The Viridescent Crown Novels & Stories

"That crappy orchard your brother bought. It’s got quite a bit of rosemary in it. Ha! Not only has that dump never made a single dime, we still have to pay a crew to maintain it every year." A thought flickered in my mind. I knew that place. The orchard sat on a ruined silver mine, its trees drawing on the soil and the breath of silver for years, gaining a power to ward off evil. The Haunts came with the wind, but silver tamed the wind. Those trees were worth far more than my mother and brother could ever imagine. If my infant spirits had wielded weapons made from that wood, they would have been unstoppable.

They were bound by mutual need, their relationship a delicate balance of power and manipulation. "Let's pick out some jewelry, my lady," Rami chimed in, carefully selecting the perfect pieces to complement Elen's attire. "What colors do you think would go well with pink?" "I already have a necklace, Rami," Elen replied, making her way to a drawer and retrieving the necklace gifted to her by the grand duke. With great care, Rami placed it around Elen's neck and then guided her toward the mirror, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—ambivalence, determination, and a touch of sorrow.

he said, flipping open the lid with a practiced motion. My breath caught in my throat. Nestled against midnight velvet lay a crown unlike any I'd ever seen. Not the delicate, almost ornamental circlet traditionally worn by Lunas, but something magnificent—platinum wrought into intricate patterns that reminded me of forest branches in winter, diamonds and emeralds capturing light in their crystalline depths. It was a perfect balance between strength and beauty, power and elegance. "It's perfect," I whispered, not daring to touch it yet. This wasn't the simple crown he'd given me for our claiming ceremony—this was a statement, a declaration of my status as Alpha Queen.

At the center stood a structure that made the breath catch in Aria’s throat. A crown. Not a symbol. Not ceremonial. Real. Forged of black metal veined with gold, suspended above a stone pedestal by nothing at all. It hovered, unmoving, humming with restrained power. Damien swore quietly. “That’s not possible,” Serel whispered. “The Crown is above us.” Aria shook her head. “That’s a shadow. An anchor.” She stepped forward before anyone could stop her. The air shifted immediately. The hum deepened. The symbols flared brighter, casting jagged light across the chamber walls. Aria’s skin prickled, every instinct screaming both warning and recognition.

LUCIEN'S POV One of the ancient ones approached the altar and knelt before Daisy. In its hands was a crown made of black metal and red jewels. The Crown of Dominion. But like the staff, it had been transformed by dark magic. Instead of silver light, it radiated shadows. "Your crown, my lady," the ancient one said. Daisy took the crown and placed it on her head. The moment it touched her skin, the entire world seemed to shift. The air became thick and hard to breathe. The temperature dropped so fast that frost began forming on the castle windows.

“Let’s finish you up. It’s almost time. Even in her early forties, Anna is good at applying makeup. She dabs some finishing touches of makeup before she puts on my jewelry. I touch the intricate carving of the pendant. It is shaped like a spiral that is adorned with thirty diamonds. At the center of the spiral is a bigger diamond than the rest with the purest color of diamond I have ever seen. There were three knocks on the door. Three knocks meant that the person was a royal guard. Anna excuses herself and heads for the door. “Your Highness, the King was just checking to see if you’re all set up for your coronation,” General Silverstone stands on the doorway and bows. “Shortly, General Silv

The guard bowed their heads in his direction. “Welcome to the Varmore Empire, Prince Helios!” He simply acknowledged them with a simple nod before hitting his horse to enter the palace gates. Lila, who had been taking care of him, followed him from behind alongside the assassins assigned to assure the safety and security of their prince. As they made their way to the Euthoria Mansion, the first thing that Helios noticed were the blooming blue gentians littering the sides of the pavement. As far as he remembered, these were the flowers that used to trigger the emperor’s so-called dark side, but seeing that the flowers were not being taken out meant that it no longer had that kind of effect.

Her crown fell to the marble floor with a clear clang, there seems also to be a clanging sound of someone's sword falling to the ground outside the palace gates. The deep red gem on the crown shattered and scattered. Warm blood down the steps on the cold ground, slowly spreading, reminiscent of the shallow creek she used to play in barefoot as a child. This golden hall of Avalon became her grave, swallowing her bones, burying her life. Outside, the sun shone on the snow, melting it bit by bit…

“Downstairs—go!” Before Sienna could move, a shape burst through the archway—tall, hooded, ski mask swallowing everything but a flash of eyes. He swung a crowbar, smashing a vase into a spray of white shards. Sienna’s heart skipped, then she bolted for the stairs, Roman on her heels. Another figure loomed, blocking Vivienne—she let out a scream, raw and wrong, nothing like her usual ice. “Vivienne!” Sienna yelled, twisting back, but Roman’s hand clamped her wrist, dragging her up the steps.

Ciel continued. “If they stand behind you, protect them. If they stand beside you, respect them, and if they stand against you, defeat them." Jarvis proceeded. Kaizen slowly approached her; he hooked a hand under her chin and lifted her face to look him in the eyes. Brown met Crimson. “Always remember this, Roxanne.” “What?” She whispered. “A queen will always turn pain into power.”