ELENA’s POV   The Witch is a mystery. She had healed Helios, shared with us the crystal’s knowledge and yet she has not asked for anything in return. I stand next to Helios who has awoken and he bows deeply before the Witch. “Great one,” Helios says and I raise an eyebrow. I have never heard him address anyone with so much respect before. “Please, can you please tell us where the crystal is, or at the very least where the bastard, I mean, where Clyde is?” He tugs at my arm, trying to make me bow too but I shoo his hand away. The Witch smiles at our exchange, she is amused. “I cannot reveal the crystal’s location for if I do, chaos will ensue and war will erupt for everyone who lust after greed and power will be after it.” Helios’ face falls. He is disappointed but understands and respects the Witch’s reasoning, as do I. The greed for such power will only create mayhem, pain and grief. It is better for us not to kno

HUNTER’s POV I throw my glass against the wall, shattering it into pieces. It splinters to the ground and I turn around with a growl, facing the woman before me. It is Freya and she is naked. On my bed. In my room. She holds my blanket to her body and trembles as she cries. “Hunter…” she calls out with mascara running down her eyes. “I surrendered myself to you, I gave you my all…you touched me, you marked me –" “Get out,” I hiss, pointing towards the door. She shakes her head in defiance. My fingers curl into fists. It takes all my willpower not to storm towards her and wring my hands around her filthy neck. How dare she? “GET OUT!!!!!” I bellow and this time, she drops the blanket like a hot coal and scrambles out of the room, stopping only to pick up her garments strewn all over the floor. Fuck. I head over to my side table and grab the bottle of Dr Olcan’s pills. Drugged. My eyes clench shut and I p

ELENA’s POV   I cannot face him. Even after five days, I am still unable to face him. It wasn’t his fault, I know that. I’d be a fool not to, but every time I see Hunter, all I can think about is how his body became one with Freya’s. All I can hear are her soft moans against his lips as their bodies became drenched in the heat of passion. And all I can feel is the pain that stemmed from my sister’s betrayal. Damn you, Freya. I went back to look for Freya five days ago, right after I found out about them. But mother was the only one who greeted me at the door. Freya never went home. Mother had sobbed incessantly, clinging onto my shoulders and begged for me to bring Freya back. “Elena,” she had whispered through her tears, “Rose has never been out in the wild by herself. She doesn’t even know how to fight like you. Please, find your sister, bring my baby back home.” “Mother.” I had begun shaking my head, my breathi

FREYA’s POV   Our bodies are covered in sweat as I lay on Clyde’s chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart. Trailing a finger down his chest, I ask, “What’s your plan?” At this, Clyde chuckles and pushes my head away. He gets up from the creaky wooden bed that once belonged to both Elena and I and starts to put on his shirt. “Kill Hunter, and conquer a whole new world.” My brows furrow, he is not making any sense. And as if he understands my confusion, he turns around and cups my chin, lifting my head slightly so my eyes meet his. He’s scaring me. “You see my missing eye?” I gulp and with a trembling breath, I stare into his empty eye socket. “Yes…” Clyde’s face contorts into a sickening smile. “It was a price I had to pay to find the gateway to the new world. The Sorceress demanded for it.” The Sorceress? The Sorceress from the Dark Forest? She is the sister of the infamous Witch who liv

ELENA’s POV When I was eight, father brought me to the cinema. It was a war movie and there was this particular scene where a bomb exploded, blowing everyone into smithereens.But watching an explosion on screen is vastly different from the sight before me.I have just run past Ian and am but a few feet away from the entrance of Light Paw village when a sudden flash of light erupts, followed by the sudden slam of a shockwave. It sends both Ian and I tumbling backwards and I feel grit stinging my skin.I taste blood in my mouth; my lungs burn, and I realize that I’ve been knocked to the ground. Then there is total silence for a second or two before my ears start ringing.I look around, suddenly confused.A fireball rolls up into the night sky and I can feel its heat as I stare at the house before me. It is on fire.Someone starts screaming. I groan. Is that Ian? I stagger to my feet as bits of cloth a