LOGINNobody moved.The tremor had stopped, but the word settled over the city. Cracks had appeared in the stone beneath their feet, a few rocks tumbled from the cliffs surrounding the northern gate, it echoed loudly in the air. Everyone looked toward the mountain."It wasn't an earthquake," Selene said quietly.One of her captains frowned."You can never be sure you know?"She didn't take her eyes off the mountain."Because earthquakes don't just happen once."As if to prove her right, everything remained still, not even a vibration.Kael reached down and picked up the wooden box the Watcher had left behind, he turned it over in his hands studying the carvings."There's writing."Zara stepped beside him.*Hidden beneath the lid, almost impossible to notice, were several tiny symbols carved into the wood.*Zara couldn't recognize the language, it was written in a language she didn't understand.Selene's face immediately changed."I've seen those before.""Where?" Zara asked."The oldest pa
Zara stared at the letter, her hands trembled so badly that she almost dropped the letter into the snow. For a long moment, she couldn't bring herself to read the again again, it wasn't possible. Her grandmother had died fifteen years ago, that was what she believed all this while. She still remembered standing beside the small grave with dirt under her fingernails because she'd insisted on helping. She remembered the rain that refused to stop falling. She remembered wondering why the world could keep moving when hers had just ended. So how... How was she holding a letter written for this exact moment? "Zara." Kael's voice was gentle. "Come back inside." She shook her head. "I need to read it." The Watcher hadn't moved, it just stood there, its eyes fixed directly on Zara. Zara unfolded the rest of the letter. * * * * * * "My dearest Zara, If you're reading this, then I have failed. I prayed you would never have to carry what our family has carried. I prayed I could tak
The city bells rang without stopping one after another. The sound rolled through the streets, bouncing off stone walls until it became one long, dreadful echo.Zara had heard bells for celebrations, she had heard them for attacks, she had heard them when a child wandered too close to the forest but this sounded different.She and Kael followed Selene out of the archives almost at a run, Rynese and Valkyrie were close behind them. The streets were already in chaos, parents hurried with their children inside, guards gave orders panicking."Where are they?" Kael asked."The north road." Selene answered."How many are they?"Selene hesitated."...One."Rynese blinked."One?""So, you rang every bell in the city because of one person?" He asked amused.Selene didn't answer him, she didn't have to because the look on her face was already enough.* * * * * The northern gate was surrounded by warriors, rows upon rows of them. Vampire soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder with their weapons dra
For several seconds, Zara couldn't move. The necklace was just laid in her palms, she traced the crescent moon with her thumb. It was clear that it belonged to her grandmother.When Zara was little, Evelyn Grey never took it off. She wore it while baking, while tending the garden, even while teaching Zara how to braid her hair. Zara had asked countless times why it was so special.Her grandmother had only smiled."Some things are inherited before we're old enough to understand them."At the time, Zara had thought she was talking about the necklace, now she wasn't so sure."Zara?"Kael's voice pulled her back from her thoughts He was standing a few feet away, watching her, she slowly stood and held the necklace out to him."I know this necklace." She said, her hands were stretched out to him."You've seen it before?" He frowned."It belonged to my grandmother."Those words made everyone go quiet. Selene stepped closer."May I?" She said.Zara hesitated before placing the pendant in he
The guard's words echoed in the room, nobody spoke for what seemed like minutes "The northern gate just opened."Nobody moved.Then Kael was already outside, Zara grabbed her sword from where it leaned against the wall and hurried after him. Rynese stumbled out of the room across the hall, still trying to pull on his coat."I swear," he muttered, "one peaceful morning. That's all I've ever asked for."Valkyrie walked past him without slowing down."You chose the wrong kingdom."* * * * * The northern gate was the largest entrance into Belmar territory built into the side of the mountain itself, it was less a gate and more a fortress of black stone. Thick iron doors, each taller than three wolves standing on each other's backs, had remained sealed for generations. No one could open them.Everything beyond them had long been abandoned.By the time Zara reached the walls, dozens of guards had already gathered there, some so them stood with their weapons already drawn, others simply jus
The room became silent. Those words ranged in their heads.*Send Zara Grey and come alone.*Zara stared at the parchment lying on the table.For a moment, she could only hear the sounds of the wind in the air, nobody spoke, there were no voices, no jokes, no arguments, no bells ringing... Just pure silence.Then Rynese broke the silence."Well....." He said Everyone looked at him."That's definitely a no."The tension in the room became lesser.Selene folded her arms."It wasn't a request.""No, it was a demand," Valkyrie said. "Which is why it's definitely a no."Kael didn't say anything, Zara looked at him. Immediately, she regretted it. The expression on his face was a bit terrifying because he looked too calm for what was going on. His silver eyes remained fixed on the note."Kael." Zara called out.He didn't answer."Kael." She called out again.Slowly, his gaze shifted to hers."What?"That single word came out as though he had not intended it at her but for the situation. Zara
Zara's knife dropped to her plate with a loud clatter. She slowly closed her eyes to process what she just heard.She had lost her appetite instantly, her stomach turning. She held her head up, fighting to keep the contents of her breakfast down.Tears rolled down her cheeks but she didn't bother w
"You're mine!" He screamed in her face.She struggled against him violently but his grip around her throat only tightened."You're mine!" he roared again.Desperate tears spilled down her cheeks. The lump in her throat made it impossible to breathe properly. Every gasp burned her lungs as his finge
"I'm going to eat you alive," he whispered. His voice was deep, smooth. It sent a series of vibrations straight through her body. He used his teeth to graze over her ear as she moaned in response, her hands gripping the bed sheets until her knuckles turned white.'More.' The single thought burned
Her knees gave out beneath her.Zara collapsed hard into the blood-soaked dirt.No.No, this could not be real.The world around her became muffled and distant. The survivors blurred together into meaningless shapes while the mutilated body before her remained horrifyingly clear.Alpha Tyrone stepp







