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16 - Two Years Ago: Hope
publish date:
2026-05-13 13:02:10
Latest chapter
The Bride Wore Blood 93 - Chaos
Lana’s POVThe clash of steel against steel didn't ring through the gathered crowds as they pressed around the sword arena.; it thudded, a heavy, bone-vibrating sound that echoed through my body. In the distance, I could hear the thunder of hooves in the jousting lists and the roars and cheers of the crowd. I leaned against the hastily constructed wooden railings that marked the arena’s edge, knuckles white as I watched Rune Ferrick circle her opponent.Rune was fast, blindingly so, her movements a practiced dance of Illurian knightcraft. But the man she faced was huge, and even in armour, she looks small against him. Every time the Boren swung his massive sword, the air itself seemed to groan under the force.My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. It was a terrifying sight, seeing Rune standing in the shadow of such raw, Otherworld power. Yet, beneath the suffocating layer of worry, a spark of something else flickered. Excitement. It was a primal thrill, watching the sh
The Bride Wore Blood 92 - Enemy
Rune’s POVThe sand of the auxiliary pit was coarse, biting into the soles of my boots as I settled into a low guard. Across from me, the Boren warrior didn't just stand; he loomed. He was a mountain of a man, his bare chest a map of silvered scars and tattoos that I thought I saw pulsed with a rhythmic, violet light. Another time I would have thought it was my imagination, but these days I know better. It probably is magic. He held a slab of darkened iron that looked more like a tool for execution than a sword.I can feel Lana watching me, tracking my every move. But more than that, I felt the cold, hollow ache in my chest where my trust in Timian used to live. I had spent the night watching the man I thought I loved sleeping beside me, even if I can’t feign desire anymore. I was exhausted, my skin still damp from the morning mist, but his continued betrayal had left me with a clarity that was sharper than any whetstone.'You won’t defeat me,' I whispered, the words intended for a gh
The Bride Wore Blood 91 - Sword
Lana’s POVThe weight of the crown was a physical thing, but the weight of the secret beneath my silks was heavier. I sat on the royal dais, my spine pressed against the cold stone of the high-backed chair, watching the dust of Illure rise to meet the sweat of Boren. It was a violent, beautiful collision.To my right, Thade’s hand was a warm, grounding anchor over mine. I could feel the tension radiating from him, a low-frequency hum that mirrored the Otherworld vibrations coming from the Boren stands. My glasses are struggling with the strength of Magic moving around the people who have come from Boren. Excitement lifts my heart, if we can keep some of the magic, then surely the country can start to heal. At least in the short term. I can feel the way that Thade is trying to bridge two worlds with a span of iron and blood. I'm here to support him, to ensure the foundations don't crumble before the first stones are laid. But it worries me, the longevity of this plan. The magic that c
The Bride Wore Blood 90 - Tourney
Thade’s POVThe morning air was a sharp, crystal blue, carrying the scent of damp earth and the metallic tang of expectant magic. I stood on the edge of the royal dais, the stone cold beneath my boots, looking out over the tilt-yard where the history of two nations was about to collide. The jousting field stretched out like a long, muddy scar across the green, its central barrier a stark line between what we were and what we might become.The stands were a chaotic tapestry of transition. On one side, the silk and polished steel of the Illurian nobility shimmered in the early light, a sea of familiar faces whose eyes were filled with a mix of proprietary curiosity and deep-seated unease. Opposite them, the Boren fighters and their families sat in a dense thicket of furs and rugged leather, their presence a living, breathing testament to the gamble we were taking. The Otherworld hum from the northern contingents was a low vibration in the air, a rhythmic thrum that I could feel deep in
The Bride Wore Blood 89 - Closer
It’s hard to swallow the sense of anxiety that follows me, once dressed, down to the room where we usually have breakfast together. My heart is thumping an irregular pattern, spurred on by the uneasy feeling at the bottom of my ribs. Rosa and Maggie were excited that Thade was back and eager to report the large field of people who had followed him from Boren to compete for land at the tournament.I’d tried to listen, to make sense of their reports but I was pre-occupied. My mind fixed on seeing Thade again, as soon as possible. The dining room was quiet, save for the soft scrape of wood against stone as I pushed the door open. Thade was there, seated at the circular table, his posture rigid as if carved from the very air of the room. When he caught sight of me, he rose slowly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes, a silent acknowledgment that silenced the frantic thrum in my own chest. I took a hesitant step forward, ready to ask him everything that had been bu
The Bride Wore Blood 88 - Hold On
Thade cups my face between his hands, moving to kiss my forehead. His lips leave a trail over glowing skin as presses kisses against my brow, the tip of my nose and my cheeks before pressing a light kiss to my lips and withdraws.‘Not in this moment,’ he smiles down at me, a fondness in his expression and the softness in his gaze. For a heartbeat, all the world remains at bay and we’re able to exist in this moment. Until we hear the steady pace of feet beyond the door. I roll onto my back with a groan before rolling off the side of the bed and onto my feet.‘My Ladies,’ I explained to Thade with a look, ‘they’re waiting.’‘Ah,’ he grins, roguish for a moment before I look down, searching the floor for my discarded shift from the night before. I feel a pang of frustration and try to force a smile as I pick up the discarded linen and pull it over my head.As I straighten, I see Thade watching me. His head tilted to the side. I swallow, trying to hold back my moment of frustration.‘What
The Bride Wore Blood 4 - Two Years Ago: A Whore
Coy? I don’t think I’ve ever played coy, I wouldn’t even know what it is. I feel all the air trapped in my lungs, like there isn’t enough space for it. They’re burning but I can’t think beyond the sense of his face so close to mine. The overwhelming awareness of the heat from his bare body and his c
The Bride Wore Blood 3 - Two Years Ago: Storm in the Summer
Two Years Ago - Lana’s POV ‘You can just stay with us,’ Rune shouts over the loud crack of thunder as we race across the courtyard. The water that splashes up from the puddles is warm against my ankles but the heavy rain hurts. Pinging against my face as we run. I look across at her, her short b
The Bride Wore Blood 2 - Two Years Ago: Thade
Two Years Ago - Thade’s POV Summer in the Year 514 It’s late at night, the hours starting to stretch towards the morning. I should be fast asleep, my body aches, muscles burning from exertion. But despite the storm that’s raging over the city, I can’t sleep. Thunder cracks and rolls, shaking th
The Bride Wore Blood 1 - Unbreakable Vow
Lana Air won't reach my lungs. My heart hammers an erratic rhythm against my ribs, aching. On the other side of the doors, the Nobility of Illure wait to watch me marry a monster. ‘You should be excited, Lana!’ My mother squeezes my fingers as I bend double, gasping. ‘I'm not going to do it.’
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