《Fated Desires [EDITING]》


 Prologue

    ¡°And so, fair Arwyn, it is now your turn to pick from the hat of love!¡± Raydir announced, waving his arms around dramatically as we sat on the floor of our clubhouse, a little rundown shack located in the woods.


    ¡°Ray, you have to make those cheering sounds!¡± I protested.


    ¡°Fine, fine. Don¡¯t get so bossy on me now.¡± Raydir huffed, cupping his hands around his mouth. ¡°Chaaaaaaa!! Chaaaaaa!!¡±


    I giggled. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s people cheering, Ar.¡±


    ¡°Well, it sounds stupid.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stupid.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. ¡°Ray, come on! The day of the Fate Ceremony is the bestest day of our lives.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for you. For me it means I have to spend the rest of my life with a girl.¡± He wrinkled his nose.


    I punched his arm. ¡°I¡¯m a girl.¡±


    ¡°First of all: Ow. Second of all, you¡¯re not a girl. You¡¯re my best friend.¡±


    The corners of my mouth twitched into a smile. ¡°And you¡¯re mine. Now can we proceed?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Lady Arwyn, Duchess of Gwyniar, you must choose your future by picking a name out of the hat.¡± Raydir held the hat out to me. ¡°You have to close your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Now who¡¯s bossy?¡± I covered my brown eyes with one hand and stuck the other into the hat to pick out a name. I smiled as my eyes landed on the piece of paper in front of me. ¡°Did you plan this?¡±


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d put anyone else¡¯s name?¡± He looked up at me with a mischievous gleam in his green eyes, a sprinkling of freckles across his nose.


    ¡°We should make a pact,¡± I said. ¡°No matter what happens, you will be my soulmate, ok?¡±


    Raydir nodded. ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°You know every deal needs to be sealed somehow.¡±


    ¡°Hence the handshake.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking something different.¡± I glanced up at him.


    He wrinkled his nose. ¡°You¡¯ve been reading too many of those fairytale books.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, Raydir. Are you going to kiss me now or not? I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    Raydir leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to mine, his nose squishing against my face. ¡°There. Sealed with a kiss.¡±


    I blushed, pushing him away from me, and wiping at my mouth with my fingers. ¡°Glad that¡¯s over. You wanna go play dragons and warriors?¡±


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    Raydir grinned. ¡°I always want to play dragons and warriors.¡± He got up and ran out the door. ¡°Catch me if you can, slowpoke!¡±


    I scrambled to my feet and chased after him. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair!¡± I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, passing the trees that led back to the road.


    Raydir was always much faster than me, but he knew not to leave me behind. Up ahead, he glanced over his shoulder then trudged back to me.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Arwyn.¡± He gripped my hand. Together, we walked through the woods until we reached the carriage that had brought us out here.


    Raydir bounced his legs as the carriage started off down the road to take us to my home. A loud rumbling growl broke the silence between us and Ray wrinkled his nose.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked.


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°My stomach. Now, are you going to stay for lunch today or what?¡±


    Raydir nodded his blonde head. ¡°Duh.¡±


    I kicked my feet underneath the seat. Sitting still was not my favorite thing. If I¡¯d been able to choose, we would¡¯ve run all the way back to the palace. But there were perks to having people to drive us around when we didn¡¯t want to run anymore.


    After what seemed like ages, the carriage slowed to a stop in front of my home. Raydir and I jumped out, thanking our driver before launching into another race. This time, when we reached the steps to the front door, we ran straight to my sister.


    Arabella crossed her arms over her chest. She wrinkled her nose at my appearance. ¡°Arwyn, Mother wants you upstairs now. You still have your studies to do today and then you can play with Raydir.¡±


    I pouted and glanced at Raydir who stood awkwardly next to me. ¡°Can¡¯t I do that later? Ray and I are gonna play a game.¡±


    ¡°No. You know Mother¡¯s rules: work first, play later,¡± Arabella said. At fourteen, she made it her responsibility to make sure I set an example for our family because, she liked to remind me, one day we would be running the dukedom.


    I missed the times when we were younger and could just play innocently together..


    ¡°Fine,¡± I huffed. ¡°But can Raydir at least stay for lunch?¡±


    Raydir kicked the toe of his boot on the ground. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, I¡¯d like that.¡±


    I smiled then tugged at Arabella¡¯s arm. ¡°Please, Bella? I promise I¡¯ll go straight to work after we eat lunch.¡±


    She sighed then threw her hands into the air. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll tell Mother to set one more for lunch. Come with me.¡± She turned on her heel and we followed closely behind.


    ¡°How do you always manage to convince her?¡± Raydir asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the perks of being a little sister. C¡¯mon, I bet if we ask really nicely, Ginny will make us her famous grilled cheese sandwiches.¡± I grabbed Raydir¡¯s hand and took off at a run.


    Arabella caught up with us as we entered the palace, nearly colliding with one of the maids who walked through the halls.


    ¡°Pardon me, your highness,¡± our maid, Ginny, said. She dipped her head and curtsied to us.


    ¡°My apologies, Ginny.¡± Arabella gestured to me and Ray where we hid behind a marble pillar. ¡°You know the saying, ¡®alis volat propriis.¡¯ She flies with her own wings.¡±


    Ginny laughed. ¡°That certainly describes Lady Arwyn.¡± She beckoned to me and Ray and we walked forward.


    ¡°Sorry, Ginny,¡± we chorused.


    ¡°No worries at all, my darlings. Now, what would you like for lunch?¡± Her eyes twinkled.


    I grinned and I tugged at her arm as we led her away to the kitchen. ¡°Can you make us grilled cheese?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Two of my famous grilled cheese sandwiches, coming up. And what would grilled cheese be without tomato soup?¡±


    Raydir and I cheered, chasing each other around the floor.


    Alis volat propriis. I had my own wings and I wasn¡¯t afraid to use them.

 Chapter 1.1 [Edited]

    Twelve years later


    Escaping from reality was a lot harder than it looked, but I never expected it to involve climbing out of a window.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn!¡± my personal maid, Ginny, called out. The sound of her knocking on the locked door of my bedroom interrupted my focus. My fingers grasped at the green vines of ivy that trickled down the sides of the stone walls. They made perfect ladders for escaping.


    I grunted, one boot-clad foot over the edge of my window. ¡°I¡¯m a little busy at the moment!¡± My long brown hair fell over my eyes, forcing me to blow a puff of air to get it out of my face.


    At twenty-one years old and with only a few days left before my Fate Ceremony, all I wanted was to ignore my responsibilities.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn, please. Your mother has been looking for you all morning.¡± The door burst open, and Ginny gasped at the sight of me halfway out the window, as if this were a new occurrence. ¡°What on Solarelm are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Not escaping, that¡¯s for sure,¡± I mumbled.


    Ginny ran to the window, reaching out a hand to help me back into my bedroom. ¡°Honestly, dear. If you¡¯re sneaking out again to see Lord Raydir, you can tell me. You know I will cover for you.¡±


    ¡°As you always have, yes. But I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble. You¡¯ve done so much for me, Ginny, and I shouldn¡¯t even have to sneak out to see him.¡± I bit my lip. If my mother found out that Ginny had been helping me meet Raydir, she would surely fire her.


    ¡°I know this feud has been difficult on you.¡± She reached up to brush away a few stray hairs from my face.


    I scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Our fathers used to be such good friends. And ever since it was clear a romance started to develop between me and Raydir, things have changed.¡±


    ¡°I know, dear.¡± She patted my hand lightly. ¡°But you cannot blame yourself. Your father and Duke Phillips began a disagreement long before you and Raydir fell in love.¡±


    I tugged at my loose braid. Just adding fuel to the fire with the accident. ¡°Well, it doesn''t matter. Tell my mother I¡¯ve gone riding.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll be back for lunch before you go to your lessons later?¡±


    Not a chance. ¡°Of course. And thank you. For everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡±


    Ginny smiled. ¡°It is my pleasure, my dear.¡±


    My heart twisted with guilt. Ginny didn¡¯t deserve this. She¡¯d been nothing but a friend to me for so long. She was someone I could trust, and she would risk getting fired just so I could have happiness. I gathered the skirts of my burgundy riding gown and ran out of my room, praying that I would be able to slip past my mother and the palace guards with no issues. Luckily, my mother was in the midst of preparing for my courting that would be taking place quite soon, so she was otherwise preoccupied. She always took major events seriously, and my Fate Ceremony was going to be no exception.


    With only a few minor missteps, I made it to the barn and saddled up my horse, Majesty.


    ¡°Hey, bud. You ready for a ride?¡± I murmured, brushing his tawny coat.


    Majesty snorted happily in response. I hoisted myself over his back, pressing my heels into his sides slightly, and taking off at a slow gallop. Rolling green hills dotted the horizon with snow-capped mountains far into the distance. My hair bounced behind me on my back as Majesty leapt over a downed tree and continued on his way. His hooves pounded against the ground in time with my heart beat. Years of meeting up with Raydir had taught me that the quickest way to our meeting spot was on horseback instead of taking a carriage to the edge of Runswick, the district between Gwyniar and Alvenora, and walking from there.


    On any other day, I would take a slower ride to soak in the beauty of the nature around me. Today, I was desperate to meet up with Raydir. After weeks of nothing, he had slipped me a note the other day between classes that asked if we could meet up at our favorite spot. It wasn¡¯t a subtle move, but it was our way of communicating when we couldn¡¯t be together.


    As I reached the bridge in the woods that separated Gwyniar from Alvenora, I let out a tiny whistle: two short notes followed by two long notes. It was soon followed by a reply whistle¡ªone long note, three short notes¡ªand a black stallion appeared at the edge of the bridge, its rider flashing me a grin that made my heart beat faster than a horse¡¯s hooves on the ground. His rumpled white shirt billowed in the breeze.


    ¡°M¡¯lady.¡± He greeted me with a nod, pulling his horse to a stop and jumping down.


    ¡°Ray.¡± I slid out of the saddle and walked over to him where he pulled me into a hug. ¡°The usual spot?¡±


    We walked our horses in the direction of the clubhouse we used to play in as kids. It had the perfect amount of seclusion to keep us away from the dukedoms when we needed an escape. The place of our first kiss. Our first real kiss. Our first date, however secret it may have been at the time. Our first ¡®I love you¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s still as beautiful as ever,¡± I mused, taking in the lush green scenery and the delicate purple flowers growing around the moss in the undergrowth. The clubhouse was too small for us to fit in now, but it held so many good memories, we just couldn¡¯t let it go.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    I turned and found Raydir looking at me with admiration. ¡°I meant the scenery, doofus.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°I know, but you¡¯re more beautiful.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I leaned up to kiss him. ¡°You never cease to amaze me with your cheesiness, Ray.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± He held up a basket. ¡°Lunch?¡±


    My face lit up. ¡°Certainly. What did you bring us?¡±


    ¡°The usual. Turkey and cheese sandwiches.¡± He reached out to brush away some stray hairs that had escaped my braid. ¡°And I managed to sneak some wine from the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Clever.¡± We sat down on a blanket that Raydir pulled from his satchel and began to eat. ¡°So how are things in Alvenora?¡±


    Raydir shrugged. ¡°Same old, I guess. I spend my days shadowing my father before gallivanting off to combat practice.¡± He looked down at his hands. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more to running a dukedom than meets the eye.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°Have you had any time for your art?¡±


    ¡°Not as much as I would like. And every time I get even a few minutes in my studio, something else comes up with my father.¡± He reached into the basket for some crackers, rough calluses evident on his hands from his combat training.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m glad you were able to make it out here at least.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± He patted his pockets. ¡°I do have something for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Ray, you really have to stop buying me things.¡± I blushed. ¡°You know how people will talk.¡±


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    He kissed my temple. ¡°As long as they¡¯re saying good things.¡± He pulled out a sleek black box and opened it. I gasped as I saw the contents: a pearl bead hanging from thin gold chains etched into a delicate pattern.


    ¡°Ray, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± I kissed his cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure. May I?¡± he gestured to me, and I turned so he could clasp the chain around my neck.


    ¡°I love it.¡± I reached out my hand and intertwined our fingers together. We walked through the woods just enjoying each other¡¯s company. The male birds sang their mating tunes, waiting for the females to respond. It was not unlike the courtship process in Gwyniar and Alvenora.


    But as much as I enjoyed the limited time I had with Raydir, the moment wouldn¡¯t last forever. As we circled back around to where our horses were grazing, something in the air changed. A feeling nagged at the back of my head that Raydir had another reason for today¡¯s rendezvous than just a picnic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± My words cut through the silence. It was selfish of me and I knew it. But with my Fate Ceremony approaching, I wasn¡¯t ready to lose him.


    Raydir laughed. ¡°Ar, it¡¯s only been a week. Leaves you wanting more, right?¡± He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.


    ¡°Does that mean you did not miss me?¡± I teased.


    He drew me closer, sweeping a hand over my cheek. ¡°Of course I missed you.¡± The tone of his voice changed. ¡°Things have been busier than I anticipated with my father.¡±


    I curled my fingers through his hair. ¡°So you¡¯ve said. Your father really is doing everything in his power to keep us apart.¡±


    He pulled away from me slightly, refusing to meet my gaze. ¡°As my father¡¯s sole heir, he wants me to focus more on my future right now.¡±


    ¡°And what do you want?¡± I frowned. He only circled around the truth when he was nervous. ¡°Ray, what aren¡¯t you telling me?¡±


    He stroked his horse¡¯s coat. ¡°Arwyn, you know I love you, right?¡±


    My heart lurched. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°And you know Emilia?¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°What about her?¡± Emilia and I had been good friends and classmates for as long as I could remember. She was the only other person who knew how Ray and I felt about each other.


    ¡°My father wants me to marry her.¡± He turned back to me. ¡°He knows how I feel about you, Ar, and I¡¯ve tried to reason with him. I¡¯m old enough to make my own choices, but because I¡¯m inheriting the throne, he wants me to marry someone from Alvenora.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how the ceremonies work,¡± I protested. ¡°What if Emilia is fated to someone else? Wouldn¡¯t you be inevitably changing the future based on that anyway?¡±


    ¡°My father is certain that she won¡¯t be,¡± Raydir replied. But even his tone of voice did not convince me.


    ¡°This is because of the feud with Gwyniar, isn¡¯t it?¡± I tried not to let the hurt and jealousy seep into my voice.


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think our family tensions have anything to do with it. Sometimes in politics¡­there are things that must be done for the good of the country. Courting Emilia is the only way to ensure that neither of us end up with the Wolf Curse.


    I shook my head. It didn¡¯t make any sense. A person¡¯s Chosen at their Fate Ceremony was someone handpicked by the fates themselves. ¡°There is no way to manipulate the outcome. Ray, you know what going through with marrying Emilia means. You¡¯ll end up invoking the Wolf Curse either way.¡±


    ¡°I trust my father¡¯s instincts. He has powerful friends,¡± he argued with a firmness in his voice. ¡°But there is another reason to go through with this.¡±


    ¡°My Fate Ceremony.¡± I swallowed a lump in my throat. ¡°I have my own future to choose. But the only future I want is with you. We made a pact, Ray.¡± It was childish and selfish of me, but I didn¡¯t want to lose him. Having to marry a complete stranger at twenty-one wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d ever wanted.


    Raydir started pacing. ¡°My father means well, Arwyn. He knows that if you and I end up together, I¡¯ll be cursed. The chances that I¡¯ll be your Chosen are slim. He wants to protect me from that. I¡¯m supposed to run the dukedom some day.¡±


    ¡°So what are you saying?¡±


    He ran a hand through his hair. It was a light brown but in the sunlight it shone with a golden hue. ¡°I¡¯m saying that this decision is about protecting us. I¡¯m sure your parents feel the same way about wanting to protect you. They want you to go through with your Ceremony because that¡¯s how it has to be.¡±


    ¡°For my parents, it¡¯s always been about the feud. Why do you think they forbade me from seeing you five years ago? They loved you until¡­¡± I didn¡¯t even want to think about it.


    Raydir gazed into my brown eyes and stroked his fingers across my cheek. ¡°They¡¯re worried about what will happen because they know your leaving is inevitable. With Arabella, they had no way of knowing.¡±


    Except that I knew, I thought to myself. It was something that had eaten away at me for the last five years. Guilt. Fear. I could¡¯ve told them the truth.


    ¡°Arwyn, your family wants to protect you too,¡± he continued, taking my silence as a cue to keep talking. ¡°Don¡¯t you think what happened would want them to protect you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I kicked at the ground with my boot. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s also our decision. It¡¯s our lives.¡± I hated that this is what it all came down to. The guilt had built up for five years, and I couldn¡¯t resent my parents without feeling that guilt weigh down on me.


    ¡°We have to do what¡¯s best for ourselves and for our dukedoms. None of this is ideal, Ar.¡± Raydir squeezed my hand.


    ¡°I want more than anything to be with you. No matter the consequences,¡± I said softly, chewing at my bottom lip. ¡°I know you would be throwing your life away for me, and I don¡¯t want you to resent me for that.¡±


    We didn¡¯t even know the extent of the curse. All we learned in school was that the Fate Ceremony was created to maintain order in the dukedoms. Those who went against it would meet a fate worse than death: the Wolf Curse. Of course, no one really talked about those who rejected their Chosens, so we had no reason to assume that it wasn¡¯t true. We knew that some owned shops in Runswick; others took on smaller jobs here and there, working as scribes or servants. And those who would rather seek refuge elsewhere went to Darqua, which we learned from a young age was the Wolf Valley. We were never allowed to go. We were never allowed to mingle with those who had chosen the Wolf life.


    ¡°I know.¡± He pulled me back toward him for a kiss. The type of kiss that meant he wouldn¡¯t dare be with another woman, at least not the way he was with me. The type of kiss that had me grasping at his shirt for balance.


    Yet where on any other day, I would¡¯ve found comfort in his touch, today he seemed to be fading away.


    My mind raced a mile a minute. There had to be another way for us to be together.


    ¡°What about Darqua?¡± I asked when we broke apart.


    Darqua, the hidden valley, was the settlement for anyone hit by the curse who had been cast out. It was the only place I could think of where we could seek refuge with others who had also rejected their Chosens. If that¡¯s what it came down to.


    Was that our only alternative? Leave everything we¡¯d known behind just to have a chance to be together?


    It sounded better than never being able to be together.


    Raydir blew out a puff of air. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ar.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°This can¡¯t be the only option. Give in to the patriarchal system or be forced to live a life with the Wolf Curse? We¡¯ve been practically courting each other for years. Why is now any different?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should think about this a little more. But we will figure something out.¡±I searched his green eyes for more answers; they held an emotion I couldn¡¯t quite place.


    He kissed me again. ¡°For now, I better get back. And you should too.¡±


    Reluctantly, I followed him back to the main part of Gwyniar. When we arrived at the gates of my home, he slid out of his saddle and took my hands in his. The guards by the gates regarded us, specifically Raydir, with caution. Ever since the tensions between our families started, we couldn¡¯t get past the gates together without drawing attention, so he would always have to say his ¡®goodbye¡¯ here before leaving.


    I gave them a look, one that they¡¯d grown to understand as: Let me have my moment with Raydir.


    It made my heart swell with happiness any moment I had to spend alone with him. He was very well-liked by many in Alvenora and Gwyniar alike. At school he was usually surrounded by both men and women who wanted to either be his friend or chat him up. Raydir gave into the popularity because, well, as the son of a duke, one had to be a ¡®people-person.¡¯ It helped that he was naturally charming.


    Although, those moments we spent alone together never lasted too long. A trio of women passed us, whispering and giggling when they saw Raydir. They exchanged nods of acknowledgement with him and he smiled in return.


    ¡°Will I see you again before my Fate Ceremony?¡± I asked when he turned back to me.


    He grinned. ¡°If I say ¡®only in your dreams¡¯, is that too cheesy?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Extremely. But I like it.¡±


    He reached out and kissed my hand. ¡°Until we see each other again.¡±


    Upon my return, Ginny greeted me in the Great Hall, a look of concern etched on her face.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn, your mother has requested to see you immediately. I tried to reason with her, tell her you were out riding, but she sent one of the stablemen to find you and when she couldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her about Ray, did you?¡±


    Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but it wasn¡¯t her voice that came out. ¡°She didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    I turned, wincing at the sight of my mother at the top of the stairs. ¡°Hello, Mother.¡±

 Chapter 1.2 [Edited]

    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Arwyn. You missed your lessons and lunch. So tell me one thing: how long has this affair been going on with you and Lord Raydir?¡±


    I stepped backwards, unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°Arwyn Magnolia Kingston,¡± my mother said rather calmly. ¡°Answer my question. How long have you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mother, why must you ruin everything?¡± I winced at how childish I sounded. ¡°Why does it matter to you if Ray and I are¡±¡ªI wanted to choose my next words carefully¡ª¡°hanging out so much? You had no issue with it when we were young. What changed?¡±


    ¡°Darling, you know very well what changed.¡± She narrowed her eyes, clasping and unclasping her hands in front of her.


    I groaned. ¡°You cannot blame everything on the feud! Raydir has been my best friend since I was nine years old, and you know that. But unlike you and Father, I cannot let the feud come between us. I won¡¯t let it come between us. Lord Alexander had nothing to do with the faulty carriage. Just because it belonged to the other dukedom doesn¡¯t mean¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°This has gone on for too long. Maybe it¡¯s time to try and find out the truth rather than using Alvenora as a scapegoat.¡±


    I stormed past her and ran up the stairs to my room where I promptly slammed the door and flopped down onto my bed.


    Why did this have to be so hard? Why did every little thing have to be about the feud?


    A knock sounded at my door, and Ginny poked her head in the room, carrying a tray.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn, please pardon the intrusion. I thought you might want some tea and biscuits after the conversation with your mother.¡±


    That piqued my interest. I sat up. ¡°Did you bring those peanut butter biscuits from when I was a kid?¡±


    Ginny smiled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be tea without them. Shall I serve?¡±


    I gestured to the table in the corner of my room. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe after all this time, you remembered the biscuits.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been caring for you since you were a baby, Arwyn. And I cared for your sister before you. She, too, loved these peanut butter biscuits.¡±


    I hugged my knees to my chest at the mention of my sister. Arabella had been killed five years ago in an accident that promptly started the feud between Gwyniar and Alvenora. ¡°Yeah, I remember that.¡±


    My mind trailed off to a faint memory of rainy days when Arabella and I would run around the kitchen while Ginny prepped the biscuits then sat in front of the oven, waiting for them to bake. When the timer would go off, we would squeal with happiness as Ginny took them out of the oven to cool. ¡°I wonder what she would say if she knew I was sneaking out to see Ray. Given, you know.¡±


    I thought back to the day of my sister¡¯s ceremony. I never even had time to say good-bye. And here I was, about to follow exactly in her footsteps.


    Ginny brought over a small plate and cup of tea, handing them to me. ¡°You must miss her terribly.¡±


    ¡°She protected me. Even if she thought I was wrong. And that¡¯s all I could ever ask for in a big sister. Five years without her has been too long. Every day since, I suspected that Mother knew about my relationship with Raydir. And every time I think about that, I feel guilty.¡±


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    ¡°Guilty for following your heart?¡± Her gaze traveled to the new necklace that was clasped against my throat. ¡°Wanting to hold onto him is a natural feeling.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Guilty because I¡¯m doing the exact same thing Bella was doing before she died: sneaking around with someone from Alvenora.¡±


    ¡°No one could¡¯ve predicted the accident.¡± Ginny sipped at her tea.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But Father just had to blame Lord Alexander for what happened to the carriage. He knows,¡± I trailed off with a heavy sigh. ¡°He knows it was an accident. No one could¡¯ve predicted the wheels popping off the track or the carriage turning over on that windy road.¡±


    Ginny reached out to brush her thumb over my cheeks. I hadn¡¯t even noticed the tears that had trickled from my eyes. ¡°She would be so proud of you today, Arwyn, to see the young woman you have become.¡±


    I sniffled, this time swiping my own hand across my face. ¡°Yeah. I just wish she was still here.¡±


    A knock sounded at the door. Ginny jumped up and hurried to clear away the empty tray.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I called.


    My mother appeared in the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her elegant blue gown. ¡°Arwyn, darling, your father and I would like you to join us in the Great Hall for dinner. There is much we need to discuss.¡± Her voice had softened from earlier.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I refused to meet her gaze, staring instead across the room where Ginny stood wringing her hands nervously.


    ¡°Ginny, would you give us a minute?¡± my mother asked.


    Ginny dipped her head in acknowledgement, picked up the tray, then promptly left the room.


    ¡°Mother¡ª¡± I started to say but she cut me off with a flick of her wrist.


    ¡°Arwyn, I know this time must be difficult for you. With your twenty-first birthday approaching, there have to be a lot of feelings coming up for you. Regarding Lord Raydir, I know how you care for him. I understand those feelings can¡¯t just go away overnight,¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my best friend,¡± I muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t just let him go.¡±


    Her expression softened, and she reached a hand out toward me. Hesitantly, I took it. ¡°Sweetheart, please join us for dinner later. It would mean a lot to your father and me to spend this time with you before your Fate Ceremony.¡±


    There it was: the catch. This was all about the Fate Ceremony. It wasn¡¯t about spending quality time together as a family because they wanted to. It never was. It was only because they had to before I signed my life away to be with someone chosen by the fates.


    ¡°Arwyn?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I wretched my hand out of her grasp and walked with her to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see you downstairs.¡±


    A crease appeared between her eyebrows as she addressed me with a nod before leaving my room.


    Locking the door firmly behind her, I moved over to my wardrobe and pulled out a dress. It was a long-sleeved, blue slim-fitting dress. Simple yet elegant.


    Looking in the mirror, I glanced at my appearance: the way my hair fell in ringlets after tumbling out of its braid; how the necklace from Raydir caught the late afternoon light. It was more elegant than I ever expected.


    My heart swelled just thinking about how things had changed around the palace. Dinners these days were difficult without Arabella to run interference. She always knew the right thing to say when I would fight with our parents.


    If I had told her I didn¡¯t want to go through with my ceremony, she would have supported me because that¡¯s what she always did.


    With the ceremony now only a few days away, I could only hope that the fates were on my side. I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of leaving Raydir behind.


    The sun was still high in the sky, so I knew there was time before I had to see my parents. So many things were happening in only a short amount of time.


    Maybe Darqua was an option. Maybe following what our families¡ªand fate¡ªwanted for us was best.


    Glancing around the room, I sighed. One way or another, I needed to get out of here.


    The me of five years ago would have zero hesitation to climb out the window and make an escape.


    But I was twenty-one. It was about damn time to face the music.

 Chapter 2 [Edited]

    The palace was bustling with activity, reminding me of the days before my sister¡¯s Ceremony years ago. Butlers and maids walked briskly through the halls, silver trays and fancy dresses dancing around the foyer. Making my way down the stairs, I gripped the banister tightly.


    ¡°Now make sure the tablecloths are not wrinkled. Cream, not white. And each table must have a vase of roses. Pink, not red. The florist should be here within the hour to make the final arrangements.¡±


    Hearing it all out loud, a tightness formed in my chest and my knees wobbled on the stairs. It was all too real. My future was in the hands of the fates.


    I needed to get out of here. My heartbeat thudded in my ears: go, go, go.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Arwyn!¡± one of the maids called out, rushing toward me with wide eyes. ¡°Remember you have your final dress fitting tomorrow!¡±


    I froze, my heart thumping in my chest. After a moment I recovered. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Your mother asked me to have you meet her in the foyer at precisely ten in the morning. Will that be a problem?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, that will be fine. Thank you.¡±


    I ran back up the stairs and closed the door to my room. Checking to make sure it was still locked, I made my way over to the window to make an escape. With one foot over the edge of the window, I sighed.


    So much for maturity.


    Maybe going somewhere to clear my head would be for the best. And with my Fate Ceremony mere days away, a million possibilities and questions weighed down my shoulders. I thought back to the times I spent with Raydir after school. One of our favorite spots as we grew older was the Flower Gardens which were always in bloom.


    Maybe going back there would bring me some answers about what to do.


    I slowly lowered myself out of the window, carefully using the vines as handholds to ease down the side of the palace. I only managed to poke my hand with the occasional thorn twice, which was better than most of my previous escapes.


    Finally, my feet hit the ground. I waved to one of the carriages that often took me into town and instructed the driver to bring me to Runswick. As the district between the dukedom, it housed the markets, academic buildings, and combat arenas. It was also known for showcasing the most beautiful arrays of flora we had ever seen at my favorite place: the Flower Gardens. The day was still young; I had plenty of time for a visit before I needed to be back.


    ¡°Preparing for your Fate Ceremony, Lady Arwyn?¡± the driver, Boyd, asked.


    The scenery passed by as if in a blur while the carriage bounced along the road. Gwyniar really was quite beautiful. It wasn¡¯t long before the large manors belonging to the members of the council blended into smaller, yet still eloquent houses for the other citizens of the dukedom. The tudor style matched the rest of Gwyniar, offering a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere.


    It seemed like a simpler lifestyle the further we got from the palace, something I¡¯d never realized until recently that I wanted.


    I shuddered. The thought of being bogged down with leading the dukedom was eating me up inside. Politics had always been Arabella¡¯s strength. She was a natural-born leader and knew how to appeal to people. For me, I wanted to do something more freeing. Something where I could be in charge but I could still have my freedom. Leading a dukedom wouldn¡¯t let me do that.


    I sighed. This is why I needed to get out of Gwyniar. Maybe Darqua could offer me that freedom. At least, I knew it could offer me the freedom of being with the man I loved.


    ¡°Here we are, Lady Arwyn.¡± The carriage came to a stop.


    Blinking, I realized just how much time had passed. The older I got, the faster the rides to Runswick felt. But my impatience that had sprouted up from the time I was little only became moreso with age. I didn¡¯t know how much more I could take of waiting for my Fate Ceremony. I needed to know soon what my future would hold.


    ¡°Thank you. I will be back within the hour.¡± I handed him a few misekos, the currency in the dukedoms, and hurried away to the square which was bustling with people.


    As I walked in the direction of the Flower Gardens, my gaze traveled over the other villagers. Unfortunately, it strayed too far from the sights in front of me that I barely had time to react when someone called out, ¡°Watch out!¡±


    I shrieked as my body collided with someone else, and we tumbled to the ground.


    ¡°My sincere apologies,¡± a male voice said.


    I pushed him off of me, brushing off my skirts as he helped me to my feet. ¡°It-it¡¯s not your fault. I should¡¯ve been looking where I was going.¡± Looking up into his steel blue eyes, my cheeks heated in a warm flush.


    The stranger smirked. ¡°I will say I do enjoy people-watching myself. Although, it seems it can be quite a dangerous pastime.¡± He brushed off his blazer.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t people-watching,¡± I protested, crossing my arms over my chest and frowning. He looked familiar.


    His smirk deepened. ¡°Of course not.¡± He reached out to take my hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a small kiss to it. ¡°I¡¯m Darius, your grace.¡±


    I eyed him carefully before dipping my head in his direction. ¡°Lady Arwyn Kingston.¡±


    Why did he look so familiar?


    Darius flashed me a smile in return and lifted my hand to his lips. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance out here, Lady Arwyn.¡±


    ¡°And you as well.¡± I tucked my hair behind my ears. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I must be going.¡± As I started to walk away, I realized that Darius was following behind.


    ¡°Ah. It looks like we¡¯re going the same way,¡± he stated.


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°May I accompany you to your destination?¡±


    I opened my mouth to say no, I was doing just fine on my own, but I was intrigued. I knew he was familiar, knew I¡¯d seen him before. So what better way to find out how than to let him come with me? ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    I let him lead me toward the gardens. It wasn¡¯t a very far walk, and I was grateful for the exercise. A silence lingered between us. As we approached, the sweet smell of honeysuckle and fruitiness wafted to my nose, instantly making me calmer. The gardens had always been a safe haven for me, and today would be no different despite my newfound company. Once there, we sat down on a bench together.


    ¡°The gardens are beautiful this time of year,¡± I commented.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°So tell me, what brings you out to the gardens on this fine afternoon?¡± he asked. ¡°Or let me guess, you have a lot on your mind and you¡¯ve come here to clear your head?¡±


    ¡°Impressive.¡± I smoothed out invisible wrinkles in my dress. ¡°So, Darius, you think you have me all figured out?¡±


    Darius shoved his hands in his pockets. ¡°I tend to be able to, er, read people quite well.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I raised my eyebrows. He sure was full of himself. I doubted he actually knew as much as he claimed. ¡°Well, tell me my story then, hm?¡±


    Darius leaned back, nodding to another passer-by before saying anything else. ¡°You, Lady Arwyn Kingston, are the daughter of Lord Theodore.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, internally breathing a sigh of relief. This Darius guy clearly didn¡¯t know as much as he let on. ¡°Everyone knows that, Darius.¡±


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    He grinned. ¡°I¡¯m starting off easy. Just you wait. Your heart roams free, desiring to be with someone you cannot have.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. As private as Ray and I tried to keep our relationship, we were about as subtle as a wolf howling at the moon. I wondered just how much he truly knew about us. If he was telling the truth. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    He thought about this for a minute, stroking his chin between his thumb and index finger, before continuing. ¡°Your heart is competing with your mind over your reality. You want a future that would lead to inevitable consequences yet you yearn for familiarity with your current lifestyle.¡±


    I cleared my throat, trying not to let my shock show through. Maybe he really could read people. ¡°Quite impressive. What about you, Darius? You clearly know me, so what¡¯s your story?¡±


    Darius laughed. ¡°I like to leave that up to mystery. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out how you know me soon enough.¡±


    I scoffed. How bold. But he was right; I did want to know where I¡¯d seen him before.


    As the sky started to turn orange, I knew I had to get back.


    I stood up from the bench. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me I must be going. I have a prior engagement and I cannot be late.¡±


    Darius followed my lead, jumping to his feet. ¡°May I accompany you to your carriage?¡±


    Geez, he is relentless.


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of walking to the carriage myself,¡± I replied.


    He raised his eyebrows but nodded in understanding. ¡°Well then. Will I see you again?¡±


    The question surprised me. What was it with this guy?


    My nostrils flared and I bit back a retort, instead leaning toward him. ¡°You read people, right? So you tell me.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Goodbye for now, Lady Arwyn Kingston.¡±


    I arrived back at the palace as the sun started to go down, meaning I was just in time for the dinner I was trying desperately to avoid.


    The palace extended left and right, and off to one side was the stables where we kept our horses. For me, it was home but it was also a place filled with regret.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn?¡± Boyd asked when the carriage had been stopped in the drive of the palace for a few minutes. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    My hand hovered over the door handle. ¡°Yes. My apologies.¡± With one last deep breath, it was time to face the music.


    I opened the carriage door and walked into the palace. The foyer was lined with white marble columns leading over to the grand staircase. Standing here alone, I realized just how large the inside was, and I felt so small in comparison. So alone. My footsteps echoed on the marble floors and conversation wafted through the empty halls.


    ¡°...our daughter. You know how¡ªAh, Arwyn. Glad you could join us.¡± My father¡¯s booming voice shifted as he noticed me lurking in the shadows. He held out a hand toward me and his soft brown eyes gave me a knowing look. His dark hair was speckled with grey to match his beard.


    I slowly made my way over to him, my mother, and Lord Alexander.


    What was he doing here?


    ¡°Good evening, Lady Arwyn,¡± he greeted me.


    ¡°Lord Alexander, how nice to see you,¡± I replied, trying to hide the shock in my voice.


    ¡°Arwyn, darling, come join me in the dining room. Let¡¯s leave these two to discuss things,¡± my mother said. The emotion on her face told me this wasn¡¯t a suggestion.


    ¡°Is Lord Alexander joining us for dinner?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, he¡¯s just here for business. Your father will be joining us shortly.¡±


    I followed her into the adjoining room where a flurry of waiters prepared our plates. Despite this dinner party only consisting of the three of us, my mother had certainly gone all out with the fancy silverware and the golden tablecloth she only brought out on special occasions.


    ¡°Mother, what is this dinner about? Really?¡± I crossed my arms over my chest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just try to act civil with each other tonight,¡± she replied, completely ignoring my question, which of course made me even more suspicious.


    ¡°Mother, please. Is this about my ceremony?¡±


    She sent me a look and I slumped in my chair, twirling a fork between my fingers.


    ¡°So if Lord Alexander is here, does that mean he and Father are on speaking terms again?¡± I blurted out. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you would even let him into the palace.¡±


    ¡°Darling, I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down and the bitterness to a minimum.¡± Her voice hinted at disapproval and exhaustion.


    ¡°I¡¯m not bitter,¡± I lied. ¡°It was a question of curiosity since you and Father have made a huge deal these last few years about your disapproval and disagreements with Alvenora.¡±


    My mother pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers, drawing in a sharp breath. ¡°Arwyn, please.¡±


    ¡°Shall we eat?¡±


    I grinned at the sound of my father¡¯s voice as he entered the dining room and my mother muttered something under her breath to the effect of ¡°perfect timing.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Father. Care to explain why you and Mother have brought me here? She said you have things to discuss to me.¡± Raising my eyebrows in his direction, I tried to catch the meaning behind the glance he shared with my mother.


