window as we drove out to the palace, into the streets of Mercia's capital and out.I saw the hospital in which I was trapped and where Lord Hamish had given his life just to protect me. So many memories, so many reasons to stay and fight for love, for unity. But one major reason to run away. The man with the mark of a dragon.Even after seeing the mark, I still don't know what it means. But at least I'm far away from him.Far away that he can't use my powers against me.“You are doing the right thing, your grace,” I heard Berah say to me and I gave a little smile.“I hope so, Berah. I want to believe so,” I sighed heavily as I rested on the headset on the seat of the car.“You miss them already,” she said like a question, but it wasn't a question.“I have to move on,” I said instead. “I have to try and forget about them, forget about him. My life is Stormbringer now, and Amora,” I looked at my daughter, playing with her doll.“I won't be selfish and ask f