Golden Stage Novels & Stories

But my real focus wasn’t my reflection. My focus was on the project. The clients. And the determination not to let Damien Hayes think I am not capable. I wore my old black heels. They pinched slightly, but they made me feel taller. _____________________________________________ At the Grand Arc Hotel, my nerves were like many little sparks tickling my skin. Golden light filtered down through the chandeliers. The chandeliers had a shape similar to an upside down crystal fountain. Light reflected off the marble floor. The floor was polished. Shadows of moving people became moving shadows.

she'd brag, "I'd be living like royalty." She made sure to call during dinner, voice sugarcoated and loud, so I could hear every snide remark. Always the same garbage—how I married a nobody while Katerina scored a "real catch." When I didn't bite, Katerina finally dropped the act. "Mom, you can come with us to Amiraka, but it's expensive. You don't have a pension, so... why not sell the apartments and come with us?" We had two old apartments. Last time, they went for just over $500K.

For several minutes, she simply stood there, staring into the dark abyss of her hallway, letting the silence of the room try to drown out the ringing in her ears. Once the static in her mind finally began to settle, she reached out and flicked the light switch. The dim yellow glow did little to cheer the space. She crossed the hallway and entered the living room, heading toward the window to shut out the world. But as her hand reached for the heavy fabric, a glint of silver caught her eye.

The Golden Lane was a narrow, claustrophobic street lined with tiny, fairytale-like houses built into the castle's ramparts. By day, it was a tourist trap. By night, it was a silent, eerie corridor of history, lit by the moon and a few dim lanterns. Jack moved through the shadows, the ten-minute window from the diversion rapidly closing.

"Mrs. Fischer, why did you ask me to come here today?" Mom rubbed her hands together with an awkward smile, looking troubled. "Ashton, I'm sure you've heard about Caroline's illness by now. It's pretty serious. The doctor said it's stage two cervical cancer, and if we're not careful, the cancer cells will keep spreading. I'm afraid it might not be curable." Ashton's expression remained calm as he replied, "If Caroline is truly sick, I'll do everything I can to help her through it. But if something is untrue, then please don't make claims like that so casually, Mrs. Fisher. That would also be disrespectful to Caroline."

My gaze shifted back to her. “They weren’t like that.” Jace went quiet. “What do you mean?” “They were gold,” I said, my voice lower now, more certain the more I thought about it. “Not mixed. Not faint. Just gold.” The room felt still again. Jace straightened slightly. “That’s….. not normal.” “I know.” “What happened when you saw it?” I leaned forward a bit, my elbows resting on my knees as I looked at her. “Storm stopped.” Jace didn’t speak.

“The woman wants really simple and classic settings and materials – platinum with inlaid slim bands of gold – but she wants things etched inside the rings.” “What kinds of things?” he asked her, intrigued.

"You think it's unusual, don't you, daughter?" I dragged my eyes from the sight and turned to him, then replied. "You did say the moon hasn't shined this brightly in a hundred years." He leaned towards me as though sharing a secret, then whispered in my ear. "Maybe the Moon Goddess is also celebrating with you. It's your Turning Feast, after all." I snorted. "Since when has the Moon Goddess ever cared about the affairs of one single person?" My father laughed. "You've always been a feisty one. Good thing you've Turned now. It's high time we found you a man who would be able to tame you. Perhaps Alpha Alexander over there?" He pointed.

I took a seat in front of the vanity mirror, the bright bulbs casting a halo of light around me. The theme of tonight's fashion show was elegance and glam, and it was aptly named "Lumière Eternelle," the eternal light. The entire event revolved around capturing the timeless allure of fashion, with designs that would illuminate the night and leave a lasting impression. The anticipation of stepping onto the runway and showcasing the essence of this theme coursed through my veins.

She also noticed that two of the sources glowed with colors she did not call for. There was a silver glow and a gold glow. The silver glow went to the center of the meadow and toward the direction of the cave along with a bright blue one. The gold glow went just to the center of the meadow. The three remnants were heavy and thick. The fourth remnants glowed red, and this is the one Makenzy had been looking for. It felt the strongest and that told Makenzy it was the most recently used.