    My father laughed. ¡°You have always been so direct, my dear.¡± He sat down, laying the folded cloth napkin in his lap as our servers presented our starting appetizer. Tonight, it was tomato soup in bread bowls.


    ¡°So, Father, what did you want to talk about?¡± I asked, staring daggers at my mother who refused to meet my gaze.


    My father clinked his spoon lightly against the side of his plate. ¡°Your twenty-first birthday is fast approaching, and we wanted to give you a gift. It is something that has been in our family for generations, and we want to pass it on to you for when you start a family with your Chosen after the ceremony.¡±


    I swallowed, the immaturity that threatened to leap from my throat melting away, replaced by guilt. ¡°A gift?¡± This is what I was so worried about?


    ¡°Arwyn, you have grown into a beautiful young woman. And we want to honor that and our legacy by giving you this gift,¡± my father continued. He signaled to someone across the room who promptly brought over a box wrapped in foil paper, handing it to me.


    I looked up at my parents, hesitant.


    ¡°Open it, darling.¡±


    Shrugging, I tore at the paper and opened the box, revealing an intricately-designed thin, silver tiara with a ruby gem at the center. ¡°A tiara?¡± I hated how ungrateful I sounded. All they were trying to do was have a moment with their daughter, and I was ruining it.


    ¡°It was mine when I turned twenty-one, gifted to me by your grandmother,¡± my mother told me. ¡°Your sister received a different gift. Ruby earrings. They were part of a set, and we wanted you both to have something special to keep family close to your heart.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, giving them a half-hearted smile. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I set the box aside, clasping and unclasping my hands in front of me. No matter how much I may have hated the idea of going through with the ceremony, I would need to wear the tiara to honor my family.


    My father cleared his throat and glanced at my mother. ¡°Now, we understand how difficult this time is for you, especially given the circumstances with Lord Raydir.¡±


    I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand.


    ¡°Your mother explained what happened earlier. Given the tensions with Lord Alexander, we believe it is best that someone accompany you at all times from now until your ceremony. That way we can ensure you no longer have any contact with Lord Raydir.¡±


    The waiters returned to serve our main course, roast beef, but I was too focused on what I¡¯d just been told to enjoy any of it. I figured there was only one way to handle this.


    ¡°No contact?¡± My gaze dropped to my water glass, watching the condensation on the outside drip precariously onto the cream tablecloth.


    ¡°Darling, we know you love him. All we want is to protect you, truly. After everything that happened with Arabella¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly still be blaming Lord Alexander for the carriage accident!¡± I slammed down my fork. ¡°You only hated that she was in love with someone of lower status. Just as you hate that I am in love with the son of your enemy.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, please know that Lord Alexander and I are not enemies. There is much we disagree on, and it was his carelessness as a leader that led to the poor mechanics on the carriage that your sister was in.¡±


    ¡°Then blame the engineers! And leave Ray out of it. He¡¯s done nothing wrong except be from Alvenora.¡± My words were fire, spewing out of control. ¡°I love him, and I will always choose him over family.¡±


    Silence fell over the room as I realized I had gone too far.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡±


    My mother was practically in tears at this time, but somehow my father remained calm during my outburst.


    I took a deep breath before speaking again. ¡°You must understand that Raydir means the world to me. And your disapproval over a man who you¡¯ve loved as a son since I was a child makes it all quite confusing.¡±


    ¡°Darling, we know this is difficult to absorb, but it really is for the best. This is not a decision we make lightly.¡± There was a look of desperation in his eyes, pleading with me to drop the conversation.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I picked up my knife and fork, casually slicing the meat into pieces. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°I have arranged for you to have tea here at the palace in preparation for you starting a new life with your Chosen,¡± my mother offered, her voice steady once again. ¡°There are quite a few others who are about to go through the ceremony, and you might as well set an example for them, yes?¡±


    At least I will get some interactions with my friends before I leave.


    ¡°Sounds fine. Can you have Ginny make those peanut butter biscuits for tea?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I know this is not how you wanted to spend these last few nights before your ceremony, my dear. And I know it must be hard for you to accept our plea,¡± my father said. ¡°We are so proud of the young woman you have become, wise in making her own decisions.¡±


    ¡°You are right,¡± I said. ¡°It is my life and I am, as you say, a young woman, I am free to make my own choices. Just like Bella.¡±


    My parents shared a look. They were not expecting this to come back and bite them.


    I raised my glass of red wine in a toast. ¡°To making my own choices.¡±

 Chapter 3.1 [Edited]

    Two days later, I woke up with a feeling of dread starting in the pit of my stomach. Tonight would be my Fate Ceremony, my last chance to make my final choice.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn?¡± Ginny poked her head into my room. ¡°I brought you breakfast.¡±


    I rubbed at my eyes, smiling, and hugged my knees to my chest. The scent of freshly brewed coffee, poached eggs, and honey-glazed ham wafted through the room. I surely was going to miss Ginny when I left.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I walked over to the table and sat down. The warmth of the coffee calmed my nerves as I dug into breakfast.


    ¡°How are you feeling about tonight?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Nervous. I don¡¯t even want to go through with it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Your sister had the same nerves.¡±


    I nodded.


    Ginny brushed my hair away from my face. ¡°After she met Bennett, she resisted your parents more than you. But she always wanted what was best for you. Always. That¡¯s why she was so hard on you when you were young.¡±


    I poked at my eggs, the yolk bursting into a stream of golden yellow over the egg whites. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to do anymore. I want to be with Raydir, but I can¡¯t abandon my family at a time like this. Even if it means being miserable with my Chosen.¡± ¡±


    ¡°Oh, Arwyn. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She enveloped me into a hug.


    I sighed. ¡°Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Maybe I¡¯d even end up liking the guy. But I¡¯m old enough to make my own choices, and whatever consequences might come from it.¡± Even as I said it, my heart twinged with guilt. I knew the risks. How did I know I wouldn¡¯t meet the same fate as my sister? How did I know I¡¯d be able to survive with a freed wolf spirit?


    You¡¯re worse than your sister, a voice in my head remarked. How can you really do this to them?


    Ginny¡¯s expression changed to worry as her brow furrowed, but she didn¡¯t say anything else about the matter. ¡°Now, remember. You have archery lessons in an hour and language lessons after that.¡± She gave me a small nod before leaving the room.


    I hurriedly finished my breakfast and got dressed for the day. There would be plenty of time after my lessons to change for the ceremony. I just hoped I¡¯d be able to focus until then.


    Thick clouds loomed in the sky, a dark threat of what was to come. I wasn¡¯t one for superstitions, but it was always better for the sun to shine on the day of the Fate Ceremony.


    My head buzzed and I stared down at my hands. Soon, I would be engaged to a man I surely did not love.


    Raydir and I were running out of time.


    Hot tears dripped down my cheeks and I quickly swept them away as I waved to a carriage outside the palace.


    ¡°Runswick archery range, please,¡± I instructed the driver.


    Just as I started to close the carriage door, someone called out toward it:


    ¡°Hold the carriage!¡±


    The exasperated face of a blonde girl, her hair falling free of its loose braid, appeared in the doorway. ¡°Oh, Arwyn, I didn¡¯t know you had lessons today.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Emilia,¡± I greeted her. Nodding to the driver, he snapped the reins to move the horse forward. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve actually gone to my lessons. I have otherwise been ¡­preoccupied.¡± My fingers flew to the delicate gold chain clasped at my neck.


    ¡°It is a beautiful necklace,¡± she commented. ¡°A gift from a close friend, perhaps?¡±


    Heat crept to my cheeks. ¡°Raydir gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°I know how you feel about him, Arwyn. You have to know I do not have feelings for him. Our fathers are friends in Alvenora, so that is why they¡¯re so insistent on pushing us together. But to be perfectly honest, my heart lies elsewhere.¡± She glanced out the window.


    Realization hit me. ¡°You¡¯re Alvenorian.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking the carriage out of Gwyniar to your lessons. Is there a particular reason for that? A friend you were meeting perhaps?¡±


    Emilia looked down. Her face matched the pink of her dress. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not who you think.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Raydir told me his father wants him to marry you since he¡¯s been courting you for such a while now.¡± I still didn¡¯t like how Ray had been so sure that Emilia was his Chosen.


    ¡°You have to know, Ar, what Raydir and I display for our fathers is merely for them¡ªnot us. He¡¯ll do anything he can so that you two can end up together.¡±


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t figured out what¡¯s going to happen so that we can be together.¡± I kicked my feet against the board underneath the carriage seat.


    She rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll find a way, Arwyn. You¡¯ve always found a way with Raydir.¡±


    The carriage came to a halt, and we climbed out.


    ¡°Let me come to your fate ceremony,¡± she blurted. ¡°I want to be there to support you in whatever you decide.¡±


    I hugged her. ¡°Em, you are truly such a good friend.¡±


    She squeezed my hand, and we went our separate ways for our lessons. Fortunately, the archery range was empty upon my arrival, so I had the chance to practice before other students started to arrive. I picked out my bow and notched an arrow, pointing it at the target.


    Thwap. Perfect bullseye.


    ¡°Great shot.¡±


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    I whipped around, and my visitor ducked out of the way on instinct, thinking that I had already notched another arrow. My heart swelled when I saw who it was. I dropped my bow, running toward him.


    He picked me up and spun me around, my skirts swishing in the wind.


    ¡°Ray! What are you doing here? If we get caught¡ª¡±


    His lips cut my sentence short and his hands circled my waist to set me back down. ¡°I had to see you before the ceremony. And I wanted to tell you that whatever happens, I love you so much. And I will always love you.¡± His eyes sparkled a lighter green in the morning sun.


    ¡°Ray, I love you too.¡± I sighed. ¡°I wish this wasn¡¯t so hard with the curse and everything if I reject my Chosen.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you have to say yes.¡±


    I blinked and stepped back. ¡°What? Raydir, I can¡¯t say yes to someone I don¡¯t love. I won¡¯t be with anyone but you.¡± I cupped his face in my hands. ¡°You and me. I don¡¯t want anyone else.¡±


    Raydir gently pulled my hands away from his face and brought them down to his sides. ¡°Ar, please. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s the only way. You have to say ¡®yes¡¯ to your Chosen. Promise me?¡±


    ¡°Ray¡ª¡±


    ¡°Promise me, Arwyn. Please.¡± He gently brushed his fingers against my cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    Tears brimmed my eyes. ¡°Then why are you willing to give me up so easily?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t easy, believe me. But it¡¯s the only way.¡± His eyes locked somewhere behind me. ¡°Um, I¡¯ll want to see you one more time. So, meet me at our spot after the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions. Just promise you¡¯ll meet me?¡±


    I frowned then kissed him, slowly and lingering. This might be the last time I could ever kiss him for real. ¡°I promise. Now go before someone catches you.¡±


    He squeezed my hand once before running off in the direction of the woods.


    My heart pounded in my chest and my bow hung limply at my side. Had Raydir broken up with me? Why did he think this was for the best?


    I swiped my hand across my face. Maybe he was right. By saying yes to my Chosen, I was saving us a life with the wolf curse, but was that really worth not seeing him ever again? Through my blurred vision, I shot another arrow. This time, it swished past the target and into the grass behind it.


    Maybe we could have a secret life, I thought to myself as I went to retrieve the arrow. Maybe I could still be with Ray even if I said yes to a man I didn¡¯t love.


    No. I shook the idea out of my head. That wasn¡¯t the girl I was. If I had to agree to my arranged future, I would need to make the best of it. It wouldn¡¯t be losing Raydir forever. He could still be in my life.


    But could he really? a voice nagged in my head. Could you really go back to being just friends?


    I¡¯d known for a long while now that I couldn¡¯t be ¡®just friends¡¯ with Raydir anymore. We shared secrets, special moments that no one else knew about. He was my whole world. I couldn¡¯t just pretend like it didn¡¯t matter anymore. But maybe now I had to. Maybe it was for the best.


    I turned back to the target, notching another arrow and saw a tall dark stranger approaching. Yet another I recognized.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn,¡± he greeted me with a smile, his deep voice gruff in the crisp morning air. His white shirt billowed loosely around his chest in the wind.


    I inwardly groaned and wiped the new tears that had formed away from my face. The last thing I needed right now was for him to see me cry. ¡°Darius, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Can I help you with something?¡± I asked, taking aim again. ¡°Did you seek me out after the gardens?¡±


    My nostrils flared with frustration. On the most important day of my life, here he was. This guy, who I knew nothing about, seemed so keen to run into me and I didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised at you, Arwyn. You really don¡¯t remember that we knew each other before that day?¡±


    I squinted in thought. ¡°No? As far as I¡¯m concerned, the gardens was our first encounter.¡±


    Something itched at the back of my mind, telling me I was wrong. The gardens were not our first encounter.


    Darius scratched the back of his head. ¡°You left your history notes in the classroom yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Thanks.¡± I stabbed at the ground with the toe of my boot. Now that I thought about it, that deep voice and blue-eyed gaze were extremely familiar. He was the guy who always sat in the back of the class.


    It dawned on me that I never had any reason to let him catch my eye before; it was ingrained in me from my youth to keep my distance from the young men my age in the dukedoms.


    Of course, that had failed when I met Raydir. And Darius had never caught my attention. Until now.


    I cleared my throat and turned to face him. ¡°So, where are the notes?¡±


    He handed me a small notebook that he produced from the brown leather satchel that hung by his side.


    Our fingers grazed as I took the notebook from him. It was a sweet gesture that he had even found my notebook and was willing to return it, but I hoped he didn¡¯t think this would change anything between us.


    He lingered, and I gave him a sideways glance.


    ¡°My lessons are private, so if there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± I shooed him away.


    He smirked. ¡°Forgive me, Lady Arwyn. I did have an ulterior motive for coming out here.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows at him. Figures. ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Archery. I¡¯m quite skilled,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t mind if I join you?¡±


    I stayed silent and Darius stepped up to the target next to mine. ¡°My sister taught me everything I know about archery. I owe my skill set to her.¡± I had no idea why I was telling him this, but somehow practicing in silence seemed like a worse option.


    ¡°Ah yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°Lady Arabella, correct?¡±


    I focused on my target. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°It must be so hard.¡±


    I whipped to face him, not even stopping to lower my bow. ¡°Is there some reason you¡¯re probing about this or can you let me practice? Don¡¯t think that the Flower Gardens meant anything more than just a friendly conversation.¡± He was a worse nuisance than the spiny flowers in the garden; intriguing to look at but if you poked, you were sure to get hurt.


    He put his hands up in defense, a smirk painted across his face. ¡°I think you need to go back to the basics. The first rule of archery: do not point your bow and arrow at another person.¡±


    I returned his smirk with one of my own. After his display in the garden, I was hoping to prove him wrong. ¡°Alright. Show me what you got.¡±


    Darius picked up a bow and notched an arrow, glancing at me. ¡°Here we go.¡±


    I stepped closer. ¡°Second rule of archery: keep your eye on the target.¡±


    ¡°You underestimate my abilities.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because I don¡¯t know you very well.¡±


    He released the arrow. I watched with amusement as the arrow bounced off the target with a thunk, landing on the thick grass in front of it.


    ¡°Nice try.¡± I stepped up in his place, readjusting my arm guard and not daring to meet his eyes. ¡°This is how it¡¯s done.¡±


    The arrow flew off the bow seamlessly and embedded itself right in the center of the bullseye.


    I smiled. ¡°See? It¡¯s all about believing.¡± And about ten years of practice.


    Darius pursed his lips. ¡°Impressive. Could you teach me?¡±


    ¡°Another time, maybe,¡± I said, knowing perfectly well I¡¯d never see him again after my ceremony.


    He laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to agree to it today. You know, with your ceremony and all.¡±


    Silence fell between us as I went to retrieve my arrows.


    Anyway, since we have Latin next, may I escort you?¡± He reached out a hand toward me.


    ¡°Actually, I have other business to attend to.¡± The last thing I wanted to do was spend more time with him.


    Darius regarded me, and I instinctively glared at him. Could this guy not take a hint?


    ¡°Well, if I don¡¯t see you¡­¡± Darius trailed off, sticking out his hand toward me. His blue eyes lit up when they locked on me. ¡°Good luck.¡±


    I tentatively shook his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 3.2 [Edited]

    One hour before my ceremony, I sat in front of my mirror doubting everything I¡¯d ever known. Holy shit. Is this what Bella felt? She was so in love, and this ceremony ruined her life. If she had just given in¡­No. No, I promised her. I would do what I had to.


    ¡°Arwyn, you¡¯re still not dressed?¡± Ginny¡¯s panicked voice broke me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Sorry, Ginny. I was just thinking.¡±


    She walked over to my wardrobe and slipped a gorgeous blue gown off of the hanger. ¡°Your mother will be looking for you, so we better hurry.¡±


    I shakily stood up and stepped into the dress. Ginny smoothed out the skirt where it cinched from the bodice. The sleeves fell just over my shoulders. Sheer fabric, bedazzled by sapphires, covered my bosom. On any other night, I would¡¯ve felt like royalty¡ªwell, happier royalty than I currently did.


    ¡°You look beautiful,¡± Ginny commented, her voice breaking as she sat me down to brush my hair. Her fingers worked double time to transform my long tresses into a crown braid that perfectly framed my face, letting the rest of it fall into soft ringlets at my shoulders.


    ¡°Bella, when I grow up I wanna be just like you,¡± seven-year-old me said as Arabella brushed my hair at the dressing stool.


    Arabella laughed, her soft voice floating through our shared bedroom. ¡°You get to be your own person, make your own decisions, Ary. That¡¯s what¡¯s so great about growing up. No one can take that away from you.¡±


    Even at twelve years old, Arabella was wise beyond her years. She had rebelled from the age of thirteen, was the top of her class in both her academic and recreational studies. And I idolized her for every minute of her life.


    ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Ginny asked.


    I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. For a second, I thought I saw Arabella. People always said we looked like twins even though she was five years older than me.


    ¡°I need a few more minutes. Tell Mother that I¡¯ll be down at the carriage soon.¡±


    She left the room, and I pulled on a pair of black lace-up boots before walking over to my dresser where my tiara from my parents lay still in its box. I lifted it out and placed it on my head. Tonight already felt like a nightmare. Every time the ruby caught the light, it felt as though it were screaming out ¡°imposter!¡±


    What was that my parents had said at dinner? They had given Arabella a pair of ruby earrings before her ceremony, and she never got to wear them. Taking a deep breath, I rummaged through my closet and pulled out the mahogany jewelry box that had been hidden away for the past five years. Inside, as expected, were a pair of ruby crystal drop earrings. My fingers hesitated over them in anticipation.


    Non desistas non exieris. Never give up, never surrender.


    ¡°For Bella,¡± I whispered as I clasped the jewels to my ears.


    Only a short while later, I sat sandwiched between my parents as our carriage bounced along the road to the amphitheater in Runswick. My father squeezed my hand.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine,¡± he tried to reassure me.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    My mother fussed with my hair and I swatted her hand away as she attempted to fix my updo. She always did that when she was nervous, but tonight I was the one who needed to be nervous. My future was only minutes away from being decided.


    After what seemed like ages, the carriage lurched to a stop. Our driver opened our doors and offered his hand to each of us in turn. I glanced up at the building. It had been done up in twinkling lights that sparkled in the moonlight.


    I sat in anticipation with my knees bouncing up and down as I waited for the announcer to call my name. It was funny, Raydir and I had played the game so many times as children, picking each other¡¯s names out of a hat. But nothing could have prepared me for this moment.


    ¡°Arwyn Magnolia Kingston.¡± My name echoed through the room as all eyes turned toward me.


    With a shaky breath, I stood up and walked forward. Each footstep echoed like a sonic boom.


    ¡°Are you prepared to make your choice?¡± the announcer asked.


    I glanced back at the crowd, a familiar face hidden in the shadows pulling at my heartstrings. Raydir was here. He was here.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I took a deep breath, reaching into the bowl that lay before me. ¡°Fortuna caeca est. Fata decernere.¡± Fate is blind. Let the fates decide.


    My eyes widened as I saw the name on the slip of paper, handing it to the announcer. It had to be a mistake. Or a coincidence.


    ¡°Lord Darius Benedict Harford.¡± The room erupted into a sea of applause as Darius stepped forward, a grin plastered on his tanned face.


    This has to be a coincidence.


    The announcer turned to me. ¡°Do you accept your fate?¡±


    I hesitated, glancing wildly around the room. Raydir was sitting next to his father with an unreadable expression.


    Come on Ray, give me a sign. Anything. Tell me not to do this.


    Silence.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn?¡±


    I tore my gaze away from the audience and back to where the announcer and Darius were expectantly awaiting my response.


    ¡°Y-yes,¡± I managed to get out.


    ¡°And Lord Darius, do you accept your fate?¡±


    Darius winked at me. ¡°Yes.¡±


    The announcer clasped his hands together. ¡°Lady Arwyn, Lord Darius. Your fate is sealed.¡±


    My mouth shifted into a grimace, giving a small nod to the crowd before walking away with Darius where we could be alone.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn,¡± he addressed me, lifting my hand to his lips.


    ¡°Lord Darius.¡± Once he lowered my hand, I yanked it out of his grasp. He was a traitor. He could¡¯ve told me who he really was when we first met. I mentally kicked myself for not recognizing him sooner.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too happy with the choice,¡± he commented.


    I glanced back, craning my neck for any sight of Raydir, but he was nowhere to be found. ¡°You lied to me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. I simply withheld the information.¡±


    In the crowd I caught a glimpse of blonde hair, then Emilia came into view. I let out a small sigh of relief. As promised, she had shown up to the ceremony. She waved at me frantically.


    This was it. Darius was looking at me expectantly again and all I wanted was to get out of there and find Raydir. It had always been Raydir and it was always going to be. Nothing would stand in my way.


    ¡°Darius, I¡¯m sorry. I¡ªI have to go,¡± I said.


    He placed a hand on my arm. ¡°This is about the other guy, right?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Darius, you seem like a great guy. But I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t be your Chosen.¡±


    A low rumble of thunder sounded above us. Darius tipped his head in understanding. ¡°Then you know what happens now, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fully prepared for it.¡±


    Something flashed in his blue eyes¡ªthe same something I saw in Raydir the other day. I didn¡¯t know how to explain it, but I was hesitant to ask about it.


    ¡°Then go. Now. There¡¯s only a few days left before the next alignment, so you¡¯ll want to leave quickly.¡± He lifted my hand to his lips. ¡°I bid you adieu.¡±


    I slipped through the crowd to where Emilia was waiting for me.


    ¡°Arwyn!¡± Her blue eyes scanned my face. ¡°Are you sure you want to go through with this? Turning down Darius Harford, of all people?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You know I have to do this. I can¡¯t stay here and marry someone I don¡¯t love.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I understand. I just don¡¯t want to lose you.¡± She wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Stay safe, okay? And give Ray my best.¡±


    I gathered my skirts and took off at a run, stopping only when I reached our meeting spot. Thunder rumbled softly overhead again. A warning.


    I know. God, I know what I¡¯m doing.


    ¡°Ray!¡± I called out. ¡°Are you here?¡±


    Raydir stepped out from behind a tree. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    I ran into his arms. ¡°Ray, I¡¯m so sorry. I said yes, but I can¡¯t go through with any more of it. I can¡¯t marry Darius, I can¡¯t stay in the dukedoms. Not if it means losing you.¡±


    As I babbled, Ray knelt down in front of me. ¡°Arwyn, I didn¡¯t propose to Emilia. We ended our fake courtship just before your ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t propose to her because it would only be to make my father happy. And the only thing that matters to me is if I¡¯m happy and you¡¯re happy.¡± He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it.


    I gasped. Inside were two silver rings: one for him, one for me. His was a thick silver band while mine held a delicate heart-shaped ruby stone in the center of the thin silver band.


    ¡°Ar, you and I made a promise when we were nine years old that we would be together. I want to give us that opportunity,¡± he said.


    My heart thumped louder in my chest. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to say yes. ¡°Ray, you know what it means by doing this. If we run, you know the consequences.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m prepared to take them. This is my chance¡ªour chance¡ªto start over. If the time shadowing my father has taught me anything, Darqua is the only place I can do what I truly want, be with the woman I truly want to be with. I want to be a healer. I want to be an artist! But most of all, I want to be with you.¡± He looked up at me. ¡°So Arwyn Magnolia Kingston, will you be my forever, love?¡±


    I let a single tear roll down my cheek. ¡°Yes. Yes!¡±


    He stood up and slid the thin band around my finger. Pulling me into a hug, he tangled his hands in my hair and kissed me deeply. As he did, thunder boomed above us for the third time that night, lightning crackled in the sky, and the wind swirled around us. When we looked up at the sky, the five moons appeared slightly askew from one another in a vertical orientation. By their appearance and once morning light hit, we would five days before the Alignment.


    Five days before the curse set in.


    I wouldn¡¯t regret this. Would I?

 Chapter 4 [Edited]

    I was officially on the run.


    After rejecting Darius at the ceremony and promising myself to Raydir, I had run back to change my clothes and grab my riding satchel. Earlier in the day, I had packed it just in case.


    ¡°How was the ceremony, Lady Arwyn?¡± the carriage driver asked.


    I drummed my fingers against the seat. ¡°It was fine. I picked the name, betrothed myself to a Chosen, the usual.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I see.¡± He slowed the carriage to a stop outside the palace. ¡°Good luck with all of your endeavors, Arwyn Kingston.¡±


    With a final look around my bedchamber to make sure I had packed everything I wanted¡ªclothes, family mementos, my hunting knife¡ªI ran out to the barn. My bow and quiver lay in their usual spot, and I threw them over my shoulders before mounting Majesty. We rode off into the storm, not looking back.


    Just hours after my ceremony, Raydir and I hiked through the forest, riding side by side. Occasionally, we¡¯d stop to let the horses graze and make sure that we weren¡¯t being followed. We weren¡¯t safe to stay. The wolf curse was not widely accepted in Gwyniar and Alvenora, but some folks were still able to live their lives without leaving the dukedoms while others were forced out. Either way, we were never allowed to talk about them. As both children of royalty, leaving our homes was the only plausible option for us.


    Darqua, the hidden valley, was the settlement for anyone hit by the curse who had been cast out. So that¡¯s where we planned to go, hoping to seek refuge with others who had also rejected their Chosens. The valley was an almost five day journey by foot, and only a little faster by horse.


    Ridicule was the way the dukedoms controlled their people. I hated it. To my knowledge, my father had tried everything in his power to change the rules. He wanted more peace and harmony between our people. That¡¯s why some who rejected their Chosens were able to stay. He provided them with homes and food and jobs. It helped the dukedoms thrive.


    It was almost nightfall by the time we had to stop again. One of the rivers that separated the dukedoms fell along our path, the rushing water a calming contrast to our beating hearts.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Raydir asked me. We stopped briefly by a tree to drink some water. My legs wobbled beneath me, but I knew we had to keep going. We had to make it to the valley in time for the Alignment.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± He looked over his shoulder. The moons had already begun to rise, and we were losing daylight fast. ¡°We should rest here for the night.¡±


    ¡°Ray, we¡¯re still too far out. We won¡¯t make it to the valley by the Alignment if we rest now. We can still walk for at least another hour.¡±


    ¡°Ar, if we keep going, you¡¯re going to collapse. You look exhausted. Plus, the horses need the rest too. We¡¯ll wake by first light and get an early start, ok?¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°Okay. Should we eat the food we brought?¡±


    ¡°We should ration as much as possible. Maybe see if you can catch a few quail?¡±


    ¡°Good idea. I¡¯ll be back soon. If you need me, just whistle.¡± I kissed him, letting my lips linger on his for a few extra seconds.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start a fire. Be careful.¡± He brushed his fingers across my cheek before letting me go.


    I walked along the river to where we¡¯d passed a covey of quail. They cooed and waddled away as I stepped closer, carefully avoiding any large twigs on the ground. Aiming my bow, the arrow shot cleanly forward.


    ¡°Keep your eye on the prize,¡± my father had taught me. ¡°Aim for it, believe in it.¡±


    I swallowed away the guilt as I pushed the memory aside. Once the arrow hit, the rest of the birds began to squawk incessantly, flapping their wings and scattering away. I took that opportunity to shoot another arrow, downing a second.


    Satisfied, I returned to our base camp with our dinner. But Raydir wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Ray?¡± I called out frantically, letting out our whistle, praying for a reply.


    Silence. Then: one long note, three short notes. Raydir appeared from the edge of the river shirtless and barefoot. The cuffs of his pants were also damp from the river.


    ¡°Sorry, I was just cleaning up.¡± He wiped his palms together. ¡°I figured I¡¯d let my shirt air out while we camped.¡±


    I swallowed, my gaze trying so hard to divert from his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s smart. If we can wash along the way, we¡¯ll be able to salvage more of our clothes.¡± Had he always had those abs?


    ¡°Do you need any help with the dinner?¡± he asked.


    I held up the quail. ¡°We just need to roast them over the fire. It shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done this before?¡± We each speared our quail and began to roast them over the fire.


    I stared into the firelight, listening to the soft crackle beneath the kindling. ¡°Bella and I¡ªwe camped out behind the palace when we were little. Father helped us roast quail just like this. Freshly caught, he¡¯d said, for his special girls.¡±


    He pushed some stray hair behind my ear, letting his fingers linger against the warmth of my cheek for just a few extra seconds. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how hard this must be for you, leaving your family.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be any harder than it is for you,¡± I countered. ¡°You were to be the heir of your father¡¯s throne.


    You were popular. You could¡¯ve had a chance at a life you could still call your own.¡± I didn¡¯t know where this guilt was coming from. Leaving the dukedoms was best for both of us.


    ¡°You had a life, too. These last five years without Bella have been so hard on you, I¡¯ve seen that. You¡¯ve grown so much, Ar.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I lifted my quail from the fire. Almost done, and it smelled delicious.


    He continued, "When Bella died, my heart broke for you. And while you came out the other side with scars, I can still see the fierce fire in your eyes.¡±


    We ate our quail in silence, listening to the sound of the crackling fire and the hooting of the owls in the distance. If we weren¡¯t on the run, it would be almost peaceful.


    ¡°Surely you miss your family,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I know that I do.¡± Without seasoning, the quail tasted bland, but it was better than going hungry.


    ¡°I do miss them.¡± He ran a hand through his hair. ¡°But it''s time to be my own person. And facing consequences? That¡¯s just part of the journey. For the first time, nothing is planned and I like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried,¡± I admitted, staring into the fire. My senses were terribly on edge. The snap of a twig, the whoosh of the wind, it all echoed the possibilities of danger.


    ¡°Me too.¡± Raydir pulled me into his arms. ¡°But all we can do is keep moving forward and set our focus on getting to the valley.¡±


    I nodded. Neither of us knew what our fate would be once we arrived in the valley.


    ¡°We should get some rest,¡± Raydir said. The fire had died down quite a bit as we tunneled next to each other on the forest ground, one soft blanket to cover us. I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of his heartbeat, and prayed we¡¯d make it to the valley.


    Four days before the Alignment


    I woke up with an oddly dry taste in my mouth. Wiping at it with my fingers, I realized I¡¯d been drooling.


    Great, that¡¯s attractive.


    My eyes took a minute to adjust to the still-dark sky. By the slight lighter hue in the distance, it looked close to sunrise which meant we would have to leave soon. The morning air was cool and crisp. Soft coos sounded from a handful of morning doves who waddled around the grass.


    Glancing at Raydir next to me, his chest rose and fell in continuous soft breaths, his lips moving incoherently in his sleep. I carefully slipped out of his embrace and stepped over to where we had left Majesty and Orion. Out of eyesight from Raydir, I tugged at the laces of my corset dress, letting it fall to my feet, and kicked off my boots. The water looked serene in the fading moonlight, and after two days of constant walking, I needed to wash.


    The water felt cool on my skin as I dove in, a calm my body desperately craved. My hair tumbled down my back, now in wet clumps as I emerged and wiped droplets out of my eyes. I inhaled deeply and let out a shaky breath. A slight mustiness hung in the morning air that bordered on the brink of summer¡ªmy favorite time of year.


    ¡°Ar?¡± Raydir¡¯s voice called out, slightly gravelly from sleep. ¡°Where did you go? We really need to get going.¡±


    Crap. How much time has passed? I¡¯ve been gone for five minutes! ¡°Uh, just a minute!¡± I swam to the edge of the water then realized I had nothing to cover my naked body. My fingers thrust forward, one hand reaching up, the other trying to hide my chest. Majesty¡¯s blanket was just out of reach. Grunting, I stretched my body forward a little more¡ªa little too much more¡ªand let out an eek! as I teetered face-first on the grass. I wriggled up and hid behind Majesty¡¯s coat, wrapping myself in his blanket.


    Raydir caught my gaze from the other side. ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    I nodded, shivering now that I was out of the water. ¡°Yeah. I just thought I¡¯d go for a swim before we headed out.¡±


    His eyes traveled from my face to my neck down to where the horse blocked his view. ¡°Naked?¡±


    A smile twitched at the corners of his lips.


    Heat crept into my cheeks. ¡°Wet clothes make me cold. Do we have anything for breakfast?¡±


    ¡°I can whip us up something,¡± he replied, shoving his sleeves to his elbows.


    It was cute that he wanted to take charge like that, and I wished he¡¯d been able to cook for me before we were on the run. ¡°Are you sure we have enough time? Maybe we should just eat some of our food instead.¡±


    Raydir shielded his eyes from the sun. ¡°Let¡¯s do that. The sooner we hit the road, the closer we¡¯ll be to the valley by sundown. I¡¯ll prepare while you get dressed. Unless you want company in there?¡± He gestured to the water behind me.


    Is this really happening right now? ¡°Um, maybe another time. We really should get going.¡± My voice came out as a higher-than-normal squeak.


    He nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you back in a few.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I waited until he walked away before rummaging through my satchel for a fresh outfit.


    Once I returned to our base camp, Raydir handed me a few slices of bread and the last of our quail from the night before. We ate quickly and mounted our horses, continuing along the path toward the valley.


    ¡°So I wanted to ask about Darius Harford,¡± Raydir said as we trotted along. ¡°How much do you know about him?¡±


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡± I asked, keeping my gaze set ahead of me.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, but¡±¡ªhe ducked to avoid a tree branch¡ª¡°you know who he is, don¡¯t you? You recognized him.¡±


    I scoffed. Now was not the time for him to be jealous. ¡°Ray, you¡¯re not seriously jealous, are you?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know. You knew him before the ceremony, right?¡±


    Why was he so insistent all of a sudden?


    ¡°Yes, I knew him from school, but I don¡¯t understand that relevance. We¡¯re never going to see him again, right?¡± Guilt crept up inside. Maybe I should¡¯ve told him about meeting Darius in Runswick. And then seeing him again at the archery fields.


    ¡°I was just curious.¡± He shrugged. There was a hint of jealousy in his voice.


    ¡°Well how do you know him?¡± I asked, raising my eyebrows.


    He scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t. Not really. Just school. We didn¡¯t really cross paths too many times.¡±


    Something in his voice set off an alarm bell in my head. He wasn¡¯t being honest with me, that I knew. To be fair, I hadn¡¯t been entirely honest with him either. But what was it about Darius that had Raydir so set on edge? What bullet had I dodged?


    Then a realization hit me. ¡°Did you know he was going to be my Chosen?¡±


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Sorry. The way he was looking at you on the stage at the ceremony¡­I really wanted to punch him.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°So you can have every girl in the dukedoms falling at your feet but when one other guy looks at me, that¡¯s when you become all macho?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m macho all the time.¡± As if to prove his point, he flexed his muscles which just made me laugh harder.


    I slid out of my saddle to give Majesty a rest and Raydir did the same with his horse. We tied our horses¡¯ reins onto a nearby branch. I pressed my back against the tree. Placing his hands on either side of my head, Raydir leaned forward with a lusting hunger in his eyes. His lips grazed mine and I hummed happily.


    ¡°You¡¯re cute when you¡¯re jealous,¡± I murmured, running a hand down his chest.


    He let out a low growl of approval. ¡°And what about when I¡¯m not jealous?¡±


    I wove my fingers through his hair. ¡°Hot as hell.¡±


    Raydir dipped his head to kiss my neck and my eyes fluttered closed. I wanted him so bad. When they opened again, my fingers tugged at the fabric of his chest, lifting it slightly so that a small sliver of skin was peeking out. His muscles rippled under my touch. He slipped his fingers under the fabric of my top, running them along my bare shoulders.


    Oh my god. Was this really happening? Here?


    ¡°Ray, wait,¡± I said breathlessly. I pulled away from him and readjusted my clothes. ¡°We, um, we should probably¡ª¡±


    ¡°Focus on the journey?¡± he finished for me.


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I do want to, um, be with you like that. Just¡­I don¡¯t think our first time should be against a tree.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Right. You¡¯re right. We should keep going.¡±


    We remounted our horses and started up at a steady pace again.


