LOGINThere was silence. Aramisius looked down at her and Aeryl's eyes widened in realization “I meant 'hard-bodied'!”His mouth curved. “That is not what you said, Princess.”“I.... I.... That is what I meant.” Aeryl stammered, blushing heavily while her heart pounded and she began to sweat and fight imaginations.“Of course it is.”“I mean your chest and your arms and your....” She stopped herself. Aramisius' smirk deepened and he lowered his raised hand slightly, though the cigarette remained out of reach.“And my?” He taunted, voice gruff behind her neck. “Nothing.”“No. Continue.”“I refuse.”“You appeared very interested in the subject.”“I was making an observation.”“Tell me something, Aeryl.”She looked back at him suspiciously.“Did you only discover today that I am hard-bodied?”Her face burned and Aramisius watched the answer arrive before she could speak.“No,” she muttered.“Mm.”“Don't do that.”“Do what?”“That sound.”“Mm.”Aeryl glared. He was enjoying this.“You know ve
Aeryl immediately became suspicious."Why?"He held the cigarette between two fingers and her expression changed."No. I'm not sure.... I am afraid of a smoke."The smirk deepened. "You answered very quickly.""I do not need to think about that. I hear people lose their minds and go mad. They lose memories, too...." Aeryl said and paused. Then she sighed and looked at Aramisius face that twitched near convulsive laughter. She frowned. "Why do you laugh?""Because you do not wish to face your fears truly. You only broke out on a fit of emotions a few moments ago."Aeryl sat upright. "Smoke is not one of my fears, to be true. I am only not....""You coughed as though it attacked you. Still you never ran insane.""It did.... It did attack me truly.""It drifted near you.""It entered my body without permission."Aramisius stared at her. Aeryl stared back. Then, to her surprise, something almost like quiet amusement moved through his face.He held the cigarette toward her."One drag."He
It lasted only two heartbeat and she pulled away immediately. Her own eyes widened in shock at what she had done and the carriage fell completely silent.Aramisius remained utterly motionless.For perhaps the first time in many years, the Prince of Theartera looked genuinely caught off guard.The world seemed to stop with nothing left in existence. Not the carriage. Not the horses. Only the two of them.Aeryl's lips had barely left his when reality crashed over her.Her eyes widened and she shot backward so quickly that she nearly fell back and over. One hand flew to her own mouth."Oh my. What.... what have I done?"Heat rushed into her cheeks and her breathing became uneven. She couldn't even look at him.Across from her, Aramisius had not moved an inch.His eyes remained fixed on her.His hand, which had been resting upon a stack of letters, slowly curled into a fist. Not because of her but because his own wolf had erupted inside him.He shut his eyes for a brief moment. When he op
Her mouth slowly fell open and she fidgeted."What about my father?""His road is different from mine."Aeryl tried to calm down but she couldn't. "What if they succeed in killing us?""They won't." Aramisius said quietly. He spoke with such quiet certainty that it somehow frightened her more than the word yes had.She swallowed."How can you be so sure?"Aramisius finally looked directly at her. His bright eyes were steady."Because if anyone intends to reach you..." A long pause followed. "...they must first come through me."The carriage fell silent once more.Outside, the long road to Elyria stretched endlessly toward the western horizon. The carriage rolled steadily onward.Outside, forests slowly gave way to vast rolling plains. Inside, silence had become strangely comfortable.Aeryl looked out of the window before sighing."I don't think I can sleep."Aramisius didn't look up from the report in his hand."Then sing."She blinked."What?""Or sleep.""I just said I couldn't."
The palace slowly disappeared behind them. And soon, stone walls became forests and forests became open fields.And the only sound left was the steady rhythm of horses pulling the great carriage westward. Neither of them spoke.Aramisius had already opened one of the many reports stacked beside him.Without seeming to notice the rocking carriage, he dipped a quill into ink and continued writing across a document as though he were seated inside his study instead.Aeryl watched for a little while. Then looked away.She looked out the window.There were fields, small villages, a very large blue river. She watched them pass in silence.And then, some time later, she looked at Aramisius again. He was still writing. She stared at his handwriting from the side and his handwriting was surprisingly neat.She frowned.How could someone with hands that large write so.... delicately?Her eyes wandered higher. The silver chain still rested against his chest.He said it was for Damien.She could im
The palace courtyard had slightly transformed overnight. Rows upon rows of royal guards stood at attention beneath fluttering banners bearing the crest of House of Theartera, The Outboards. Beyond them, hundreds of mammoth Lycan citizens had gathered outside the palace gates despite the early hour. Children sat upon their fathers' shoulders. Elderly women carried baskets overflowing with flower petals. Merchants had abandoned their stalls simply to catch one glimpse of the departing procession. The moment the great palace doors opened, cheerful murmur swept through the crowd. "They're coming. So beautiful!" "Behold the prince." "What a blonde princess." Aeryl stepped into the morning sunlight and instinctively slowed. She hadn't expected.... all this. People smiled at her. Some bowed. Others waved enthusiastically. Little children stretched out handfuls of wildflowers. As Aramisius descended the palace steps beside her, petals suddenly filled the air. They drifted around them
The outer gates of the city rose ahead of her, tall and guarded.The city was alive with movement even at that late hour. Aeryl slowed her steps. She knew that if she walked too fast, she would draw attention and if she walked too hesitant, then she would look suspicious.She forced her steps to ev
Meanwhile, Aeryl was being held out of the tub that was filled with roses and warm milk when it hit her.A very strong pull. Her breath caught sharply as pain slammed deep in her chest. The calm the roses had given her shattered all at once. She gasped and pushed herself upright.The room felt wron
Aeryl screamed against the cloth, her body dropping a short distance before her hands caught again. Pain shot up her arms as she clung on, legs slamming against the stone.For a second, she couldn’t breathe. Her eyes flew wide, heart slamming so hard it hurt.No. No, no. She pressed herself against
Meanwhile, Aeryl couldn’t breathe properly.Her inhales were sharp and uneven like her lungs were beginning to not work right.. Her hands shook as she stumbled back into the room, her mind racing too fast to hold onto a single thought.Get out of this place. No one cares about you. RUN! That was t







