“What are you thinking?” Xavier asked, picking up on Mia’s silence.“Xoe,” she answered.“Xoe?” he repeated, confused. She lifted her head off his shoulder to stare at him. “What am I missing, my love?” “I think we should send the princess back to her kingdom,” she answered. “Why would you suggest that?” he asked, a little puzzled. “I think it’s more dangerous out there than it is in here.”“The priest said Princess Kailani, Alpha Koz, and Sir Valerio had left to rally allies for you and the crown. Despite that, a majority of the armed forces follow Elliott as the king, and they will carry out his wishes. The king’s men, the warriors from the institute, and our allies are just a small fraction compared to the Royal Army. The Royal Army comprises over ten thousand powerful men of war sworn and loyal to King Elliot. If we, however, can get Xoe to the kingdom of Klean, she could convince her father to aid us with his army. It would be a sign of good fortune since we rescued his daughter

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a message here for you, my king,” Edward said, stepping into the conquered estate hall with a scroll in his hand. “Richard of the King’s men found it on the stairs of the estate, and there was no footprint to trace it. He believes it came through a carrier pigeon.” Xavier stopped speaking and turned to face Edward, who had interrupted his discussion with Alpha Koz and Sir Valerio. A week ago, Alpha Koz and his mate Luna Elena returned from Soule, the southern side of the kingdom with the King’s Reserve there. Xavier welcomed them back and commended them for keeping up the good fight and doing the work, even in his absence. Alpha Koz humbly told him he had no regrets about serving and fighting for his cause. The King’s Reserve that came from Soule was a total of three hundred and seventy-nine able-bodied men. Together, the soldiers on Xavier’s side numbered nine hundred men. Their number was slipped between the High Tower and the royal estate. Xavi

XOE As the night got darker, the four people heading for the kingdom of Klean decided to camp and rest before resuming in the early hours of the next morning. Joi and Ace worked together to find meat while Alex watched Xoe and made their tents. It’s been two weeks since they’ve been on the road, and every day, Alex, the only one among the four who knew the road, told them they were getting closer. At this point, Xoe no longer believed him. She had given up hope of ever getting to her kingdom and believed they were just wandering around. They had encountered thugs and hoodlums who tried to take advantage of them. The thugs had taken off running when they realised the four were not people to mess with. They had also been stopped by the King’s guards twice, and just like they had already been advised, they declared King Elliott as king and ruler of the kingdom. After two hours of hunting, Joi and Ace returned with four big rabbits, each holding on to two. Ace then helped set the fir

Xavier had left the royal estate earlier, and though he didn't tell her exactly where he was going, she read his mind and saw that it was some sort of trade that had to do with a thousand gold coins. She asked him what it was about, and he said a trade. When she asked if he would be back for their shift, he told her he wouldn't miss it for the world. It was a commitment, and she always came first. He returned about an hour ago, and though he didn't come into her room, she could hear his voice from where he stood. He spoke about the territories to be maintained during the shift for those who wanted to shift with their mates. "The moon is at its peak," Xavier announced as he stepped into the room to find Mia at the window. She had stayed here a while, staring through the window at the almost-setting moon then. She had longed for the full moon after coming to shore. No, she didn't have to shift on the full moon; she needed to. Though nothing was mandated a shift during the full moon, as

Warning: Triggering chapter. This chapter contains graphic images of a corpse’s body.Flashback...“Did you learn anything today?” Robb asked Elliott as they stepped out of the citadel together. They had gone in to speak to the high priest, the head seer, the shaman, and their subordinate about the burial rites of the queen. She had been dead for a week and has since been going through the cleansing rites, which would clear her path for the life beyond. The preparation for the last farewell needed to be completed faster, as the longer they kept the dead, the harder it would be for them to find the path to life beyond. Queen Layla wasn’t just anyone, though; she was Luna Queen and the second person in the kingdom, so her burial rites had to differ from every other. “Yes, my king. Burial rites are important as they help guide the dead on the right path to life beyond. Without the proper rites, the soul will be trapped and unable to pass on. It is also important to send loved ones to