    The warmth of the sun beat down on us. It was almost peaceful. But the further we got away from the water, the more exhausted and agitated we became. Our food supply had depleted substantially.


    By the time night fell, the moons were almost in full alignment, and Raydir started to have nightmares about what was coming. I sincerely hoped those predictions were wrong.


    He woke up sweating, screaming, crying, thrashing.


    ¡°Ray! Ray!¡± I cried, trying desperately to calm him down.


    His eyes flew open, panic washing over his face. ¡°Arwyn, I¡ªI¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± His breath shook as he adjusted to our surroundings. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not.¡± I brushed my fingers over a speck of dirt on his cheek. ¡°Do you want to tell me what the dream¡ªthe nightmare¡ªwas about?¡±


    ¡°The curse.¡± He swallowed and looked at me, his green eyes filling with tears. ¡°I¡ªI lost you. And I couldn¡¯t recover. How do we know the valley is safe? What if we don¡¯t reach it in time and I hurt you?¡±


    I covered his hand with mine. ¡°Hey, look at me. You will never hurt me, ok? And when you shift, I will be there every step of the way. I promise. We¡¯re in this together until the end.¡± I leaned forward pressing a soft kiss to his lips, our noses squishing together. Our mouths parted slightly, allowing us to explore the other, taking our time. He tasted like the honeysuckle we¡¯d picked along our journey, every moment as sweet as him. Warmth spread through me as he deepened the kiss, letting his tongue dance with mine. Oh, god, he¡¯s never kissed me like this before. I craved more, fingers pulling at his wrinkled shirt.


    His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me flush against his body as his thumbs rubbed circles against my sides. Wow. He is muscular. I wonder what he looks like¡ªNo, stop. This isn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°Arwyn,¡± he murmured against my mouth, ¡°are you ok?¡±


    I realized I¡¯d stopped kissing him. My breath came out in short spurts, hot against his lips. ¡°Yeah, I just got lost for a second.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Do you want to go back to sleep? We have another long day ahead of us.¡±


    I tucked my hair behind my ears. ¡°Yeah. We probably should.¡±


    We laid back down, my head on his chest, his hand in my hair. I closed my eyes and willed sleep to come. Three more days. Just three more days until everything would change.

 Chapter 5.1 [Edited]

    One day before the Alignment


    This was it. We had almost made it to Darqua. In a few hours, this would all be over. Or would it have just started? Raydir and I had just enough berries to get us to the valley before we¡¯d need more food. In the distance, the sound of rushing water filled the silence as we walked. Closer. Closer.


    These last few miles would be the most crucial. Majesty and Orion were running out of energy quickly, but the terrain ahead shifted.


    Raydir stopped, crouching to run a hand over the ground. ¡°We¡¯re getting close to the valley.¡±


    ¡°You can tell just by touching the ground?¡± I asked, impressed. It was like he¡¯d become part of the forest since we began our journey.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve always had a natural sense of direction. So I guess it¡¯s just part of it. We need to keep going if we want to make the valley by the evening.¡±


    ¡°We need to let the horses graze,¡± I countered. ¡°If they get too tired, we won¡¯t make it to the valley tonight.¡±


    Raydir raked a hand through his hair. ¡°Then we¡¯ll let them graze when we stop for lunch. Just a bit further, I promise.¡±


    Reluctantly, I nudged Majesty forward. We walked beside our horses in silence for a while. Occasionally, I glanced over at Raydir who looked more exhausted with each step.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep did you?¡± My voice was quiet to avoid hearing the evident quiver.


    ¡°Last night? Of course I did.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Not after the nightmare. You stayed awake.¡±


    ¡°Someone had to keep watch,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I wanted to make sure no one was following us.¡±


    ¡°Ray, if someone was following us, we would¡¯ve known by now.¡± I pushed my arm out in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°What¡¯s the real reason?¡±


    Fear swam in his eyes. They flashed a golden brown before settling back to green. He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Probably just the Alignment messing with my head, that¡¯s all.¡± He kissed my cheek. ¡°C¡¯mon, we should keep moving.¡±


    I nodded silently, deciding not to press anymore.


    What is he not telling me? I wondered. This closed-off side was something I hadn¡¯t seen in Raydir before. We didn¡¯t have secrets.


    Except, we now both very clearly did.


    A few hours later, we arrived at the edge of the valley. A protection barrier in front of us shimmered a rainbow of colors. They really did want to keep this valley away from the non-wolf community.


    ¡°This is it,¡± I said. ¡°Once we go through, there¡¯s no turning back.¡±


    Raydir nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡±


    I reached my hand out, and the barrier rippled as we stepped through. Several men and women stepped forward, aiming bows and arrows right at us. One woman who looked my age stood with her bow steadied, a look of determination in her blue eyes. Her red hair flowed loosely around her shoulders.


    Not the warm welcome I was expecting, I thought to myself as Raydir squeezed my hand. So here goes nothing.


    ¡°Um, hi!¡± I called cheerfully, waving. ¡°I¡¯m Lady Arwyn of Gwyniar and this is Lord Raydir of Alvenora. We¡¯ve come here¡ª¡±


    ¡°We know why you¡¯re here,¡± a voice boomed from one of the hilltops. A tall man stepped forward. ¡°Arabella was your sister.¡±


    My mouth dropped open. ¡°Y-you¡¯re him. You and Bella¡­¡± After all of the times that Arabella had talked about her ¡®prince charming¡¯, I had never once actually met him. He was like his own fairytale, and sometimes I wondered if he really existed.


    He inclined his head to me. ¡°I was her fiance.¡± He stepped forward, beckoning to one of the women who stood by his side. ¡°Rosamund, take these two to a cabin. And welcome to Darqua.¡±


    Rosie smiled and led us down the path. I breathed a sigh of relief. We¡¯d made it, finally. And there was still another day until the Alignment. Tomorrow, it would be upon us.


    The valley was beautiful, covered in a lush green with an array of colorful foliage. Surrounding the lake that separated the two sides were rustic log cabins. Right in the center sat a lodge building complete with a front porch and rocking chairs.


    ¡°Wow, you all have really made a life for yourselves out here,¡± I commented as we walked toward one of the cabins.


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    ¡°When you¡¯re separated from the outside world, you make do with what you have,¡± Rosamund replied. ¡°Would you prefer a one-bed cabin or a two-bed?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± I glanced at Raydir, heat creeping into my cheeks. ¡°Two?¡± We hadn¡¯t exactly talked over sleeping arrangements, but we¡¯d probably be more comfortable with the extra space.


    You can cuddle on the run but flee at the thought of sharing a bed? a voice nagged in my head. I pushed the thought away.


    Rosamund smiled. ¡°I thought as much.¡± She led us down the path a little further before stopping outside of one of the cabins. ¡°This will be yours. Take as much time as you need to settle in. You¡¯ll find towels and soap in your bathroom. If you have any clothes for washing, there are baskets inside. In the meantime, I can help you with some fresh clothes. I¡¯ll just need one outfit a piece so I can see what we can find in your sizes.¡±


    ¡°You have other clothing here?¡± I inquired.


    She nodded. ¡°All clothes we offer have never been worn as we always expect new members to the community. Once you take them, they become yours to keep.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, really,¡± Raydir said. He ran a hand through his hair again. ¡°Rosamund, could I speak with Bennett? I have questions about the valley, the curse, everything.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take you to see him. And please, just call me Rosie.¡±


    I tugged at his arm. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go inside and rest? We¡¯ll have plenty of time later to sort things out.¡±


    Ray glanced around. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I won¡¯t be able to rest until I get some answers.¡±


    I bounced on my toes in the doorway of the cabin. ¡°Be back soon, ok?¡± After five days on the run, I didn¡¯t want to let him go yet.


    Raydir kissed my cheek. ¡°I will.¡±


    With that, I went inside to take a look around our new home. The cabin held a small kitchen and sitting area between two bedrooms and a bathroom. A sleek marble tub sat in the middle of the bathroom. My muscles ached for hot water and cleanliness. After double-checking that the door was locked, I stripped out of my clothes and eased my body into the tub, letting out a sigh of relief. As promised, the cabin was fully equipped with soap and shampoo¡ªcertainly luxuries I wasn¡¯t expecting out here¡ªand all plant-based.


    Despite the exhaustion that had built up over the last five days, adrenaline soared through me and kept me awake.


    Fifteen minutes later, my fingers were good and wrinkly, and I felt calmer than I had in five days. Of course, that relief was slowly extinguished when I remembered tonight was the last night before the Alignment. Wrapping myself into a towel, I walked across the hall to my room where a silk nightgown and a new burgundy corset dress lay upon my bed. Raydir must have brought them back with him.


    Familiarity flowed through me as the fabric touched my skin. It was light and thin between my fingertips. Whenever I wore these dresses, I felt free from the constraints of society. Now here in Darqua, I didn¡¯t have to worry about that. The bronze overlay clasped at my waist and ended under my chest, giving a little extra emphasis to my bust. I padded carefully out of my room and found Raydir on the sofa, burying his face in his hands.


    ¡°Ray?¡± I asked quietly.


    His head shot up, swiveling around to face me. ¡°Arwyn, I didn¡¯t hear you come in. Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Are you? You look deflated.¡± I carefully sat next to him. ¡°What did Rosie say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated. We should talk with Bennett together after dinner. Rosie said we eat at the Grand Cabin at six. I¡¯m just going to get cleaned up.¡± He refused to meet my eyes.


    My gaze scanned his face for clues of anything. What are you not telling me, Raydir?


    Without another word, he got up from the sofa and went into the bathroom. I pulled on my boots and walked out of the cabin, hoping to catch up with Rosie or Bennett. The valley bristled with activity, sounds of casual chit chat and laughter echoing throughout. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine building a life here with Raydir.


    What would life be like out here?


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± a man in a weathered hat asked. He stood behind a small fruit stand to the left of the Grand Cabin.


    ¡°Just exploring,¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°But those peaches do smell delicious.¡±


    He tossed one to me. ¡°Consider it a welcome gift.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you.¡± I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    The man winked. ¡°Welcome to Darqua.¡±


    I gave him a smile and a small wave as I walked away, nearly colliding with Rosie.


    ¡°Arwyn!¡± Rosie exclaimed, grasping my shoulders to steady herself. ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t see you there.¡± Her eyes scanned over me. ¡°I see you found the clothes I left for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you. They¡¯re lovely. How are the horses?¡± We started walking along the path together.


    ¡°They are both resting in the barn, content. Are you settling in alright? How are you feeling about the Alignment?¡±


    I kicked the ground with the toe of my boot and stopped. ¡°I¡¯m really worried. Raydir has been having nightmares and he¡¯s pushing himself too much.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± She clasped her fingers together over her stomach. ¡°Yes, the nightmares before the Alignment before the first shift are often the worst. Have you had any nightmares?


    I shook my head. ¡°None. But are you saying his nightmares are normal?


    Rosie glanced out into the distance. ¡°We¡¯ll know soon.¡±


    Great. More cryptics. ¡°What can you tell me about the shift? This is the last night, and I want to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°I really think it¡¯s best you heard that from Bennett. There is a lot about the wolf spirit that you and Raydir both need to know.¡±


    ¡°He seemed pretty upset at the cabin,¡± I said. ¡°All I¡¯ve ever wanted was to be with him. I hate to see the pain he¡¯s in. And why haven¡¯t I had any symptoms?¡± A realization hit me as her words sank in. ¡°Wait a minute, wolf spirit?¡±


    My mother used to tell me stories about a princess and her beloved who was cursed with a wolf spirit. One day her life was in danger, and her beloved as a wolf sacrificed himself to save her. As he was dying, he turned back into the human she had always loved..


    What were the chances it was more than a fairytale?


    ¡°Come with me now. We¡¯re about to serve dinner anyway. Why don¡¯t you and Raydir sit with me and Bennett? We can explain everything you need to know.¡±


    ¡°I would love that,¡± I replied.


    A bell rang, and the doors to several cabins opened as everyone made their way to the Grand Cabin for dinner.

 Chapter 5.2 [Edited]

    As we walked toward the Grand Cabin, I stopped Rosie with my arm. ¡°Can I ask for a favor?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°Would it be possible to get Raydir any sort of art supplies? Charcoal and paints, specifically. He makes the most spectacular charcoal drawings. And his attention to detail with watercolors¡­¡± I trailed off, remembering the painting he¡¯d given me for my 18th birthday.


    Rosie laid a hand gently on my arm. ¡°We can certainly get those for him. It¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I hoped to surprise him with it. Getting back into his art was one of his reasons for wanting to come out here.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. We encourage all forms of creativity out here. He¡¯s not the only artist in our midst.¡±


    Once inside the Grand Cabin, I found Raydir already talking with Bennett. He waved when he saw me, and we hurried over.


    ¡°Ah, Arwyn. I¡¯m glad to see you. We have much to discuss, the four of us,¡± Bennett said.


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, we do. Starting with: what are you not telling me about the first shift on the Alignment? How dangerous is this going to be?¡±


    Raydir squeezed my hand reassuringly under the table, rubbing small circles over it with his thumb.


    ¡°It depends on your reaction,¡± Bennett replied cryptically. ¡°Now, Raydir, you said that you¡¯ve had nightmares. We¡¯ve dealt with many different reactions¡ªthis points toward either type of wolf you can become.¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t choose?¡±


    Bennett nodded. ¡°Correct.¡±


    We paused the conversation momentarily as a couple of women served us plates of brisket drizzled with a balsamic glaze.


    ¡°There are two types of the wolf spirit, more commonly called the wolf curse,¡± Rosie explained. ¡°There is the type of wolf that is calmer and more wolf-like. They experience the mildest Alignment nights, shifting with all memory of who they are and who they love.¡±


    I swallowed. That doesn¡¯t sound so bad. ¡°And the other?¡±


    Rosie and Bennett shared a glance before he continued. ¡°The other is more dangerous. These wolves forget what they know and really become the wolf. Alignment nights are the worst for them, but the nights leading up are not great either.¡±


    My body tensed. ¡°So if it¡¯s someone¡¯s first Alignment¡ª¡±


    ¡°That is worse for everyone, regardless of the type of wolf they become,¡± Bennett clarified. He nodded to Raydir. ¡°Therefore, we do not know which one he will be.¡±


    ¡°And which are you, Bennett?¡± I asked.


    Bennett sipped at his drink. ¡°I am fortunate enough to be the former. But several others who live in our community are the latter. This time is always hard on them. On all of us, really. Now, as for what we can do to make tonight and ultimately tomorrow better, Rosie will make you some ibisco tea. Take one cup tonight, one in the morning, then one before sundown tomorrow. That should help ease some of the effects.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else we should know?¡± Raydir asked. ¡°I want to make sure Arwyn is safe during the shift.¡±


    ¡°She will be safe,¡± Rosie reassured him. ¡°We will make sure of it. And the most important thing is that you are there for each other. Raydir, a word of advice¡ªthink of Arwyn during the shift. Focus on what you love, who you love, and tomorrow won¡¯t be as bad. Any stray away from that focus, and the symptoms will be more severe.¡±


    Ray nodded uncomfortably. ¡°Noted.¡±


    We sat in a strange silence for the rest of dinner, the only sounds came from the chatter of the other folks and the clinking of utensils on plates. My head swam with a million thoughts about our situation. How would I know he would be ok? Did I make the right choice coming out here? Of course I did, what was I even thinking?


    ¡°It gets easier, I promise.¡±


    I looked up from my plate to find Rosie giving me a small smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t bear to see Ray like this.¡±


    She watched Raydir get up from the table, kiss my temple, then go to talk to someone across the room. ¡°The first shift is the hardest. It¡¯ll get better from here, and he has you to hang onto. Remember that.¡±


    I glanced over at Raydir. ¡°I love him. When we were in the dukedoms, we always had to sneak around to be with each other. But out here in the valley, we¡¯re truly free to just be with each other. Having the chance to make our own choices¡­it¡¯s freeing. Our families have feuded ever since my sister died. If that hadn¡¯t happened¡­¡± I shuddered, not daring to let myself imagine how life might have turned out if Arabella had never been in that carriage.


    ¡°Here, take this.¡± Rosie placed something cool and smooth in my hand.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


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    ¡°Praesidium. It¡¯s a protection crystal. And that reminds me¡ªI know I said the ibisco tea was for those three occasions, but if Raydir has nightmares again, make him a cup of the tea. It is the best remedy we have to ease them.¡±


    ¡°How will we know which type he¡¯ll be?¡± My mind kept fluttering back to what Bennett said: these wolves forget what they know and really become the wolf.


    ¡°You won¡¯t know until the Alignment happens.¡± Her eyes softened. ¡°But we will be with you every step of the way.¡±


    It was dark by the time that Raydir and I got back to our cabin. I changed into the silk nightgown and went to sit beside Raydir on the sofa. A warm fire crackled in the hearth, the lights dim for the evening.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± My fingers wove through his hair. While most men in the dukedoms kept their hair short, Raydir had grown his out so it curled along his jaw and just past his ears. It had been that way for as long as I could remember.


    Ray smiled. ¡°Just you.¡± He nuzzled my cheek with his lips. ¡°We¡¯re finally out here together. And we can do whatever we want.¡± His gaze met mine. That same hunger I saw on our journey was evident once again in his eyes.


    ¡°But the Alignment,¡± I protested as his lips grazed my neck.


    He lifted his head again. ¡°Rosie and Bennett already told us what we need to know about that. We¡¯re as prepared as we¡¯re going to be. And we¡¯re together. That¡¯s what matters most.¡±


    He tilted my head up to his and kissed me again. I let my hands roam over his back as he laid us down on the sofa. A small growl of approval escaped from his throat when I hooked my fingers under the fabric of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. He broke the kiss for a second to help me toss it to the side before slowly diving back in for more.


    This was what I wanted. He was all I wanted. As much as my body yearned for his touch, my brain had other more rational ideas.


    Raydir¡¯s fingers went to the clasps of the bronze piece that sat over my torso. He¡¯d managed to get the first few undone before pulling back. His eyes searched mine.


    ¡°Not tonight?¡± he asked.


    I bit my lip and shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I-I want this, I do. Just¡­¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    I laid my head back on his chest and sighed. ¡°How many other girls have you ever been with?¡± I mentally kicked myself as soon as the words had escaped my lips. Was that really what I was asking right now? And more importantly, did I really want to know?


    Raydir ran his fingers through my hair, the calming gesture almost lulling me to sleep. ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve courted other women.¡± I trailed a hand over his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my fingertips.


    ¡°Courted, yes. Slept with, no.¡± The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up into a hug. ¡°You¡¯re the only woman I want to be with, Arwyn. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± I cupped his face in my hands and leaned up to kiss him again. He hummed happily when I laid my head back down on his chest.


    I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. Tomorrow was just another day. Nothing serious to worry about. We were going to make it through. We were going to be fine.


    ¡°Bella! Bella! Wake up!¡± I whisper-squeaked, shaking my sister awake.


    ¡°Ary, what is it?¡± she grumbled, rubbing at her eyes.


    ¡°The howling. I¡¯m scared.¡± I hugged my teddy bear to my chest.


    ¡°Ary, the wolves aren¡¯t going to hurt you, ok? They¡¯re far away in Darqua.¡±


    My bottom lip quivered as I looked up at her.


    She sighed. ¡°Come here, Ary.¡± Arabella got up out of bed, taking me by the hand, and bringing me over to our bedroom¡¯s balcony. ¡°You see way out there in the distance? Beneath those mountains is Darqua, the hidden valley.¡±


    ¡°Is that where the wolfies live?¡±


    ¡°Father says so.¡±


    ¡°Can we go someday? I wanna meet a wolfie. Then I can ride him around the woods.¡±


    Arabella laughed. ¡°You¡¯re silly, Ary. Now, can you go back to sleep, please?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bel¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t hurt¡ª¡±


    ¡±Now I''m gonna dream about happy wolf¡­¡±


    ¡°NO! Leave her alone! Ahhhh!!¡±


    I jolted awake and Raydir thrashed next to me, yelling and cursing. It took a minute to gauge my surroundings; we had fallen asleep together on the sofa.


    ¡°Ray, Ray! Wake up!¡± I shook his shoulder.


    His eyes shot open. ¡°Wha¡ªwhat happened?¡±


    ¡°You were¡­you were having nightmares again.¡±


    Raydir dragged a hand down his face, rubbing at his eyes. ¡°I guess the tea didn¡¯t help.¡±


    I hopped up, rummaging through the cupboards for a tea kettle. ¡°Let me make you some more. Rosie said to make you more if you had nightmares tonight.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind?¡± he asked, padding over to the kitchen to join me.


    ¡°Positive.¡± I kissed his cheek. ¡°You are so worth it.¡±


    The kettle let out a shrill whistle soon after. I poured the water into a mug and added the ibisco tea bag so it could steep.


    ¡°Drink this. I really do hope it¡¯ll help.¡± We sat back down on the sofa.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I woke you up again,¡± Raydir said as he drank his tea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I covered his hand with mine. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re ok. Why don¡¯t we stay up for a while? We can just talk.¡±


    ¡°The way we did when we were young?¡± His lips formed a smile. ¡°I miss those days.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Back when we were young and innocent.¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°Oh, we were never innocent. Remember how we used to sneak out those biscuits from the kitchen? And we¡¯d go for rides for hours until our parents sent guards out to look for us because they were afraid we¡¯d gotten lost?¡±


    I leaned my head back against the sofa. ¡°Those really were the days. And all those times playing hide and seek on rainy afternoons?¡±


    ¡°We really could get lost for hours. And you always wanted to spend time in the library. You could practically live there.¡±


    ¡°I certainly miss that.¡± I jutted my chin toward his half-drunk tea. ¡°Keep drinking, Ray. We want to lessen as many of these symptoms as possible.¡±


    Reluctantly, he sipped more of the tea. ¡°Let¡¯s hope this stuff actually works. I don¡¯t know how many more of these nightmares I can take.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will. But just in case, I want to stay here with you for the rest of the night, ok? And don¡¯t even think about getting up and leaving me for whatever reason. I¡¯m here to protect you as much as you are here to protect me.¡±


    Raydir let out a low, deep growl but nodded all the same. ¡°Talk to me more about when we were kids.¡±


    I smiled, leaning my head on his shoulder as he ran his fingers through my hair again. ¡°I remember one night when we played hide-and-seek at the castle. I can still hear our voices echoing through the halls. I found you in the kitchen because you had gotten tired of waiting for me.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I was always too good at that game.¡±


    I pushed his shoulder lightly. ¡°No, you were always too stubborn and cocky with that game. Anyway, I found you in the kitchen with Ginny. She was teaching you to make biscuits and you were covered in flour.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± He twirled the ends of my hair between his fingers. ¡°Do you know why I love you, Arwyn?¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯ve been friends forever?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly part of it, but no. I love you because what we have is stronger than anything the fates could¡¯ve ever predicted. You know that the fate ceremony is just an age-old tradition that has no real bearing on anything other than keeping the future of the dukedoms in line.¡±


    I stayed silent. It was a tradition our fathers still hadn¡¯t abolished despite knowing how in love we were.


    ¡°I¡¯ve courted many women over the last few years and still we always come back to each other,¡± he continued. ¡°And there¡¯s no one I¡¯d rather run away with than you.¡±


    I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his again before letting him take control. The moment was bittersweet as the sweetness of his mouth on mine mixed with the saltiness of tears that streamed down my face.

 Chapter 6* [Edited]

    The Alignment


    The sun streaming through the cabin windows woke us the next morning. Not that we¡¯d gotten much sleep, after all. Raydir shifted next to me on the sofa, his cheek rough against mine as we laid there together. I slowly slipped out of his embrace to get changed. Rosie had helped me find a handful of outfits that would at least let me have something to wear for a few days.


    ¡°We make all of our own clothes out here,¡± she had said. I¡¯d always wanted to learn how to sew, and Ginny had just started to teach me. Maybe if one day I went back¡­well, would I ever go back?


    Satisfied with a new white and green corset dress, I wrote out a note for Raydir and headed out to the stables. The trails along the water were calling, and I hadn¡¯t checked on Majesty since giving him to the stable hands the day before. Luckily, others were already awake and bustling around the valley. I waved to Rosie as she led a horse out of the barn.


    ¡°Good morning, Arwyn,¡± she greeted me. ¡°Want to go for a ride? There are some lovely paths to explore around here.¡±


    ¡°I would love to. That¡¯s actually why I¡¯m out. I wanted to let Raydir sleep. We had a rough night.¡±


    Rosie nodded in understanding. ¡°Nightmares again? Yes, I believe Bennett and some others still get them too. Did the tea help?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat. We ended up talking into the late hours of the night, but the second cup of tea did the trick to help him sleep.¡± I mounted Majesty and nudged him into a walk. Rosie and her horse took the lead with us following closely behind. She brought us through the woods just beyond the valley until we stopped at a waterfall that flowed into a beautiful crystal blue pool.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathed. ¡°This is magical.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason we seek out the valley.¡± She pointed to the landscape around us.


    ¡°It certainly is peaceful,¡± I commented, still not fully understanding.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the legend, then?¡±


    I shook my head.


    Rosie dismounted and motioned for me to do the same. ¡°The history of the wolf curse goes back a long while. In our world, Solarelm, everyone is born with a dormant wolf spirit. And the only way the spirit becomes evoked is when someone rejects their Chosen.¡±


    ¡°So the curse is connected to the Fate Ceremony?¡± I asked, thinking back to all my history lessons growing up.


    Rosie nodded. ¡°As the story always seems to go, there were two brothers who ruled over the dukedoms. Each duke was blessed with a son, Jasper and Randel. As the cousins grew up, their fathers knew that one day each boy would inherit the respective throne, so they created the Fate Ceremony. They believed that it was best to leave the decision up to the fates rather than letting their sons choose for themselves.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Since Jasper was the first-born who was slightly older than Randel, he chose first. All the eligible maidens joined together to see who would be wed to them. While this didn¡¯t seem to mean much at the time, it meant a whole lot more when Jasper drew the name of Delia, a duchess in Gwyniar, from the cauldron.¡±


    She continued before I could ask any questions, ¡°Rumor had it that Delia and Randel were in love. They had planned on running away together.¡±


    ¡°That sounds familiar.¡± I looked out over the water, sliding out of Majesty¡¯s saddle.


    ¡°While Jasper accepted this fate, Delia did not. She ran out of the ceremony, causing chaos to ensue. It is rumored that she couldn¡¯t say yes because she was already secretly betrothed to Randel.¡±


    ¡°How did people know?¡± I asked.


    Rosie waved her hand. ¡°Information came out over the years from witnesses who had seen Randel and Delia together before the ceremony.¡± She continued, ¡°This all happened on an Alignment. As soon as the moons were in full alignment, the shift happened. He turned into a wolf, and ran off into the woods. Delia, devastated, sought Jasper¡¯s help to find her love.¡±


    ¡°Did they succeed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That same night, Jasper confronted his cousin in the woods, but because the wolf spirit had turned him aggressive, Randel attacked him, ultimately turning him as well.¡±


    ¡°So what happened to Jasper after he was attacked? And what about Delia? Was her wolf spirit then released too?¡±


    Rosie pursed her lips in thought. ¡°We believe so, and that is why Darqua became the wolf valley as a way to protect the three from anyone who tried to hunt them down. No one knew what the wolf spirit could do, and after Randel attacked Jasper, they didn¡¯t know what to think.¡±


    ¡°So, then these two wolf types. Does anyone know which one they have until the Alignment happens? And if that¡¯s true, why haven¡¯t I had nightmares?¡± This still didn¡¯t sit right with me. Why hadn¡¯t I had any indication of a wolf spirit?


    ¡°As we¡¯ve said, the Alignment affects everyone differently. And it¡¯s taken many years and many Alignments to perfect the remedies. For you, it may be present in other ways.¡±


    A bell sounded in the distance, echoing through the valley.


    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s the call for breakfast. We should be heading back.¡± Rosie climbed back onto her horse, and we set back for the cabins. I quickly located Raydir talking with someone outside our cabin. She was the other woman who had been by Bennett¡¯s side at our arrival in Darqua.


    I narrowed my eyes. I¡¯d known Ray for a long time; he often conversed with other women who also had a tendency to fall at his feet. This woman, however, seemed unfathomed.


    He gave a wave as I walked over.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I greeted him with a kiss, running my fingers over the shadow along his jawline. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± I turned to look at the girl on our doorstep.


    The girl smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Caesaria. Raydir was just telling me that you arrived last night. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get the chance to introduce myself yet. The days leading to the Alignment are always rough.¡± She pronounced her name with a hard ¡®c¡¯.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m learning. How long have you and your boyfriend been here?¡±


    Caesaria blushed. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here with my boyfriend.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows, my arm tightening protectively around Raydir¡¯s torso. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I ran away from home when I was ten. I didn¡¯t want to go through my Fate Ceremony, so I figured if I left that life behind early on, I would be safe.¡± Caesaria shrugged. ¡°I guess rejecting my future¡ªany future¡ªwoke the wolf spirit.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so you said since you were ten?¡±


    She nodded, tucking some hair behind her ear. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a decision I made lightly, but it was for the best. I¡¯m sure the same was true of your decision to be with Raydir.¡±


    ¡°Are you the only one out here without a¡­partner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m the only one who came out here under different circumstances. But you¡¯ll find that most people fall into the category of rejecting their fated for another man. Or woman.¡± She glanced at the Grand Cabin. ¡°We should head in for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. We¡¯ll catch up.¡± Once she was out of sight, Raydir sweeped me into his arms and kissed me deeply, his tongue dancing over my mouth.


    ¡°Mm,¡± I moaned, knees turning to jelly beneath me. ¡°Hello to you too.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about how I really do get to spend the rest of my life with you and only you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I love to hear that. And I love to see you so happy.¡± I brushed my fingers over his cheek. ¡°How was the rest of the night after the tea?¡±


    ¡°Better. I think it really did help. And I drank the next cup when I woke up. Speaking of, you said in your note that you went out. Where did you go?¡±


    I gestured to the landscape. ¡°Rosie and I took the horses out for a ride. And she told me the history of the wolf curse.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Let¡¯s talk about it after we eat.¡±


    Raydir nodded. ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±


    We hurried to join the rest of the folks in the valley at the Grand Cabin for breakfast. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming; I was glad there were so many wonderful people out here.


    Once we finished eating, Raydir and I decided to go for another ride after breakfast so I could show him the waterfall. As we rode across the paths that Rosie had shown me earlier, I relayed to him what she¡¯d said about the history of the Wolf Curse.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised we didn¡¯t learn more about it in school,¡± Raydir commented.


    I nodded. ¡°Me too. Although when you think about it, they probably did that more to protect us.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. With our fathers in charge, they have the power to control the school curriculum. But you¡¯d think it would be an important part of our history to know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Our horses trotted along silently until we reached the clearing. I pointed out the waterfall as we slowed our horses to a stop and dismounted.


    ¡°Amazing, really. Look how blue the water is.¡± Ray glanced at me. His fingers reached for the buttons of his shirt. ¡°Do you wanna swim?¡±


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    ¡°Here? Now?¡± Heat rushed to my cheeks. ¡°Together?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Here, now, and together. Yes.¡± He held out his hand to me. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I just¡­well, you¡­¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Um, just turn around.¡±


    He obeyed, and I slipped off my dress to the modified corset top sewn to a bottom piece of fabric. It felt awkward to wear but it was better than nothing. Literally.


    ¡°Ok, it¡¯s safe. Your turn.¡±


    He turned back around and smiled, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, wrapping my arms around my body, suddenly aware of how exposed I was to him. He had never seen me in anything less than the dresses I wore at the palace. And despite the few moments we¡¯d had together on our journey, I still wasn¡¯t ready for him to see me completely exposed.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not nothing. Why are you staring at me like that?¡± If it were even possible, my cheeks grew warmer.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re staring at me.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Am not.¡± My gaze traveled down his body from his eyes to his torso to the trail leading down¡­nope. No. We¡¯re not thinking about that right now.


    ¡°Are too.¡±


    My eyes snapped back to his. ¡°You happen to just capture my attention, that¡¯s all. We have been fooling around since we were sixteen.


    ¡°Well then this is no different. Fooling around with you is the best part of my day.¡± He pulled me closer. I let out a small squeak as I felt just how close our bodies were, just how hot his breath was on my cheek, just how weak the sight of him made my knees.


    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s no one around to get in the way,¡± I whispered in his ear.


    He hoisted me up to wrap my legs around his waist. My fingers tangled their way into his hair as his arms roamed over my back.


    ¡°Watch your step,¡± I murmured, which sounded about as romantic as a rock.


    He let out a low, soft growl in response, stepping toward the water. Of course, he miscalculated and slipped, causing both of us to fall into the water.


    I emerged for air, gasping and laughing all the same. ¡°I told you to watch your step.¡± I flicked water at him.


    He shrugged, a teasing smile playing at the corner of his lips. ¡°That was my fault.¡±


    ¡°Yeah it was.¡±


    ¡°So tell me,¡± Raydir said, his hands still on waist. ¡°What are you afraid of with me?¡±


    I reached up to tuck my hair behind my ears. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. I mean, we¡¯ve only been sleeping toge¡ªer, falling asleep together since we started on the trip out here. There¡¯s not much I haven¡¯t seen with you.¡±


    Raydir raised his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Not like that. I just mean, we¡¯ve experienced so much together, that I don¡¯t need to be afraid because I know I have you,¡± I said.


    He kissed me again. ¡°You really are something else, Arwyn Kingston.¡±


    ***


    The darkness of the evening came much too quickly, just like the hastening of my heart beat as I watched the sky.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Raydir asked me, his fingers curled around a mug with the last dose of ibisco tea.


    My heart swelled. I should¡¯ve been the one asking him that. He was the one shifting tonight, and that guilt weighed down on me.


    I nodded shakily. ¡°We¡¯re in this together. And I will be right by your side through this entire thing.¡± I clutched the praesidium crystal from Rosie in my hands. ¡°We¡¯re going to be okay.¡± Maybe if I kept saying it, it would be true.


    Ray set the mug down on the table and took my hand. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go outside. Rosie and Bennett are meeting us before the Alignment.¡±


    We walked outside where several people had already gathered, ready to consume the moonlight.


    ¡°Arwyn, Raydir! There you are. We were beginning to get worried,¡± Rosie said.


    ¡°Just getting everything in order,¡± Raydir replied. ¡°So what do we need to do?¡± Despite the steadiness of his voice, fear swam in his eyes.


    ¡°The moons should be aligning any minute. And when they do, Raydir, you¡¯ll start to feel the change. It¡¯s going to be painful. The first shift always is. You just have to remind him of who he is.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± I looked up at the sky. Any second now. Any second¡ª


    ¡°Arggh!¡± Raydir clawed his head with his fingers and dropped to his knees with a thud.


    ¡°Ray!¡± I shrieked, trying to keep my composure. ¡°Ray, stay with me!¡±


    He let out a scream that froze me to my core.


    ¡°Raydir!¡± I panicked, frozen with fear.


    ¡°Gahhh!¡± Raydir clutched at his head and groaned. "Arwyn, go!"


    ¡°The crystal, Arwyn!¡± Rosie cried. Next to me, she began to morph as well, her blonde hair turning into tufts of grey fur.


    Right, the crystal. My fingers fumbled for it, swiping at the grass beneath me to where it had fallen. I clutched the stone close to my heart. Slick with sweat, the crystal warmed up in my hands from the heat of my fingers. The edges dug into my palms as I held it tight.


    ¡°Stay with me, Raydir. I love you. Me, Arwyn. I love you. I love you.¡± A ray of light shot out from the crystal in my hands, surrounding the two of us in a purple glow. Nothing around me seemed real anymore.


    Down on all fours, he let out a low growl and a whimper, his eyes flashing golden before turning a deep blue as his body morphed from man to wolf. Clothes transformed into fur. Extremities transformed into paws. Speech transformed into howls. He rocked back and forth on all fours, his breath coming out in heavy pants. Where his hair had once been, it was now blonde fur that covered his entire body.


    ¡°Stay with me, Ray,¡± I whispered, tears streaming down my face now. Glancing up at his now fur-covered face, it was hard to tell if he was still there. ¡°Ray?¡±


    The wolf in front of me threw his head back and let out a howl, the sound echoing through the valley in sync with the other wolves. ¡°Awoooooooooo!!!!¡±


    ¡°Ray?¡± My voice came out barely above a whisper.


    He let out a small whimper, nudged at my knee with his snout. I love you, Arwyn.


    I gasped, falling backwards and landing hard on my elbows. Did he just talk to me?


    Yes, wolf-Raydir replied.


    In my head. This all had to be in my head. Of course it was in my head. So why can he answer me?


    I guess this is part of the transformation. He pawed at the ground. Wait for me at the cabin. He took off with the rest of the pack, leaving me speechless and extremely confused.


