“They had once aligned themselves with the royal families, creating a bond that was both mystical and unbreakable,” she smiled, her gaze sweeping over me. “But where are they now?”
The alliance was marked by a shared magic, a unique power that flowed between the dragons and those of royal blood, granting them extraordinary abilities.
Yet, despite their grandeur and significance, the dragons vanished without a trace. No one could remember the exact moment they disappeared or the events that led to their sudden absence. It was as if one day they were there, soaring above the mountains and valleys, and the next day they were gone, leaving behind only legends and a lingering sense of loss. The magic that had once flowed so freely in the veins of the royal bloodline faded with their departure, diminishing over the centuries to a faint echo of its former glory. Alivar and I seem to be the first who possess the unique ability to harness the dragons’ magical elemental energy in generations.
Some believed that the dragons had been betrayed by the very families they had sworn to protect, driven away by greed and corruption. Others thought they simply went into hibernation. But no one knew the truth, and the dragons became nothing more than myth, their stories slowly fading into darkness.
If the dragons are awakening and returning, it would mean the dawn of a new era—one that could reshape the world as we know it. I can feel Yumekui studying me, silently evaluating the extent of my knowledge.Those crimson eyes searching, looking for a crack in my shields.
Suddenly, her face transforms, and a mischievous grin spreads across her lips. “Right, better not keep the master of darkness waiting.”
Before I can register her movements, a harsh blow lands to the side of my head and the world abruptly plunges into an inky blackness.
Chapter twenty-three
Everly
The next night, I lie in my bed, the exhaustion from the long journey settling heavily into my bones. The headache from yesterday has returned, along with the throbbing in my jaw. Maybe I should see the healer and get a tonic to help me rest. Since Maxon was taken, I’ve barely been able to get more than a few restless hours a night. I sigh, rolling onto my back as I stare at the ceiling. The lantern beside my bed flickers softly, casting shadows along the walls, but my mind is still too restless to succumb to sleep.
During the ride back, I filled Scarlett and Mia in on everything that had happened. I can still picture their wide-eyed stares, their barely restrained questions. They were both captivated by Zaria and Asrai. Both demanded to stay with me until all this was over. I didn’t expect them to react that way. If anything, I thought they’d be trying to drag me home.
But as I recounted the story, they leaned in, absorbing every detail.
Then came the questions I’d been half-dreading.
“You’re not . . . human?” Scarlett asked, her voice quiet, as though the words were almost foreign on her tongue.
I gave a half shrug, feeling the weight of the truth settle in. “Apparently not. But I still don’t remember much from my past—just fragments here and there. It’s like trying to grasp fog.”
Mia reached over, squeezing my hand reassuringly. “We’ll help you piece it together.”
Despite the heaviness in my heart, her words kindled a spark of gratitude. I don’t know if I’ll ever uncover every piece of my past, or if I even want to.
Now lying in the dim light, my thoughts grow heavier and more suffocating by the second. Maxon’s absence gnaws at me, leaving an emptiness that throbs like an open wound. Time seems to stretch in the fae realm, and although I have only been here briefly, it feels like a lifetime due to the multitude of events that have unfolded.
My thoughts become a relentless tide, consumed by him, every sense sharpened as if to conjure his presence. I try my best to push it away, but my mind betrays me, replaying the smallest details—his voice, smooth and captivating, echoes through my head like a melody I can’t silence. His scent lingers faintly on the pillow beside me, drawing a fresh ache to the surface, and the urge to cry presses hard against my chest.
“Maxon, please let me in.”
Every inch of my body yearns to be intertwined with his, to feel his weight pressed against me. The mere thought of hishands exploring my skin sends shivers cascading down my spine, igniting a fire that burns low in my belly.
I squirm against the sheets. The indescribable need that rushes through me is raw and visceral, a primal force that demands to be acknowledged.
Closing my eyes, I focus solely on our bond. I follow the thread that binds us together, determined to reach him. My hair trails behind me as I float through the ominous darkness.
In the depths of my mind, fear gnaws at me, but I grit my teeth, casting it aside and pressing forward. I clutch the golden thread and gently pull on it, observing how it softly glows and shimmers in the darkness. A heartbeat, pulsating in the distance, travels down the thread and reverberates within the depths of my core.
Maxon!
I surge forward, following that golden thread, hope pounding in my chest. Suddenly, I’m stopped in my tracks, the impact knocking the wind from me as I collide with an invisible barrier. My fingertips gently glide along the cool surface, trying to find a weak spot.
What the hell?
I can see the thread, our thread. It’s visible in the distance, taunting me with its presence, yet I’m unable to move any closer.
Tears well up in my eyes, stinging and blurring my vision, as I angrily slam my fist against the wall. “Maxon, let me in!”
A flicker of light dances along the thread, and a surge of hope washes over me.
