LOGINCORAI was still sitting on the edge of my bed, trying to shake off the lingering tension from the training field, when a soft knock came at the door. I called out a quick permission to enter, and a young maid stepped inside, looking a bit nervous as she held a small, folded piece of parchment in her hand. She informed me that I had received a letter, and I just sat there for a second, pausing in total surprise. I couldn't fathom anyone sending me a letter, especially considering how tight the Blackwood estate was about everything that entered the gates. The guards usually tore through every crate and sack like they were looking for hidden daggers, so a personal note getting through was almost impossible."Where did this come from?" I asked, reaching out to take it.The maid told me that it had actually come in along with the shipment of the weekly groceries, hidden at the bottom of a basket of apples. Instantly, a feeling of familiarity washed over me. I didn't recognize the parchmen
CORAI was currently resting in a corner of the training grounds, my back pressed against a wooden post that was still vibrating from the impact of sparring warriors. It’s been some weeks now since the chaos with the library and the missing book, and surprisingly, things have been somewhat stable for me. There has literally been no drama, no strange whispers in the dark, and no one trying to break down my door in the middle of the night. In this time, I managed to get used to my training sessions and actually managed to progress further than I thought I could. I was no longer the girl who tripped over her own feet while holding a wooden sword. Although I knew I couldn't take on the stronger warriors head-on, I didn't have any problem with ambushes and deceptive attacks. I had learned how to use my smaller size to my advantage, moving under their guard and striking before they even realized I was there.I actually felt proud of my achievements, and as I wiped the sweat from my forehe
CORAThere’s an edge to his command that I actually like, and for once, I don’t feel like arguing with him just for the sake of it. I take another bite of the bread, savoring the way the crust crunches between my teeth, and follow it with a long, cool drink from the waterskin. The silence between us isn't as heavy as it usually is, but my mind is still working overtime. I sit there in the dirt, looking at the profile of his face, and I contemplate whether I should just tell him everything. I want to tell him that the fog in my head has cleared and that I’ve regained my memories, every single one of them, from the taste of the dirt in my home village to the way he looked at me the first day I was brought here.I also feel like I should tell him about the voices I’m hearing, those rasping, dry whispers that echo in the corners of my skull whenever the room gets too quiet. I want to tell him about the vision of the three chains and the way the third one turned to blood and rose up to st
CORAI woke up with the taste of blood still lingering on my tongue, and by the time the sun was high, I was back on the field. It was the next day, and I was currently training with a bow, but I wasn't feeling like myself at all. My fingers felt clumsy against the string, and my vision kept swimming as I stared at the straw target across the dirt. I didn't know why, but the feeling of not being in control of my own fate was starting to eat me alive. I hated not knowing what exactly was going on, and I hated being stuck in this fortress where everyone seemed to have a script except for me. It was like I was just an observer in my own life, and I hated not being able to chase after whatever was seemingly toying with me.The memory of the bloody chains from my vision kept flashing behind my eyes. I felt like a puppet, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Subconsciously, I started directing all that heat and frustration toward the target. I didn't see a circle of straw an
CORAThankfully, the way the fortress was built using heavy stones allowed us to find some purchase on the outer wall, and we managed to partially make our way across the vertical drop by digging our fingers into the gaps between the blocks. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would shake me off the ledge, but Cade was already moving ahead, his movements quick and desperate. We soon arrive in Cade's room, which wasn't that far from Ronan's, and I practically tumbled through his window, falling onto the rug in a heap of tangled limbs and gasping breath.Their risky actions though eventually get me injured, but it's just a scratch on the thighs where a sharp piece of masonry had sliced through my trousers during the climb. I looked down and saw a thin line of red soaking into the fabric, the sting of it finally catching up to me now that my feet were on solid wood. I was shaking, my adrenaline starting to dip, and I waited for Cade to ask if I was okay or at least acknowledge tha
CORAFor the first time in forever, I wasn’t feeling as tired as usual after training. Usually, by the time Liam was done with me, I felt like a sack of rocks, but today was different. I guess it was the desire to know what was actually going on that kept my blood pumping. My mind was sharp, and the exhaustion just couldn't settle into my bones. After excusing myself from the field, I took a quick detour to the stables, just to make sure no one was following me, before heading straight to Cade’s room.I found him pacing by his bed, and the second I closed the door, he looked up with a grim expression. He told me that he had spoken to Liam, and according to the Alpha, Ronan was actually on the fortress walls overseeing the guard duty. I stared at him, my mouth hanging open just a little bit. I was surprised because that seemed new, and Ronan wasn't exactly the type to volunteer for extra guard duty on the walls. But before I could even ask when this new duty had started, Cade grabbed