    ¡°Telepathy?¡± I asked out loud. ¡°Rosie didn¡¯t say anything about telepathy.¡± Speaking of¡­I looked around. In the midst of the transformation, most of the others had abandoned the scene, most likely to be with their wolves or to let them have their night.


    My beating heart was the only other sound than the wind. I sat on the ground trying to take in everything that had just happened. Every single wolf in the valley had just shifted. And yet, here I was. Still human.


    I looked down at my hands.


    Now what?


    With what little energy I had left and amongst the confusion swirling around my head, I hauled myself back to the cabin and dressed in my nightgown. But there was no way I was going to sleep until I knew Raydir was safe behind the locked door with me.


    Tick. Tok. Tick. Tok. The clock on the wall filled the silence, and my eyes never left the door. Now that the Alignment had happened, I wasn¡¯t sure what I was supposed to do. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this is what it would be like each time. Raydir would shift and I would¡­what? Watch him suffer?


    Why hasn¡¯t my wolf spirit awakened, dammit?! I cursed at the sky. ¡°I came out here to be with Raydir. His burden is my burden. So what the hell happened?¡±


    Just then the door burst open, and Raydir stumbled in, his face grimy and clothes mussed.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± His voice came out low and gruff as his eyes scanned the room for me.


    ¡°Raydir.¡± I ran over to him. He wrapped his arms around me, breathing heavily.


    ¡°Are you ok? Are you hurt?¡± I asked, pulling back. A layer of sweat glistened on his forehead and his face was streaked with dirt.


    ¡°Just need some water,¡± he rasped. He exhaled sharply every few seconds to catch his breath.


    I nodded, rushing over to the kitchen to pour him a glass. We sat on the sofa together as he drank. ¡°How is that?¡±


    ¡°Better.¡± He turned to me, his green eyes filled with fear and concern. ¡°How are you? This can¡¯t be easy on you, I know, and I¡¯m so¡ª¡±


    I pressed my fingers to his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize.¡±


    He traced his hands down my sides and leaned forward. His lips parted and his fingers curled through my hair. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°We should get you cleaned up,¡± I said. I tugged at his arm and led him into the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I dipped my fingers under the tap to test the temperature. When I turned around, Raydir was looking at me with that familiar yearning hunger in his eyes.


    I planted my feet firmly in front of him. My hands trailed down his chest, hooking around the fabric of his shirt. He let out a growl of approval as I lifted the fabric up over his head and tossed it to the side.


    I reached over to turn off the water before helping Raydir ease into the tub. I followed, not caring that the water was soaking through my nightgown. Taking a sponge, I ran it over his torso, allowing the soapy water to dribble down his chest. He gripped onto the edges of the tub as the sponge traveled over the top of his now-soaked trousers.


    I bit my lip. ¡°Sorry. I-I can stop.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. Keep going.¡± His voice came out low and gruff.


    I continued to wash his body. After a few minutes, he stopped to remove his wet trousers. Water sloshed out of the tub and onto the floor, but we didn¡¯t care. He took the sponge from my hands and cleaned his lower half.


    My cheeks flushed and I sat awkwardly in front of him. Raydir reached onto the shelf to grab a second sponge.


    His eyes flashed a deeper green as he said, ¡°Your turn.¡± His hands slid over my shoulders, dropping the sleeves of my nightgown so more of my body was exposed. Dragging the sponge over my clavicle, he made his way down over my breasts and along my rib cage.


    I bit back a moan at his touch, tilting my head back and closing my eyes. When I opened them again, Raydir smirked.


    ¡°Liking that, are we?¡±


    I splashed him playfully. Then I realized this was the first time he¡¯d seen me naked. I self-consciously wrapped my arms around my body.


    He grinned and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his lap. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide from me, you know. You¡¯re beautiful.


    I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe again.¡±


    Raydir tugged at the ends of my hair. ¡°Me too. Thank you for taking care of me.¡± He tugged at my lips and leaned us back. I shrieked, wrapping an arm around his neck and using the other to steady myself against his chest. His heart beat thudded hard beneath my fingertips.


    ¡°Always.¡±


    Ray¡¯s eyes scanned my face. He wanted more, he wanted me. Before I knew what I was doing, my lips nuzzled their way to his neck. I bit the skin lightly, teasing it with my tongue. Raydir tightened his grip on my waist and let out a low groan. He lifted my mouth to meet his again before pulling away. Exhaustion flickered in his eyes.


    ¡°We should, um¡±¡ªI cleared my throat¡ª¡°we should probably get some rest. You exerted a lot of energy with the shift tonight. I can¡¯t even imagine how you¡¯re¡­¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    We took turns getting up out of the tub. Raydir wrapped me in one of the fluffy white towels in our bathroom, giving me privacy to change into a fresh nightgown. By the time I came back out, Raydir was already passed out on his bed. Shirtless.


    I smiled, pressing a kiss to his temple. He reached out an arm and I clasped my fingers with his.


    ¡°Stay with me,¡± he mumbled into the pillow.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I gently climbed into the bed next to him and curled up under his embrace. Sleep and exhaustion overpowered my body. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what Raydir must¡¯ve felt. ¡°Sweet dreams, my love.¡±

 Chapter 7.1 [Edited]

    I woke the following morning with a huge grin on my face. Raydir was snoring softly beside me, his lips moving ever so slightly.


    He looked so peaceful, I didn¡¯t want to wake him.


    I needed to know about last night. The shift had taken a large toll on his body which was evident from the bruising that had now developed on his ribcage. And what was with that telepathic ability? Would we still have that today or was it just something to do with the Alignment?


    So many questions, too few answers.


    Carefully removing myself from his embrace, I went to change into fresh clothes. My hair stuck up in all directions since I¡¯d gone to bed with it wet, so I quickly braided it over my shoulder and went to wake Raydir. He¡¯d slept the entire night with no sign of any nightmares.


    When I returned to his room, he was already sitting up. His bare torso peeked out from the top of the covers.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he murmured in my ear, pulling me into his arms. His voice was rough with sleepiness.


    ¡°Morning.¡± I kissed him, letting my lips linger on his for a few extra seconds.


    He pulled away, smirking as he wiped his thumb along the corner of my mouth. ¡°You know you drool in your sleep.¡±


    I made a face and swatted his hand away, frantically wiping at my mouth. ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m so sorry. That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± He covered my hand with his. ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡±


    I whacked him with my pillow. ¡°It¡¯s not cute, Ray! It¡¯s gross!¡±


    Raydir laughed, tickling my sides. We fell backwards together onto the bed.


    ¡°Shall we head over to the Grand Cabin for breakfast?¡± I asked. ¡°I have a surprise for you.¡±


    Rosie, as promised, had brought me a set of charcoal, paints, and several canvases. I was just waiting for the right time to give them to him.


    He nodded. ¡°Yes. But I want to revisit our conversation from last night.¡±


    I sat up. ¡°About the Alignment?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ray tilted my chin up so I could gaze into his eyes. ¡°You were so brave¡ª¡±


    I shook my head, swatting his hand away. ¡°No, Ray. I wasn¡¯t.¡± Tears brimmed my eyes. ¡°Do you remember anything from the shift?¡±


    He looked down at the wrinkled bed sheets. His silence was the only affirmation I needed.


    ¡°I watched you suffer and writhe with pain,¡± I said. ¡°And it¡¯s my fault you had to go through that. I wish beyond anything that it happened to me because you don¡¯t deserve that. But I didn¡¯t shift. There has to be a reason. Rosie said that everyone has different symptoms but I¡¯ve had none. I want to know why.¡±


    Raydir took a deep breath. ¡°There is a reason. And it¡¯s not one you¡¯re going to like, but¡ª¡±


    A knock sounded at the front door of the cabin, breaking Raydir off mid-sentence. He went to answer it with me following closely behind.


    ¡°Caesaria. Hey.¡± Raydir cleared his throat, averting his gaze from the red-haired girl in front of us. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Rosie asked me to stop by.¡± Caesaria glanced between the two of us. ¡°She wanted me to see how you were holding up after the shift last night. The first one is always the worst, and I just remember waking up with this horrible migraine¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re, uh, actually quite fine,¡± I interjected, slipping my hand into Raydir¡¯s. Something about Caesaria still made me anxious.


    She nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Caesaria, why don¡¯t you and Arwyn go up to the Grand Cabin?¡± Raydir suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, glancing up at him and biting my lip.


    He smiled, kissing my cheek. ¡°Positive.¡±


    I followed Caesaria out of the cabin, carefully gathering my skirts as we walked.


    ¡°Raydir certainly is something, isn¡¯t he?¡± Caesaria commented. Her boots squished against the damp grass.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± I agreed. ¡°He¡¯s been my best friend for so many years.¡±


    ¡°Pardon my asking, have you been¡­intimate¡­with him yet?¡±


    My foot slipped on the grass and I cursed. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that is any of your concern. What happens between Raydir and me is strictly our business.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, that was a misstep. My apologies. Um, but there is something to know now that you¡¯ve gone through the Alignment.¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t shift. Only Ray did.¡±


    ¡°Right, Rosie mentioned that your wolf spirit is still suppressed.¡± Caesaria nodded. ¡°What did you take?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    We passed a few other folks heading to the Grand Cabin and Caesaria pulled me aside. ¡°You must¡¯ve taken something. You rejected your Chosen, so your wolf spirit should¡¯ve awakened.¡±


    I stepped back. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I was born without one.¡±


    Caesaria shook her head. ¡°No. No, I definitely sense it¡¯s there but something feels¡­off.¡±


    ¡°Sense it?¡±


    ¡°Not important.¡± She waved it off. ¡°Um, since you¡¯re new to the valley and with the first shift, you should know there are certain tasks a couple has to perform.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And, well, one of those tasks involves marking their mate.¡±


    I stopped. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Did no one really think to tell us this earlier?


    ¡°A marking on your neck.¡± She nodded to me. ¡°It makes you quite attached to him, which clearly you already were, but it acts as a gateway connection into the mind of the other.¡±


    ¡°So telepathy is natural?¡±


    ¡°Normal, rather than natural. But yes.¡± She resumed walking. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. Being a wolf is so¡­exhilarating.¡±


    ¡°Except I guess I¡¯ll never know,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°But wait a minute. If the telepathy happens after the marking, how is it that I had it last night?¡± And that brought me back to this morning¡ªwould we still have the link since there was no marking?


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    ¡°It doesn¡¯t always. But because you do have the ability, it means you do have a wolf spirit. It¡¯s just hiding under the surface for some reason.¡±


    Upon our arrival at the Grand Cabin, all heads turned to look in my direction. Without Raydir, I felt completely out of place.


    Whispers carried through the room.


    ¡°Is she the one who just arrived with that handsome young man?¡± one woman asked her companion.


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± the companion replied.


    ¡°Pity he¡¯s taken. He¡¯s a dream.¡±


    Another chimed in, ¡°Funny, I don¡¯t remember her shifting.¡±


    ¡°Louise, you don¡¯t even remember yourself shifting,¡± the man across the table threw back. ¡°Leave the poor girl alone.¡±


    ¡°Try to ignore them,¡± Caesaria said from beside me. She turned to one of the people who had been whispering. Hey, Archer! Tell your friends there to pipe down.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, good to see you this morning,¡± Rosie greeted me, blocking off my access from the gossipers as Caesaria left my side and went to join some others across the room.. ¡°How was your night? Did Raydir make it back to you?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything about my non-existent shift which seemed to already be the talk of the valley. Word sure traveled quickly around here.


    I nodded. ¡°We did enjoy the lake quite a bit yesterday, but we''ll certainly be careful around the falls.


    ¡°I am pleased. Won¡¯t you join us? One of our harvesters has made omelets for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Sounds delicious.¡± We sat down together on one of the wood benches.


    ¡°Any plans for today?¡± she asked.


    I cut into my omelet. Mm, ham and mushroom. ¡°I think Ray and I are going to spend the day exploring. Do you have any recommendations for where we should go?¡±


    ¡°The lake I took you to the other day¡ªthe falls are magnificent. If you¡¯re careful enough, you can walk behind them. Just watch for the rocks. They tend to be a bit slippery.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be careful. Speaking of Ray¡­¡± I looked around. He still hadn¡¯t shown up for breakfast which worried me. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I think I¡¯ll go and see what¡¯s keeping him. I thought for sure he¡¯d be here by now.¡±


    Excusing myself from the table, I hurried back in the direction of our cabin, hoping to find Raydir there.


    ¡°Arwyn! Arwyn, wait up!¡± Caesaria called behind me. She caught up, out of breath. ¡°Arwyn, I wanted to apologize for this morning. I honestly did not mean to intrude on your privacy. Sometimes I struggle with control.¡±


    I whirled to face her. ¡°Then I surely hope you will learn to control yourself, especially around my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn¡ª¡±


    ¡°I saw the way you looked at him this morning, like something passed between you. I don¡¯t know what it was, but I know I didn¡¯t like it. So just remember that he¡¯s my boyfriend, okay?¡±


    There had been a clear change in her demeanor around Raydir between today and yesterday. Maybe I¡¯d overlooked it. Or maybe I was just overthinking it.


    ¡°I do apologize, Arwyn. I didn¡¯t mean for it to seem like I was trying to take him away from you.¡± She hesitated before continuing. ¡°When the wolf spirit is released, we also obtain a power. Mine allows me to see people¡ªlike really see people. I can sort of sense their feelings. The true object of their affection. Everything. That¡¯s why I come across so¡­intense at first.¡±


    That got my attention. ¡°Caesaria, how many people have this particular power?¡±


    What were the chances¡­No. I¡¯m not even going to think about that.


    Caesaria took a step back. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. Everyone has a different power, so it¡¯s really hard to say how many of each there are. I don¡¯t even know how many powers exist.


    I thought about Darius. He had displayed a very similar ability to hers, and I already knew there were still some people who lived in the dukedoms with an active wolf spirit.¡°When you were living in¡ª¡± I paused. ¡°Where were you living before this?¡±


    ¡°Gwyniar.¡±


    ¡°Right. When you were living in Gwyniar, did you know someone named Darius Harford?¡±


    Caesaria tensed, but shook her head. ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Caesaria asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it doesn¡¯t sound good.¡±


    With that comment, I took off at a run with Caesaria following closely behind. Voices drifted through the wind over to us in a clear argument. Once my cabin came into view, I saw Raydir arguing with someone whose back was to us.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled. ¡°Leave him alone!¡±


    The stranger turned towards me, and I stumbled forward on the uneven ground.


    ¡°Darius,¡° I whispered.Speak of the devil. Then I raised my voice. ¡°Wh-what are you doing here? Wh-why do you¡ª¡± I turned to Raydir. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know him well.¡±


    ¡°Ar,¡± Raydir said, coming to my aid. Caesaria stepped between the two of us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she growled. ¡°I think you have some serious explaining to do.¡± A fire ignited in her blue eyes as her gaze landed hard on Darius.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, Caesaria. I can handle this.¡± I silently begged her to stand her ground.


    She nodded and took off in the other direction. I glared at the two men in front of me. ¡°Someone better start talking.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, there is something important that you need to know,¡± Raydir said slowly. ¡°I started to tell you¡ª¡±


    ¡°The next Alignment is coming soon,¡± Darius jumped in. ¡°You need to be prepared. Both of you.¡± He looked pointedly at me when he said this.


    ¡°Why are you so convinced that¡¯s when I¡¯ll shift?¡± I asked, although I hoped it was true. ¡°Someone tell me what¡¯s going on because clearly you both know more than I do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Darius said. ¡°Your fiance¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside,¡± Raydir cut in. His voice came out in a deep growl.


    I glared at Darius, storming past him. What did you say to him?


    It¡¯s not what I said.


    The last thing I expected was hearing Darius¡¯ voice in my head.


    My head whipped around to face him. ¡°What? What did you do? Why can I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not now. We¡¯ll get to that later.¡± His gaze softened when he noticed how I visibly shook. ¡°Arwyn, please trust me.¡±


    ¡°Trust you? Trust you? Darius, you can¡¯t just show up out of nowhere, in my new home, arguing with my boyfriend!¡±


    Darius raised his eyebrows. ¡°Not your fiance?¡±


    ¡°No. Not that I should need to explain it to you. He¡¯s just my boyfriend and we¡¯re taking things slow.¡± I¡¯d already said more than I wanted, so I stormed into the cabin after Raydir. Darius followed behind, and I bit back the urge to  slam the door in his face.


    Once inside the cabin, Raydir instructed me to sit on the couch.


    ¡°So what is this about?¡± I asked again. ¡°The next Alignment isn¡¯t for a month.¡±


    ¡°We believe that your wolf spirit will release on the next Alignment which, yes, isn¡¯t for another month, but you need to start preparing now.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°And why do you believe this to be the case? And how do you, Darius, know so much?¡±


    ¡°I just do,¡± he replied nonchalantly.


    Raydir glanced between us nervously, and I narrowed my eyes. There was something he wasn¡¯t telling me.


    ¡°We believe it¡¯s the case,¡± Raydir said, ¡°because you¡¯re a younger sibling. You weren¡¯t supposed to have a ceremony and you did. According to our history, having a delayed¡­reaction is common when unforeseen circumstances cause the younger sibling to have a ceremony.¡±


    My gaze softened. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Raydir sat down next to me and took my hand in his. ¡°Arwyn, we didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain Darius¡¯s involvement.¡±


    The boys exchanged glances.


    ¡°Darius is the one who figured this out. He tried to warn me before the ceremony, but I didn¡¯t understand what it meant¡ªwhat it truly meant¡ªuntil recently,¡± Raydir explained.


    ¡°Okay. So what does this mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It means we¡¯ll have to monitor you the same way you did for me. We might be able to figure out which wolf spirit you have. But we need to know that you want to figure this out.¡±


    I mulled this over. The sounds of the birds chirping outside seemed to sing in agreement. Say-yes! Say-yes! they seemed to tweet.


    ¡°Well of course I do,¡± I replied. ¡°As long as we can help Raydir through the next Alignment too.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± they chorused.


    With that, Darius gave me a wink and a salute before sauntering out of the cabin. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms.


    ¡°God, I don¡¯t like him,¡± I muttered.


    Raydir pulled me into his arms. ¡°We have no choice but to trust him.¡± A bitter edge crept into his voice as I laid my head down on his chest.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I just wish we didn¡¯t have to.¡±

 Chapter 7.2 [Edited]

    Tension filled the cabin after the conversation with Ray and Darius. My hands itched to get behind a bow and my body craved a swim. I told Raydir I was heading out and started for the front door.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± Raydir caught my hand and pulled me back to him. His green eyes shone with concern. ¡°You have to know I had no idea Darius was going to show up like this.¡±


    I swallowed and nodded. ¡°I understand. Just¡±¡ªI reached out, brushing my fingers over the stubble on his cheeks¡ª¡°I don¡¯t want you two to turn this into some big competition.¡±


    Raydir frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. He knew very well what I meant. ¡°You said it yourself on our way to Darqua. You don¡¯t like Darius. And now he¡¯s here.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but think he had an ulterior motive. Was this his way of trying to win me back?


    ¡°It¡¯ll take some time to get used to him here, but I won¡¯t make a scene of it. I promise.¡± He leaned in to kiss me. I tugged at the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to me as I wrapped my arms around his neck.


    Raydir hooked an arm around one of my legs as it slid up his before pulling back from the kiss. There was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. ¡°Go clear your head. I know you want some time.¡±


    I smiled. That was the Raydir I knew. ¡°Thanks. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± I started to walk away from the cabin, toward the barn, so I didn¡¯t see Caesaria following behind until she called out to me.


    ¡°Arwyn, wait up!¡±


    I paused. ¡°Are you following me?¡±


    Caesaria shook her head. ¡°No, I-I saw Darius leave and I wanted to make sure you were all right.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    There was an awkward pause between us. I didn¡¯t know her well enough to consider her a friend yet, but maybe she could fill in some gaps.


    ¡°You wanted to explore the valley, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you around? I know a lot of great spots. What did Rosie tell you about where to explore?¡±


    I pointed into the distance. ¡°She mentioned the falls by the lake. We were there yesterday but didn¡¯t have the time to explore much.¡±


    Caesaria¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of the falls. ¡°The falls do have a very calming vibe. It¡¯s secluded and serene. A perfect spot for you to take Raydir. But we have to change first.¡± She took off down the hill, away from the barn.


    ¡°Wait up!¡± I called, running after her.


    She stopped in front of another cabin, this one about half the size of the one I had with Raydir.


    ¡°Is this your place?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I know it''s not like the way you were brought up but, it''s small and cozy and just the way I like it.¡± She unlocked the door, leading me inside. The decor was pretty much the same, a wooden table and a sofa in the center of the room, the entrance to a bedroom just down the hall.


    ¡°It certainly feels homey,¡± I commented as she disappeared into the bedroom, returning a minute later with some clothes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also had years to get used to it,¡± Cae added. ¡°You will too, it just takes time. The valley is a different pace of life from the dukedoms.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that. It is really homey,¡± I commented as she disappeared into the bedroom, returning a minute later with some clothes.


    ¡°Thanks. Here.¡± She tossed me the outfit. ¡°If we¡¯re gonna go exploring, you¡¯ll need something that doesn¡¯t have a skirt. We¡¯re about the same size, so those should fit. And you can borrow another pair of boots. Anything with heels out here is just not worth it.¡±


    I looked down at my feet. ¡°I like the heels.¡±


    Caesaria smirked. ¡°You won¡¯t when you slip on the gravel and twist an ankle. Believe me¡ªI¡¯ve been there.¡±


    Reluctantly, I took the boots and the clothes and went to change in the bathroom. She had chosen a pair of brown leather pants that were incredibly breathable and a long-sleeved green cotton shirt fit with a separate dark corset piece. My fingers struggled to clasp the buckles across my chest.


    I emerged a minute later.


    ¡°You look fantastic,¡± Caesaria commented, beaming at me. She was wearing a similar ensemble, the green of her top contrasted well with the fiery red of her hair.


    ¡°Thanks. This should definitely make riding a whole lot easier.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pants make everything easier.¡± She tossed me a bow and quiver. I glanced back at her, shocked.


    She smirked. ¡°I know you have an eye for archery, as do I. It was one of my favorite pastimes before coming here, and I¡¯ve kept up my skills ever since.¡± She held her hands out toward the door. ¡°Shall we go?¡± I followed her outside, and we made our way to the stables to prepare our horses.


    ¡°So tell me, what else do you know about me?¡± I asked as our horses trotted side-by-side along one of the grass trails. "Besides my favorite pastimes, that is.¡±


    Caesaria laughed. ¡°You¡¯re asking because of my power?¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, she continued. ¡°I know what troubles your heart, if that¡¯s what you mean. You wish to know more about Darius Harford. That¡¯s why you asked if I knew him.¡±


    ¡°I was just curious. My chance encounter with Darius back in Runswick meant nothing more than meeting a friend.¡±


    ¡°Yet he turned out to be your Chosen,¡± she said. ¡°And now he¡¯s shown up here in the valley just days after your arrival. You can¡¯t say you had no feelings for him whatsoever?¡±


    Heat crept to my cheeks over the accusation. ¡°He is¡ªwas¡ªjust one of those brooding bad boys who might invade your mind briefly but there¡¯s never any action.¡±


    Caesaria and I burst into a fit of giggles.


    ¡°Geez, you know what I mean!¡± I said once we finally stopped laughing. ¡°Plus, I have Raydir.¡±


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    Majesty came to a stop to graze on the side of the path. I slipped out of his saddle, tying his reins to a nearby tree.


    The view was beautiful; tall oak trees overpowered the scene in front of us, bending slightly as if bowing. As we approached the lake, the sweet scent of honeysuckle hit my nose. I breathed in, familiarity taking hold. The honeysuckle vines by the school in Gwyniar had always been a favorite spot. It was where Raydir and I used to meet up for midday rendezvouses. I could almost hear the faint laughter of our innocent 16-year-old selves as he spun me in the sunshine, hidden by the tall brick buildings.


    Lost in thought, the sound of rushing water became a roar in my ears as we approached the lake with the waterfall.


    ¡°Want to swim?¡±


    I glanced nervously at the water, thinking about the previous day¡¯s adventures. ¡°Ray and I did come here yesterday but we never got the chance to actually go behind the falls.¡±


    ¡°Well then. All the more reason.¡± She reached down to unlace her boots. ¡°We¡¯ll go for a swim then dry off as we head to the next spot. I brought us some snacks, too, in case we get hungry.¡± She nodded at me. ¡°The corset is waterproof, so are the pants. The shirt is not.¡±


    I looked down at my clothes. ¡°So, are we supposed to¡ª¡±


    She reached for her top then hesitated when my eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some privacy. Sorry¡ªI¡¯m more used to doing this by myself.¡± She turned around.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s ok. I¡¯m sort of new to the whole valley experience. Even yesterday when Raydir and I went swimming, it was still a little awkward.¡± Ignoring the fact that that was for an entirely different reason.


    My fingers flew hurriedly over the corset, dropping it momentarily to the ground while I pulled the shirt off before tugging the corset back on. The material was snug against my body but loose enough that the breeze still wafted underneath, sending a shiver down my back.


    Once I refastened the corset, I turned back and gave her the all clear.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± Caesaria gathered her hair over one shoulder. ¡°Alright, we have to be careful where we wade in and then we can swim toward the falls. How are you with opening your eyes under water?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t really tried much before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok. We¡¯ll swim out to the middle, take a rest, then swim behind the falls. Just follow my lead.¡±


    We waded toward the lake. The coolness of the water felt refreshing on my skin. Caesaria dipped her head below the surface of the water, and I followed, slowly moving my body toward the middle of the lake. My eyes tentatively opened; expecting them to burn, I was met with a refreshing calm as if the water were bending around me. Several schools of minnows darted below the surface, zigzagging around me seemingly in a hurry to swim downstream. Bubbles floated up as I stopped to admire the determination these little fish had to get where they wanted to go.


    A tug at my arm knocked me back to the present. Caesaria motioned above her head. We broke to the surface to catch our breath.


    ¡°How are you doing so far?¡± she asked. Her red curls hung limply over her shoulders, darkened by the water. She blinked droplets out of her eyes.


    ¡°Better than I expected. The water doesn¡¯t sting as I thought it would.¡±


    Caesaria tilted her head in thought. I fought the urge to ask what was going through her head because as much as she was very outspoken, there was still something she kept reserved.


    ¡°We should keep going.¡±


    The breeze shifted, making me shiver. The water seemed to calm me, lapping over my shoulders, but there was something else here that I was missing.


    Minutes later, I caught up with Caesaria. There was a small cavern behind the falls with water lapping in tiny waves over our feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for jumping to conclusions earlier,¡± I blurted. We sat on one of the rocks behind the falls. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have accused you of trying to steal Raydir away from me. I know that wasn¡¯t your intention.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Apology accepted. And honestly? I would¡¯ve felt the same way if it looked like someone was trying to go after my partner.¡±


    We sat in silence for a few minutes.


    ¡°What do you want to know about the valley?¡± Caesaria asked.


    I leaned back on my hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Yeah, I know it¡¯s a lot to take in. Pick something to start with.¡±


    ¡°The marking situation you were talking about,¡± I said. ¡°Is that, well I mean, does that have to be a sexual thing?¡± This was awkward. I barely knew Caesaria, but she seemed just as good as any to help me learn more about the valley.


    ¡°The marking itself is, yes. And with the marking usually comes the mind link between you and your mate.¡±


    ¡°Mind link,¡± I repeated. ¡°Ray and I had that briefly right when he shifted. Does that mean anything?¡±


    ¡°That happens sometimes,¡± Caesaria replied. She tucked her hair behind her ears. ¡°The Alignment exerts a lot of energy and temporary telepathy can be one of the side effects. Until the marking when the mind link is truly established.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± So that meant Ray and I had to have sex before we could have a mind link. Last night had just been a fluke.


    I kicked a foot up, letting the water drip off. ¡°Why did you decide to leave? I know it¡¯s personal and we don¡¯t really know each other, so I don¡¯t want to overstep.¡±


    ¡°No no, I¡¯m happy to answer your questions,¡± Caesaria reassured me.¡°I was sort of a special case. Even though my wolf stayed dormant, I grew up with my power. So it was harder for me as a kid because no one knew what to expect. I also didn¡¯t tell you this before, but there was an incident that led to me leaving. It wasn¡¯t just because I didn¡¯t want the Fate Ceremony.¡±


    This piqued my interest. Caesaria was probably two years older than me¡ªbut even so, I hadn¡¯t heard about any scandals from when I was that young.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Caesaria twisted her hair into a bun on top of her head, then let it go so it cascaded down her back. ¡°I made the mistake of telling someone what I sensed, and it got out of hand. Darius and I were actually friends at the time, and he was the only one outside of my family who knew about the gift. But that day at the school¡ªthis was just before I left¡ªhe didn¡¯t defend me and I never knew why. There was no good end to that situation.¡±


    I rubbed my hands over my arms to chase away the sudden case of goosebumps. Being out of the water had made me cold. ¡°So your gift was outed and the only choice you had was to come out here and abandon everything you knew.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It was a lose-lose situation. Darius was just a kid¡ªwe both were¡ªso what was he honestly supposed to do?¡± She shrugged. ¡°No matter. We should be getting back soon. There is so much more to explore.¡±


    Without another word, she disappeared through the wall of water back into the lake.


    ***


    By the time we got back that evening, all I wanted to do was take a bath and fall asleep in Raydir¡¯s arms.


    ¡°This was a lot of fun,¡± I said on our walk back.


    Caesaria beamed. Her hair, which had darkened from the water, was back to its brighter red. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s perfect. Maybe I could even teach you some of my archery skills.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Oh it¡¯s so on. Any plans for tonight.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Not that I know of. But I¡¯m thinking Ray probably¡ª¡± The sound of thunk thunk thunk could be heard from the direction of my cabin as Caesaria and I approached. ¡°Hold that thought.¡± When the cabin came into view, Raydir stood outside¡ªshirtless¡ªswinging an ax at a pile of firewood that was not there earlier.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± I heard Caesaria mutter next to me.


    My thoughts exactly.


    ¡°Ray!¡± I called out to him.


    He looked up, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°Arwyn. How was your afternoon?¡±


    I scrunched my nose at him. ¡°Fine. I see you found something to keep you busy.¡± My eyes zeroed in on his bare torso, glistening with sweat in the fading afternoon light.


    Raydir ran a hand through his hair, making it stick out at all angles. ¡°Sorry. Bennett stopped by and told me that chopping the woodpile was a coping mechanism. It¡¯s supposed to help clear the mind after the Alignment.¡±


    Caesaria and I exchanged glances.


    ¡°Ray, is everything okay?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you still having headaches?¡±


    ¡°Just a little tired after all of the excitement, that¡¯s all.¡± He offered me a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Ray.¡± I ran my fingers up his arm.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± He cupped my face in his hands so I could look into his eyes. ¡°I really appreciate you being there for me last night. I don¡¯t know how I would¡¯ve gotten through without you. And having you there when I got was exactly what I needed.¡± His eyes flashed a deeper green.


    ¡°We need to talk about that too¡ª¡±


    ¡°But right now, I just need time to process. With Darius here, things just got super complicated. And yes, I want you by my side. Just later, once I¡¯ve had a little time.¡±


    I nodded and leaned up to kiss him. My lips lingered on his for a few extra seconds. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m gonna go get cleaned up for dinner. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± He brushed my hair back away from my face and gave me one last kiss before returning to the woodpile in front of him.

 Chapter 8 [Edited]

    If I thought Darius¡¯s arrival in Darqua was tense, it was nothing compared to the days that followed.


    Everywhere I went, he seemed to follow.I spent most of my breakfasts glaring at him, stabbing at my eggs with my fork. And every day, Caesaria had to snap me out of it.


    ¡°One of these days you¡¯re going to poke a hole right through the table,¡± she said. It was an exaggeration, but with the anger that radiated off of my body she was probably right.


    That day, Darius cornered me on my way out of the library. We kept wanting to go the same way until he gently placed his hands on my shoulders and moved me over. I wanted to smack that everlasting smirk off of his face.


    ¡°You know you flare your nostrils when you¡¯re angry,¡± he said with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything better to do than follow me around? I¡¯m not a puppy.¡±


    Darius laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been leaving you and your boyfriend alone just as I promised. I¡¯m here on my time.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°So, what? Darqua is a vacation for you? Away from your perfect life in the dukedoms?¡±


    His face darkened. ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡± The atmosphere between us turned ice cold and he shoved past me.


    ¡°Darius! Darius, wait!¡± I ran after him, catching him only as he jumped down from the last step of the Grand Cabin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? That was insensitive of me.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, Arwyn,¡± he grumbled. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    I stood there with my mouth agape. But he was right. I didn¡¯t know him. And it wasn¡¯t right to make assumptions.


    Caesaria waved at me. ¡°Hey, I thought we were meeting for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°We were. Are. I just, um, got distracted,¡± I said.


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°With Darius?¡±


    I rolled my eyes and pushed past her. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s just eat.¡±


    All through breakfast, Caesaria pestered me about my run-in with Darius. I explained to her, repeatedly, that nothing had happened.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t look happy,¡± she commented as she sipped her tea.


    I sighed. That¡¯s my fault. ¡°I may¡¯ve said some things I didn¡¯t mean. He just¡­ugh! I don¡¯t know why I even talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Maybe because you like him,¡± Cae mumbled into her cup.


    ¡°I do not!¡± I said louder than I intended. Then, lowering my voice, ¡°It¡¯s just like everywhere I turn, there he is. Why does he do that? And yeah, he says he¡¯s been leaving Ray and me alone but come on. Did you see them last night at dinner when Darius took the last scoop of mashed potatoes? You could cut the tension in here with a knife.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like it¡¯s more Ray¡¯s issue with Darius than yours,¡± she commented.


    I stood up and handed my empty dishes to one of the passing kitchen workers, thanking them for the meal. Caesaria drained the last of her tea and followed me out of the Grand Cabin.


    ¡°Well whatever it is, it wasn¡¯t right of me to go off on him like that.¡± I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail. ¡°You ready to go riding?¡±


    Caesaria grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll race you to the barn.¡±


    We took off down the hill and mounted our horses, but not before we grabbed our archery gear. Caesaria led us to an open space we¡¯d dubbed as our archery range. A few days before, we¡¯d set up wooden targets against the trees. Some were higher up, some were more hidden. It became a challenge of who could beat who.


    ¡°Are you up for a challenge?¡± Caesaria asked, readying her bow.


    I smirked. ¡°You know I am.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± She counted to three and we began our race through the woods. The wind whipped through my hair as I ducked, dodged, and twirled my way through our obstacle course. Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead, hanging on from the humidity in the air.


    Caesaria and I hit the finish line at exactly the same time, doubling over into fits of laughter.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go count our points,¡± I said once we¡¯d caught our breath. We trudged back through the woods. Any red-finned arrows were mine; any blue-finned arrows belonged to Cae. This made it easier to tell them apart.


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    ¡°Fifty-six for you,¡± Caesaria said. ¡°And fifty-nine for me.¡±


    I rotated my shoulder. ¡°Not too bad. Best two out of three?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s reset and go again.¡±


    That evening, I was ready to spend a night in with Raydir. My shoulder was still sore from spending the morning competing against Caesaria in our archery competition. After we ate lunch, we went for a swim. The water had helped significantly, so I ached for a bath that I hoped would relieve my sore muscles.


    ¡°Raydir!¡± I called out as I approached our cabin. ¡°Ray? Are you here?¡± Upon entering, I gasped. Raydir was laying on the couch, a bag of ice on his forehead and over his chest. ¡°What happened?!¡±


    Raydir sat up suddenly, wincing in visible pain. ¡°Arwyn. You¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re hurt.¡± I sat down beside him. ¡°What happened?¡± My fingers delicately brushed his hair out of his eyes.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He winced again. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Clearly you¡¯re not.¡± I pressed my hand lightly against his chest and he cried out in pain. ¡°Can you lift your arms?¡±


    Raydir hesitated then weakly shook his head no. I tore at the fabric, ripping the shirt away from his chest to reveal a bruise, purple and blue, covering his ribs. It was in the same location I had noticed earlier but it had deepened significantly.


    ¡°Who did this to you?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Did you get into a fight with Darius?¡±


    ¡°No one. And no. It was just¡­training.¡±


    ¡°Training?! I left you alone for one day. You didn¡¯t say anything about that earlier.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask. Plus, you know I used to do this in Alvenora. It¡¯s not different than that,¡± he argued.


    I got up and went into the kitchen, rummaging in the cupboard for herbs that could be used to make a healing paste for Raydir. Growing up where it was notorious for one of us to come crying to Ginny about a scraped knee or a scraped elbow, I¡¯d learned all about what it took to create different healing concoctions. I returned a minute later, instructing him to lay down while I spread the salve on his chest. He squirmed under my touch.


    ¡°Hold still, Ray.¡±


    ¡°It stings,¡± he protested. He stuck his bottom lip out in a teasing pout.


