ALDRIC"Your Highness, this woman is dealing with the Dark Realm! Look at my brother—he doesn’t even remember us. She’s convinced him he’s her grandson and does everything she commands!"The woman threw herself at my feet, sobbing."She’s blackmailing me with my brother’s life and my parents, who are prisoners in that hut, just like she tried to blackmail Valeria. Look—look at what she’s wearing around her neck!"She lunged forward, ripping a locket from the other woman’s neck amidst screams and resistance. The woman froze when I stepped closer."Activate it. Only for me," I commanded, taking the pendant from the girl and grabbing the other woman’s hair tightly. "Try any trick, and you’ll last less than you think."Trembling, she muttered a few words, activating that cursed magic, which revealed the truth through a memory.I stepped forward, facing the strange creature I had never seen before.It wasn’t a vampire, nor a witch, nor a specter—nothing familiar.But when she raised her ga
VALERIAI sat up immediately, pressing myself against the intricate steel headboard carved with black roses and leaves, imitating a dark garden.My legs were pulled protectively against my chest.The clinking of the heavy chain echoed in the room, as did his approaching footsteps at the edge of the immense bed.I looked at him with a mix of fear and unease as his features became clearer: ebony-black hair, blood-red eyes, and that cynical smile on his refined lips."What do you want from me?" I managed to say, swallowing hard and trying to hide the trembling in my hands and voice.He sat down calmly beside me, brushing aside the long black coat with golden embroidery."I think you know very well what I want from you. It’s incredible that you managed to hide all these years," he said, studying me curiously. His hand suddenly reached for my chin, and no matter how much I wanted to escape his strong grip, I couldn’t. "How did you do it?"I wanted to defend myself, to summon all my power,
VALERIAI thought about the possibility of him removing the heavy chain from my ankle. It seemed enchanted, and I was certain it was draining all my energy.I wasn’t so lucky—he didn’t release me. Instead, our steps led us to the double glass doors that opened onto a small balcony.My eyes widened in awe as I looked out into the night. We were high up, in an ancient castle perched on a mountain surrounded by snow and a frozen lake.In the distance, dark walls stretched out, shrouded in cold air and a dense, dark fog that blanketed the sky."Since you’re taking it all in, why not have a look at our guests in the plaza?" he murmured in my ear, his hand controlling my head.My black hair blew in the strong winds from the heights, along with the thin nightgown that offered no protection against the freezing temperatures."No, no..." was all I could manage when I saw, far below in a wide stone plaza surrounded by walls, Celine—gagged and tied, her hands bound above her head and nearly hang
VALERIA"Who... who are you?" I stood up immediately, though a bit unsteady on my feet.Truthfully, I wasn’t afraid of the small elderly woman who barely reached my chest, but I couldn’t fathom where she had suddenly appeared from."Come, come, don’t be frightened. You know I won’t hurt you. Lie down on the bed; the floor is too cold, and you might catch a chill," she said, gently guiding me toward the enormous bed. She pulled back the quilt and tucked me in tenderly.I felt like a small child as I watched her walk away to add more logs to the fireplace that warmed the chilly room.Something about her—her aura—made me want to cry. I remembered the words I’d read at the last altar.Could she be the one who called me "little crow"?"It’s me," she replied, finally turning around and smiling. She came back to the bed and climbed up, sitting beside me."Are you my nanny? How do you know my name? Why do you call me ‘little crow’?" I bombarded her with questions one after another."Yes, you c
VALERIAI paced nervously back and forth in the stifling room, chewing my nails and unable to sleep.My hand protectively caressed my belly.Now, this was my priority—keeping my pup safe.I couldn’t believe it when Nana told me. It seemed like a cruel lie, but I saw it! She showed me with her magic the life of my baby growing inside me!A smile appeared on my lips without me being able to stop it. I had to hide it deep down; no one else could find out. Only Nana and I knew.My withered womb had somehow blossomed. She told me it was the miracle of true love—the powerful blood of his father and my power awakening.She even said she could fix my face, but I refused.Of course, I don’t want to stay like this forever, but for now, the best thing is to remain unnoticed before the Vampire King."Aldric," I whispered his name, sitting on the bed, missing him like crazy.He seemed to recognize me. Will he at least try to win me back? Does he hate me now for lying and deceiving him?"Love, we'r
VALERIA"Then come, step closer to this table," he led me to a massive oval-shaped marble table with a gigantic map spread across it.Some areas were drawn out, while others appeared opaque and concealed."Bring me the box!" he ordered, and they brought him a small wooden box.It looked familiar, and when he opened it and showed me the contents, I recognized the stone I had once touched—pretending it was harmless—only to have it burn my hand."This stone is made from the Mother Altar, the very first one, located at the Lunar Gate. It’s a relic of your race. Take it with one hand and extend the other to me," he commanded arrogantly, leaving me no choice but to obey.My trembling fingers reached for the dark rock that seemed to glow as if it had minerals inside.I remembered all too well the pain it had caused me last time, but now I only felt its call—like an invisible thread pulling me toward something sacred and incredible.The cold touch finally met my hand as I lifted it from the v
VALERIAThe sea was far more extraordinary than I had ever imagined.Having always been confined within the packs, inside the Realm of the Werewolves, I would never have had access to this endless view of water merging with the darkness of the sky on the horizon.The moon shone above us, while the wind and magic propelled the sails toward the destination marked on the map the Vampire King had brought.I wrapped a shawl over my shoulders and stepped out onto the small balcony of my cabin.It wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either—a little bed tucked into a corner, with a round table and a chair to take meals.What I liked the most was the privacy and this tiny balcony overlooking the stern of the ship, where I stood, gazing at the stars.Every cabin, every plank, every nail, the waves brushing against the hull—I could feel it all.This vessel moved by my will, and if I didn’t want it to, no one could make it budge, unless it was another Selenia.Celine and Quinn had been placed in a
VALERIAThe magical artifact had taken the form of this ship but in miniature, sailing above the map the Vampire King had placed on the captain's cabin table."Where is it taking us now?" he asked, sounding exasperated."I don’t know. I just want to get to the Lunar Gate. I don’t know the exact path," I replied just as irritably.The night had passed, and the first rays of sunlight were peeking over the horizon, yet the dense mist surrounding us made visibility difficult."I want to see my friends—""Land ahead!" someone shouted from the deck before he could answer me.He hurried out, shoving me aside rudely, and I followed him, climbing the ladder to the deck.My feet touched the wooden planks as I emerged. Many of his soldiers were already there, all staring in the same direction. I fixed my gaze on the point they were looking at, the direction we were heading.Soon, the silhouette of what looked like a small island began to take shape. No one spoke; the atmosphere was oppressive. I