บททั้งหมดของ The One: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

MaerileeI wake up slowly, feeling a warmth that isn’t just from the morning sun filtering through the curtains. There’s a weight pressed against me, solid and comforting, and as I blink the sleep from my eyes, I realize Akin’s arm is draped across my waist, his naked body flush against mine. For a moment, I lie still, letting the contentment wash over me as I recall the events of last night. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced before, this sense of peace, of belonging to someone completely. My heart flutters, and I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’ve found what I’ve been searching for all along.Could it really be this simple? Could Akin be my One?It doesn’t make sense that it’s taken so long for us to find each other, though. I’ve seen Akin nearly every single day of my life. Why have I never felt that feeling of absolute certainty that my mother always described? Why have my powers not manifested until now? I try to not think about it too much as I feel his body move against mine an

MaerileeWe walk through the palace corridors in tense silence, River on one side of me and Akin on the other. The air between them is charged, both men radiating barely concealed frustration. I keep my head high, trying to focus on the task at hand. My mother will surely have the answer to this. She’ll know what to do.The weight of the situation presses down on my chest, and I can still feel the remnants of River’s kiss, the surge of power I don’t fully understand. But there’s no time to dwell on that. Not now.When we finally reach the throne room, I pause just outside the grand doors, the echo of raised voices reaching my ears. My mother’s voice, tight with anger, is unmistakable. I motion for Akin and River to stop, pressing my hand lightly against the door to listen. I can hear another voice too, one that sends a chill down my spine.Direken.He’s here, talking to my mother. No, not just talking, arguing. Heatedly.“We’ve waited long enough, Queen Kimalissa,” Direken snaps. His

MaerileeI leave the throne room in a daze, still processing what’s just happened. I’m destined to strengthen the barrier, but that means I likely have four Ones. And here I’ve been worried that I don’t have a One at all. It’s all so overwhelming and hard to grasp.On the one hand, I’m thrilled. The idea that I’m finally going to be able to do something to save Altinna, to protect our kingdom, is something I’ve longed for. But on the other hand, the reality of the situation is daunting.River as one of my Ones? I think of my first impression of him when I saw him at the ball, his posture confident, his eyes glinting with his usual mix of arrogance and charm. I don’t know how to feel about him in general. The connection between us is undeniable, of course. I can’t pretend I didn’t feel that surge of power when he kissed me. But the thought of being bound to him, of our lives being intertwined in su

MaerileeI walk back to the throne room with Brook by my side, his hand warm and steady in mine. The feel of his fingers intertwined with mine brings a strange mix of comfort and tension. Comfort, because despite everything, having him here feels right. But tension too, because I know what’s waiting for us inside that room. More questions, more debates, and undoubtedly, more resistance.As we approach the doors, I can already hear the raised voices, the overlapping arguments filling the air like a storm about to break. My stomach tightens, but I push it down, reminding myself of what I’ve just discovered. Brook is my Third. It’s impossible, absurd even, but it’s true. I can feel it in every fiber of my being.I push open the doors, and the noise hits me like a wall. Many of the council members are still seated, deep in discussion, while my parents, River, and his parents are locked in their own heated debate. The moment we step into the room, all eyes turn to us. The sudden silence is

MaerileeI pace back and forth in my room, my mind a whirlwind of anger and frustration. How could I have been so blind? I should have seen it. I should have known what Direken was doing to my mother. The signs were there. His unsettling presence at the ball, that strange, oily feeling that clung to him like a second skin. It all makes sense now, but it’s too late. My mother lies poisoned, her strength sapped by his treachery, and I’m the one who let it happen.I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I replay the moments in my mind, searching for something I could have done differently. How could I have missed it? My mother’s health has been deteriorating for days, and I just stood by, oblivious to the danger lurking right under our noses. I was so focused on finding my One that I didn’t see what was happening right in front of me.I should have been more vigilant. I should have protected her.Anger courses through me,