.........Paris........."Welcome, my love," I say, trying to sound calm as I take her coat before pulling her into a quick kiss and then leading her to the table. I had all her favorite dishes made and spared no expense in creating the perfect atmosphere for this moment. But as we sit down to eat, my nerves get the best of me. I fidget with my fork and take a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to speak when the time comes. I want her to enjoy the meal first. She compliments the food, but stops mid-sentence and asks if I’m okay, making me realize I’m showing. I quickly try to fix my face as best as I can and tell her I am. I can see she’s not buying it, but she doesn’t say anything. She reaches across the table and holds my hand for a bit. Ever since having the discussion with my father, I haven’t been okay, and I know, as much as I’ve tried to hide it, that she knows something is wrong. I hated doing that to her, but I didn’t know how I would begin telling her what I’m about
.........Paris.........I close my eyes and lean against the door after closing it behind Anton. Father sent him to get Eva and me, but I’m not forcing her to go out there while she’s this broken. It’s been three days since I told Eva what I have to do, and she hasn’t gotten out of bed since then. When we came back from the house, she never said anything to me in the car. I didn’t push her because I knew she needed time. We got into bed because it was nighttime when we got here and I had to go into the office the following day. The following morning, I apologized to her again. I told her that I begged the council to give us some more time, but they only said I had a week to tell her and ask Stefania to have me back. After that, I called Tory to come be with her, and she did, but when I returned to check on her, she said she didn’t say anything and was just lying in bed unmoving the whole time except for when she had to use the bathroom. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had a meetin
........Tory ........"Babe, you didn’t eat?" Anton asks, opening my still-covered dish, and I open my mouth to respond to him, but someone barges inside the door, stopping me. I get to my feet, seeing it's Paris, wondering what could have happened, noticing the panic in his eyes."She’s gone. She left me. Eva’s gone," he says, shocking us just as Anton asks what’s wrong, both of us now rushing to him. He hands me a letter, saying it's what she left, and the palace guards said they didn’t see her when he asked them. He says he’s got people looking, and some of them are heading over to our place, but I don’t think she would go there. She knows that’s the first place he would look and would only go there if she wanted him to find her, which I doubt since I know Eva is not the kind of person who does things for attention. Paris asks me if I know where she would go, and I tell him back to Eldrida; it’s the only place I can think of since Eva doesn’t have any family. I tell him I will
..........Evaki.........."Paris," I whisper, frozen in place as the person I’m running from walks up to me, eyes gleaming with unshed tears as they look into mine."How could you just throw everything away and leave me so easily?" He asks, his voice cracking with emotion, and my heart races at the heartbreaking sight of his pain. Leaving him was the hardest decision I have ever made, but I couldn’t stay."I didn’t leave you easily, Paris," I say, my voice barely above a whisper as I take a small step forward, still holding his gaze, and he says I did, which makes me shake my head."I thought you loved me.""I do, Paris-""-Then why didn’t you fight for me, for our love, for us? Why didn’t you fight like I have been doing, Eva? I know it hasn’t been easy for you, but I never expected you to just give up. I expected you to fight because you love me," he chokes, his eyes searching mine, like he’s trying to understand what happened to the woman he loved, and I break down and cry."Leavi
........................A month later ......................................Stefania.............."You look amazing," Maia says upon entering the room before sitting on the bed with a pouty face. I ask her what’s wrong, and she says she’s still mad at me for not making her my bridesmaid."You are my only sister. This was my last chance," she complains before adding that it’s over. I have been apologizing to her ever since she found out who my bridesmaid was going to be, but she’s too upset, I guess. I would have loved for her to be my bridesmaid. She would have been absolutely gorgeous, and the whole thing would have been cute, but I’m not feeling cute right now. I’m feeling savage, and so my move was inspired by the savage feeling. I could almost see the flames in her eyes as I looked her dead in the eye while asking her. She has no idea what’s coming for her."You just never know, Maia. It might not be as over as you think," I mutter, looking back in the mirror to see a confu
................Stefania..............."Are you ready?" Paris asks, brushing my hair out of my face, and I nod as he pulls me into the hug. The elders are at the door waiting to check if I have done what I’m here to do, and I find myself afraid. I have always been so sure that I would give Paris an heir, but during the last few days I found myself not so sure, and if I weren’t afraid of making the gods mad right now when I need them to help me see this through, I would have gone to a fertility clinic to make sure. I close my eyes, snuggling more into his arms, as memories of last night flood in. It was difficult for Paris at first. I had to take charge, but once he pulled himself together, it was magical. He was gentle and caring, and he made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, and I started feeling things I shouldn’t have—things that will break my heart all over again. We linger in the hug for a while before he pulls back and places a kiss on my forehead. I give h
...........Evaki..........."Oh, no. This is not going to do," I mutter while taking off my shoes before walking to the closet to look for a comfortable pair. I’m coming back from Stefania’s brunch, and the three of us are about to head down to the throne room for her first day as queen. Paris said, like on my first day, I don’t have to stay all day; I can leave when the formalities are over, and I’m going to do that. Dean is taking me to the orphanage I opened two weeks ago. Paris had it built in my honor because he knows that’s something close to my heart. Being around him and Stefania is something that I’m going to have to get used to, but I haven’t figured out how yet. It still hurts too much, and the fact that she’s pregnant is just another stab in the heart. I know it’s not supposed to be because I should have expected it; it’s kind of the whole reason she married my husband, and it’s not a son. But it still stings. So I decided to only subject my heart to half the torture
..................................................................Warning: The following chapter contains elements of anthropophagy........................................................................................Author's POV ......................Driviar sighs and picks up the ball, knowing it’s the king calling him once again. They don’t use cell phones to communicate unless they have to. He answers but immediately feels his blood boiling with frustration. Driviar is not in his mansion but at sea, heading to the caves where he hopes to find the answers he needs. But now Dimitris needs him to mix up a potion and deliver it to him. Driviar told him he was going to be indisposed for a few days, but Dimitris is not the type to take "no" for an answer or care about other people’s problems. When Driviar tells him he won’t be able to send the potion right now and asks that he wait until the morning so he can think of what to do, Dimitris refuses. He tells Driviar to send his