    ¡°Well it would sting less if you stopped fidgeting so much!¡± I pulled back. ¡°God, Raydir what happened?¡± My voice cracked. I couldn¡¯t bear to see him hurt like this. And from training? He¡¯d never been hurt like this back in Alvenora.


    He also wasn¡¯t a wolf back in Alvenora, the voice in my head reminded me.


    His expression shifted. ¡°I told you. I was training.¡±


    ¡°Training with who? Darius?¡± I dipped the cloth back into the mixture before pressing it lightly against the bruises. My fingers traced abs, his skim warm under my touch.


    ¡°With Bennett. He offered when I told him about the combat training I used to do in Alvenora. Why do you automatically assume this has something to do with Darius.¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I assume that?¡± I countered. ¡°You hate him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Raydir sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t hate him. He¡¯s just a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°Then why do we put up with him?¡± I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. If he put you up to this¡ª¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡± Raydir covered my hand with his. ¡°It¡¯s apparently something that some of the new wolves go through when they get here. It helps them learn their way around dealing with a new body.¡±


    ¡°I like your body the way it is,¡± I murmured.


    Raydir smirked. ¡°Thanks. Listen, Ar. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. When Bennett dropped by a few days ago, he gave me that woodpile to work on and I started with that. But I was so antsy, I asked him if there was any other sort of training I could do. With Darius being here, I needed a way to keep my head on straight. We started a short regimen after that and by the end of the day¡­it was a lot.¡± He brushed my hair away from my face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± I helped him over to his bedroom and we laid down so his head was across my lap. My fingers stroked through his hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything,¡± he said.


    ¡°Shh, Ray, you don¡¯t have to talk.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to tell you. You asked me what happened during the Alignment, and the truth is that I don¡¯t remember. I still don¡¯t remember. It comes in flashes.¡±


    ¡°Ray, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I kissed his forehead.


    ¡°Bennett said that chopping wood helps get the muscles moving.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Going through the motions to strengthen your body. Makes sense.¡±


    Raydir sat up and turned to me. ¡°And about what I wanted to tell you earlier, about your wolf spirit¡ª¡±


    I pressed my lips against his. ¡°Not tonight, Ray. I don¡¯t want to think about it. We have a month until the next Alignment. We¡¯ll deal with it then, okay?¡±


    He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. ¡°Deal.¡± He lowered his head to kiss my neck. ¡°You know, Bennett also says it¡¯s best to work through the pain.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± My fingers slid lightly over his skin and his lips found mine again when he nodded.


    The pain didn¡¯t seem to bother him as he rolled on top of me. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± His head dipped down for our lips to meet again, and he ran his fingers through my hair. A few seconds later, he groaned and pulled away, rolling onto his back next to me. ¡°Okay. Maybe that was too much.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Do you have to keep training like this, Ray?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He winced, sitting up straighter on the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s strength training and it¡¯s for my own good.¡±


    ¡°So says Bennett.¡± I set aside the bowl of salve and pulled his shirt back down over his chest.


    ¡°No, so says me. Plus,¡± he adds, ¡°I enjoy the thrill.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s working you too hard, Raydir. This can¡¯t be normal.¡± I bit my lip. Sure, this was only one day. But what would happen when it turned into one week? One month?


    Raydir reached out to brush his fingers across my face. ¡°Trust me, I know my limits. Thank you for tending to my injuries. What can I do to make it up to you?¡±


    I swatted his hand away and smirked. ¡°Rest, Ray. That¡¯s what you can do. Because you¡¯re not getting any more of this¡±¡ªI gestured to myself¡ª¡°until you¡¯re better.¡±


    Raydir smirked. ¡°Duly noted.¡±

 Chapter 9.1 [Edited]

    On a windy road, the carriage lurched forward. Rain droplets splattered against the windows of the carriage as it creaked and groaned along the path.


    ¡°Are we almost there?¡± I asked, clutching my sister¡¯s hand. I hated these types of roads.


    ¡°Almost.¡± She kissed my forehead. ¡°Keep your eyes on me, Ar.¡±


    ¡°Bella, I don¡¯t think we should be out here like this.¡± I tore my gaze away from my sister to the rain-covered windows. Howls sounded in the distance, but they couldn¡¯t have been too far away. We were right on the edge of the woods.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± she tried to assure me, smoothing out the fabric of her dress.


    The carriage hit a bump and I shrieked. Arabella was now slumped over on the seat next to me.


    ¡°Bella?¡± My voice wavered. ¡°Bella, wake up!¡± When I finally turned her face to me, I screamed.


    The face, not of my sister¡ªbut of a wolf¡ªstared back at me.


    I shot straight up in bed, sweating. Raydir rolled over next to me and frowned.


    ¡°Ar? You okay?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I blinked my eyes in the darkness. ¡°Just a dream. Sorry I woke you.¡± With a shaky breath, I laid back down. Raydir wrapped an arm protectively around my waist.


    ¡°I got you,¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯re safe with me.¡±


    ***


    Time seemed to move faster in the valley. The days were filled with adventure, the nights peaceful and exhilarating. And before I knew it, the next Alignment loomed closer and closer.


    Raydir and I had begun to find our rhythm, yet as the days moved forward, I spent my evenings playing nurse and tending to his bruises. He promised me he would be more careful in training, but he was more stubborn than me which was something I¡¯d cherished in our childhood. Now? It worried me.


    We were still taking things day by day in our relationship, but we were nowhere near ready for the marking. It never felt like the right time, and Raydir respected that. The only downside was that the link that had appeared on the first Alignment had completely diminished since then.


    It was early in the morning. Raydir was sitting on the floor of the cabin with a bunch of different plants spread out in front of him. He was practicing making different healing potions and I was helping. Or at least I was trying.


    ¡°What¡¯s this one?¡± I asked, holding up a leaf.


    Raydir and I sat spread out on the floor of our cabin.


    ¡°That¡¯s a basil leaf,¡± he replied.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s for food, not medicine.¡± He brushed my hair away from my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it got mixed in here.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°One day there¡¯s gonna be a need to cure something and the answer is gonna be basil and you¡¯re just gonna not use it because it¡¯s food not medicine.¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°Arwyn, that¡¯s not how this works. You can¡¯t just use anything.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know! It could happen!¡±


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m the healer.¡± He tickled my sides.


    I shrieked and leaned over to pick up something else. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s this one?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ginger root.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s it used for?¡±


    ¡°We put it in concoctions to help settle the stomach,¡± he said. ¡°Some of these things have a nasty after taste so it helps keep the medicine down.¡±


    ¡°Mm. You know, people use ginger in food too.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°You¡¯re impossible to please, you know that?¡±


    I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try something.¡± Raydir rifled through the plants and pulled out a spiky one. ¡°This is aloe vera. We use the juices to help heal injuries.¡±


    I looked down at the spiky leaves. ¡°And how do you do that?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡± He sat behind me and covered my hand with his. He placed a bowl in front of us and hovered the aloe vera plant over it. ¡°Concentrate, then squeeze the juices out.¡±


    I stifled a laugh but watched in awe as it worked. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. How did you do that?¡±


    Raydir grinned. ¡°It¡¯s part of my power.¡±


    I wrapped my arms around his neck. ¡°I love it.¡±


    He hummed happily and traced his fingers against my skin. ¡°So, any plans for the day?¡±


    ¡°Mm, Cae and I are going to see what we can catch down at the lake.¡± I brushed my thumb over his lower lip. ¡°What about you? You¡¯re taking it easy, right? You promised.¡±


    He leaned forward and kissed me. ¡°Yes, I did. I¡¯ll only be doing training on alternate days and otherwise I¡¯ll be at the medical cabin.¡±


    "Oh?" That must¡¯ve been why he was working with plants this morning.


    Raydir let out a soft hum. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a position as a healer. It turns out my knowledge of medicinal properties of plants will come in quite handy.¡± He stretched out his arm toward a vase that sat on the windowsill across the room. A single pink rose instantly emerged through the opening.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic, Ray. Really.¡± I grinned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make any plans for tonight,¡± he said. ¡°I have something planned for your birthday.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°My birthday was over a month ago.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He smirked. ¡°We¡¯ve been kind of busy since then. What with leaving the dukedoms and all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very true.¡± I pretended to think about this. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t make any plans to go running away with anyone else before then.¡±


    He laughed and leaned over the bed to kiss me. ¡°Go have fun today. I promised to be good, you have to promise to have fun.¡±


    I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it. The next Alignment was slowly approaching, and Raydir¡¯s nightmares had slowly returned. They seemed to be worse than before, taking at least two cups of ibisco tea to calm him down at night.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± He brushed his fingers over my cheek.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll have fun. I promise.¡± With one last kiss, I rolled off the bed and went to change for the day.


    I met up with Caesaria at the lake as was our daily routine. Over the last month, we had grown closer, spending the days exploring the valley and competing against each other with our archery skills.


    ¡°How are you now that the next Alignment is approaching?¡± Cae asked me after our morning swim.


    I wrung out my hair. ¡°Nervous. Ray is struggling again. He¡¯s an active sleeper and I have the bruises to prove it.¡± Despite having two bedrooms, we¡¯d taken up residence in only one because we hadn¡¯t wanted to be away from each other.


    ¡°Have you felt anything?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I climbed back into Majesty¡¯s saddle. ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything to Ray because I don¡¯t want to worry him.¡±


    ¡°What have you felt?¡± she asked.


    I looked out into the distance. ¡°Just like something bad is about to happen. I¡¯ve been dreaming a lot about my sister lately.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The wind whipped my hair around my face.


    ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go. I wanted to take you on one of the trails today.¡± Caesaria pressed her heels into her horse¡¯s side, starting him at a slow trot.


    We led our horses along the dirt path, careful to avoid low tree branches. The hum of insects filled the uncomfortable silence that settled between us.


    Raydir and I used to go for trail rides all the time when we were younger. He would take Orion and meet me at our clubhouse. From there, we would go exploring and pretend we were conquering the world together.


    ¡°What¡¯s at the top of the waterfall?¡± I asked when we slowed our horses to a stop in a clearing. A bubbling brook ran to our right, and we let the horses take a few minutes to graze and drink.


    Caesaria stroked her horse¡¯s tawny coat with her fingers. ¡°No one really knows. The path to get up there is treacherous at best. It¡¯s not something I advise.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve tried going there before?¡± I closed my eyes and let the sun warm my skin.


    ¡°Once. But I had to turn back because I twisted my ankle in the process,¡± she explained. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s not worth the pain.¡±


    She dropped the subject after that and we continued on.


    When we turned back a while later, the sun was starting to lower in the sky but it was still very bright and warm. We stopped by the Grand Cabin to deliver our catch of rainbow macrou, a rare find in the lake, to the cooks. They were pleased with our find and promised to make a fantastic dinner out of it.


    Content with that, we walked in the direction of our cabins before Caesaria stopped abruptly.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    She shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna like it. Ray and Darius are fighting.¡±


    I groaned. This wasn¡¯t going to end well. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here. See you.¡± I ran down the hill to the cabin where Ray and Darius were, in fact, arguing outside by the wood pile.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled at them.


    Raydir turned to me and his face blanched. ¡°Arwyn.¡± He shifted uncomfortably.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Darius glanced at Ray. ¡°I told you we should¡¯ve done this inside.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Darius,¡± Raydir growled.


    I looked between them. Their expressions told me absolutely nothing. ¡°Ray?¡±


    Raydir sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°There is something about the wolf spirit¡ªcurse, whatever you wanna call it¡ªthat we haven¡¯t told you.¡± The black obsidian praesidium crystal now hung on a thick cord around his neck catching the light every so often. He tugged at it nervously.


    I raised my eyebrows. I thought he¡¯d told me everything upon Darius¡¯s arrival a month ago. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that day we met for lunch?¡± he continued. ¡°I told you we¡¯d figure something out so that we could be together. I knew I wanted to protect you, so this was the only way I knew how. Darius¡­he has a way to keep the wolf spirit suppressed, but it¡¯s only on a temporary basis. And it comes with a cost.¡±


    My glare deepened then softened as I processed what he was saying. ¡°What cost? Is that why your nightmares were so bad before the first Alignment?¡± I suddenly felt a bad taste in my mouth.


    Raydir shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable.


    Darius cleared his throat. ¡°The suppression is the result of a pact between the two parties¡ªthat would be us¡±¡ªhe gestured between himself and Raydir¡ª¡°and basically it means that Raydir carries not only his own wolf, but your wolf as well.¡±


    ¡°And you just let this happen?¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a good thing to take on the burden of two wolves.


    ¡°I chose to do this, Ar,¡± he replied. ¡°For you. To protect you.¡±


    ¡°Protect me from what?¡±


    ¡°From the harsh wolf spirit. I¡ªwhat you saw on the first Alignment¡ªthe softer of the two wolf types¡ªwe don¡¯t know whose wolf that was coming through. The reason I¡¯ve had such bad nightmares is just part of the burden of holding two conflicting wolf spirits.¡±


    ¡°Burden?¡± The words felt like a knife twisting in my heart. My gaze shifted. ¡°And you just what? Agreed to this?¡±


    ¡°Raydir made a choice,¡± Darius tried to reason. ¡°There is nothing I could¡¯ve done to stop him.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve refused!¡± I cried out, standing up abruptly from the couch and pacing the floor. ¡°You could¡¯ve told me!¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you,¡± Raydir said softly.


    My mind reeled. In his defense, he¡¯d tried. But not hard enough. ¡°You had a month! A month to tell me you were carrying the burden!¡± I hated that word. ¡°And every time you cry out at night, I hate myself for making you choose me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, you didn¡¯t make me do anything. This¡ªus¡ªwe are a mutual agreement.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to this! What makes you think I couldn¡¯t handle my wolf spirit no matter which one it was?¡± My voice broke in anger. ¡°And you. What gave you the power¡ªwhat gave you the right to interfere like this?!¡±


    ¡°Raydir was only doing what he thought was best for you.¡± Darius tried to pacify me.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about you,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°Is that why you ran into me in town before my ceremony? Was it all part of an elaborate plan?¡±


    Darius shook his head. ¡°When Raydir came to me, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure who you were besides a classmate. I gave him a concoction to give to you. Then when you and I ran into each other, I realized you were the girl he¡¯d spoken so fondly of.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. You poisoned me?¡± I screeched.


    ¡°It was an herbal mixture. Much like the hibisco tea here in the valley,¡± Raydir said. Guilt swam in his eyes. ¡°I added it to your wine that day we had lunch before your ceremony. It¡¯s called a wolf suppressor.¡±


    ¡°That was the start of it,¡± Darius explained. ¡°It¡¯s connected me with the two of you which is why I now have a mind link with each of you.¡±


    Wait, what?


    ¡°With Ray, too?¡± I asked.


    Darius nodded. ¡°It¡¯s part of the pact.¡±


    At least I wasn¡¯t in this alone. I glanced at Raydir. He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.


    ¡°If the herbal mixture suppressed my wolf, how did you transfer it to Ray?¡± I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°Nevermind. I still don¡¯t understand how this was supposed to protect me if it¡¯s still inevitable that my wolf spirit will come out.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Raydir said, exasperated. His voice cracked. ¡°I did this because you were never supposed to have your ceremony. I thought it was the only way to keep you safe. I could lose you, Arwyn, in more ways than one. And I don¡¯t even want to think about that.¡± He stormed out of the cabin without another word.


    I got up to chase after him. ¡°Ray! Raydir!¡±


    ¡°Give him a minute,¡± Darius said, catching up to me outside the cabin. ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, Raydir made me promise that I would protect you at all costs.¡±


    There was that word again: protect. I pushed my hands against his chest and he stumbled backwards. ¡°I don¡¯t need protection. And I certainly don¡¯t need you of all people to protect me.¡±


    He reached for my arm. ¡°You don¡¯t know what the harsh wolf is like.¡±


    ¡°And you do?¡± I crossed my arms over my chest. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible.


    He swallowed, a look of pain washing over his face. ¡°I do. I know that Caesaria told you how we know each other. Did she also tell you which wolf she is?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. Why?¡±


    ¡°She has the harsh wolf.¡± He lifted his shirt to show a scar running along his left side. ¡°I¡¯ve had this scar since Cae and I were ten years old. When she decided to leave Gwyniar, I chased after her. It was the night of an Alignment and when she shifted, she attacked me. The injury released my wolf spirit at the same time.¡±


    My heart twinged with guilt for how I reacted to Raydir. Then I thought about something else. ¡°You and Caesaria have the same gift. Does that mean that you have the same wolf type too?¡±


    Darius nodded painfully. ¡°Every pairing has a soft wolf and a harsh wolf, and Raydir¡­he¡¯s just delaying the inevitable because one of you has the harsh wolf. And what he said about the First Wolf¡­rogues are dangerous. We don¡¯t want that to happen.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. But he can¡¯t hold both wolf spirits forever.¡± Especially if I had anything to say about it. We were in this together, had he forgotten?


    Darius reached out a hand toward me. ¡°Do you wanna go talk to him? Together?¡±


    I let out a shaky breath. ¡°No. I have to do this alone. I have to accept this fate.¡±

 Chapter 9.2* [Edited]

    ¡°Have you seen Raydir?¡± I asked Caesaria after searching for an hour with no luck.


    She pointed in the direction of the lake. ¡°I saw him go toward the falls a while ago.¡± Her eyebrows knit together. ¡°Did something happen? Is Darius involved?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated. And yes, he is very much involved.¡± I placed my hands on my hips and exhaled loudly.


    ¡°Go to him,¡± she said. ¡°To Raydir. You chose him, remember? And Darius can¡¯t ever take that away.¡±


    I hope you¡¯re right. ¡°Thank you.¡± I laid a hand gently on Caesaria¡¯s arm before heading in the direction of the lake.


    Over the past month, the cavern behind the waterfall had become our place to be with each other without a care in the world. If I had to bet, that¡¯s where Raydir had gone.


    Once there, I dove into the water not thinking about anything else until I could talk with him. He sat on one of the rocks behind the falls, only looking up after I cleared my throat.


    ¡°Ray.¡± My voice came out soft. ¡°I am so sorry. I had no idea¡ª¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even supposed to have a ceremony.¡± He sighed. ¡°None of this was supposed to happen. I thought I was protecting you by keeping your wolf spirit hidden.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s my wolf, Ray. Don¡¯t you think I should have a say in that?¡± I cupped his face in my hands.


    ¡°Yes, you should. And I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you sooner. But It¡¯s more complicated, Ar. When I approached Darius for the pact, he said there are consequences. For both of us.¡±


    ¡°What sort of consequences?¡±


    He gave me a strained look. ¡°For me, it was carrying two wolf spirits. I would have to take on whatever weight that required. And for you¡­well, that¡¯s why I had to tell you to say yes at your ceremony.¡±


    I pushed my hand against his chest. ¡°Wait a minute. So you did know he was going to be my Chosen?!¡±


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°Not exactly. Darius sort of knew and I didn¡¯t want to know how so I didn¡¯t ask. He said I¡¯d have to let you pursue him if this whole thing were to work.¡±


    Strangely enough, it made sense. ¡°But I didn¡¯t pursue him. And I don¡¯t want to pursue him. I only want to be with you.¡±


    He brightened but there was still a twinge of sadness in his eyes.


    I continued. ¡°You are mine, Ray. And you always will be. I made a promise to you.¡± I held up my left hand where the gem on my promise ring glimmered even in the shade of the falls.


    Raydir inhaled sharply, standing up, and for a second I thought he was going to leave me here alone. Within an instant, his lips were on mine, a flash of lust evident in his green eyes. My hands entangled their way into his hair as our breathing became heavier. He lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his soaked torso and pushing me lightly against the wall of rocks behind us. A moan escaped my lips as his mouth traveled down to a sweet spot on my neck.


    ¡°Ray,¡± I breathed. I was suddenly very aware of the way his mouth felt against my skin and I yearned for more.


    He let out a low rumble from his throat, his hands roaming over my back as we moved in a rhythm together. Slowly, the pain and strain washed away as if the falls baptized us with a chance of a new beginning. One hand slipped under my shirt, warmth against my cold skin, grazing my breasts. He peeled the fabric away from my body, tossing it to the rocks with a splat. I cursed myself for not changing out of it sooner, as the wet cotton was sure to stick later on.


    My fingers fumbled at the hem of his shirt, running them over his visible muscles. As our mouths found each other again, he tasted like the saltiness of the lake, a zing that left my tongue tingling. Finally, the shirt released its hold on Raydir¡¯s body, allowing me to run my hands along his bare skin as he kissed me, this time nipping at my ear. I curled my fingers in his hair, letting out small gasps as he pressed his body against mine.


    Water from the falls rose up and flowed backwards, swirling around us and engulfing us in our own little bubble.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Raydir pulled away and nearly dropped me, causing the water to come crashing down on top of us. ¡°What just happened?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± I ran a hand through my wet hair. ¡°The water just sort of¡­I don¡¯t even know. You seem concerned about that.¡±


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not concerned, just surprised. Your wolf is still concealed, so how is your power showing up? But you don¡¯t seem bothered by it¡ªhas this happened before?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. There was this one time where the water seemed to sort of blend around me so I was able to see underwater, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± He licked his lips but didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°We should get back.¡±


    I took his hand and we disappeared back through the falls, swimming to dry land. Darius was there waiting for us when we arrived. He leaned back against a tree.


    ¡°I see you two have made up,¡± he commented, nodding to us in turn.


    ¡°It¡¯s just been a lot to process.¡± I smiled up at Raydir. ¡°But he¡¯s worth all of it. So, have you just been waiting for us out here this whole time?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I talked with Caesaria and made another visit to the Swap Shop at the Grand Cabin and¡­why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I crossed my arms over my chest.


    A crease formed between Darius¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°I get that I¡¯m not your favorite person, but I should be here for this next Alignment.¡±


    ¡°To what? Babysit?¡± I scoffed. ¡°I appreciate you telling me that I¡¯m gonna shift on the Alignment, but your services are no longer needed. We can handle it from here. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been here long enough?¡±


    Darius glanced at Raydir with raised eyebrows. ¡°Look, Ar, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to call me that, Darius.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Arwyn, I told you that the pact sort of makes us a package deal. I have to stay and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Babysit.¡±


    ¡°Monitor the situation. And because there is more to the curse than just the shift.¡±


    ¡°We already know her gift,¡± Raydir piped up.


    I whacked his arm. ¡°And apparently we¡¯re just gonna tell Darius now?¡± The less he knew about us, the better.


    Raydir glanced at me. ¡°First of all, ow. And second¡ª¡±


    ¡°Raydir thinks my power has something to do with water because when we were, uh, behind the falls, there was a moment where the water sort of embraced us. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, except that this doofus almost dropped me.¡±


    ¡°Why would¡ªyou know what, I don¡¯t wanna know.¡± Darius smirked. ¡°But that does sound like it¡¯s your power.¡±


    The dinner bell tolled in the distance.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°We should head back to the Grand Cabin,¡± Raydir said. ¡°We can talk about this more later.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to leave just yet. Darius still had some serious explaining to do. Like how he knew he would be my Chosen.


    ¡°You go ahead,¡± I said, kissing his cheek. ¡°We¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    Once Raydir was out of view, I turned to address Darius, poking my finger at his chest. ¡°Why do you always have to go and ruin everything?¡±


    Darius smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t like that I crashed your moment with Raydir.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re meddling where you don¡¯t belong. And you¡¯re still here so spit it out. What do you want?¡±


    Darius sighed. ¡°You have your power which is a good thing. But it also means that the pact will now only last until the Alignment.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± We started walking back toward the Grand Cabin.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°You said that because of the pact, you have a connection with both me and Raydir. I thought only mates could do that? You know, have a link.¡±


    Darius scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Only mates have a secure link bond. But that link becomes more established after the, er, marking.¡±


    My fingers flew to the spot on my neck where Raydir had teased just minutes before. Did he know? ¡°So what does it mean if he hasn¡¯t, um, marked me yet since we¡¯re going into the second Alignment?¡± I mentally kicked myself. If he didn¡¯t, he does now. Good job.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean much,¡± he said. ¡°You still chose him. You¡¯re still his. But you are still eligible in the eyes of wolf law.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Wolf law? Is that something else I should know about?¡±


    ¡°In due time. For now¡ª¡± he paused, suddenly on alert.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Don¡¯t say anything. Just trust me.


    Trust you?! Why should I tru¡ª


    He pushed me behind a tree, our bodies closer than they had ever been before. I could feel his heartbeat against my chest.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± I hissed.


    Don¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Stop doing that! For the love of¡ª¡± he cut me off by pressing his lips against mine. My body fought to resist him at first but slowly melted at his touch. He tasted like honey, which was a contrast from the saltiness on Raydir¡¯s lips from earlier. The air smelled musty, as if it were going to rain, and I wondered just how much my emotions could control water¡ªor weather. My hands fell awkwardly at my sides, as he wrapped his around my waist, pulling me against him. Did it feel¡­good¡­to kiss him? What was I even doing?!


    I pushed away from him. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    ¡°I heard something. And it didn¡¯t sound safe.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s how you tell someone there¡¯s a threat?¡± I flailed my arms. ¡°You¡¯re insane, Darius! I have a boyfriend!¡±


    He peeked out from behind the tree. ¡°We should be clear now.¡±


    I brushed my finger lightly over my lips. They gave off a slight tingle from the kiss. ¡°So can we go back now?¡± As fast as I could, I wanted to get far away from Darius. He was the last thing I needed today.


    ***


    Everyone was already gathered outside of the Grand Cabin, seated at wooden picnic tables, when we arrived. Several servers came around with plates of rainbow macrou that Caesaria and I had caught earlier in the day.


    Caesaria waved me over, but when she caught sight of me standing awkwardly next to Darius, her eyes changed to a stormy grey from their usual blue.


    ¡°I¡­Later,¡± I said to Darius, rushing over to my friend.


    She glared at me, stabbing forcefully at her fish.


    ¡°Ok what did I do?¡± I asked her, keeping my voice low as I accepted a plate from one of the servers. Tonight we were having green beans served with the macrou, grown in one of the Darqua valley gardens.


    Caesaria pursed her lips in thought before answering. ¡°You know how I can sense things about you¡ªor anyone else¡ªwith just a glance?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Something happened between you two, didn¡¯t it?¡± Another stab at the fish.


    I looked down at my plate. ¡®Pulsating¡¯ sounded intense. And it had only been one little kiss. Because he was trying to shut you up, moron. Then why did it feel so good?


    Looking through the crowd, Raydir caught my eye from across the fire, giving me a small nod before turning back to Bennett and Darius. They were all deep in conversation, most likely about the next Alignment.


    I turned back to Caesaria. ¡°One kiss doesn¡¯t mean anything, Cae.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. You kissed him?¡±


    ¡°Before you read anything into it, we were talking and he sensed danger. So he pulled me behind a tree.¡±


    ¡°And he kissed you?¡± She raised her eyebrows. ¡°With no regard for your relationship whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°He was protecting me from danger,¡± I protested, although it wasn¡¯t clear whether I was trying more to convince her or myself.


    ¡°A kiss is still a kiss, Ar. And it¡¯s worse that you even felt something with it.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that was me and not him? And are you sure you aren¡¯t letting your own feelings cloud your judgement? I know you¡¯re still in love with him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing clear.¡± Her voice burned as deadly as the fire. ¡°I am not in love with him. I have never been in love with him. But you¡­you have Raydir. Why the hell do you need Darius too?¡±


    ¡°I never said I wanted him!¡± I protested, my voice rising higher than I wanted it to.


    ¡°Well, actions certainly speak louder than words, don¡¯t they?¡± She abruptly stood up and dumped her half-eaten meal into the fire.


    When she returned, her next words turned my heart to ice. ¡°Just remember who it is that gave up everything to be with you, nearly sacrificed himself so that you wouldn¡¯t shift right away. Think about that for a change, hmm?¡±


    Raydir. I froze.


    Dammit, I was supposed to meet him.


    Without another word, I ran back toward our cabin and threw open the door. Raydir was sitting on the couch staring at the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°Oh my God. Ray, I¡¯m so sorry, I¡ª¡±


    He put up his hand to stop me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything because he showed up, so let¡¯s just try to enjoy a nice romantic evening together without any mention of you-know-who.¡±


    I swallowed and nodded silently. Raydir stood up from the couch. At first, I thought he was going to just walk away. Then he swept me into his arms, pressing his lips against mine while his fingers ran lightly over my back. My clothes were still damp from the waterfall. I leaned into his touch, weaving my fingers through his hair as I let his kisses wash away the feeling of Darius from my lips.


    ¡°Ray, I have to tell you something.¡± The guilt was eating me up inside.


    He pulled back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°When you left the lake,¡± I started slowly and Raydir¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°something happened. There was something following us, so Darius pushed us behind a tree and then he sort of, um, kissed me.¡± I winced at how fake the story sounded. I was seriously going to slap Darius.


    ¡°He kissed you.¡± Raydir repeated.


    I nodded. ¡°But I stopped it. I told him he couldn¡¯t do that and he knows that you and I are dating, so it was entirely out of line.¡±


    ¡°Damn straight,¡± he muttered. ¡°So he kissed you and then what?¡±


    Outside, the sky was beginning to turn different shades of orange. Soon it would be too dark for us to enjoy a sunset dinner, although I wasn¡¯t sure either of us could enjoy it right now.


    ¡°And then I came back to where everyone was having dinner,¡± I said.


    Raydir mulled this over, not speaking. ¡°And it didn¡¯t mean anything?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! He just ambushed me and I stopped it as fast as I could.¡± My heart pounded in my chest. I couldn¡¯t mess this up with Raydir. Now I was really going to smack Darius.


    ¡°I know. I trust you, Ar.¡± He brushed the back of his hand over my cheek. ¡°Darius on the other hand, I don¡¯t trust.¡±


    ¡°And you have every reason not to trust him,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t be around him anymore. I can¡¯t stand the fact he¡¯s been here this long. Maybe he¡¯ll leave after the Alignment¡ª¡±


    Raydir raised his hand to stop me. ¡°As much as I¡¯d enjoy Darius leaving and never coming back, he knows things. He¡¯s dealt with this a lot longer than us and we¡¯re kind of stuck with him.¡±


    I frowned. We were at least stuck with him until our mind link ceased to exist. Maybe once the Alignment hit, once Raydir and I completed the marking, Darius could leave us alone for good. By now, the sky had darkened and our plans of a romantic dinner together whisked out the window.


    ¡°Not exactly the evening you had planned, huh?¡± I asked, leaning my head against his chest.


    Raydir kissed my hair. ¡°We¡¯ll take a raincheck.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°Ray¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, please.¡± He swallowed and pain swam in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this. I don¡¯t want to fight about Darius tonight. If I¡¯m not allowed to fight with him, then we can¡¯t fight about him either.¡±


    I sat up. ¡°Can we, I mean, can I do anything to make it better?¡±


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°We can just stop talking about it. Because the more I think about him kissing you, the angrier I get. And I don¡¯t want to be angry.¡±


    I nodded silently. We sat there together, tension growing between us, until Raydir stood up from the sofa. He pressed a soft kiss to my temple then went into the bedroom. Guilt flowed through me as I thought about everything that had happened.


    If only I¡¯d pushed Darius away before the kiss.


    If only I hadn¡¯t felt anything.


    If only.

 Chapter 9.3* [Edited]

    He walked over to the bed, chest glistening with moisture, a towel the only thing separating us. I crooked my finger at him, raising my eyebrows seductively. He grinned and leaned over the bed, heat radiating off of his naked body. My fingers pulled at the towel, releasing its hold on his waist. Slowly, his lips grazed against mine as his fingers connected with my hands. He lifted my arms into a locked position over my head. Warmth spread all throughout my body as he shifted on top of me. His mouth took its time to pepper kisses along my jawline, down my neck, to the valley between my breasts. I melted beneath his touch, my body obeying his every command.


    ¡°Ray,¡± I moaned happily, biting back my desire as his tongue flickered against one of my nipples playfully. He released my hands momentarily and I took the advantage, curling them into his hair as my back arched to meet him. His hands grazed the inside of my thighs; a gasp escaped my lips in response to his touch. My heart beat faster and my eyes closed as he thrust on top of me, both of us reaching a state of pure arousal. Fireworks exploded between us. There was nothing more I wanted in the moment than him.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered as he released me.


    ¡°I love you, too.¡± His voice came out husky and rough. When I opened my eyes, I was met with a steel blue-eyed gaze instead of green.


    I gasped, bolting straight up in bed. I whacked the body sleeping next to me with a pillow. ¡°Raydir!¡±


    ¡°Hm? Wha-what happened? What¡¯s wrong? What did I do?¡± He rubbed sleep out of his eyes. I studied them; green, that was good.


    ¡°Arwyn?¡± He frowned and reached out to brush my hair away from my cheek.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and flopped back down on the mattress. ¡°Nothing. Just a dream.¡±


    Raydir rolled over sleepily and soon he was back to snoring lightly.


    Last night, I¡¯d stayed up for a while when Raydir had gone to bed as I contemplated things. And I¡¯d made a decision: for the sake of my boyfriend, I would put space between myself and Darius. I didn¡¯t need him breaking apart what Ray and I had worked so hard to build. When I¡¯d come in for bed, I only came in to get my nightgown. I figured Ray might want some time alone. But he¡¯d mumbled my name and reached out an arm for me, so I reluctantly crawled into bed with him.


    After my dream, sleep decided it had had enough. So once the sun had risen over the horizon, I quietly slipped out of bed to go clear my head. Raydir was still snoring peacefully, so I leaned over the bed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.


    I went to the spot in the clearing by the lake that Caesaria and I had taken up as our archery spot. It was peaceful and where I practiced the best. I hoped today would be no exception.


    Thwap. The first arrow embedded itself into the target. Last night was a disaster. Sure, the shared moment with Raydir behind the falls was amazing, but then I had to go and ruin it by getting too hyped in the moment.


    Thwap. Then Darius invaded his way into my mind. I could still feel the way his lips tasted on mine and how his hands pressed gently against my waist.


    Thwap. And of course, my dream.


    I notched another arrow, focusing all my energy on the target. Why was it that when I felt so comfortable with Raydir, my mind decided to spew out new possibilities? What was it about Darius that had me weak in the knees? Maybe it was that stupid smirk he couldn¡¯t seem to wipe from his face. Maybe it was the cerulean blue of his eyes. Maybe it was the way his muscles rippled or the thought of how it would truly feel to have him on top of me, delicately kissing every inch of my body¡­


    Whoosh. The last arrow surpassed the target completely.


    I blew out a puff of air and went to retrieve it. In the distance, I heard the sounds of someone grunting. As I pushed through the brush, the outline of a person came into view, along with the arrow jutting from his arm. I let out a gasp as I realized what had just happened. I shot Darius with an arrow while thinking about how good it would feel to be kissed all over by him.


    What a way to go.


    ¡°Darius!¡±


    He groaned in response. I ran toward where he lay on the ground, clearly in pain.


    ¡°Was this you?¡± he managed to get out.


    I dropped to my knees beside him. ¡°You have to know I had no intention of hurting you. I didn¡¯t even know anyone was out here.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t what I meant when I said I wanted to smack him! I internally screamed.


    He winced. ¡°Not your fault, Arwyn. But it would be nice if we could get this arrow out of my arm.¡±


    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s get you to the healers. Can you stand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I was hoping you could get it out.¡± His breath came out in short gasps.


    ¡°Me?¡± I squeaked.


    ¡°Yes, you. I trust you to do this.¡± He tilted his head at me.


    I nodded. I didn¡¯t know why he trusted me, but that didn¡¯t matter right now. My fingers fumbled with the fabric of his shirt, then paused. ¡°Um, I¡¯m going to need to rip your shirt to make a tourniquet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just do it quickly.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Not exactly what a girl wants to hear.¡±


    Darius laughed, offering me a smile amidst his pain. ¡°Feisty, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and stay still!¡± I wrapped the cloth around the arrow. ¡°This is gonna hurt a bit. Should I count to three?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay. One, two¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, no! I changed my mind!¡±


    ¡°Too late, three!¡±


    Darius howled in pain, his voice echoing through the entire valley. So much for peace and quiet. Once the arrow was out, I quickly wrapped another piece of fabric around his arm, pulling it taut around the wound.


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    ¡°There.¡± My fingers lingered on his arm for just a moment too long, his skin warm beneath my grasp. I cleared my throat. ¡°Now we really need to take you to the healers to make sure you don¡¯t get an infection.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± He drew his gaze up to meet mine.


    Damn those blue eyes. I swallowed, hoping he couldn¡¯t hear my heartbeat. ¡°We should get back.¡±


    I stood up and started to walk away. ¡°You coming or what?¡±


    Darius smirked and followed me. We walked in a brief silence back toward the cabins. The entire time I waited for Darius to say something, anything. The silence was just becoming too much for me, and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°So are we going to talk about yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Which part? A lot of things happened yesterday.¡± He clutched his arm as we maneuvered around a branch that stuck out from a tree.


