Beneath the moon’s enchanting light, she’ll rise to claim her throne,
Uniting realms of faerie, her power fully grown.
With wisdom, love, and courage, she’ll mend what once was torn,
For in her hands, the faerie world shall be reborn.
“How do we stop him?” I whisper, repeating my earlier question.
“I don’t know.”
Chapter four
Maxon
My head lolls to the side, the wyvern bones tightening around my neck with a cruel, unyielding grip. It jolts me back to reality, the harsh reminder that there’s no respite here. Every inch of my body aches, a relentless symphony of pain that seems to pulse with every beat of my heart. Hunger is a constant, gnawing presence, a feral craving that claws at my insides, demanding the one thing I’m desperate to avoid—blood.
If it weren’t for my injuries and these bones stopping me from healing, I wouldn’t be craving blood at all. I know they’re waiting, lurking in the shadows, calculating. They’re biding their time, waiting until the hunger becomes unbearable, until I’m so desperate that I’m driven to feed from the fucking demon. But I can’t do that. If I give in, everything will fall apart. It’s a line I can’t cross without losing Everly forever. There would be no coming back from that, no redemption, no second chances.
Just an irreversible plunge into chaos that would consume everything I’m fighting to protect.
I close my eyes, feeling the coolness of the wall against the back of my head. The silence that wraps around me is like another layer of stone—heavier than the walls, heavier than the cold. My throat, parched and scratchy, longs for a sip of water. I can go several weeks without food and water, but given my condition, I’m not sure I’d last that long.Without my mates blood, my body was as useful as a mere fucking mortals. My injuries will stop healing altogether, and infection would spread. Turning me into something neither dead or alive.
A harsh scraping sound echoes through the dimly lit tunnel, causing my attention to fixate on its entrance. A putrid stench wafts through the air, assaulting my nostrils, and I struggle to suppress the urge to retch. The overwhelming odor can only be attributed to one creature in my knowledge—a deadling.
The air thickens with an eerie stillness, as I strain to make out any other sounds. There is a faint stir in the tunnel, a delicate shift in the atmosphere that catches my attention.
A predator.
My primal instincts are finely tuned to detect any threats. Something that my father and Nolan ingrained in me since I was young.
The faint scent of decay and earth fills my nostrils, intensifying the growing sense of dread within me. The sound of its claws scraping against the stone reverberates through my small area. I can almost taste the adrenaline in the air as I tighten my fists, my knuckles turning white with tension.
The grotesque hand, with its elongated fingers and sharp, curved nails, inches closer, as if taunting me.
I only have a small amount of wyvern chains to work with, but I can dispatch the creature easily enough. Its sunken, gaunt features make my lips curl in disgust. The deadling’s milky white orbs blink as its head tilts at an unnatural angle, slinking into the room just feet from me. Its presence fills the space with an oppressive, foul aura.
My grip tightens on the chains as I grit my teeth, waiting for it to make its move. The air feels thick, the deadling’s hunger palpable in its gaze. Its intentions flash in its eyes a moment before it lunges, mouth open wide, emitting a guttural hiss. I don’t give it a chance to touch me. In a swift motion, I twist the creature around, wrapping the chain across its neck. Pulling it against my body, the wyvern chain glows faintly, reacting to the dark magic that animates the deadling. It thrashes violently, but I hold firm, using every ounce of my strength to keep the chain tight. The deadling’s claws swipe at the air, narrowly missing my face. Its screeching grows louder, the sound reverberating through the room. Its unnatural strength pushes against me, crushing me against the stone wall.
Growling, I pull tighter, feeling the chain dig into its decaying flesh. The deadling’s movements become more frantic, its death throes an eerie dance of desperation. Using my legs, I pin it down, and with one final, violent shudder, it goes limp, collapsing against me. I shove it off me onto the floor and wipe my face with the back of my hand as I sit panting, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension slowly ebbs away, replaced by a sense of grim satisfaction.
I glance around the room, my body thrumming with adrenaline. There could be more lurking in the shadows waiting fortheir chance to strike. I can’t let my guard down, not even for a moment.
Chapterfive
Everly
It has been three days since Alivar brought me here, but each moment feels like an eternity. The days drag on, making time itself feel sluggish and oppressive. I let out a muted growl, frustration bubbling up inside me. This is ridiculous.
I need to focus on something else, so I close my eyes, and focus on my magic, desperately seeking the power that once flowed so freely.
Feeling a faint flicker in my chest, I reach for it, coaxing it. A tingling sensation spreads over my skin, making the hairs on my body rise, but that’s it. I can’t summon a wall of water or command vines to rip from the earth.
I cross my legs, adjusting my clothing around me. The white breeches, made from the softest material, offer some comfort, as does the white, off-the-shoulder, ruffled tunic.
The gold and blue overdress that laces up over the basic clothes is gorgeous with its high splits for easier movement, and the gold ties adding a touch of elegance.
I also love how there is a loop at the end of the long sleeves that goes over my pointer finger.
