Alle Kapitel von Dear Mate, You’re Mine!: Kapitel 151 – Kapitel 160

Astra’s POVThe first scream reached my window in a terrifying shrill that made me reach for my blade before something about it made me pause.That scream wasn't filled with terror.It was anger.Anger laced.What could be wrong? What was going on? I glanced back at the table and bent to put on my boots.I was halfway through wearing my boots when the sound rippled through the palace courtyard like a bee hive, voices overlapping. The voices were sharp and wild, like birds startled from trees.I froze.Then came the pounding of boots.But I could tell this one was different. It wasn't soldiers, those boots sounded like a stampede.I stepped toward the window, and pushed it open just enough to hear.“…she knew!”“…conspiracy...”“…Hollow Fang...”My eyes snapped and my breath caught.Hollow Fang.My pulse spiked. What were they talking about? How did they know about Hollow Fang? What was happening?My eyes were glued to the crowd, angry crowds, marching Al over the courtyard, trampling

Astra’s POVThe doors to my office closed behind me with a final, echoing thud.I stood there for a moment longer than necessary, my hand still on the handle, my forehead resting lightly against the cool wood. The silence inside this room was deafening after the storm outside. There were no shouts, no accusations, no agitation scraping against my skin.My knees almost gave out. The softened and weakened, bending slightly.I forced myself upright and crossed the room slowly, each step heavier than the last. The air was murky or it could just be my nose, it felt cramped and nauseous but I took a deep breath as I braced both palms against my desk.Then I exhaled, hard.My chest heaved once. Twice.Breath filled my lungs in a rush, as if my body was only now realizing the storm it had survived. My fog cleared up a little. There was air.I closed my eyes.Their faces came rushing back, rising behind my eyelids.It was filled with anger, fear, betrayal. It was filled with cracks and shards

Astra’s POVThe outer world felt more fulfilling, the air even more fresh once we left the palace. It was long overdue and with me having not left the palace in a while, I found this journey very stimulating.Jerome was with me. His hands never straying far from the hilt of his sword. His eyes scanned every movement and every rustle as the horse glided gently through the night.We'd left while the world was quiet and asleep with no formalities and escort. Jerome wanted one or two supreme guards with us but I had insisted. We needed to do this alone and fast, I didn't want anything that could drag me back or down.I hadn’t told anyone where we were going.Well, mostly because I didn't even know where. Phoenixes were not creatures you found that easily. In fact, legend say they were creatures that decided whether you were worthy of being seen.I couldn't wait till they seemed me worthy s I was first heading towards the charred forest, they one where I had burned down those mercenaries a

Astra's POVThe Phoenix did not land. It hovered. Its eyes seemed to pierce through me. I gulped.Its wings were not feathers in the way mortal birds possessed them. They were like layered sheets of flame, and translucent at the edges. The body was long and sleek, forged from molten gold and fire, its chest pulsing, rising and falling faintly as if it carried a heart of a starlight or better still a meteorite.Its eyes locked onto me. I moved back by a step, my heart hammering inside my chest but its eyes were not hostile or curious, it was... judging.I almost tilted back in shock. This damn bird had the guts to judge me? I almost huffed but its blazing eyes held me in place.The fireball that had birthed it slowly dissolved, raining harmless sparks that vanished before touching the earth.I could not move. I was frozen in place, those eyes and fiery feathers just glued my legs to the ground. Something in my bones had gone still like prey sensing a good.Jerome stepped subtly in fron

Astra's POVWe saddled our horses back. Surprisingly, our horses had been exactly where we left them. Leaving the Phoenix cradle made me instantly crave for it again. The stuffy air and dryness couldn't compare to the splendour of such a majestic environment.The cradle was cool, like weather cool and I didn't realize it until we were out and into this stuffy weather.Jerome hadn't said anything but I could see his furrowed eyes and his mind turning more miles away from where we actually were. I didn't say anything, I was gathering my thoughts. We rode silently. I waited.And finally he broke."What was that about?" He asked without looking at me.I shrugged, "You were there. What do you think it was?""Ooh stop it. I was there but do I look like I understood whatever it is that went down with you and that bird."I sighed heavily, "Well, Courage in motion." I muttered, he looked at me quizzically. I shook my hand, "What happened is that we met with the majestic Phoenix bird and it's