    ¡°The kiss. Why did you have to kiss me?¡±


    ¡°Well technically, I didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°But you did.¡± I stopped and crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me why. You just¡­did.¡±


    ¡°I told you there was a threat. And you wouldn¡¯t stop talking¡ª¡±


    ¡°So you kissed me because I wouldn¡¯t stop talking.¡± I let the words roll over my tongue. In all honesty, it seemed like something I would do with Raydir. But with Ray, it would¡¯ve been romantic. With Darius, it was just plain unnecessary. ¡°And that was the only way? The only thing you could think of?¡±


    Darius let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°It was spur of the moment. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s a terrible apology.¡±


    ¡°What else do you want to know?¡± he asked, ignoring my comment.


    I kicked the ground with the toe of my boot. ¡°How does our connection go away?¡±


    "Once the protection is lifted on the Alignment, we won¡¯t have the connection anymore," he said. "But there could be another reason.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There have been some cases when a maiden accepts her Chosen that they, despite still having a dormant wolf spirit, can connect with them through their thoughts,¡± he explained. ¡°Many believe it¡¯s myth or superstition. Others call it ¡®mind reading¡¯.¡±


    I thought about my ceremony. Did saying yes to Darius open a gateway between our minds too? And if it did, what would that mean for me and Raydir?


    ¡°Here we are.¡± We entered the medical cabin, and one of the healers took Darius to a table.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, glaring at me.


    ¡°Archery incident,¡± Darius said. ¡°It was my fault entirely.¡±


    The healer continued to glare at me disapprovingly. ¡°Let me get the salve.¡±


    ¡°Why did you lie to her?¡± I asked once she left.


    ¡°Because it was an accident, and you shouldn¡¯t have to take responsibility for that. Plus, in a way it was my fault.¡±


    I froze. ¡°How was it your fault? I¡¯m the one who shot the arrow.¡±


    ¡°You shot Darius?¡±


    Raydir¡¯s voice caught me off guard, and I turned to see him walking over to us holding a bowl of salve. Since modifying his training schedule, Ray had turned to studying medicinal herbs and had quickly become one of the best healers in the valley. We learned his power was plant manipulation, and he had put it to good use.


    ¡°It was an accident,¡± I clarified. ¡° I went to the range because archery helps me ease my mind. And then I slipped and one of my arrows missed the target.¡±


    ¡°Then how did it embed itself into Darius¡¯ arm?¡± Raydir removed the tourniquet, turning his arm over roughly. ¡°Mm, you did a nice job with this.¡±


    Darius winced in pain. ¡°Careful!¡±


    Raydir took the salve and carefully spread it on the wound. Darius hissed at the touch. ¡°Hold still.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡±


    Raydir turned to me. ¡°Arwyn, you seem to be very distracting for Darius right now.¡± There was an edge of irritation in his voice.


    His words twisted my heart, but he was right. He was absolutely right. Darius couldn¡¯t keep still, his gaze kept traveling over to me and he wouldn¡¯t shut up.


    I thrust my thumb over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll just be outside.¡± I got up and left the medical cabin without a glance back.


    The fire from the night before had died out, turning the rocks beneath an ash white color.


    Footsteps approached behind me. Given the slight hesitation in their steps, it could only be one person.


    ¡°So, you shot Darius?¡± Caesaria asked. There were no traces of anger in her voice which pleased me, although my guilt was still present.


    ¡°It was an accident. I didn¡¯t even know he was there. I don¡¯t normally miss when I practice, but today I was just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thinking about him?¡± She sat beside me on one of the logs. ¡°Arwyn, I¡¯m sorry about yesterday. I know your kiss with him didn¡¯t mean anything. You told Raydir, right?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°He let it slide because Darius had been protecting me from something but he was still upset. And I don¡¯t blame him for that. I mean, I had just told him that I felt nothing for Darius. Why would I turn around and do something that showed the complete opposite?¡± And it was true. I have no idea what changed to spark those thoughts about him in my head.


    ¡°Maybe the Alignment is messing with your head,¡± she offered, as if reading my mind.


    I raised my eyebrows.


    ¡°What? I can sense your feelings, remember?¡±


    I blew out a puff of air. ¡°Yeah, I forgot about that. Can I ask why it meant so much to you yesterday?¡±


    She gave me a small smile. ¡°I didn''t tell you this before, but he was my best friend. A few months older than me, he wanted to protect me, especially when he found out about my power. During the school incident, he froze. He wanted to help me, but couldn¡¯t.¡±


    I nodded, remembering the story Darius had told me.


    ¡°Then there was the incident when I shifted and I injured him. We never got the chance to talk about it, and having him here now brings up all sorts of feelings and memories. Plus, two empatis together makes for a very¡­intense amount of feelings.¡±


    ¡°Empa-what?¡±


    ¡°Empatis. That¡¯s what our gift is called since Darius and I can both feel emotions and desires of other people.¡±


    ¡°So then what¡¯s mine called?¡± I looked down at my hands.


    Caesaria raised her eyebrows. ¡°Did you find your gift already?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yesterday after Darius got here, Raydir and I got into an argument. When I went to find him, we kissed behind the waterfall. And then he almost dropped me because the water had sort of woven its way toward us of its own free will.


    ¡°Ah, I see. An acquator. Water bender. That makes a lot of sense. And what about Raydir?¡±


    ¡°Plant manipulation. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been working as a healer. It¡¯s fantastic, really.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a chlorovoltae. Speaking of¡­¡± She inclined her head to a spot behind me. I turned and smiled as Raydir walked toward us. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing the toned muscles in his arms.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted me with a kiss.


    ¡°Hi. Are you ready for lunch?¡±


    Ray scratched the back of his head. ¡°Actually, the healers need me at the med cabin all afternoon, so I won¡¯t be able to have lunch with you after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s ok. How¡¯s um, how¡¯s Darius?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll live. We''re releasing him in a few.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. I didn¡¯t mean for Darius to get caught in the middle. And about last night¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not mad at you for last night, Ar.¡± He glanced back at the medical cabin. ¡°Listen, I have to head back. But I¡¯ll see you tonight, right?¡±


    I kissed him again. He kept his hands on my waist, pulling me firmly against his body. I melted into his touch. ¡°See you tonight.¡± Once he left I turned back to Caesaria who locked eyes once again on a spot behind me and stood up.


    ¡°Gee, look at the time. I have places to be, so I¡¯ll catch you later, Ar.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡± My nostrils flared.


    She hurried away, leaving me stunned.

 Chapter 10* [Edited]

    I kicked the ground with the toe of my boot. Of all the times for Caesaria to hurry away, it had to be now.


    ¡°Fancy running into you out here.¡± Darius¡¯ voice sent a tingle down my spine.


    I turned to face him. He had a bandage around his upper arm but was still in good spirits. ¡°I was just leaving. Places to be, things to do. All that.¡±


    He put his hands up in defense. ¡°I was just thinking of getting lunch. Nothing more. Care to join?¡±


    I tucked my hair behind my ears and stood up. After yesterday¡¯s chaos in the woods, I didn¡¯t want to be alone with him. But he still owed me a lot of explanations. ¡°Only if you¡¯ll give me some straight answers. With the Alignment tonight, I want to make sure I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Darius nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    We walked over to the Grand Cabin, but instead of going toward the dining room, Darius took a detour to the kitchen, checking the hallway to make sure we were alone.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I hissed at him.


    He pressed a finger to his lips. Trust me.


    I glared at him. Stop doing that! You know how much I hate it. I couldn¡¯t help but link him back.


    Gotta love a little adventure. From the kitchen, he filled a basket with various foods including bread, cheese, leftover brisket and macrou, and a little wine.


    ¡°Wine?¡± I asked. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Technically it¡¯s prosecco,¡± he replied as if that made it all the better. ¡°Thought we could use a bit of fun.¡± Once satisfied, he led me out of the Grand Cabin to one of the trails. We walked along it in silence until we came to another clearing.


    ¡°Wow.¡± If I had thought I¡¯d seen beautiful, I was clearly mistaken. This was even more breathtaking than the main lake with the waterfall. Large boulders dotted the grass by the water and purple flowers sprouted up from the ground.


    ¡°I thought you might enjoy being close to the water today. It might help ease your mind for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as we sat down to eat.


    ¡°So, what questions do you have?¡± Darius poured us each a glass of wine.


    I swirled the liquid around in my glass, unsure if I was actually going to drink it. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Ray go through the shift and it terrified me. I want to prepare myself for what it¡¯ll be like.¡±


    Darius leaned back on his elbows then sat back up, wincing. He was clearly still in pain from earlier. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a shock to the system.¡±


    ¡°Did you mean it when you said that after tonight, we won¡¯t have that connection anymore?¡±


    Darius cleared his throat and wouldn¡¯t meet my eyes. ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°And what if our connection doesn¡¯t go away?¡± My gaze flickered up to meet his. I hated that I needed to ask the question, but I still didn¡¯t trust him. ¡°You said it yourself, there are other reasons for it.¡±


    He visibly tensed next to me. ¡°That would only happen in extreme circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What sort of extreme circumstances?¡±


    ¡°The kind that would involve us getting together.¡±


    Heat rushed to my cheeks. ¡°Right. Well, I don¡¯t see that happening any time soon. So is there anything specific I need to know for the transformation?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to focus on something that brings you happiness. The transformation itself is painful and it¡¯ll help with the process, I promise.¡±


    I sipped my wine. That was exactly what Rosie had said when Raydir had his first shift. ¡°Will I remember anything? And if I¡¯m¡­if I have the harsh wolf spirit, will Ray be safe?¡± Everything he¡¯d done so far was to protect me. The least I could do was return the favor.


    ¡°Whoever has the harsh wolf won¡¯t remember who they are until the Alignment is over. And yes, Raydir will be safe. If he has the harsher wolf, then you¡¯ll be safe too.¡±


    My head buzzed, pounding from the information. I looked out over the water. It called particularly urgently today.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to process.¡± He reached out to place a hand on my knee but pulled back almost instantly.


    I inhaled sharply. ¡°Thank you. I think I¡¯m going to go for a swim. The water will help me clear my head.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°See you around then.¡±


    ***


    As always, the lake was a wonderful way to clear my head. But as soon as I returned to the cabin, my heart began to beat faster and my brain swam with worry.


    ¡°Arwyn, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Raydir strode over from the sofa and wrapped me into a hug.


    I let out a shaky breath. ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    He led me over to the sofa so we could sit down. ¡°You¡¯re going to do great, I know you are.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I sniffled. ¡°God, this is pathetic. I chose this, I should be more prepared. I should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop it.¡± Raydir brushed my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. ¡°You are the strongest, sexiest woman I have ever met.¡±


    My lips quirked into a smile. ¡°Sexiest?¡±


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    He leaned forward, kissing me. ¡°Definitely.¡±


    I stood up, walking to the closet and coming back a few minutes later with the art supplies. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for the right time to give you this. I wanted everything here in Darqua to feel good, familiar.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, this is¡­I love it.¡± He kissed me again. ¡°And I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡± I smiled against his mouth. ¡°And I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    Raydir¡¯s eyes twinkled as he smiled and went to light a few candles. Darkness crept over the sky, sending shadows across the cabin. I was grateful for the new sources of light.


    But in the dark, an image appeared in front of me. The shadows danced as they replayed the scene, morphing into silhouettes. Darius. Me. The kiss. His lips locked on mine.


    ¡°Ray, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I blurted out. ¡°For Darius. For how he kissed me.¡±


    My heartbeat quickened, the romantic moment between me and Ray extinguishing like the flame of a candle.


    He sighed, walking back toward me. ¡°I wish you¡¯d stop apologizing for him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The air between us shifted.


    ¡°Because the more you keep bringing him up the more I wonder if it actually did mean something.¡±


    ¡°Ray, you know it didn¡¯t.¡± I rested my hand on his.


    Raydir shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s what you keep saying but I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep believing it.¡±


    Tears stung my cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s because of that stupid mind link.¡±


    Raydir frowned. ¡°Ours?¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°No, the one with Darius. God, I hate that I have one with him. I can¡¯t stand it. It¡¯s only made things worse.¡±


    Raydir sighed and rubbed his fingers over my back. ¡°Darius has certainly complicated things.¡±


    I sniffled and looked back up to his green eyes which seemed to glow golden in the flickering candlelight. ¡°I never wanted him.¡± Until now. But what had Darius given me? Only pain and grievance. It wasn¡¯t worth that. ¡°I don¡¯t want him.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one thing left we can do,¡± Raydir said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Pray that your link with him goes away on the Alignment tonight.¡±


    In the candlelight, I could see each of the individual freckles on his face. He¡¯d hated them. I loved them. Each one was unique. Each told a story. Some were like stars. Others like scars. All of them beautiful just the same.


    He ran his hands down my sides, resting them on my hips. ¡°How about I paint you? Help get your mind off of the Alignment tonight? The feeling of the brush on skin¡­remember we used to paint each other¡¯s hands as kids?¡± The annoyance in his voice had now dissipated, leaving almost as quickly as it had appeared.


    I smiled at the memory. I¡¯d forgotten. It had been a coping mechanism we¡¯d use whenever one of us was feeling anxious.


    Raydir leaned forward, his breath hot on my cheek as he whispered in my ear, ¡°Ever been painted naked before?¡± His hands snaked down to encircle my waist.


    I pressed my lips against his. ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s a first for everything, isn¡¯t there?¡± Without hesitation, my fingers reached to undo my top, pulling it off over my head and then down to my pants.


    Ray grinned. He instructed me to sit in front of him on a blanket while he prepared the paints and took off his own shirt. After a few moments, I felt the prickle of a paint brush against my back, sending a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°God, you are breathtaking.¡± His left hand traced the curves of my body while his right hand used small, precise brushstrokes over my back.


    I blushed, trying not to move. ¡°You¡¯re too much, Ray.¡± Heat radiated through me as his hand grazed over my breasts, then lower, and his lips nestled their way to nip behind my ear. Wow, he sure can multitask.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯m getting paint all over your front,¡± he apologized, starting to pull away.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s ok.¡± I turned around to straddle his waist and pulled his hands back onto my body, gliding them down further as I pressed my body into his chest. ¡°I like the messiness.¡± I reached up to trace a finger along the cord that held his praesidium crystal.


    He smirked, leaning down to kiss me, slipping his hands all over my body and leaving colorful fingerprints as he went.


    My heart thumped hard in my chest and a pounding echoed through my head. What was happening? I tried to ignore it and keep my focus on Raydir. Our bodies began to move in a rhythm before I felt him pull away.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, sitting up. ¡°What is that?¡± The thumping in my head grew louder.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± His eyes darkened.


    Black spots danced in my vision and I clutched my head, the pounding growing louder. ¡°Gahh!¡±


    Raydir pulled his shirt back on and handed mine to me. ¡°We need to go.¡±


    I hurriedly dressed and nodded, taking his hand as we left the cabin.


    Darius was the first to spot us as we ran up from the cabins.


    ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°She is right here,¡± I grumbled. ¡°And my head feels like it¡¯s on fire.¡±


    Raydir looked up at the sky. I wasn¡¯t even sure how it was possible he was doing this well unless he was just that good at hiding how he felt.


    ¡°Gahhh!¡± I howled in pain, doubling over. My breath came in shorts spurts, my heart threatening to beat out of my chest. ¡°I-I c-can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, you can, Arwyn! Look at me.¡± Raydir turned my face toward his with his finger so that my eyes met his. ¡°Focus on me. Tell me what you see.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­green.¡± My fingers clutched at the grass. ¡°With flecks of gold. Your eyes, they shine differently tonight.¡± I squeezed my eyes shut as my body began to morph. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Tears streamed down my face. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t do this!¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, please,¡± he begged. ¡°I need you to focus or the pain will be unbearable.¡±


    I nodded slowly, trying to relax my breathing. My mind trailed off to memories with Arabella. Her laugh echoed in my mind as my limbs contorted. The image shifted to one of me and Raydir. This was my 18th birthday and he¡¯d taken me dancing. I focused on how it had felt to be in his arms that night, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be ok, Arwyn. You just have to focus.¡±


    Protect me, I tried to link to him.


    Howls from the other wolves sounded in the distance. It was time. Time to give in to the wolf who had been hidden away from me. My vision began to change; the colors of the valley began to morph and blur. The scent of watergrasses hit my nose almost instantly. I knew where I needed to be. With one low growl, I bounded away.


    Several other wolves were gathered in the distance as I surveyed my surroundings. A dark grey wolf and a blonde wolf trotted toward me. The blonde wolf stood its ground protectively in front of me as the grey wolf bared its teeth. I growled back.


    Arwyn? Are you okay?


    ¡°Awooo!¡± The link with Raydir had returned, but I wasn¡¯t sure how long it was going to last.


    I pawed at the ground, glaring at the two wolves in front of me.


    Ar, are you in there?


    I growled and stepped forward. You have no power over me.


    Arwyn. Baby, please. You can fight this. The blonde wolf nudged me with his nose.


    She has to fight this on her own.


    Will you two stop and leave me alone?! I bared my teeth. Take another step, I dare you.


    Arwyn, fight it!


    She can only have one of us.


    That was it. I stood my ground before leaping at the grey wolf. He easily deflected, causing me to land hard on my shoulder.


    The grey wolf bowed his head, his eyes glowing. Go. He growled.


    I kicked at the ground, taking off in the other direction before I blacked out.

 Chapter 11.1* [Edited]

    My head throbbed with the worst headache of my life. I felt around for my surroundings. Wet moss coated my fingertips, and I was still wearing my clothes.


    What happened?


    ¡°Arwyn?¡± Raydir¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Arwyn!¡±


    ¡°Over here! By the tree!¡± I called back.


    He chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re in a forest, Arwyn!¡±


    Right. I stood up, brushing off my pants and wobbling slightly when pain seared down my legs and through my shoulder. What had happened last night? I leaned against the tree for support. Raydir came into view and ran to my side.


    ¡°Woah! Are you hurt? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just a little sore.¡± I winced as my fingers touched my thighs. Why could I not remember anything?


    ¡°Here.¡± Raydir scooped my legs out from underneath me into his arms. I squeaked in protest, clinging to his neck for dear life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drop me!¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise.¡± He started walking back in what I hoped was the direction of our cabin. While we walked, my fingers combed through Raydir¡¯s hair. I loved the way it felt between my fingers.


    ¡°What happened when you shifted?¡± I asked.


    His expression remained neutral. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. It comes in waves. How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. My head hurts more than I expected it to, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s only temporary. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright. I wish I could¡¯ve been with you. You kept me sane while I shifted, and I wanted to do the same for you.¡±


    ¡°Ar, you have done the same for me. Last night was hard for me too, but I thought about you the whole time. I¡¯m worried about you.¡± He paused. ¡°There was fear in your eyes, Arwyn. I linked you and you didn¡¯t recognize me.¡±


    I swallowed hard. He remembered and I didn¡¯t, which could only mean one thing. I had the harsh wolf spirit. ¡°I thought the link wasn¡¯t supposed to work until the marking.¡±


    Raydir shrugged. ¡°Maybe not, but we got it early. That can only be a good thing, right.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± My gaze flickered up to meet his. ¡°I was so scared, Ray. I didn¡¯t want you to be afraid of me.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± He cupped my face in his hands, as he slowly let me back down outside of the cabin. ¡°I will never be afraid of you.¡±


    I kissed him. ¡°I love you so much.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡± He swept me into his arms again as we walked in. ¡°Hm, this almost feels like we¡¯re married, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Yeah, it does.¡± My expression sombered. ¡°I almost wish we could stop time. I mean each time we shift now, we¡¯re losing a few hours into nothingness,¡± I said.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± He leaned forward, lips parting, fingers curling through my hair. ¡°So how can I make up for lost time tonight?¡±


    My mouth twitched into a smile. ¡°Just kiss me.¡±


    Raydir grinned and pulled me closer, as heat radiated off of our clothed bodies. His mouth found mine, heads turning, bodies yearning for each other.


    And then the heat intensified.


    Our gazes locked on one another, hunger and desire evident in his eyes. His lips moved lower to the spot of exposed skin between my shoulder blades.


    This was really happening.


    Can I kiss you here? he asked, his fingers gliding lightly over the spot. Warmth pooled over my skin as he touched me. I bit my tongue to keep from giggling at how ticklish it felt. He¡¯d teased it before but never kissed me anywhere other than my mouth. That was all about to change tonight.


    Yes. I closed my eyes as he nipped lightly at the skin, his breath warm against it. His hands traveled to the front of my top, brushing lightly over my breasts before hovering just above the ties.


    Tonight was all about slow and steady.


    As his fingers started to tug at the strings, I pulled back. ¡°Wait. Um, should we¡­you know, move to the¡ªmy room? Or yours. Doesn¡¯t really matter, since we¡¯ve sort of been flipping between them. I just don¡¯t think this should happen on¡­the couch.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I awkwardly led him to my room, closing the door behind us. ¡°So. How exactly¡­I mean, what¡­¡±


    He reached out to tuck my hair behind my ears. ¡°We just¡­do.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    His fingers fumbled at the ribbons, taking his time to untie them. Then he grunted, and the top cinched against my stomach.


    ¡°Agh.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, hold on.¡± He stepped back. ¡°I think I knotted it.¡±


    ¡°Just¡ªhere.¡± I swatted his hand away and picked at the knot, lucky enough to have dealt with this sort of thing for so many years. Raydir took that moment to latch on to my neck again, making it very hard to concentrate on the ties.


    Finally. The knot came undone so that the corset top hung loosely over my body. ¡°There.¡± I glanced up at him.


    He slowly raised the fabric away from my body inch by inch, exposing more and more skin. I was tempted to just toss the full thing across the room, but there was something about the way he took his time. Both sweet and annoying.


    Tonight was about savoring the small moments.


    I reached out to take his hands, letting them slide up my torso. His thumbs brushed gently over my exposed skin, lingering around my breasts as his fingers cupped them. Once the top was successfully off¡ªit only got stuck on my head once¡ªI quickly stepped out of my pants. His gaze slowly traveled from my eyes to my exposed breasts to the rest of my body as if memorizing every inch of me.


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    Even though we¡¯d already seen each other naked a handful of times since coming out to the valley, none of them had been like this, about really getting to know each other. I resisted the urge to wrap my arms around my torso, hiding myself from him.


    ¡°You are so beautiful,¡± he murmured. He reached his arms up to pull his shirt off over his head, tossing it to the side.


    My breath caught in my throat. I drank in the muscles of his bare chest, the sprinkling of freckles that dotted along his torso and around his side, the trail of hair leading straight down from his navel behind the top of his trousers taunting me with every breath he took.


    He undid the buckle and let the trousers fall to the ground, kicking them aside with my discarded clothes.


    Oh wow. This is really happening. This is real. My heart pounded harder in my chest.


    Tonight was about becoming one with each other.


    I drew a hand down his chest, feeling it rise and fall, before wrapping my arms around his neck. ¡°Ray.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He lifted me up and laid me down on the bed.


    My fingers curled through his hair. ¡°You asked me before the first Alignment what I was afraid of with you. The truth?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of not being enough for you. I have loved you since we were children, Raydir. For so many years, I longed to know you¡ªreally know you¡ªand now that we¡¯re vulnerable to each other, I can¡¯t help but wonder if I really am what you want.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± His voice floated over me, soothing as always. A tingle shivered along my back. ¡°You are who I have always wanted to spend my life with. No one else.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    He leaned in close, his breath warm on my cheek. ¡°Terrified.¡±


    I kissed him, letting my tongue dance around his mouth. Then let¡¯s conquer our fears together.


    I traced my fingers over the cord that held his obsidian crystal. Raydir swallowed, his breath heavy and his eyes filled with a desirous fire. I pressed my lips against his chest and trailed my hands down his torso, leaving kisses against every freckle. He groaned with pleasure at each touch, grasping my hips for support as his head tilted backwards. My breath hovered over his skin, coming out hot, as I kissed him. My hands slid down to his thighs.


    ¡°Ar,¡± he moaned.


    Looking down, I traced a finger over the freckles on his inner thighs. ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t like them. The freckles.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°Because I do. They make you unique. They make you who you are.¡±


    Raydir¡¯s green eyes locked onto mine. He wasn¡¯t convinced, I could see that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Ray. It¡¯s okay not to like them because I love you no matter what.¡± I pressed a small kiss to each of his inner thighs. Then I worked my way back up to his mouth before he rolled us to be on top.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he murmured against my lips.


    My fingers ran over his bare back as his lips nestled into my neck then down to the valley between my breasts. The stubble on his cheek was rough against my skin, but I loved the way his body felt with mine. He moved his way back up, peppering my chest with kisses. I leaned my head to the side to give him better access to my neck. His tongue swirled over the skin before his lips nipped at the spot just above my collarbone. He tugged ever so slightly with his teeth. I let out a gasp of pleasure as he marked my neck¡ªfor real this time.


    Finally. Heat poured through my body and my toes curled on the bed. Now we could really be one with each other.


    He let out a low growl. I should¡¯ve done that a month ago.


    He rocked us in a rhythm on the bed. It was just me and him, no one else. After we reached our peak, we fell breathlessly beside each other. Exhaustion from the Alignment came over me like a wave, and I fell asleep to the sound of Ray¡¯s heartbeat in time with my own.


    ***


    A few hours later, I woke up to the mattress shifting under Raydir.


    ¡°Ray? Where are you going?¡± I reached out my arm and my fingers came in contact with his face.


    ¡°Mmph.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still here.¡± I opened my eyes.


    He smiled and brushed his fingers over my cheek. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m staying right here with you.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I cupped his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer and rolling us so that he was on top. His mouth teased my neck as our breathing got heavier.


    I curled my fingers in his hair and my eyes fluttered closed. He was my sanctuary. Every bit of worry that had swelled up inside of me fizzled away just from the desire of being with him. He was my safe space. Nothing could ever change that.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go take a bath. You wanna join?¡±


    My eyes flew open and I smacked him across the chest. ¡°Damn, you sure know how to ruin a good mood.¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°C¡¯mon, you know you want to.¡±


    I shrieked as he pulled the sheet off the bed, leaving me covered with nothing. ¡°Traitor!¡± I took his hand, leading him down the hall to the bathroom.


    Just then, someone pounded on the door to our cabin.


    Raydir paused from where we were standing, briefly stopping to put on a fresh pair of pants before moving swiftly to the front door. I threw on my nightgown and followed quickly behind him. When Raydir opened the door, Bennett leaned against the doorframe, a look of concern etched across his face.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There was an attack in Gwyniar,¡± he replied. ¡°A rogue. We¡¯re doing a headcount in the Grand Cabin to make sure no one else was injured and then sending a team out to scout the area.¡± His gaze flickered to me as he spoke.


    ¡°What? What do you mean ¡®no one else¡¯? Was someone in Gwyniar hurt?¡± I demanded to know. Please let it be nothing serious.


    ¡°Your father tried to stop the attack. He¡¯s in critical condition.¡±


    My knees turned to jello as the words hit my ears. Father. Attack. Critical condition. Raydir caught me as I fell, a scream escaping my lips and tears streaming down my face. My father! And I wasn¡¯t there because I chose a promise over family.


    ¡°No! No no no!¡± I pounded my fists against Raydir¡¯s chest as he cradled me, trying to calm me down.


    ¡°Take her to the Grand Cabin now,¡± Bennett instructed.


    Raydir lifted me up as I cried and rushed over to the Grand Cabin where Rosie was already waiting with Caesaria and Darius.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± Caesaria ran over to me, taking me from Raydir.


    I wrapped my arms around her neck as she enveloped me into a hug. ¡°Tell me it¡¯s not true. Tell me they¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know much right now,¡± Caesaria said, which was not comforting.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s with him right now?¡±


    ¡°Your mother. She was the one who found¡­¡± she trailed off as another sob escaped my lips. Turning to Bennett, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t do this, Bennett. Arwyn needs to be with her family. She has to go with us.¡±


    I glared at Bennett. ¡°You were going to make me stay in the valley? When my father is dying? No, that¡¯s where I draw the line. I am going, end of story.¡±


    Caesaria held up a small satchel. ¡°I already packed an outfit for you to change into.¡±


    ¡°You are wonderful.¡± With another small glance at Raydir and Bennett, I went to change. Once I had returned, Bennett instructed us on what to do and what to expect upon our arrival.


    ¡°There is only a small group of us going: Raydir, Caesaria, Arwyn, and myself,¡± Bennett said.


    ¡°Bennett and I will only be with you until we reach the edge of the woods by the dukedom,¡± Caesaria clarified. ¡°We don¡¯t need to overwhelm the Duke with an extra presence.¡±


    I let out a shaky breath. ¡°We need to leave now, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Bennett nodded. ¡°Indeed. Are you both willing and able to shift? You¡¯ll get there in about an hour. Arwyn, since this is your first time shifting away from an Alignment, you¡¯ll feel a bit tired once you¡¯ve shifted back, but that is perfectly normal. Ready?¡±


    We all nodded and shifted simultaneously. Unlike last night, this shift felt good. Safe. My body did not fight the transformation, almost bowing down to the wolf inside and letting her take control.


    Everything is going to be alright, Arwyn, Raydir spoke through our link.


    I hope you¡¯re right.

 Chapter 11.2 [Edited]

    We arrived in Gwyniar three days later. So much had changed in Gwyniar since I left. The atmosphere felt different. Clouded. A darkness loomed over the dukedom as we hurried into the hospital to see my father. The guards stopped everyone at the door¡ªexcept for me.


    Whispers of ¡°she¡¯s back!¡± floated through the halls as a nurse led me to a secluded area that she said was a special wing for royalty.


    ¡°Father?¡± my voice came out small and weak as I approached. Raydir stood at my side with an arm around my waist.


    My mother sat beside my father¡¯s bed and held his hand while whispering something to herself. She looked up only when I spoke.


    ¡°Arwyn!¡± she cried.


    Tears brimmed my eyes as I ran over to her. She wrapped me into her arms, and I felt all the worry and fear that had built up begin to wash away. I was safe. I was home.


    ¡°Mother, I am so sorry,¡± I cried. ¡°I should never have left. If I only stayed¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then you would have only resented us.¡± She stroked my hair.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The monitor by my father¡¯s bedside beeped in a quiet rhythm.


    ¡°Sweetheart, I have known from the moment you declared that Raydir was going to be your best friend that the two of you were destined to be together. When your sister died, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the position you were about to be in. We never wanted this for you. Trying to keep you away from Raydir was just delaying the inevitable.¡±


    ¡°But I left. I left you and Father. I left the dukedom. My responsibilities. I let you down. I let Arabella down. She wouldn¡¯t have wanted this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Baby, she always encouraged you to be your own person. You reminded me of that. Yes, leaving the valley and rejecting your Chosen has had quite an impact on the family and our society, but you are doing what you want.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I wiped at my tears, confused and even more frustrated. ¡°You wanted me to be with Ray? After you begged so hard for me not to?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to protect your future, but nothing could¡¯ve changed your mind about leaving.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something else, isn¡¯t there,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s a reason for this. All of this.¡±


    She sighed, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ears. ¡°This type of attack. It¡¯s not the first time it¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°When was the first?¡± I asked the question even though deep down inside I was pretty sure I knew the answer.


    ¡°Your sister. The accident with the carriage was because of a wolf who went rogue like this one.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you wanted to protect me. Because you were afraid I would be targeted like Bella.¡± My heart sank as I realized just how much pain I must¡¯ve put my family through. Not hearing from me, not knowing if I was safe. Bella died on her way to the edge of the woods to make her escape with Bennett to Darqua, that¡¯s where they found the carriage. I wondered if they thought we¡¯d been killed.


    My mother nodded. ¡°Yes. When we couldn¡¯t find you after the ceremony, I knew. I even sent someone to make sure you made it to the border alive, but that¡¯s as far as they could go without arousing suspicion.¡±


    I opened my mouth to reply when the bed creaked under my father¡¯s weight. Slowly, his eyes opened. He blinked three times, as if making sure I was real.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± His voice was raspy. ¡°Welcome home, my darling.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± I shrieked, throwing my arms around his neck.


    He groaned. ¡°Careful, Arwyn.¡±


    I pulled back. ¡°Sorry. I just¡±¡ªI looked up at Raydir who nodded¡ª¡°This is my fault. If I hadn¡¯t left¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t left, you could¡¯ve been the one they attacked,¡± my father said. He tried to sit up but winced. Then his gaze locked on Raydir. ¡°Are you taking care of her out there?¡±


    Raydir nodded. ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°And you intend to marry her?¡±


    My gaze darted between Raydir and my father.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then we¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡±


    Raydir and I exchanged glances.


    ¡°All due respect, sir¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arwyn,¡± my mother interrupted. She turned her gaze to me. ¡°Let me talk to Raydir and your father alone.¡±


    I nodded, a crease forming between my eyebrows.


    I¡¯ll be fine, Raydir linked me. He squeezed my hand.


    I jumped. We were three days out from the Alignment and I still had the link. Maybe since Raydir had marked me, it would be permanent. Maybe it meant my bogus link with Darius would cease to exist. I could only hope.


    Clearing my throat, I dipped my head toward my parents and turned on my heel to exit the hospital room.


    Outside the hospital, the sun shone brightly, warming my skin as I walked. As much as I had been enjoying my freedom in the valley, I couldn¡¯t help but think that part of me still longed for Gwyniar. I wish seeing my father had been under different circumstances. It was a teary family reunion but something I desperately needed. What I hadn¡¯t been expecting was the proposal of a shotgun wedding¡ªand one because of my father¡¯s health, not because I was pregnant.


    I rested my hands over my stomach. Would Ray and I have children someday? Was the valley safe enough to raise them if we did?


    Suddenly, I found myself outside of the palace. Vines of honeysuckle trickled down the sides creating a green blanket along the stones. From the outside, it seemed a lot smaller than it ever did before. One of the guards nodded to me as I walked inside, but another eyed me carefully. I looked down at my clothes¡ªI guessed I stood out a bit in my trousers and hunter¡¯s top.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn,¡± I announced myself to him. As if you didn¡¯t know, I¡¯d lived here my whole life and had only been gone for less than two months.


    He glanced at the first guard, who nodded, then proceeded to let me inside the palace. Flashbacks hit me like a blast of ice. Memories of my sister, of the days we spent playing hide-and-seek in the palace. The time I spent so many hours in the library, I fell asleep on one of the bean bag chairs and only awoke when I became hungry the following morning. I chuckled softly at the memory.


    My footsteps echoed down the hall as I made my way to the library. The heavy oak doors creaked when I opened them, exposing the massive room to the light of the day. Comfort immediately washed over me.


    I ran my finger over the spine of the books on the far bookcase. Everything was just as I remembered it. The alluring scent of leather, the sparkle of dust dancing in the light. The crinkle when a page turned.


    Why did I ever leave this place? I wondered. I walked over to the window alcove and sat down. My fingers grasped a book in my lap and I stared down at the title: The History of Gwyniar and Alvenora.


    What a shocking coincidence.


    The book fell open on an image of Gwyniar from 200 years ago. The photo depicted a family dressed in the contrasting colors of Gwyniar and Alvenora: two men, two women, and two sons. They looked happy, proud. As if everything in the world was going just right and they didn¡¯t know how much it would change.


    A knock sounded on the side of the bookcase, and I lifted my head to find Raydir standing there.


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    ¡°I thought I¡¯d find you in here,¡± he said. ¡°You always loved this library.¡±


    ¡°My favorite room in the house.¡± I kissed him. ¡°What did my parents say?¡±


    Raydir ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Your father wants us to get married before we go back to Darqua. He says that if this is to be the last time he ever sees you, he wants to know that we had a happy ending.¡±


    My gaze flickered up to his. ¡°And what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he said as he sat down across from me on the window seat, ¡°I think we should do it. But it¡¯s your decision too.¡±


    I sighed. Of course I wanted to marry Raydir. I just didn¡¯t want it to be in this way, with my father¡¯s life hanging in the balance. Even though he was awake, I wondered how long it would last. How long would he be alright? Weddings were supposed to be happy moments filled with celebration, and this didn¡¯t feel like a time to celebrate.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the palace.¡± Ray stood up and reached for my hand. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day outside and it¡¯ll help get your mind off of things.¡±


    I nodded and wordlessly took his hand.


    He pulled me close to him so he could whisper something in my ear. ¡°Getting married will give us an excuse to consummate our relationship.¡±


    I giggled and pushed my hand against his chest. ¡°We already did that the other night.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but this¡¯ll make it official.¡± He dipped his head to kiss behind my ear. ¡°And I get to see you in a wedding dress.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d see you in a tuxedo.¡± I brushed my thumb over his lower lip.


    His green eyes sparkled with mischief. He kept his arms wrapped around my waist and let his lips find mine again before dipping me in the middle of the library. I pressed a hand against his chest.


    ¡°We really should go before someone finds us.¡± I glanced at the open door to the library. This time, I took the lead and we walked out of the library together.


    Once outside, Raydir waved to one of the carriages. The driver opened the doors to let us in and I realized he was the same person who had taken me back to the palace the night of my ceremony.


    ¡°Where to?¡± he asked as the carriage started along the road.


