LOGINARIA’S POV“Let’s go, Aria.” Agatha called my attention that was long gone.I had spent about half an hour staring out the window, my mind drifted far away and I didn’t even notice until she called.“What’s on the agenda today?” I probed.Agatha looked surprised that I would even ask that.“What is on the agenda every day, Aria,” she replied, “We are responsible for the population here, so every day, we go out, make sure every bit of resource we have is utilized into caring for every member of the village.”“If anyone is sick, we care for them, because we cannot afford to be losing anyone right now.” I nodded affirmatively to her closing sentence.“I know. I know all that. It’s just…we’ve been living this routine for two weeks now,” I replied, “and I don’t doubt that you’re doing real work here. It’s just…”“You’re unhappy.” Agatha took the words right out of my mouth and I wished I could say she was lying, but I really was unhappy.I sighed.It was a small, peaceful life out here and
ARIA’S POVEvery step I took away from the pack house left me feeling emptier.By the time I was far enough, it was like there was a pit in my stomach. I could feel the raw unfiltered air in my abdomen.“I would ask if you’re okay, but you don’t look okay.”“Agatha!”I wrapped my arms firmly around her and wouldn’t let go.It was the first ounce of warmth I had felt in weeks.“Okay, big baby.”Agatha patted my back and consoled me as I sobbed uncontrollably in her arms.It took almost an hour to get my eyes to run out of tears and Agatha sat with me through every second of it.“I’ve lost everything, Agatha. Everything.” I lamented. “Even in death, Logan still manages to win somehow.”“Shhh…don’t say that.” She said softly.“It doesn’t feel like a lot right now, but you survived.”She was right.As far as I was concerned, I was better off dead. Death was better than the empty life I now had.“Logan only wins if you let him…” she continued. “He is nothing but dust and ash now and if you
ARIA’S POVEvery bit of the renunciation broke me.The ritual was as physically painful as it was emotionally taunting.I passed out as soon as it was complete and was pulled away from Draven immediately.A smile covered my lips when I opened my eyes.“Baby,”Caleb and Aya were hovering over me and their face being the first thing I got to see filled a part of the emptiness I was feeling inside, following the renunciation ritual.“Mom,” they threw their little arms around me.A drop of tear trickled down my cheek as I recognized the room I had been placed in. The same room that served as a prison to Draven when he would lose it.“How are you?”Caleb ran to the door, unable to answer my question and leaving me confused there for a second.“Aya, we have to go,” he said, “They’re coming. We have to go.”The sense of urgency was alarming.“We were told we would only be allowed to see you under supervision and when you wake up, but we couldn’t wait and sneaked down here…”“Aya!”She had to
ARIA’S POVI stood by the bed, staring at his motionless body.I could not decide which was worse—that he was dead, which was my first thought, or that he was lying down here at the verge of death because of me.“Mummy, will he wake up?” The kids had tears in their eyes as they asked.Tears flowed down my cheeks.I hope that he would, but I knew better.Ragner walked into the room quietly with two maids and a guard.“Get them settled.”The maids pulled Caleb and Aya away from Ragner’s body.“The physician wants to speak with you,” I confirmed with a nod.“Is he ever going to wake up?” I probed, as soon as the man walked in.“There might be a way to make that happen,”My eyes lit up with something I hadn’t felt in a very long time—hope.“But you’re the only one who can make it happen.”“Say it. Tell me. I’d do anything.”The physician was not pleased by my enthusiasm and neither was Ragner, which was what led me to believe that there was more to this story.“You have to renounce the ma
ARIA’S POVAs soon as Agatha stepped out of the tent, the bell went off. The same bell that assembled and the entire camp reacted the same way they always did.I watched from the curtain of the tent as they all assembled.“They’re waiting for you,” Agatha said, walking to me and softly.“Me? You assembled them. What do you want me to tell them? That I killed Logan?”Agatha smiled.It amazed me how she could still smile amidst everything.Sure. Logan was getting on my last nerve and the whole essence of coming here was to find a way to conquer him, but I didn’t expect to claim his life with my bare hands.“I have never hurt anyone like that in my life before,” I stared at his body on the floor.“Listen to me,” Agatha held my face in her palms and stared directly into my eyes as she spoke. “That bastard hurt you. He had it coming.”She paused.“Quite frankly, if you didn’t do it and Madame Violetta hadn’t passed, she probably would have anyway.”I tilted my head to the side, agreeing wi
ARIA’S POV:The loud beeping of the digital clock beside my bed woke me up.“09:00”I stretched out, hiding my face from the sun rays that was now filling the room through the sides of the window blinds. I looked around and found no trace of Draven. When I tried to get up, my head banged like I had
ARIA'S POV:“Ahhhhh!” I yelled at the top of my voice. The only thing preventing me from jumping out of my skin was his arms firmly wrapped around me.He jumped up, startled, then freed his arms. I watched him act very nonchalant, stretching out. “It's too early for tantrums,” he said, dropping fro
Draven's POV:“Would you look at that? A gift from the moon goddess herself,” Ragner teased as he followed behind me into my room.“Quit it!” I immediately hushed him, trying so hard to hide the smile on my face. Ragner and I would occasionally cross the lines of friendship. He had been with me for
ARIA’S POVHe kicked the door open and his presence came with literal light. “Hmmm!” I struggled since my mouth was wrapped with a piece of cloth.“What the hell!” Draven rushed to me. He untied my mouth first, before going behind the chair to undo the knots that held my hand behind the chair. “Wh







