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To live or to love 34
"I didn't kill him, I swear it!" Sari wailed, her voice cracking with emotion. "I was only there after he fell!"Drea leaned down, her dark eyes boring into Sari's. "Then tell me, Sari, how did he fall? Did you see anyone else in the room with him?"Sari shook her head frantically. "I don't know, I swear! I was just going to check on him, but when I got there, he was already on the ground!"The investigation room of the royal arena was a cold and dreary place, filled with an eerie silence that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The walls were made of solid stone and had a greyish tint to them, as if the very walls themselves were mocking the prisoners who were held there.Sari could see that the walls were adorned with all sorts of instruments of torture. There were rods, whips, nails, ropes, and other things that made her shudder in fear. They hung ominously from hooks on the wall, like a warning to anyone who dared to cross the royal family.The investigator, a tall an
To live or to love 35
Aurora was in her chambers, about to retire for the night when Derek suddenly came inside. “De—” “Shut up,” he said, approaching in a speed of lightning, not giving her time to say a word before he went straight up to her and kissed her passionately. Aurora rose from the stool with their lips locked together and they stumbled onto the bed, still kissing hungrily as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Their lips moved against each other hungrily, exploring every inch of the other's mouth with an intensity that can only be found in true love. Aurora felt her heart racing as she allowed herself to get lost in his embrace; it was like a wave of pleasure washing over her body from head to toe. Derek ran his hands across Aurora's back while his tongue explored the depths of her mouth. She responded eagerly, pushing further into him with each stroke of his tongue until finally he pulled away slightly, leaving them both breathless and longing for more. They continued kissing hungril
To live or to love 36
Ragnar was lying on his bed, his breathing labored as he coughed up blood. His eyes were sunken and his skin was pallid, giving him a deathly appearance. The physician was by his side, feverishly concocting a medicine to help ease the pain and cure his illness. The physician's assistant was standing by the bed, a handkerchief clutched in her hand.The assistant, a young woman with a gentle face, leaned over Ragnar as he coughed up another mouthful of blood. She reached out and placed the handkerchief over his mouth, trying to catch the blood as it spilled out. The handkerchief was quickly stained red with the blood, evidence of the severity of Ragnar's condition.The physician worked feverishly, his hands moving quickly as he mixed together various herbs and powders. He added the mixture to a boiling pot of water, the steam rising up and filling the room with the sweet aroma of healing herbs. The assistant watched as he worked, her eyes focused on the task at hand.They were both dres
To live or to love 37
The three guards knelt before Ragnar, their heads bowed in respect. Ragnar looked down at them, his expression stern. "You have been chosen for a very important mission," he said. "You are to go to the Blood Moon Pack and find a secret black cave of Oints….or whatever that is. Anyway, you are to bring back whatever you find there. Do you understand?"They were dressed in plain, commoner clothing to blend in with the crowds they would encounter on their mission to the Blood Moon Pack. Their clothes were simple and functional, with sturdy boots and dark-colored tunics that wouldn't draw attention.The guards nodded, their faces serious. "We understand, your highness," one of them said. "We will not fail you."Ragnar narrowed his eyes, studying them. "You had better not," he said. "This is a dangerous mission. The land you are going to is that of my enemy. You must be very careful and move as discreetly as possible. You must not draw attention to yourselves."The guards nodded agai
To live or to love 38
As the morning sun began to peek through the stained glass windows of the royal kitchen, the head chef, was already bustling about, directing the other maids in their preparations for the day's meals. The air was thick with the scent of fresh herbs and spices, and the sounds of sizzling pans and chopping knives filled the room.The other maids were hard at work, each with their own tasks to complete. Some were chopping vegetables, while others were mixing batter for the day's bread. A few were stirring pots of soup or roasting meats in the ovens. Pots and pans clanged together as the maids hurried to finish their tasks, and the scents of garlic, onion, and savory herbs filled the air.Miranda was tasked with preparing a tray of pastries for the royal family's breakfast. She worked quickly and skillfully, rolling out the dough and filling each pastry with a sweet fruit compote. At another station, Sari was slicing up vegetables for a salad. She worked carefully and methodically, makin
To live or to love 39
As she pushed the cart through the long hallway leading to the princess's chambers, the sound of the wheels echoed loudly off the stone walls. The sound was especially loud and jarring in the stillness of the palace, and Miranda winced each time she heard it. As she approached the door to the princess's chambers, Miranda slowed her pace and took a deep breath. Miranda entered Fel's chambers as she did every day, carrying a cart of food for her. But as she approached Fel's cage, she noticed that something was off.Fel's body was stiff, and she was gripping the bars of her cage tightly. Her head was slumped backwards, and her eyes were wide open, unblinking. Her body shook as if she was having a seizure.Miranda gasped and quickly dropped the cart of food. She rushed to Fel's side and grabbed her hands, trying to shake her awake. "Fel, Fel, what's wrong?" she asked frantically.Fel didn't respond, but her hands continued to grip the bars tightly. Miranda tried to pry them away, but t
To live or to love 40
Miranda was struggling to wrap her head around what Fel had just told her. A vision? How could Fel, a non-black blood, be experiencing visions? It just didn't make sense to her. She wanted to ask more questions, to understand how this could be possible, but she didn't want to give away her own abilities as a witch."So, when was the first time you experienced a vision?" Miranda finally asked.Fel took a deep breath and said, "It was six years ago when I was fourteen. I had never experienced it again until recently, and the recent ones have become more frequent."Miranda's mind was racing. She had never heard of anyone who wasn't born with the gift suddenly developing it years later. Was it even possible? She had to find out more."Did you ever tell anyone about it?" Miranda asked, hoping to get more information."No," Fel replied. "It happened only once then, and I didn't think much of it."Miranda was starting to feel a bit anxious. This was something that needed to be handled carefu
To live or to love 41
Gasher and Zen exchanged worried glances as Furo continued to chat with the villagers in his foreign accent. They knew that their cover was at risk of being blown if Furo kept drawing attention to himself.Gasher leaned over to Zen and whispered, "We need to be ready to ditch Furo if things go south. We can't risk getting caught."Zen nodded in agreement. "I know, but let's hope it doesn't come to that. We've come too far to fail now."****“Come to think of it,” one of the villages started, turning to face Furo. "You talk like you're not from here." They stopped talking and turned their heads to look at him.Furo smiled nervously. "I've lived in foreign lands as a child," he replied.The villagers looked at each other skeptically, but Furo quickly added, "I've learned to adapt and pick up different accents along the way."The villagers laughed and began to tell stories of their experiences in foreign lands."I once went to the city of Elvendale," a burly man said. "It was full of e
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