    ¡°To Runswick, please,¡± Raydir said.


    We sat in silence as the landscape passed by the windows. The last time I¡¯d been to Runswick was the day I ran into Darius the second time¡ªat the archery range. I shuddered at the thought.


    Do not think about him. He¡¯s not here with you. Raydir is. Ray is always there for you.


    Sensing my uneasiness, Raydir leaned over next to me and kissed my temple. ¡°Everything is going to be fine. We¡¯re going to be alright. Your father will pull through from this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for coming with me.¡± I laced our fingers together. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve come here alone.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You know I¡¯ll always be by your side, Ar.¡±


    The carriage came to a stop and the driver opened the door to let us out.


    ¡°I shall wait here for your return,¡± he said, sending a nod to us.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Ray took my hand and we stepped back into a semblance of our old lives. Runswick was bustling with activity as always. The sun shone brightly upon the cobblestones and a fountain bubbled in the middle of the square. The wind blew a light mist towards us which felt cool and refreshing against my skin.


    I resisted the urge to take off my boots and go splashing through the shallow water like we used to do.


    ¡°You remember, don¡¯t you?¡± Raydir grinned at me. ¡°You used to hate it when I splashed you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you were annoying,¡± I teased, pulling him away from the fountain before he could get any ideas.


    As we walked, I drank in the memories of my past and everything I used to know. Young children ran around in their school uniforms, some accompanied by parents while others just chased after their friends.


    ¡°The familiarity looks good on you, Ar.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, blushing. The gardens were abuzz with visitors admiring the vibrant colors that graced the view.


    ¡°You remember our first date?¡± Raydir swung our hands back and forth.


    I laughed. ¡°How could I forget? You brought me flowers and one of the guards thought you stole them from here.¡±


    ¡°Do you regret leaving?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°The valley is my life¡ªour life¡ªnow, but there are aspects of this life that I will always miss.¡± I gestured to everything going on around us.


    ¡°Is there anything that you regret?¡± He slowly lifted his gaze to me. ¡°Maybe me, for instance?¡±


    ¡°No! God, no, Ray. Why would you even think that? Do you regret me?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Of course not. I only ask because you seemed hesitant about the idea of us getting married.¡±


    ¡°Ray.¡± I stopped him so we could sit on a bench. ¡°I want to get married to you someday. But I don¡¯t know if now¡ªunder these circumstances¡ªis a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Your father could be dying, Arwyn.¡±


    ¡°I know. And that¡¯s exactly why¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªwhy we should do it now.¡±


    ¡°Raydir!¡± I yelled, exasperated, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. ¡°Please. My father is dying. Please don¡¯t make me decide this now.¡± My lower lip quivered.


    His gaze softened and he pulled me into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°This is all my fault. And I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    He brushed his fingers over my cheek. ¡°You will never lose me." He paused, fumbling around in his pocket. "I, um, meant to give this to you after the Alignment but things got kinda crazy.¡±


    From his pocket, he presented my own praesidium crystal on a silver chain. The stone was black obsidian, just like his and the others in the valley. But this one was special because it was from Ray.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I turned around so he could clasp it around my neck. His touch sent shivers down my spine.


    He leaned toward me, and I let my lips brush momentarily against his. Raydir tangled his hands in my hair, and I ran a hand up his chest.


    ¡°Ray,¡± I whispered. ¡°We should slow down before we get permanently banned from the gardens.¡±


    He laughed, pulling away and offering me his hand. ¡°Raincheck?¡±


    I gratefully accepted it so we could walk back to take the carriage back to the palace. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the first time we did that here?¡± Our carriage hit a loose cobblestone, and I lurched forward, grasping Raydir¡¯s hand.


    ¡°As if it were yesterday. That guard looked like he was about to explode when my hand grazed your knee that day.¡±


    I clutched my chest dramatically. ¡°You should know that touching a lady¡¯s knee is forbidden in Grwyniar.¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°I miss those days.¡±


    I glanced out the window, sombering. ¡°Me too.¡±


    He squeezed my hand. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out. And we¡¯ll stay in Gwyniar as long as you want.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Maybe¡ªif we can just have a little more time to make a decision.¡±


    ¡°For you, absolutely.¡± He kissed my temple and I closed my eyes, dozing off to the sound of his heartbeat.


    ***


    That evening as I got ready for bed, I began to think more about what Raydir and I talked about in the gardens. We both wanted the same thing in different ways. There had to be a way to compromise. I took a shaky breath as I undid the braid in my hair, letting my hair fall in waves down my back.


    I caught a glimpse of Arabella in my reflection. People always said we had the same eyes. But where mine were a deep brown, hers had always been a warm honey brown with flecks of gold.


    ¡°Bella, you¡¯ve always known what¡¯s best for me,¡± I whispered to the mirror. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    As if in response, there was a knock at the door, and Raydir appeared in the doorway.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Ray asked.


    I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been better. My mind is still reeling over what happened and seeing my father, there is so much guilt, Ray. For leaving.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know.¡± He took my hand and we sat down on my bed together. ¡°About earlier, I¡ª¡±


    A knock at the door interrupted him.


    ¡°Come in!¡± I called out before sending Raydir an apologetic smile.


    My mother poked her head through the door. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you both are back. I take it you¡¯ve had some time to talk?¡±


    Raydir and I looked at each other before turning back to her.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for giving us a chance to do that given everything going on right now. And we really appreciate you letting us stay here while your husband¡ªArwyn¡¯s father¡ªis recovering,¡± Raydir said.


    My mother smiled. ¡°You have only ever wanted what was best for our daughter. And while I may not have always approved, I can see she¡¯s happy with you. Now, about this ceremony¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mother, Ray and I still need time to talk about it,¡± I interrupted. ¡°In fact, we were just about to discuss our decision when you came in.¡±


    Raydir raised his eyebrows. We were?


    Yes. I think I have a good compromise.


    She looked between us. ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll leave you to it then. Have a good night.¡± She pressed a kiss to my forehead. ¡°I love you, my darling.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too,¡± I whispered.


    Once she was gone, I turned back to Raydir. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married. Yet. Not under these circumstances. And I know it¡¯s my father¡¯s only wish right now, but I want our wedding to be because we¡¯re ready for it. I want it to be a happy occasion because it means we get to spend the rest of our lives together. So, I want to propose an alternative.¡±


    Raydir took my hand in his. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    I reached out to brush my fingers through his hair. ¡°A love ceremony. Non-traditional but that¡¯s more our style anyway. It¡¯ll be small. Just you and me and my parents. We can go to the archway in Runswick. You know the one.¡±


    The archway was a brick arch adorned with green vines sprinkled with pink and white flowers. These flowers stayed in bloom year-round. Just like our love.


    Raydir grinned and kissed me. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    I leaned my forehead against his. ¡°Thank you. Thank you for bearing with me during all of this.¡± I kissed him again, softly at first then increasing the rhythm as my lips parted, giving his tongue access to explore my mouth.


    ¡°Let me make love to you tonight,¡± he whispered in my ear. His fingers gently slipped the straps of my nightgown over my shoulders.


    Shall we pick up where we left off?


    I tangled my hands through his hair as his hands roamed over my back, pressing me closer to his body. Heat pulsated between us, and my heartbeat pounded in my chest.


    He lifted his shirt off over his head before diving back in to kiss my lips, tasting every inch of me. I trailed my hands down his chest as it rose and fell to the steady rhythm of his breathing.


    Leaning me back on the bed, he linked me.


    Love me forever?


    Always.

 Chapter 12 [Edited]

    I slept sounder than I had in days, only realizing this when I woke to the sun streaming into my room. The down sheets felt different; my fingers grazed over the fabric, reminding myself where I was. Exhaustion had caught up to me; from the travels to Gwyniar, to seeing my injured father lying in his hospital bed. Raydir snored peacefully in bed next to me, and I smiled.


    If we were really going to have a love ceremony, there would still be plenty of preparations to do.


    Watching his chest rise and fall, I pressed a small kiss to his cheek. I stopped to gather my nightgown from the floor. I set it aside before picking out an outfit for the day: a blue and silver dress that would easily blend in with the atmosphere of Gwyniar. As I dressed, my fingers glided over the spot on my neck where Raydir had kissed me. Memories of the frenzy from last night flashed through my mind. I could still feel his lips against my skin. Still tender to the touch with a definite mark. I swept my hair over the tops of my shoulders and went to wake Raydir.


    Since it was still early¡ªI blamed the valley for messing with my ability to sleep late¡ªI took a walk down the road and went to check in on my father at the hospital. He slept peacefully with my mother beside him. She didn¡¯t even hear me come into the room. Her hand held tightly to his as if clutching for life support.


    They have a love for the ages, I thought to myself. I hoped I would have the same with Raydir.


    My mother¡¯s eyes fluttered open and her gaze landed on me. ¡°Arwyn, darling. You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± I pulled up a seat next to her. ¡°How is he doing?¡±


    She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. ¡°He¡¯s stable. But the doctors don¡¯t know what the long term effects could be.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean for the dukedoms?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re not sure yet. With your father incapacitated, Lord Byron is stepping up into the role of power as he is your father¡¯s second-in-command, so we know the dukedom will be in good hands while he recovers.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded. ¡°Mother, can we talk in the hall? I don¡¯t know exactly how to say this and I don¡¯t really want to say it in front of Father.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    We walked out into the hallway of the hospital and I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Ray and I have made a decision. And because this is our decision I want to preface by saying that we¡¯re thinking about everyone¡¯s best interests,¡± I said.


    Worry lines creased between her eyebrows. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Raydir and I love each other very much, but with everything going on we don¡¯t want a wedding. You know how it is in Gwyniar. Weddings are extravagant, happy moments of the bond between two people professing their love and dedication to each other. And right now isn¡¯t a happy time for us. With what happened to Father and everything¡­what we¡¯re proposing instead is a love ceremony.¡±


    ¡°A love ceremony,¡± she repeated, pursing her lips in thought. ¡°At the flos arcus? The Flower Arch?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Yes. At the Flower Arch. But this will only be a small ceremony. We don¡¯t want to put more stress on you to plan an extravagant wedding. What do you think?¡±


    She inhaled slowly and took my hand. ¡°I think it¡¯s a marvelous idea.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief and threw my arms around her neck. ¡°Thank you, Mother. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you and Father the wedding you wanted for me but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± She pulled back to wipe away the tears that had formed in my eyes. ¡°You have grown so much in this last month out on your own with Raydir. I can see that now even though I haven¡¯t been there to witness it. And I¡¯m so proud of you. There is still much to be done because I know you and Raydir only have a few days here with us.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. I wanted to go to Runswick this morning but I can meet you at the dress shop later.¡±


    My mother extended her hands to me. ¡°Yes, that shall work. Come, darling. Let me walk with you out to the carriage. And Arwyn?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother?¡± I asked. My heart thumped loudly against my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re not to blame for this attack. You couldn¡¯t have known. We¡¯ve tried to protect you your whole life and we ended up closing you off to a world of possibilities.¡±


    I swallowed hard. ¡°You didn¡¯t know Bella was going to die.¡±


    ¡°No, but your Father and I could¡¯ve prevented it.¡± She clasped her hands in front of her. ¡°There are ways¡­never mind that. I¡¯ll meet you at the dress shop in an hour.¡± She cleared her throat and walked away after instructing the driver to take me to Runswick.


    The sun shone brightly once again on the cobblestones as the carriage let me off in Runswick. My head reeled at what my mother had said. There were ways. But ways to do what exactly? What had she meant that it could¡¯ve been prevented? My fingers itched to get back at my bow and arrow, but this wasn¡¯t the time to go off and practice my archery. The aromas of fresh baked bread and sweet citrus hit my nose the minute I stepped foot outside of the carriage, a sure testament that morning deliveries had already started.


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    As usual, I wasn¡¯t paying attention to where I was going and ran straight into someone¡¯s back, letting out an ¡°oomph¡± in the process.


    ¡°Pardon me,¡± I said, beginning to walk away.


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s my fau¡ªArwyn?¡±


    I looked up, taking a step back. ¡°Emilia? Wow, you look fantastic.¡± It had only been a month, but she had changed so much. She wore a dark red dress trimmed in gold. Her blonde hair was pulled back away from her face in a complicated twist.


    She smiled and clasped her hands in front of her, a silver ring glinting on her finger. ¡°Arwyn, it¡¯s good to see you. I heard about what happened to your father. How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing better, thank you. Mother is staying with him at the hospital until he recovers fully.¡±


    ¡°Do you have some time?¡± she asked. ¡°I would love to catch up.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I would love that.¡±


    She took my hand, and we wandered into a small cafe that was just opening its doors. ¡°A table for two, by the window please.¡±


    The server nodded and led us through the cafe to a vacant spot. I smoothed down my skirt as I sat down. Even dressed to blend in, I still felt out of place here in Gwyniar.


    ¡°So, the ring,¡± I blurted out when we were seated. ¡°You¡¯re engaged?¡±


    Emilia blushed. ¡°Yes. I had my ceremony sooner after yours. Duke Castor. Do you remember him from school? It has been truly magical, just the two of us. And since he¡¯s a duke, I¡¯m no longer a countess.¡±


    ¡°That is amazing, Em. I really am so proud of you. You were always so much better at this than me and Ray.¡±


    The waiter came by to take our order before hurrying away.


    She laughed. ¡°How is that going, anyway? Still in the magic of the honeymoon phase?¡±


    I gave her a small smile. ¡°We¡¯re doing about as well as we can given the current circumstances. My father wants us to get married in case something happens to him.¡±


    Emilia raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to reply, waiting instead until after our server had set down matching cups of ginger chai tea in front of each of us. ¡°So you came back to Gwyniar to get married?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I came back to Gwyniar to make sure my father was safe. But Ray and I are going to have a love ceremony before we go back.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not staying.¡± It was a statement, not a question.


    ¡°Em, you know very well that I can¡¯t stay. Raydir and I are outcasts, we risked a lot coming back.¡±


    ¡°And yet you have time to plan a wedding.¡± Bitterness and disbelief crept into her voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a wedding it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°A love ceremony, yes.¡± She rested her spoon on the saucer and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. ¡°And the only reason you¡¯re not marrying him is, why?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not the time. I¡¯m doing this to make my father happy and because I love Raydir.¡± The tea warmed my throat but the sentimental moment melted away with Emilia¡¯s questions. ¡°I have to go. I¡¯m meeting my mother for a dress fitting.¡±


    She stood up as I pushed my chair back from the table. ¡°I really do wish you all the best, Arwyn. You and Raydir. I hope you¡¯re able to have the future you truly want with him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I hugged her. ¡°Take care.¡±


    ***


    A while later, I stood in front of a triple-panel mirror in the middle of the dress shop and stared at my reflection.


    This was happening. This was real. But it somehow felt too good to be true.


    ¡°Arwyn, you look absolutely beautiful,¡± my mother gushed, pressing her hands over her heart.


    I smiled. ¡°Thank you. I think this is the one.¡±


    She reached up to take my hand and help me down off of the pedestal. ¡°I agree. Arwyn, I meant what I said earlier. I am so very proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Even though I left our family behind?¡± I asked. ¡°Even though your only living heir to the dukedom went against your wishes?¡±


    ¡°There is something I never told you or your sister about my own ceremony. When I was your age, I almost ran away,¡± my mother said.


    My eyes widened. ¡°You did?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°I did. You and your sister definitely got your stubbornness from me. But yes, I considered it right up until the moment I drew your father¡¯s name from the cauldron. And the moment I saw him, I knew I didn¡¯t want to be with anyone else. I imagine that¡¯s how you feel about Raydir and how Arabella felt about Bennett.¡±


    ¡°It is. It¡¯s how I¡¯ve always felt about him.¡±


    She squeezed my hand. ¡°Which is why, although I knew it would be hard on all of us, I am glad you made the choice you did. You followed your heart because you have a fiery spirit. You get that from me and your grandmother. And you deserve every happiness. For yourself and with Raydir.¡±


    I slipped out of the gown and back into my own clothes. My mother never talked about my grandmother. She¡¯d died before I was born, but the stories my mother told me as a child filled me with awe. When I emerged from behind the dividers, my mother was waiting at the doors.


    ¡°Do you have some time to walk with me around the square?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I-I should probably get back to the palace. Raydir was still asleep when I left this morning and he¡ª¡±


    ¡°I saw him at the palace this morning,¡± she informed me. ¡°He was in the studio and looked right at home.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Good.¡± I tucked my hair behind my ears and followed her back into the afternoon light.


    My mother walked with grace and elegance along the cobblestones. She stopped in front of one of the street carts and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. The sweet aroma of cinnamon and chocolate wafted to my nostrils.


    ¡°Pastry?¡± she offered after handing over a few coins to the vendor. ¡°This used to be your favorite when you were little.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You never let us have them. Said they would spoil our dinner.¡±


    ¡°And then your father would go behind my back and buy them for you anyway.¡± The corners of her mouth twitched up into a smile. ¡°You have his sense of humor, you know. And his kindness. His heart.¡±


    ¡°I wish we could stay,¡± I said. The wax paper around the pastry crinkled as my fingers tightened around it. ¡°There¡¯s so much I wish I could¡¯ve done before I left.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve started to build your own life out there. You would¡¯ve done the same had you stayed, only it would¡¯ve been with someone you didn¡¯t want to be with.¡± She sighed and took my hand as we sat down on a bench. ¡°Fate is a funny thing. We think it¡¯s something that chooses our own path for us, but in some ways, it helps us forge our own path.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Fate is what brought Raydir into your life. Fate allowed that friendship to blossom into a romance.¡± She rested her hand on mine. ¡°And fate is what gave you the courage to make your own choices.¡±


    I looked out into the distance. She made a good point. Our society had relied on the power of the fates for so long we hadn¡¯t realized that it no longer was the fates making the decisions.


    Or was it ever?

 Chapter 13.1* [Edited]

    Two days later, I woke up with a feeling of butterflies swarming around my stomach. It was similar to how I¡¯d felt the morning of my fate ceremony, but this time Raydir lay in bed beside me with one arm draped over my body.


    Today was the day, and all I could think about was how we were doing this as a compromise to my father¡¯s wishes. It might be the last time I ever saw him. I shuddered at the thought. I wanted today to be happy. I wanted to pretend, just for a few hours, that I had my family back together.


    Wiping at the tears that had formed in my eyes, I pressed a kiss to Raydir''s lips and he smiled in his sleep.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he murmured, his voice husky and sweet. ¡°We¡¯re getting semi-married today, you know.¡±


    ¡°Mm hmm,¡± I replied, soaking in the moment together. Having him by my side felt safe. I never wanted to leave his embrace.


    He traced a finger along my jawline. ¡°But we still have several hours.¡± He kissed my cheek. ¡°Maybe we could find something to do in the meantime.¡± A kiss to my ear, then a trail down my neck to my mark.


    I clutched at the bedsheets between my fingers as his lips moved lower.


    ¡°Ray,¡± I moaned. My fingers wove through his hair.


    His hands slid down my body, rubbing small circles on my stomach. ¡°I love you so much.¡±


    I tilted his head up to mine and let our lips meet, hungry for more. His tongue swirled around my mouth in a battle for dominance. I pulled the sheet up over us.


    Ray smiled, reaching out to touch my mussed hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s too long,¡± I said, blowing my hair out of my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± he replied. ¡°And sexy. And so are you.¡± As he went in for another kiss, a knock sounded at the door.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± a voice cried out.


    I shrieked and clutched onto Raydir, who laughed.


    ¡°Who needs privacy when we have maids who come in and ruin the fun?¡± he teased.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn?¡± the voice asked.


    I poked my head out from the top of the blankets. ¡°Ginny! What¡ªwhat are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I am still employed by your family. What are you doing here?¡± Her gaze traveled away from me to Raydir¡¯s form next to me.


    ¡°Um, we¡±¡ªI glanced at him for help.


    ¡°We heard what happened to Arwyn¡¯s father,¡± he finished for me. ¡°And we came back to be with him during this time of need.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m aware of all of that. Your mother sent me to Runswick this morning to pick up your dress. What I meant is what are you and Raydir doing right now?¡±


    Heat rose to my cheeks.


    Wasn¡¯t it obvious?


    ¡°I mean, considering it¡¯s your wedding day,¡± she continued. ¡°The groom is not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a wedding,¡± I explained. ¡°It¡¯s a love ceremony.¡±


    She waved aside that detail. ¡°Regardless, you''re late for the morning preparations. We have a busy day ahead of us.¡±


    Reluctantly, I started to get out of bed before realizing I wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes. I pulled the sheets back against my bare skin, leaving Raydir just enough to cover himself. ¡°If I promise to deal with whatever preparations are taking me away from Ray, will you leave so I can put my nightgown back on?¡±


    Ginny smiled. ¡°Of course. And there will be plenty of time for you two to be together after the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She left the room and Raydir and I fell into a fit of laughter on the bed.


    ¡°That was close,¡± he said, running a hand through his hair.


    I whacked him with a pillow playfully. ¡°That¡¯s your fault, Ray. God, I can¡¯t believe Ginny almost caught us.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Now that she¡¯s gone¡ªow!¡± He fell back dramatically.


    I fell on top of him, giggling. ¡°You¡¯re going to get us in so much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. But we live for trouble.¡± He brushed my hair away from my face and kissed me again before letting me go get ready for the day.


    I gave him a bit more tease, slowly standing up from the bed so my body could taunt him just a little longer.


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    ¡°Arwyn,¡± Raydir addressed my breasts, ¡°you really should get going.¡±


    I grabbed my nightgown from the ground and let Raydir slip the straps back over my shoulders. He nuzzled my neck and the straps fell back down.


    ¡°Or maybe we can last a few more minutes,¡± he murmured.


    I giggled, turning around in his arms. ¡°A few more minutes before we have forever.¡±


    He kissed me and leaned us back on the bed again. ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do,¡± I murmured against his mouth.


    Raydir sat up on the bed, letting the sheets pool around his waist. His green eyes flashed with mischief.


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± He grabbed my hand and took me into the bathroom that was adjacent to my bedroom. ¡°No one will bother us here.¡±


    ¡°I should hope not. It¡¯s my bathroom!¡± I giggled as Raydir reached to turn on the facet, letting the water run into the tub. Once it was warm enough, he climbed in then held out a hand for me.


    ¡°You were going to need to get clean for the ceremony anyway,¡± Raydir murmured in my ear, reaching for the soap and a sponge. ¡°Why not just do it together?¡±


    I gazed up at Ray and his eyes gleamed with desire. I complied, sitting with my back to Raydir. He combed his fingers through my hair, sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Mmhm.¡± I nodded.


    Raydir soaked a sponge in the water and began to run it over my sore muscles, washing away the grief, the pain, the craziness of the last few days. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. As he bathed me, his lips nestled their way into the crook of my neck. I reached back with one hand, tugging at his hair as I moaned happily, yearning for his touch.


    His fingers rubbed circles over my back before working their way over to my front. I leaned my head to the side to give him access to my neck. His tongue swirled over the skin before his lips nipped at the spot just above my collarbone. He tugged ever so slightly with his teeth.


    We moved in a rhythm, letting the water consume us. Eventually, I turned around to straddle Raydir. I gathered his hair up, slicking it back with water and curling my fingers through it so I got it out of his face.


    ¡°This will make things easier,¡± I whispered as I peppered kisses along his jawline. I took the sponge and slid it carefully over his torso.


    He groaned at my touch, biting his lip and gripping the sides of the tub as my hands went lower. ¡°Mm.¡±


    I grinned and pressed another kiss to his lips. ¡°Enjoying this, are we?¡±


    Raydir grinded against my hips, pulling me against his body. His eyes flashed with a familiar yearning lust. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Our bodies moved as one in the water, and we stayed there until our fingers turned wrinkly and the water ran cold. We each sat wrapped in one of the fluffy white towels from my bathroom. Raydir sat behind me to dry my hair, working carefully to squeeze the water out of the ends. My hair tumbled into damp waves down my back, and Raydir pressed a kiss to the side of my neck just above my mark.


    ¡°Better?¡± he asked.


    I wrapped my arms around his neck. ¡°Absolutely.¡± I leaned in to kiss him, only to be interrupted by frantic knocks at our door.


    ¡°Lady Arwyn, you really must come out of there,¡± Ginny said. ¡°There will be time to, er, be with Raydir later.¡±


    I started to laugh but Raydir covered my mouth with his hand. I wriggled out of his grasp, letting my towel fall to the floor.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be out in just a minute, Ginny!¡± I called out to her.


    Raydir brought his mouth down to mine, lingering a few extra seconds as his hands brushed through my hair before breaking us apart. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the ceremony, Ar.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Bye, Ray.¡±


    ***


    The wind blew a light breeze around me as I stood on one side of the Flower Arch waiting to step into the next chapter of my relationship with Raydir.


    The bodice of my pure white dress was delicately decorated with white flowers. The sleeves fell halfway between my shoulders and my elbow, made up of thin strings of pearls. The skirt cinched at my waist before flowing out around me. I truly felt like a princess. My veil was secured on each side of my updo by pearls that adorned the pins. Thin rows of beads connected the two sides of the fabric as it flowed down my back.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± My father stood by my side. He was still recovering but insisted that he was well enough to walk me down the aisle.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, reaching out to take his arm.


    His fingers gripped a walking cane with the other hand and we slowly moved down the path.


    Soft music played as we walked and my heart fluttered when I caught sight of Raydir standing on the other side. His hands were clasped in front of him and he wore a smile that reached his eyes. He wore a crisp black suit with a white shirt and black bow tie. A beautiful pink rose that matched my bouquet was pinned to his left lapel.


    Before I reached Raydir, I stopped and pressed a kiss to my father¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°I love you so much,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°I love you too, my darling daughter.¡± His blue eyes twinkled as he handed me to Raydir. ¡°It¡¯s time to start your next adventure.¡±


    Raydir and I stood facing each other with our hands together. He spoke first.


    ¡°Arwyn, you have been my best friend since we were nine years old. And every day I consider myself incredibly lucky to have you by my side. This time, with family as my witness, I promise myself to you, Arwyn Magnolia Kingston.¡± As per the tradition of the love ceremony, he took this moment to return my promise ring to my finger. Part of the tradition included taking something special from both members of the union and returning them at the ceremony to symbolize the everlasting bond between the two individuals.


    ¡°Raydir. When we were nine, I asked you to promise me that we would be together forever. Now you have fulfilled that promise and I have never been happier. Through every laugh, through every fight. You have been the one I hold on to and will hold on to forever more, Raydir Alexander Phillips.¡± I slipped a thin silver band over his index finger to signify our promise.


    My father cleared his throat. ¡°As witness to this declaration of love, your union is sealed.¡±


    Taking this as his cue, Raydir swept me into his arms and kissed me. He kept one hand firmly around my waist with the other one tucked behind my ear.


    Something inside me sparked as I kissed him back. A fire, a hunger, a desire. In that moment, nothing else mattered.


    Then a haunting voice that sent a shiver down my back: Just wait until you get back to Darqua.


    I pulled back from Raydir. Did you just link me?


    He looked up at me and frowned. No. Why?


    No reason. It¡¯s fine. Maybe my mind was just playing tricks on me. No way that had been who I thought it was. No way I still had that link. The Alignment was supposed to relinquish it. I tried to convince myself that was true and forced a smile.

 Chapter 13.2 [Edited]

    Three days later, we returned to the valley. At first, I had protested, wanting to stay longer for my father¡¯s sake. But after a very convincing argument on his behalf to the tune of me being the independent woman I claimed to be, I reluctantly agreed to return with Raydir.


    ¡°Arwyn! How is your father?¡± Rosie greeted us. ¡°Come, you all must be hungry.¡±


    Before we could answer, Rosie led us up to the Grand Cabin for a late dinner where everyone greeted us, swarming around to offer condolences. I gripped Raydir¡¯s arm as my head swam, my knees buckling beneath me. I couldn¡¯t breathe. My eyes scanned the room for something, anything, to focus on. Caesaria had disappeared into the crowd. Raydir was just acting as a support, which did very little to help the panic creeping into my throat.


    ¡°My apologies, Rosie,¡± Raydir said. ¡°I think it may actually be best if Arwyn and I retire early tonight. We¡¯ve had a very intense couple of days and could use the rest.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    We left the scene of people and returned to our cabin where I promptly flopped down on our bed.


    ¡°Are you still thinking about what happened in Gwyniar?¡± Ray asked, coming to sit down next to me. He uncuffed his shirt and lifted it over his head.


    I looked down at the bed. ¡°Which part?¡±


    He raised his eyebrows. ¡°You know which part. That voice you heard.¡±


    I groaned and swiped a hand down my face. ¡°You know, when you told Rosie that we were ditching dinner to sleep, I thought you were being serious. I didn¡¯t think you were going to interrogate me about this. Again.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He pulled me into his arms and I laid my head on his chest. ¡°I just want to make some sense out of what happened.¡±


    ¡°Mm, you¡¯re warm.¡± I closed my eyes and changed the subject. ¡°Can you do that thing that you do with my hair?¡±


    Raydir kissed the top of my head. ¡°Yeah.¡± He brushed his fingers over my hair, untangling the knots and sending a euphoric sensation through my body.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened in Gwyniar,¡± I settled on answering after the silence between us became too unnerving. ¡°I-I¡¯m getting used to having your voice in my head because of our link and I¡¯ve always had my own voice in my head. But now, I don¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t normal.¡± The truth was that I was scared. Admitting to what I¡¯d heard meant that it could be true.


    ¡°Do you think it was because of your link with Darius?¡± Ray asked.


    My mouth turned dry and I sat up. ¡°You think I still have the link with him too?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Did yours go away?¡± I asked.


    Raydir scratched the back of his head. ¡°As far as I know, yeah. You said that he told you it was supposed to go away but what if it didn¡¯t? I mean, I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to lie to you like that. It¡¯s clear he has some feelings¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh my God." I ran a hand down my face. "Ray, I don¡¯t feel that way about Darius. I never have. And if he feels that way about me, he¡¯s going to have to deal with the fact that he can never have me. Where is this even coming from?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He just bothers me.¡± Raydir pulled back from me, tension settling between us.


    ¡°Yeah, you and me both,¡± I muttered. I turned down the covers of the bed. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to fight about this. Let¡¯s just get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± He slipped under the sheets next to me and I tucked myself into his embrace.


    When I woke up the next morning, a new feeling of despair ran through my veins. Images of my father laying in the Gwyniar hospital floated through my mind. I couldn¡¯t just sit here in Darqua and do nothing. I should¡¯ve stayed longer. The voice at the ceremony meant to bring us back. But did that mean returning was the right choice?


    What would it mean if my link with Darius never went away? I would¡¯ve thought that with Raydir¡¯s marking on the Alignment, things would¡¯ve returned to normal.


    We should¡¯ve stayed. But since we were here, there had to be a way to fix this. I had to find my father¡¯s attacker. My sister¡¯s killer.


    So I went to the one person who I knew could help me and the second-best archer in Darqua and someone I knew I could trust.


    Caesaria.


    When I got to her cabin, she was already dressed for archery training, so she was happy to walk with me to where we normally practiced.


    We went a few rounds in silence first to feel the waters.


    Caesaria stepped up to shoot another arrow. ¡°So what did you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I want to start training,¡± I said.


    Thwap. Her arrow hit a perfect bullseye and she didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°What type of training?¡±


    ¡°The type to protect us from the rogues. If I¡¯m going to be a permanent member of the valley, I need to learn what to do if there¡¯s a threat.¡±


    Her expression changed, a darkness clouding her face as she reached to take a sip from her canteen. ¡°If we do that, it¡¯ll be the same training that Raydir has been doing since the first Alignment.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I need to learn to control my powers and I want to know more about combat.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it work. The Wolf Council had wanted me to talk to you about training anyway, so this was inevitable.¡± She notched another arrow into her bow and aimed at the target.


    ¡°So you¡¯re gonna train me?¡± I asked.


    Caesaria scratched her head. ¡°Not exactly. The council hasn¡¯t made an official decision on your trainer yet. But they have an idea, and I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re going to like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Then realization hit me. There was only one person who I seriously clashed with that would be the reason Caesaria would have reservations. ¡°Oh no. No. Not Darius. You can¡¯t¡­no.¡±


    ¡°We figured you would react like this.¡±


    ¡°We? Who, exactly, approved this?¡±


    ¡°Rosamund¡ªRosie¡ªand Bennett. Rosie is the den mother, leader of the Wolf Council, so she makes a lot of these decisions.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t train with him, Cae.¡±


    ¡°Trust me on this, Ar.¡± She rested her hand on my arm.


    I ran a hand through my hair. After my conversation last night, I knew I¡¯d never hear the end of it from Ray if I told him I was training with Darius. ¡°I need to swim. Check in later?¡±


    She hesitated then nodded. ¡°Just think about it, Arwyn. Please?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Cae. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I packed up my bow and arrows, handing them to her to bring back to the weapons shed.


    Once she was gone, I made my way to the spot on the lake that wasn¡¯t too far away from our archery spot. My fingers trailed in the water, checking the temperature. Cool and inviting like always. Checking to make sure no one else was around, I stripped out of my clothes and dove in. The water circled around me, bending to my will as I opened my eyes. Minnows darted around me while seagrass waved slowly back and forth with the currents.


    I let the water guide my body as I floated on my back with no clear destination. My argument from last night with Raydir loomed in my mind. I winced at how ungrateful I¡¯d sounded. I knew all he wanted was to keep me safe.


    But the truth was that the voice had been on my mind ever since it spoke to me at the ceremony. From what I knew about the mind link, it wasn¡¯t Raydir which meant it could¡¯ve been Darius. Part of me wanted it to be him so that I could confront him about it and all of this would go away.


    ¡°Hey, Ar.¡±


    My head dipped below the water as I reacted to the voice. When I emerged, Raydir stood smiling on the edge of the lake, his shirt halfway unbuttoned.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I didn¡¯t see you there. I wrapped my arms around my naked torso, realizing I had just been floating completely visible to the world.


    So glad it wasn¡¯t Darius who found you.


    ¡°You want some company?¡± he asked with a smirk.


    I nodded. ¡°Company would be great.¡± My heart swelled with happiness as he undressed, teasing me with every button. Finally, he dove into the water and emerged grinning, running his hands through his hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands latched under my legs, swinging them up into his arms.


    ¡°Ray!¡± I shrieked.


    He laughed. ¡°We¡¯re alone out here, Ar. No one is going to see us.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s what I thought too, and then you showed up!¡± I said, flapping my arms. He pretended to let go, causing me to shriek again and cling to his neck. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Ray. And I¡¯m sorry about last night when you brought up the voice. ¡±


    ¡°I know. And I¡¯m sorry too. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up again and I sure as hell shouldn¡¯t have accused Darius.¡± He lowered me to the water so I was looking up at him while he supported my back. His hands felt nice against my skin.


    And that¡¯s when it all turned to chaos.


    I spotted something in the distance, and self-consciously lowered myself more completely into the water. ¡°Um, Ray. I need you to turn around very, very slowly.¡± A wolf, black as night with piercing icy eyes, roamed the grassy bank.


    Raydir furrowed his brow and turned around in the water. He cursed under his breath. ¡°Get behind me, Ar.¡±


    I grabbed his hand and hid behind him. ¡°What is that thing?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. Just stay behind me, and don¡¯t make any sudden movements.¡±


    I gripped his arm, my fingers leaving red marks on his skin.


    ¡°Not so tight,¡± he said through gritted teeth.


    I eased my grip. ¡°What should we do?¡± Those deadly eyes just screamed nightmare. There seemed to be no way we were escaping alive.


    Who¡¯s bright idea was it to go swimming naked? Yours, doofus. I cursed at myself and lowered my body more into the water. My heart started to beat faster as I willed the beast to leave us alone. I really hoped it couldn¡¯t sense fear.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I tore my gaze away from the wolf when I realized Raydir was talking to me.


    ¡°The water.¡±


    I froze. ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°You control it, don¡¯t you?¡± He turned to face me, which was dangerous considering the threat looming on the bank. ¡°Distract it.¡±


    ¡°What?! Raydir, are you crazy? I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can, Arwyn.¡± He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked firmly into my eyes. ¡°You just have to focus.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t trained for this, Ray.¡± My breath shook as I spoke. Not yet at least.


    The beast growled, its eyes moving toward us.


    ¡°Do it now, Ar,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather do this while clothed,¡± I grumbled but nevertheless thrust my hands out in front of me, focusing my attention on the water. Come on, come on, come on. Slowly, the water began to churn, forming into a funnel in front of us. The beast on the grass regarded the funnel carefully, arching its back and spreading its wings. Wings?!


    ¡°Good, Ar. Keep it up!¡±


    ¡°It has wings!¡± I shrieked. This, of course, attracted the beast¡¯s attention. I pushed my hands further, the water funnel moving closer to the store in an effort to scare off the creature. Luckily, that was enough to scare it off. With a final bare of its teeth, the creature sulked away. I dropped my hands, my whole body shaking.


    ¡°You did good, Ar.¡± Raydir wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my temple.


