All Chapters of Welcome to Aetherborn: Crushes, Curses & Creatures: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The world tilted around Seraphine. She could barely process the gasps, the scraping of chairs, the students shouting. All she felt was the burn, Alaric’s mouth at her skin, his fangs deep, each pull sending heat and weakness flooding through her. Her hands pressed against his shoulder, pushing, but it was like shoving stone. He wasn’t hearing her. He wasn’t hearing anything. “Alaric Vortemont!” The voice cracked like thunder through the hall. Magister Caelum’s magic slammed into the air, a storm of pressure that shoved students back in their seats and tore Alaric away from her with invisible force. Sera hit the floor again with a gasp, clutching her leg. Blood smeared her calf, bright against the pale stone. She looked up in a daze just in time to see Alaric stagger backward, chest heaving, lips wet with crimson. His eyes were black fire. And then realization crashed into them. “No…” His voice was raw, horrified. He lifted his hand and stared at the smear of her blood

Seraphine woke with a scream. The infirmary was empty, save for the faint glow of moonlight through stained glass. Sweat clung to her skin, and the sheets were tangled, scorched at the edges. Her hands trembled. Silver sparks danced between her fingertips, fading quickly but not quickly enough. She pressed her palms into the mattress, forcing the glow down, down, until it vanished. Her heartbeat thundered. The dream had felt too real. The shadows, the crimson-eyed intruder, the fire that had burst from within her… Her breath caught. She remembered him. The smile is like a blade. The way he recoiled when she touched him. “Lucien,” she whispered, the name slipping unbidden from her lips. The door creaked. A healer peeked in, startled. “Seraphine? You’re awake…” Seraphine raised her head, her silver eyes gleaming faintly in the dark. “Yes,” she said, though her voice trembled. “I’m awake.” The healer stepped fully into the room, a middle-aged fae woman with hair l

Seraphine hadn’t slept again after the nightmare. By dawn, the silver glow under her skin had finally faded, but the memory of it clung like smoke. She kept her curtains drawn tight, willing the day to pass her by. A knock shattered that hope. “Seraphine?” Lyra’s voice, soft but urgent. Before Sera could answer, the door creaked open and Lyra slipped in, followed by Mina with her braids swinging and Caleb trying and failing To carry a tray of tea without spilling it. “You’re alive!” Mina blurted, then flushed. “I mean…obviously you are, but God, do you have any idea how worried we were?” Lyra perched on the edge of the bed, eyes shining with relief. “The entire school is buzzing. They said you were injured in class… and then…” she hesitated, lowering her voice, “…they said Alaric Vortemont bit you.” Caleb set the tray down with a clatter. “Not they said. Everyone’s saying it. Hallways, dining hall, and even the dueling grounds. You’re all anyone talks about right now.”

Seraphine stumbled back from the jeweled bloom, heart pounding, then spun on her heel and rushed toward the fountain where her friends were still chatting. “Mina, Lyra, Caleb…” Her voice cracked. “Something… something just happened. The flower, it spoke to me.” All three turned sharply, faces stiff with shock. For a moment, silence hung in the garden. Then Caleb snorted. Lyra clapped a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking. And before Sera could even process it, both of them burst into laughter. Her stomach dropped. “What…what are you doing?” Lyra waved her hands quickly, still half-laughing. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry, it’s just, we thought you’d find it funny.” “Funny?” Sera’s voice rose, sharp and trembling. Lyra winced. “It was a prank, Sera. That’s all. I… I used my illusion magic to make the flower talk.” She lifted her palms as though in surrender. “We didn’t mean to scare you.” The world tilted under Sera’s feet. “A prank?” Her striking blue eyes burned, tears th

The nine-tailed fox shrieked, a sound like claws dragging over glass and thunder splitting open at once. Its tails whipped forward, striking with enough force to split mountains. Kade was already moving. His wolf form blurred across the ground, faster than her eyes could follow, golden fur glowing faintly in the dim light. He darted between crashing tails, weaving in and out with savage precision. When a tail slammed down, he leapt, his claws flashing like blades as he tore at the beast’s flank. Blood, dark and shimmering like oil spilled, hissing as it touched the earth. The fox retaliated instantly, three tails swinging to crush him. The ground shattered, craters forming with every blow. Kade was fast, but even he was caught, one tail clipped him and hurled him across the clearing like a rag doll. He struck stone with a sickening crack, dust and debris exploding around his massive body. “KADE!” Sera cried, voice breaking, silver sparks spraying helplessly from her trembling fi