The Forsaken Pendant Novels & Stories

“He wants to own her. Control the bond.” My mother’s face hardened. “Then he must be stopped.” “I tried. I failed.” She reached for my hand and placed something in my palm. A pendant, ancient and warm. The center pulsed with energy. “You haven’t failed,” she whispered. “You’ve only just begun. This is the Seal of the Forsworn. It unlocks the gate between blood and truth. But only if you and your mate are bound willingly.” I stared at it. “What does it do?”

The carvings shifted, forming a symbol — a circle split in half, one side flame, one side moon. Revan stared at it. “That’s the mark of the first covenant.” “What covenant?” I asked. “The one that created the packs,” he said. “And the one that destroyed them.” The light grew brighter. The ground beneath us trembled again. Jordan grabbed my arm. “Lora, step back.” But I couldn’t move. The stone was pulling me closer. The voice inside me whispered again, louder this time. “The truth sleeps beneath. Wake it, and you will see what must end.”

But there was something colder in her stare, like she was thinking of the kind of burial to give me when I finally get killed. Forced myself to sit upright, even though my arms felt like jelly. “Why am I here?” My voice sounded wrecked. “Why hasn’t he just finished me off?” She just snorted, like it was a stupid question. “Eat. You’ll need strength. Whatever he’s got planned out for you, you’ll need it.” She turned to leave, but something slipped out from her collar. A pendant, black silver, and a weird crest carved into it. My stomach dropped. I’d seen that before.

There was no Jason to greet him and no bustling staff, only the wind dragging brittle leaves across the bare driveway. Ryan leaped out and shoved the heavy doors open. The grand hall was empty, and the expensive carpets were gone. The ancestral portraits on the walls, too, had vanished. Even the bronze hunting dog sculpture from the fireplace was missing. Standing at the center of the vacant hall were Francis, Bella, Darius, and Maria. Each wore a different expression, ranging from guilt, avoidance, and smug delight. "Where's Helen?" Ryan demanded. "Where's my child?" Bella stepped forward and handed him a document.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me who made this. Riven. That annoying, infuriating bastard. Of course he’d do something extra. Seraphina eyed it like it was too pretty for its purpose. “Was the design really necessary?” she muttered, her voice sharp with disdain. “This is a containment pendant, not a lover’s trinket.” My jaw ticked. Of course she’d say that. Still staring at the pendant, she began to chant softly, her voice ancient and rhythmic, each word laced with power I could feel vibrating in my bones. The runes on the pendant glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat.

He reached into his pocket and brought out the blue scrap—the same one he had pressed into my hand weeks ago. “This isn’t just cloth.” "What do you mean it's not just a cloth" ” Rowan said. “Without it, leaving is pointless." " I need you to do something first" I frowned. “Tell me what you need.” “A powder,” he said quietly. “Fine as ash, kept in the King’s inner yard, near the old shrine. It looks like dust, but it reveals what’s hidden. "What does the dusk do??" I asked. "The dusk will reveal the truth, there's no time for explanati-"

"It mentions a gold pendant. Like the one Aaronne gave you." My hand instinctively goes to the necklace. "What does it say?" Florence reads aloud, her voice soft and careful. "'The Pendant of the Queen of Iris. Worn by the high priestesses of the northern tribes. Said to be infused with powerful magic, tied to the bloodline of a powerful witch and her ancestors. The pendant was passed down through generations, each wearer adding her own magic to its core. Legend has it that the pendant can protect its wearer from harm, amplify their power, and even reveal hidden truths.'"

The man was gone. No name. No voice. No trace. Except— A pendant. It lay beside the hearth, half-hidden beneath ash. Walfson crest. Cracked. Scorch-marked. Her hand trembled as she picked it up. She stared at it for a long, long time. And whispered, “No…” But fate, it seemed, was not done with them. Not yet.

“Where is it?!” He grinned. Then he lifted a pendant hanging from his neck. My entire world stopped. Inside the pendant… was a glowing, beating object. It was a heart. Aria’s heart. He had turned it into a necklace. Rage exploded inside me so fast that my hands started shaking. “You want it?” he taunted, dangling it slightly. “Come and get it.” Before I could even move— A loud screech filled the air. I barely had time to react before dozens of nightstalkers launched themselves at me from all sides. Their speed was terrifying, their claws glowing with dark energy.

His hand on my upper arm hauled me back, triggering a discontented grunt from Omar. Ripping the floating pendant from my neck, I displayed it before Connor with my right hand. "Someone tried to corrupt me but failed because of my capabilities to filter the corruption into its raw state––the predator essence. Francis removed it, creating this pendant to glow and gravitate towards its owner, the Dark Phoenix." I rotate my extended hand, placing the pendant before the couple. The dim purple glow between my enclosed fingers becomes stronger before I release it. The glowing stone hovers the distance between the Dark Phoenix and me.