“I am fine, Marko. You don’t need to visit me every day.” I utter for the nth time as he strokes my hand over his. He has been oddly clingy of late, a part of me believes that he thinks I will leave in the middle of the night or transform into someone else, all possibilities, but it could just be that he is under stress; after all, thirty-six of our warriors were declared dead, while another two missing in action, all in the chaos that ensued in Red Graw. In other words, all because of me. I hate to say or think it, but his life will definitely be a lot easier without me in it. Then what of ‘ugly’? Will I burden him too? Marko’s silver eyes peer at me for a good long while, so I smile. A part of me wants to welcome him on my hospital bed so we lay together at least before we have to face the future, yet, another does not want him to stay too long. I do not want him to show me sides of himself that I will miss. “Do not worry; I will be with you during the national funeral tomo
The tightness of my black dress does not ease the hole in my chest. Sharon has declared me healthy; she has neither spotted nor noticed anything odd. Kaisa has come back to me, but the feeling of Jax in my arms, rapidly losing warmth, has not left me. Then again, neither have the nightmares, the constant vigilance even in situations that don’t require it, and the flinching every time someone mentions Red Graw. It is as if the kidnapping was not the worst part; my body still does not register that I am safe. Am I safe? Safe from assassination attempts and from more suicidal drivers? Good god, I used to own a boutique in simplicity; my only danger was catching feeling and now… cannot even sleep. Violet’s hand laces in mine before she rests her head on my shoulder. “I am sorry.” I whisper. I do not know why, but I feel as though I betrayed our friendship either by having the powers he wanted or introducing them when we first moved to the city together. Then again, killing him sho
The car pulls up to the entrance of the warrior funeral home, which is disrespectfully surrounded by a sea of reporters looking for their daily scoop. The adjustment of my black dress after I step out of the car and into the cool crisp morning air is quick; the press makes it mandatory, for I have no wish to flash the entire world. ‘Your majesty….” “Your majesty, any word to the bereaved!” “Your majesty, any lament about healing those killers!” ‘Your majesty healing the kidnappers is a sign of Stockholm syndrome…” “Your majesty…” Your majesty…” “When is the wedding…” “Your majesty...” The guards make quick work of providing a smooth path for me to walk on as I hold Violet’s hand and do my best to avoid or not take any of the questions personally. Unfortunately, the ‘smooth’ path is not flash or soundproof, so the annoyances continue until we reach the reception, which is oddly and soothingly quiet. “Your majesty.” Again, that burdening title. “Yes?” I turn to the attenda
The speeches went on as protocol dictated, and despite the sombre nature of the events, I could still see a sea of people curiously awaiting my turn as if they could ask questions like in a conference. This is not my first time speaking publicly, but perhaps due to my inability to answer the question of what keeps me in Ketria, they are more than curious about my speech now that people have actually died in my name. Or perhaps I am over-reading this. Either way, I hate this. I…do not think I am worth thirty-six or thirty-eight lives; I do not think anyone is. To add to that, I have no formal plans to be their queen, but this is hardly the time or place to confirm or deny that. But honestly, I must hint; otherwise, it will feel like a betrayal when I finally find a decent excuse to leave Ketria. “I welcome Alba Crane as the representative of the temple of Ketria to offer some words of comfort.” I almost wink at Mother Magdalene for her smooth introduction of me as ‘High Priestes
“We represent the United League of Werewolves based in Chrysalis.”The man that introduced himself as Fredric begins.“Have you heard of us?”The league was akin to the council, only they worked for all werewolves and sometimes in tandem with humans and other leagues like witches, vampires, or dragons to maintain a good relationship between the two.They were bigger than a kingdom or pack, contained mostly geniuses or highly gifted individuals, and were somewhat above laws because they were the law.After placing the flower on the eighth coffin and paying my respects, my gaze turns to the two men.They were young, far too young to be part of an organisation that has existed since the primitive years.“Go on. It might be in your best interest to speed up the conversation; after all, you only have …”I turn my gaze to my basket, and…it is still full.Great“Thirty flowers left?”Benson adds before straightening his glasses.“You give each coffin approximately two minutes, and by that ra
The sun is out now, and the day is no longer gloomy. It no longer feels as if the entire Ketria is in mourning.“What happened to your dress? Did you fall?”Marko’s question causes my gaze to move to my dress before the memory of the angry little one finds me again.A smile plays on my lips.Children are quite honest with their emotions and vulnerabilities. Will mine be like that?Christ, I am both terrified and excited.“Fall? No, I just brushed up on something.”“Here.”He says as he offers a flask and leans on one of the gravestones in the cemetery.The speech part of the ceremony is over, so most of the guests have left for the meal portion of the event in the palace.I want to ask why he is still here, but I know the answer has to be me.Either that, or my head is getting too big for my body.“What is inside?”I ask as I take the flask without awaiting his answer.“It’s a pain killer.”“A pain killer?”I repeat.“What the hell kind of painkiller is in a flask.”“What the hell kin
The grave plaque inside the royal mausoleum is a beautiful white, gold and blue. Exclusive and exquisitely fit for royalty. So why is Mother’s name still etched onto it? “I asked that you be moved outside the royal mausoleum when I requested your divorce, but I guess Ninko wanted to be buried next to you.” I utter as I shut the door of that specific slot allocated to their generation in the ancestral line. “I am going to be honest and say I could care less where you ended up. I’d probably hire people to pee on your grave too.” There is no response; of course, there isn’t. It would be a problem if there were one. “I never in my life thought I would be here. You cannot really bury the problems the dead stirred, just the dead, huh?” A sigh slips from my lips as I settle next to a white marble sarcophagus opposite Mother’s, which rests atop Ninko’s. “Dying should come with a disclaimer. deaths only solve part of the problem or the cause of the problem; the things they stir still r
"So, I tell you I'm pregnant, and the first place you take me is a nightclub?"“Technically.”Violet begins.“You said two things, that you are pregnant and that you are leaving for Chrysalis, plus this isn’t a club, it’s a lounge, and we are in the VIP section, meaning it is technically a fancy café that sells booze.”“Stay classy, Violet.”I utter, and she winks in response before raising a finger at the waiter behind me.She was right; even the lighting was bright and the music soft, unlike in a club, but in a club, I would not be recognised, whereas here, the gazes from across the room burn.For the nth time, I shift in the silk of my gown.I am not showing; hell, other than nausea, I still resemble myself; but I keep feeling as though something within me screams ‘pregnant’.Perhaps why I decided to push up my departure.I have two days left in Ketria, well considering it is eight p.m., I only have tomorrow, a day that I intend to spend with Marko.It is no coincidence that I chos