All Chapters of The Rejected Queen: Chapter 101 - Chapter 107

Damon POVIt was quiet. Too quiet. Even the air felt heavy, like the walls themselves were holding their breath. Light filtered through the tall crystal windows, catching on the silver veins that ran through the marble floor - veins that pulsed faintly, like something alive beneath stone.Rayna hesitated on the threshold. I could see the tremor in her hand as she reached for the pillar beside her, eyes narrowing as if the very light burned.“Rayna?” I stepped closer, but she shook her head.“I’m fine,” she whispered. “Just… give me a second.”Her wolf was restless. I could feel it through the bond, pacing, bristling. But there was something else, too. A pull. The hum that had haunted us since last night grew louder here, a low vibration crawling under my skin.She took one more step. And the world changed.The temple lights flared - silver to white, blinding. The hum turned into a resonant note that shook the air, like the Moon itself had begun to sing. The scent of ozone burned my th

Rayna POVThe first thing I felt was cold. It clung to me like frost, sinking under my skin even though I was sweating. The temple floor was hard beneath me - smooth marble veined with silver light - and someone was shouting my name, voice sharp, frayed with panic.“Rayna- gods, stay with me-” Damon. I knew that voice before I even opened my eyes. The bond trembled, faint but alive, a thread I clung to as I dragged myself back from whatever abyss I’d fallen into.Light flared overhead. Not divine this time, but from the torches Kael must’ve lit. I blinked, gasping as faces swam into view: Damon, crouched beside me, his jaw tight; Kael and Lira behind him, both looking like they’d seen a ghost. Maybe they had.“What happened?” My voice was raw, broken glass and breath. “How long-”“Seconds,” Damon said quickly, but the muscle in his cheek jumped. “You collapsed as soon as you stepped through the arch. Then… everything went to hell.”He glanced toward the temple doors. The air still s

Damon POVRayna was cold in my arms. Too cold.Her body felt like marble, her skin kissed by frost. But her pulse - thank the Goddess - still beat, steady and strong, beneath my fingertips.I didn’t think. I just lifted her, holding her tight to my chest, and left the temple behind.The guards at the door straightened when they saw me, eyes wide, but I didn’t stop to explain. The air outside had changed - the night itself felt muted, thick, as if the world was holding its breath.The hum that had haunted the temple was gone. But so was every sound that followed it.No wind. No crickets. Not even the faint heartbeat of the city beyond the walls. Just silence - vast and heavy.Rayna stirred faintly, her head turning against my shoulder. Her eyelashes fluttered, silver catching in the moonlight. “Damon…”“I’ve got you.” My voice came out rough, strained. I didn’t care. “You’re safe now. I swear it.”Her eyes half-opened, distant, like she was listening to something only she could hear.T

Rayna POV Damon’s hand was still on my shoulder when his eyes glazed for a second - the telltale flicker of the mind-link. I could feel the ripple through the bond, his tension coiled like a drawn bow."Lira. Now. Our chambers."The link snapped closed before she could even answer. I touched his wrist. “You shouldn’t sound that scared through the link. She’ll panic.”He gave a humorless snort. “Too late for that.”Moments later, the door burst open. Lira swept in like a storm in healer’s robes, her braid half undone and eyes burning bright. Her power always came with the smell of crushed herbs and metal - sharp and clean, like the promise of rain.“What happened?” she demanded, already at my side before Damon could answer.“I’m fine,” I started, but Lira shot me a glare sharp enough to peel paint.“Don’t even try that. You look like someone drained the sun out of you.” Her fingers hovered just above my skin, and light flickered between us - faint, green-gold tendrils of her magic sea