    ¡°Ray, what was that thing?¡± I held onto him tightly.


    ¡°I still have no idea.¡± He swam to the edge of the lake and lifted himself out of the water, pulling on his pants. He held out a hand to help me out of the water.


    ¡°Oh no, no, no. You are not making me walk back to where I left my clothes. I¡¯d rather swim.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Take my shirt, ok? We¡¯ll walk over together.¡±


    I reached an arm out. ¡°Then hand me your shirt now.¡±


    He tossed it to me, and I put it on before climbing out of the water.


    ¡°What was that thing?¡± I asked, shivering.


    ¡°No idea, but we¡¯re safe now.¡± He squeezed my hand. ¡°That thing¡ªwhatever it was¡ªcan¡¯t hurt us.¡±


    Glancing back over my shoulder, I noted the now-empty bank. But an uneasy threat still loomed in the air. I wish we knew that for sure.

 Chapter 14 [Edited]

    ¡°Arwyn! Raydir! Where have you been?¡± Rosie shrieked when she saw us. I had successfully changed back into my clothes and given Raydir his shirt before we walked back toward the cabins.


    ¡°What is it, Rosie? We were just out at the lake,¡± I replied.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t see it?¡± she asked. Her lips dipped into a frown. ¡°The rogue?¡±


    Raydir tightened his grip around my waist. ¡°That was a rogue?¡±


    Rosie sighed. ¡°You saw it. But you¡¯re unharmed? It didn¡¯t attack you?¡± Her voice was riddled with concern. ¡°Come, let¡¯s discuss this inside.¡±


    Without another word, we followed her into a room off to one side in the Grand Cabin. Inside, we were met a handful of folks from the valley. Amongst them, I recognized Bennett, Caesaria, and Darius.


    Great. Just what I need right now.


    ¡°We¡¯ll begin the meeting now,¡± Rosie stated, taking a seat at the head of the table. She gestured to a few empty chairs, and Raydir and I took a seat next to each other. ¡°Now, Raydir and Arwyn, could you please tell the council what you saw out at the lake?¡±


    I swallowed and looked at Raydir.


    He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Certainly. Arwyn and I were swimming at the south end of the lake. We saw the rogue stalking along the bank. It regarded us, but kept a reasonable distance.¡±


    ¡°Did you engage with it?¡± Darius asked.


    What is he doing here? I thought to myself.


    My job.


    I stifled a yelp with a cough, waving my hand for Raydir to respond. What the hell? I thought you said our connection was supposed to go away after the alignment?


    ¡°We assessed the situation, and I instructed Arwyn to use her powers to keep it at a distance,¡± Raydir replied, frowning at me.


    Darius rolled his shoulders. Guess I was wrong.


    Another hand squeeze from Raydir. ¡°Once she trusted herself, she was able to conjure a water funnel to scare off the rogue. Luckily, it worked, and the rogue skulked off into the woods somewhere.¡±


    You lied to me, Darius.


    ¡°And did you see which way the rogue went?¡± Rosie asked.


    Raydir glanced at me then back to Rosie. ¡°No, we were more focused on getting away safely.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Rosie clasped her hands in front of her.


    Darius shot me a look. This isn¡¯t the right time, Ar.


    Raydir nudged me with his foot and threw me a look as if to say, cut it out. ¡°What do we know about the rogue? Besides the information I just told you.¡±


    ¡°Rogues are more dangerous than either type of wolf we have in the valley,¡± Bennett explained. ¡°And they only develop when someone has fully succumbed to their inner wolf.¡±


    You can¡¯t really expect to keep delaying this, can you? I paused, my eyes snapping to attention. ¡°So, they attack often? My father wasn¡¯t the first attack? Of course he wasn¡¯t, what was I thinking, my sister was.¡± I turned to Bennett. ¡°My sister was attacked by a rogue, did you know that? When your carriage went down and she died, that was because of a rogue.¡±


    Bennett nodded carefully. ¡°I know. And I¡¯m sorry I could not tell you. It¡¯s been so important to get the facts that we have before we worried you with anything.¡±


    I froze. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There might be a connection between the attacks.¡±


    Dread filled my heart. ¡°Oh my God. The rogue, it¡¯s going after my family, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Silence fell over the room.


    ¡°Answer me, dammit!¡± My voice shook with fear. I couldn¡¯t lose anyone else.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ar.¡± Raydir wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his chest so that I could hear his heartbeat.


    ¡°Yes, we believe that¡¯s a possibility,¡± Rosie said.


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Bennett asked, clearly surprised.


    ¡°The training. I told Cae I wanted to train, and she said the Council has already approved it. I want to protect my family, I want to learn how to fight. So what do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, you must understand that you can¡¯t fight this rogue on your own,¡± Rosie said.


    I raised my eyebrows. That didn¡¯t sound like she was trying to talk me out of it. ¡°I understand that. You¡¯ve built this community out here in the valley, and if my father and sister really were targets, I might be next. Which means I¡¯m in danger. The valley is in danger. We need to do something about it. So, I¡¯m in. I want to learn how to control my powers.¡±


    ¡°Controlling your powers is different from learning to fight,¡± Bennett clarified. ¡°The Council agreed for you to undergo power control, not combat training.¡±


    Raydir rested his hand on top of mine on the table. ¡°They¡¯re right, Ar. Right now, you need to focus more on your powers. Combat training can come later.¡±


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    I opened my mouth to protest, but Caesaria stopped me. She glanced at the other council members. ¡°We need to make a decision about who will train you to control your powers. The council has already discussed Darius as your best option.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Anyone but Darius. Cae can train me.¡±


    She put her hands up in defense. ¡°Sorry, Ar. I can¡¯t train you. Conflict of interest. Same with Bennett.¡±


    ¡°And Darius isn¡¯t a conflict of interest?¡± I blurted before I could stop myself. Clearing my throat, I continued. ¡°I just mean while I do personally know Darius, he¡¯s new to the valley. Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for me to train with someone else more experienced?¡±


    ¡°I could do it,¡± a girl¡¯s voice piped up.


    I swiveled in my chair to see the healer who¡¯d helped us the day I¡¯d brought Darius in when I shot him in the arm.


    She sent a smile my way. ¡°Rosie, I have the training that Arwyn would need and I¡¯m happy to help her out.¡±


    ¡°What about the medical cabin, Izel?¡± Raydir asked her.


    Izel shrugged. ¡°You did both. Why can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with Izel on this,¡± I said. ¡°She can train me.¡±


    Rosie pursed her lips then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­a consideration. Arwyn, this isn¡¯t a choice we make lightly. It¡¯s understandable, your hesitation to let Darius train you. But we now have an impending danger which means you can¡¯t be picky about who trains you. You already discovered your powers, and control is the hardest part. Especially in the face of danger.¡±


    ¡°So then why Darius? Like I said, he only just got to the valley recently, and suddenly he¡¯s like this god who must be worshipped.¡±


    Caesaria shot me a look while Darius smirked, looking way too pleased with himself. I sent him a glare from across the table.


    Don¡¯t you dare say anything.


    Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.


    ¡°Darius is the best option because he seems to be connected to you. And having lived as a wolf since he was a child, he has more knowledge about control than all of us combined. Plus, he was the one who suggested it.¡±


    What?!


    Darius snapped his eyes up to look at me.


    I locked my gaze with his. ¡°If I agree to have Darius help control my powers, will you find me another trainer for combat? Maybe Izel?¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, we don¡¯t think that combat training is the right fit for you right now,¡± Bennett said.


    ¡°Why not? What good is controlling my powers if I can¡¯t fight too?¡±


    ¡°She has a point,¡± Darius piped up. ¡°Even if it¡¯s mild combat training, it might still be a good idea. I¡¯ve seen what she can do with a bow and arrow; it¡¯s impressive.¡±


    Flattering me now, are we?


    Just trying to get you what you want.


    ¡°Fine. Arwyn, we will grant you a vote in this decision.¡± Rosie cleared her throat. ¡°All in favor of letting Arwyn complete mild combat training in addition to power training?¡±


    Out of the seven of us, four hands went up. Me, Darius, Caesaria, Izel, and Rosie.


    ¡°All of those opposed?¡±


    The remaining two hands went up. Raydir and Bennett.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then. Arwyn, you will begin combat training tomorrow morning. We will find you a trainer. Darius will still help you with power control. In the meantime, let us know if you see the rogue again. It¡¯s very important that we get this situation under control as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Bennett said. ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡±


    Everyone began to stand up and scatter. Everyone except for me, Raydir, Caesaria, and Darius. You could seriously cut the tension in here with a knife.


    ¡°Well, this has been fun,¡± Izel said. ¡°But I have dinner plans with a friend.¡± She got up from the table and left the rest of us alone to talk.


    ¡°Um, Arwyn, can I talk to you outside for a minute?¡± Caesaria asked, not waiting for an answer before dragging me outside.


    ¡°If this is about me not accepting Darius as my trainer, I¡¯m sorry about that, but I just can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a god who needs to be worshipped? Seriously Arwyn!¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Did something happen in Gwyniar? Are you having second thoughts about Ray?¡±


    I winced. She was right, and I hated when she was right. ¡°No, nothing happened to make me second guess my relationship. I didn¡¯t know what else to say. I just don¡¯t understand how or why we¡¯re connected.¡±


    ¡°Well, clearly you still have your mind connection with him.¡±


    ¡°Clearly. Wait, what? You can tell?¡±


    ¡°Oh come on, Ar. You are not subtle at all. Your face gives it away, any time you link him you scrunch your nose like you¡¯re trying to make a sneeze go away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that obvious. Am I?¡±


    Caesaria patted my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ar. Darius is clueless about these sorts of things.¡±


    She bit her lip. ¡°Anyway, I know this isn¡¯t exactly the most ideal situation, but Darius isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, unfortunately we¡¯re stuck with him.¡± I muttered.


    Her blue eyes locked on a spot somewhere behind me. ¡°Promise me something, Arwyn?¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t let Darius come between you and Raydir.¡± She rested her hand on my arm.


    ¡°I promise. Ray isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    But neither is Darius, the voice in my head taunted.


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to do this, Arwyn?¡± Raydir asked me as I dressed the following morning.


    I pulled on a corset vest¡ªcourtesy of Caesaria¡ªand checked my reflection in the mirror. ¡°I have to, Ray. I don¡¯t really have a choice.¡± I kissed his cheek. ¡°But I also have you if things get too intense, right? You can heal me.¡±


    Raydir smirked, pulling me close to him. ¡°I do have my ways.¡± He leaned down and captured my bottom lip between his teeth, tugging slightly as my fingers tangled their way into his hair.


    ¡°Mm, Ray, I really do have to go.¡±


    ¡°Pity.¡± His thumb brushed against the fabric under my breasts.


    Just when I was about to blow off training to spend a little extra time in bed with Raydir, someone pounded on the door to our cabin. Given the circumstances, the last time that had happened, we hurried over to open it.


    A guy from the valley I didn¡¯t recognize stood in the doorway looking flustered as his gaze dropped to the floor then quickly back to my eyes.


    ¡°Um, Arwyn?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m Fletcher, your trainer.¡±


    My eyes swept over the guy at the door, glanced at Raydir, then back to the guy. ¡°You¡¯re my trainer?¡± Fletcher was about my height with sandy blonde hair that flopped into his eyes. He kind of reminded me of a puppy dog.


    The guy nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I glanced at Raydir who just nodded. ¡°Where do we start?¡±


    He led me from the cabin, and we walked to a clearing. ¡°You¡¯re an acquator, right? Water bender?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. Have you trained a water bender before?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re actually my first water bender trainee. But it should be fun.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because?¡±


    He flicked his wrist, summoning a ball of fire. ¡°I¡¯m an ignitus. Fire bender. It¡¯s the perfect contrast to the acquator.¡±


    ¡°I thought Darius was going to do my power training.¡±


    ¡°He will. We¡¯re just starting with a few basics and then we¡¯ll eventually put what you learn with your powers to use in combat.¡± Fletcher held out a hand. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    It was now or never. This was my chance to prove myself, to prove I could do more than sit on the sidelines because that wasn¡¯t who I was. I needed this more than anything.

 Chapter 15.1 [Edited]

    A week training with Fletcher had left me sore and bruised. But at least each night when I came home, Raydir was there waiting with a healing salve and a look of desire on his face that usually ended with us fooling around instead of treating my injuries.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with me working with Darius?¡± I asked one morning, searching his green eyes for answers.


    ¡°Positive.¡± He kissed me. ¡°Now, go, okay? I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    I gave him another kiss before hurrying out the door. My bow and quiver were where we always kept them in one of the weapons sheds, so that¡¯s where I headed first before making my way out to the archery range.


    Darius sat on a rock, his arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± he said, standing up.


    Asshole.


    ¡°Oof, language.¡± He tsked.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word. We¡¯re only doing this so I can learn to control my powers.¡±


    Is that the only reason?


    I said don¡¯t say anything!


    Mind linking isn¡¯t speaking, Ar.


    ¡°Gahhhh! You are infuriating!¡±


    ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s working.¡± He threw a punch in my direction.


    I shrieked and crouched to the ground. ¡°What the hell was that?! I thought we were using my powers!¡±


    ¡°Integration, Arwyn. I want to see what you¡¯ve learned from Fletcher first.¡± He uncuffed his sleeves and pushed them up his arms. ¡°Give me all you¡¯ve got.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just do it. You won¡¯t hurt me, I promise.¡±


    Says the man I shot with an arrow. I huffed. ¡°Fine.¡± I swung my arm at him, and he countered, flipping me to the ground. ¡°Really, Darius?!¡±


    He reached a hand out, which I gratefully accepted, and pulled me to my feet. ¡°Good start.¡±


    His eyes scanned over my face. ¡°Let¡¯s try something. Follow me.¡± He started to walk away, so naturally I hurried after him.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked.


    Darius didn¡¯t answer, just led me forward.


    ¡°You know sometimes actually telling me things is a good thing.¡± I pushed through the brush.


    ¡°This is one of the smaller bodies of water out here in the valley,¡± he explained. ¡°And it¡¯s a good way to practice your powers.¡±


    I studied his face. ¡°How do you know so much about the valley? You just got here.¡±


    ¡°Caesaria is the one who suggested it during the last Council meeting. And she was with you when you first learned of your powers?¡±


    I hesitated. ¡°Yes, technically. I was able to see underwater, and that was the first clue. Then I summoned a shield of water when Ray and I were, er, fooling around.¡±


    Darius nodded in understanding. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But you knew all of that already. So how is this supposed to help me practice my powers?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Stand here and put your hand out over the water. Square your hips.¡± His hands slid down my sides, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    Hot breath on my neck made me instinctively tilt my head to the side before realizing what I was doing, then jerking my head back up straight. What am I doing?


    Darius stepped back to give me some space, lifting his hands from my waist.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Speak to the water.¡±


    ¡°Speak to¡ªthis is your idea of helping me control my powers?¡±


    ¡°Just do it, Arwyn.¡±


    I stuck my hand out over the water and tried to focus. The water bubbled up slowly; a single trail of water like a piece of thread rose from the surface.


    ¡°Good, now keep that focus. Aim the water a little higher. He guided my hand with his so the water was positioned over us. ¡°Now let it back down.¡±


    I dropped my hand, and the trail of water came crashing down on top of us. Shrieking, I jumped out of the way, letting Darius get most of the impact. ¡°Oops.¡±


    He laughed, running a hand through his now-wet hair. ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No! I swear I didn¡¯t!¡± I pouted and then smacked his arm when I saw him smirk. ¡°How do you know so much about my powers?¡±


    ¡°My family was very big on educating me about the ways of the wolf and the powers that come with that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the day we met?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah. You told me your last name wasn¡¯t of any significance. Then at my fate ceremony¡ªHarford. Your last name is Harford.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± He sighed. ¡°Here, let¡¯s fully immerse you in your element. We need to continue the practice anyway.¡± Darius began to unbutton his shirt.


    I froze. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Your clothes are waterproof, my shirt isn¡¯t. Immersing yourself in the water will not only heal the injuries I know you¡¯ve sustained training with Fletcher but also give you a chance to really control your powers.¡±


    I still wasn¡¯t convinced. Nevertheless, I unlaced my boots and dove into the water. As if like magic, all the tension and exhaustion I had felt for the last week began to wash away¡ªliterally.


    Darius dove in after me and emerged next to me. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°A lot better. You were saying something about the significance of your last name?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± He sighed. ¡°For the last several years, I have been living on my own. I grew up with my wolf spirit from the age of ten.¡±


    ¡°Because of the incident with Caesaria.¡±


    Darius nodded. ¡°After she left for the valley, I went off to live on my own in Gwyniar. I could¡¯ve¡ªshould¡¯ve¡ªgone to the valley when Caesaria did. And I regret it.¡±


    ¡°So how does that translate to you knowing so much about the powers?¡±


    ¡°Well, I owe your father a debt because he covered up the scandal of my situation. Um, ok you¡¯re gonna need to do the same thing as before. This time the force of energy should be stronger. You should be able to get a stronger stream.¡±


    I thrust my hand in front of me, focusing my attention on the water like he showed me. The water obeyed me, rising above us. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡±


    Darius grinned. ¡°Of course it¡¯s working, you¡¯re trusting yourself. Now let the water fall back down¡ªease it down.¡±


    The stream of water slowly retracted on itself back down into the lake.


    ¡°There you go! Perfect control.¡±


    ¡°Does that earn me another piece of your mysterious backstory?¡± I asked, whirling to face him.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He leaned forward.


    I could feel my heartbeat quickening. Oh my god, was he going to kiss me? Not again!


    Darius smirked. ¡°Not right now. Tomorrow during our next lesson.¡±


    I gaped at him.


    ¡°The backstory, Arwyn,¡± he said, laughing.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Right. The backstory. So, does this mean we¡¯re done for the day?¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡± Darius led me back to the spot we had been practicing in before. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve immersed yourself in the water, that should¡¯ve given you a bit more strength. So let¡¯s go for a few more rounds.¡±


    We set up again, and despite the supposed newfound strength, Darius still got the upperhand. Most of the time. This went on for a while, yet nowhere in here had I used my powers. I was beginning to think he just wanted to see what I¡¯d learned training with Fletcher.


    The sun started to dip lower in the sky, but the warmth of the air did nothing to stop the sweat that continued to drip down my back.


    ¡°Just a little longer, I promise,¡± Darius said. ¡°You¡¯re going great so far.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You must love tiring me out.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°The only way to get good is to keep training. Now, c¡¯mon. One more round.¡±


    I sighed and planted my feet again. With a few twists and punches I almost had Darius beat. Until I tripped over a loose root and dove headfirst toward the ground. My ankle twisted with a sickening crack. I grasped at the grass as pain shot up my leg.


    ¡°Arwyn!¡± Darius ran to my side.


    ¡°Is that good enough for you?¡± Tears stung my eyes but I refused to let Darius see me cry.


    His blue eyes scanned my face and then down to my ankle. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I tried to wave it off. ¡°I can walk.¡± As I got to my feet, my bad ankle collapsed under me. Darius caught me and my fingers clawed at his shirt.


    ¡°I got you. Ar, you need medical attention.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. If Raydir knew, he¡¯d ban me from training. But there would be no hiding the fact that I couldn¡¯t walk.


    ¡°I reject your no. You need to go see Raydir.¡±


    I huffed. ¡°Fine.¡± I started to hop away but was quickly stopped by Darius who scooped me into his arms.


    Reluctantly, I clung to his neck. ¡°Do you really have to carry me like this?¡±


    Darius laughed. ¡°It was either this or throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I thought this was the friendlier of the two options.¡±


    ¡°Friendly is one way to put it,¡± I muttered.


    We got to the medical cabin a few minutes later where I was immediately ushered to the side.


    Izel thanked Darius for bringing me in and shooed him away.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Training.¡± I winced as she slathered something on my ankle. ¡°That hurts.¡±


    ¡°You are lucky Raydir went for a house call,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯d have a field day if he knew.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Izel gave me a sideways glance. ¡°Ray is only trying to protect you. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want you training like this.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°I know he is. But how come he¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because he loves you.¡± Izel wrapped my ankle tightly in gauze. ¡°He¡¯ll get over it in time, but remember this is the same way you reacted when he first started training.¡±


    She had a point.


    ¡°Here¡±¡ªshe handed me a cup with some gunk in it and then a separate cup of water¡ª¡°Drink this. It¡¯ll help with the pain.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± I wrinkled my nose and doubled over into a coughing fit when I sniffed it.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t ask.¡± Izel tucked her hair behind her ears. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d be careful.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± I sipped at the cup of water after forcing the other liquid down my throat.


    ¡°About how much time you¡¯re spending with Darius. I mean, the guy showed up out of nowhere when no one asked him to follow you out here. And he¡¯s staying when he knows you have a boyfriend. It just feels weird to me, that¡¯s all. Like he has another motive.¡±


    I swallowed, the water turning to lead in my stomach. I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t agree. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s all the more reason to spend more time with him, you know? Find out what he¡¯s really after.¡±


    Izel shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s one way. Just do me a favor and don¡¯t lose sight of what brought you out here in the first place. Darius or no, you and Raydir have something special together. He told me that you have a link with Darius, too, but believe me when I say that your link with Raydir is stronger.¡±


    ¡°How do you figure?¡± I asked.


    Izel glanced at a spot to her left before turning back to me. ¡°Because no stupid choosing ceremony can break the bond of soulmates.¡±


    ***


    That night was just like any other as Raydir and I lay in bed next to each other. When Raydir had come back from his house call and seen me in the medical cabin, he¡¯d immediately worked to convince Izel to let him take me home where he could keep an eye on me.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked, brushing his fingers through my hair.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m sorry about all of this.¡± I gestured to my ankle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad that you¡¯re alright. And that Darius¡­well, that he was there to help.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Silence lingered between us. Maybe this could be a way for me to show Raydir that I was beginning to trust Darius.


    I ran my fingers through his hair, closing my eyes and breathing in his scent. This felt so right, just the two of us together without a care in the world.


    ¡°I wish we could stay here forever,¡± I said.


    ¡°Training with Fletcher again tomorrow?¡±


    I nodded as Raydir rolled onto his back beside me. ¡°And with Darius too.¡±


    ¡°Mm hmm. You work well together.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I looked into his eyes. They were filled with an emotion I couldn¡¯t quite place. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want me to train?¡±


    Raydir sighed. ¡°Because I was afraid of what it might mean. Arwyn, you¡¯re so strong and talented and determined. It just feels like one of these days, you could get hurt from that. Especially with this rogue running around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, I promise.¡± I cupped his face in my hands before leaning forward to kiss him. ¡°This is why it¡¯s better I train with others instead of by myself. Because you know that was the alternative.¡±


    The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He kissed me. ¡°We should get some sleep. I¡¯ll have to wake you up in a few hours for more of that medicine that Izel gave you.¡±


    I wrinkled my nose and pouted. ¡°Do you have to?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He tilted my chin up with his finger. ¡°Sweet dreams, Ar.¡±

 Chapter 15.2 [Edited]

    ¡°So are you going to tell me what happened yesterday?¡± Caesaria asked when we went for an early morning practice at the archery range.


    I shrugged. ¡°Nothing special. Darius helped me begin to learn how to control my powers in combination with some combat training. But we kept it strictly professional.¡±


    Caesaria snorted. ¡°Yeah, because those glances you shared at breakfast this morning definitely screamed professional.¡±


    ¡°We were not sharing glances! He¡¯s my trainer and that¡¯s all.¡± Heat crept to my cheeks.


    ¡°Uh huh. So there¡¯s nothing else on your mind about him?¡± She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°Absolutely not. And even if there were, Raydir and I have been really good since getting back from Gwyniar. He trusts me with Darius and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. He wasn¡¯t mad about what happened?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. In fact, he was really supportive. Iz made sure I had what I needed and Ray was there during the night to help me with the medicine. And here I am back to normal today.¡± I gestured down to my ankle. It only ached if I kept pressure on it for too long, so I¡¯d promised Raydir I¡¯d keep things easy for the day.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Caesaria commented, tucking away some loose strands of hair that had escaped her braid. ¡°Listen, Ar. I¡¯ve known Darius a really long time and there¡¯s something else you should know about him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I stepped up to notch a new arrow.


    ¡°It, well, he¡ªhow do I say this? It¡¯s probably not what you¡¯re gonna wanna hear, but I think you should know.¡±


    ¡°Oh just tell me, Cae!¡±


    Snap.


    Caesaria and I froze, sharing worried glances. She put a finger to her lips. There was definitely someone or something lurking in the woods.


    The wind stilled, leaving the only sound the beating of our hearts.


    Hesitantly, I stepped forward.


    Caesaria drew her bow, her eyes locked on the woods. ¡°On my count. Get your bow ready.¡±


    I copied her maneuver and aimed my bow at the woods. Now what?


    Snap. A deep growl exploded from the bushes in front of us and my heart sank. The rogue was back, and we were in its way.


    Yellow eyes filled with hunger latched onto us. The rogue stalked forward as Caesaria and I stood as still as we possibly could. Maybe it won¡¯t notice us. I took another tentative step forward, a twig snapping under my foot.


    The rogue bared its teeth, its head jerking in my direction. I let out a small yelp which wasn¡¯t helped by Caesaria releasing the first arrow. It was meant as a distraction, but it only seemed to anger the rogue as he charged forward.


    ¡°Change in plans. Go!¡± Caesaria yelled.


    I shot my own arrow, somersaulting out of the way and twisting my ankle again in the process. Pain shot up my leg, and I winced.


    If I make it out alive, Raydir is so going to kill me, I thought to myself.


    Limping away, I tried to call upon the water, but we were too far away from the lake. The rogue charged us, and Caesaria tried to slow it down with her arrows while I attempted to make my escape. I pushed through the bushes hoping to keep the rogue at bay, but my instincts were pulling at me to stay with Caesaria. Never leave another behind. That¡¯s what Fletcher had taught me.


    The rogue turned to follow me, and Caesaria kept shooting to no avail.


    I was its prey, and this was not going to end well for one of us.


    Come on, come on, come on! I raised my bow, but didn¡¯t have a clear shot. The rogue kept approaching, and I backed away slowly. Moments of recent events flashed before my eyes. Raydir¡¯s proposal. Our journey to the valley. The first smile from Darius at our initial meeting. The Alignment. Our first time. Darius¡¯ kiss to shut me up. A flash of green. A flash of blue.


    Make your choice.


    Help me! I screamed out through the mind link. Help!


    Then the rogue pounced and the world went dark.


    ***


    Laughter echoed in my mind. I was chasing Arabella through the palace on a rainy afternoon.


    ¡°Bella! Where did you go?¡± I called out.


    ¡°Come and find me!¡± my sister answered back, her giggles fading down the vast halls.


    ¡°Bella! Slow down!¡± I stopped in the empty hallway, my sister nowhere to be found. To my left, the door to one of the rooms sat wide open. Curious, I wandered inside. The room was covered from floor to ceiling with books. ¡°Bella?¡±


    No answer.


    I sat down on one of the bean bag chairs and picked up a stray book. This one was about somewhere called the Darqua Valley. As I opened it up to read, something rammed against the window.


    I screamed. ¡°Mama! Papa! Bella!¡± The creature at the window locked its eyes on me. Icy blue. I froze, trying to still my beating heart, hoping it wouldn¡¯t attack.


    ¡°Arwyn, what is it?¡± my mother came running into the room.


    ¡°Outside there¡ªhic¡ªwas¡ªhic¡ªsomething. It scared me.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    My mother tucked me into her arms and stroked my hair. ¡°It¡¯s ok, baby. You¡¯re safe inside. We won¡¯t let anything happen to you, I promise.¡±


    Someone¡¯s hand covered mine, rubbing small circles on it with their thumb. ¡°Arwyn, come back to me.¡± His voice floated over me, silky and smooth.


    Raydir. I smiled.


    ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡± another asked, this one deeper and more gruff.


    Darius. I was sure of it.


    ¡°Stable. Can you do me a favor and grab me some more of that salve over there?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡± Several objects clattered around before Darius spoke again. ¡°Listen, about everything with the pact¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool, Darius. Your connection with Arwyn¡ªI should¡¯ve been prepared for it to get stronger. Although we were both under the impression it should¡¯ve gone away by now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re letting it get stronger,¡± Darius retorted. ¡°And to be honest, I don¡¯t know why we still have the link. You¡¯ve marked her and she¡¯s made her choice.¡±


    ¡°Yet you still had the audacity to kiss her in the woods the day she found out we¡¯d hidden her wolf spirit.¡±


    There was a pause from Darius. Then, ¡°She told you about that?¡±


    ¡°Of course she did. We don¡¯t keep secrets, or at least we didn¡¯t until I got involved with the likes of you.¡±


    Darius laughed. ¡°So you¡¯re blaming me for keeping the pact a secret from your girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah!¡± Raydir yelled, exasperated.


    Easy there. I winced, hoping one of them might be able to sense it.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve never come out here, Darius,¡± Raydir continued. ¡°The night of her Fate Ceremony, she recognized you, which was also clear when you got to the valley after I specifically told you I¡¯d take care of the situation.¡±


    ¡°I told you, Raydir, I had to come. The only way for Arwyn to have gone through the Alignment was if I was here.¡±


    Raydir scoffed. ¡°Yeah, because clearly I can¡¯t do enough.¡±


    Darius sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°You knew by coming here she¡¯d see that you had a mind-link. Do you have feelings for her?¡±


    Come on, wake up. Let them know you¡¯re still with them.


    ¡°I¡­Arwyn is certainly special. I¡¯ve never met anyone quite like her.¡±


    Smooth. But wait¡ªdid that mean what I thought it meant? And did that matter?


    ¡°So the connection. Can it really be only one that remains?¡± Raydir asked.


    Excuse me?


    ¡°Yes. But I think it might be best if I distance myself from her. There¡¯s so much about this she has yet to learn, and I don¡¯t want to take her away from you.¡±


    Raydir sighed. ¡°She trusts you. And I may not like it, but she needs you in her life.¡± He brushed his fingers over the back of my hand, sending a tingle up my arm.


    ¡°I thought you just said you wished I never came out here?¡±


    ¡°I did, but this isn¡¯t about me. Ever since you arrived in the valley, something changed in her. Maybe it¡¯s because you were her Chosen. Maybe it¡¯s something else. But I truly believe you and her are meant to be part of something bigger together.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you saved her life! If anything, she needs you more than ever.¡±


    Again with the protecting. Come on, wake up!


    ¡°No, what she needs is¡ªRaydir, I think her finger moved,¡± Darius said, a surge of excitement and relief evident in his voice.


    Just my finger? Great, not what I was going for.


    ¡°Yeah, I see it too. Arwyn?" Raydir brushed his fingers over my forehead. ¡°Ar, can you hear me? If you can hear me, tap the sheets twice.¡±


    A sigh of relief.


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± A kiss on my cheek. ¡°Please wake up. We need you back here.¡±


    I let out an involuntary groan, and my eyes blinked open. Two grinning faces stared down at me, but I only had eyes for one.


    ¡°Ray.¡± I winced as I tried to sit up. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, you have a few bruised ribs.¡± His green eyes shone with relief.


    ¡°How long have I been out?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Two days. Darius got to you just in time. After the rogue attacked, he found you and Caesaria passed out.¡±


    My heart lurched. ¡°Caesaria! Is she ok? Did the rogue attack her too? Oh my gosh, this is all my fault!¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, slow down.¡± Raydir lightly pressed my shoulders back against the bed. ¡°Easy. We¡¯ve tended to all your scratches and the swelling in your ankle¡ªwhich by the way, you were supposed to be going easy with¡ªbut your ribs are still bruised. There¡¯s only so much that the salve can do.¡±


    ¡°But Caesaria,¡± I said. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told everyone about a million times over the last two days, I am fine. Just a few minor scratches. I passed out because I spent my energy trying to keep you, Arwyn, alive. Darius, as I keep reminding these two, had nothing to do with it. Or at least less than everyone thinks.¡± Caesaria walked over to my bedside, holding her left shoulder but smiling all the same. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you awake, Ar.¡±


    ¡°Cae, I told you we could help with your shoulder,¡± Raydir said.


    ¡°And I told you, Raydir, I am fine." She bit back a wince as she crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°For all we know, I sustained this injury while practicing archery.¡±


    ¡°What did Darius do?¡±


    Darius scratched the back of his head. ¡°Our link sort of alerted me that you were injured. So naturally, I went to help and found the two of you. It really is good to see you awake.¡±


    My cheeks flushed. I wasn¡¯t used to all this attention, and now both Raydir and Darius were looking at me with equally expectant gazes.


    Shouldn¡¯t my link have alerted Raydir and not Darius?


    ¡°Um, do you think Caesaria and I could have a moment?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sure thing.¡± Raydir leaned down to press a kiss to my temple.


    I rubbed my fingers over my ribs, wincing at how tender they were to the touch. Then I turned to Caesaria and let loose. ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve known Darius the longest. So how the hell do I break my connection to him?


    ¡°Right. The one that you found out you had right with him after the first Alignment."


    ¡°Yes, exactly. I get my connection with Raydir, but I¡¯ve shifted. So my link with Darius should¡¯ve gone away.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Is it really so bad? You seem to enjoy arguing with him every time the two of you are together.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s because he gets on my nerves. I told you before¡ªit¡¯s something about him that draws me in. Kind of the same way a siren lures a sailor to his death.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s harsh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reality, Cae. I need to break this connection with Darius. It¡¯s causing too much trouble for me and Raydir. And he has feelings for me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?" She stepped backwards. "When did he tell you that?¡±


    ¡°Technically he didn¡¯t tell me.¡± I paused to take a breath. I had no idea how much talking could hurt. ¡°I overheard his conversation with Raydir. He tried to circle around the answer, but it was definitely there.¡±


    Caesaria scratched her head. ¡°For some reason, the link with Darius is still there. Maybe the fates don¡¯t believe all your attention is still on Ray.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, screw the fates!¡± I said a little too loudly.


    Raydir raised his eyebrows. You okay?


    Just peachy. I leaned back on my pillows.


    Raydir returned to my side, locking his gaze on mine as he approached.


    ¡°Whatever is happening with you and Darius, something is there,¡± Caesaria said. ¡°Give yourself some time to sort out your feelings¡±


    ¡°I will. All of my training will probably have to be on hold while I recover, so that¡¯ll give me some time.¡±


    ¡°Not all of it,¡± Raydir said. ¡°We¡¯ve talked to Fletcher, and your combat training is paused until you¡¯ve been cleared. However, there is nothing preventing you from working on controlling your powers with Darius.¡±


    I nodded, my eyes scanning the room. They landed on Darius who was on the far side talking¡ªor rather, flirting¡ªwith another healer. Something burned inside of me.


    Was I jealous? No. There was no way. I had Raydir and he was all I ever needed.

 Chapter 16* [Edited]

    Two weeks later, life had returned to a semblance of normalcy. I was still in a little pain from my injuries but otherwise unscathed.


    ¡°You know you didn¡¯t have to walk me back,¡± I said to Darius one day after our power training session. We had resumed training a week and a half after the attack to give me enough time to heal. I held a hand against my ribs which ached from holding my arms up in practice.


    ¡°I wanted to. Plus, it let us spend a little more time together,¡± he replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. ¡°And I wanted to apologize. For everything. You have to know that I had no idea our link wouldn¡¯t go away.¡±


    I stayed silent.


    ¡°You felt it in Gwyniar, didn¡¯t you?¡± Darius continued. He kept his gaze locked on me. ¡°I know you did. And then again during the attack.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t link you,¡± I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Even as I said it, I wasn¡¯t sure it was the truth. I¡¯d called out through my link but I wasn¡¯t thinking about who it would reach.¡±


    ¡°I felt it, Ar. I knew you were in trouble.¡±


    ¡°That shouldn''t have mattered!¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯m with Ray. He should¡¯ve been the one who received the link. It should¡¯ve been Ray who found me. I had Ray. You still seem to think that there can be something between us just because of this link. But that¡¯s not what it means.¡±


    Darius sighed. ¡°I was hoping after all this training we¡¯ve been doing, you would consider me a friend. That''s all. I know we got off to a rocky start¡ª¡±


    ¡°And a rocky middle,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    ¡°But there is clearly some fate out there where we are destined to be together in some capacity.¡±


    I kicked the ground with the toe of my boot. He was right, so it seemed. As much as I hated to admit it, the universe was telling us something. ¡°As friends only, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Right.¡±


    I waited. When was he going to mention what he and Raydir were talking about when they thought I was still unconscious?


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯ve had the chance to train these last few weeks,¡± Darius said. ¡°I¡¯m impressed with the progress you¡¯ve made."


    We stopped in front of my cabin.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°So I guess I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He leaned forward to give me a hug but I went to kiss his cheek, so my lips brushed gently against his before I pulled back. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±


    I watched him walk away before turning the handle of the cabin door and walking inside. Raydir was already there sitting on the sofa.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted him, coming over to sit down. ¡°How was your day?¡±


    ¡°It was good. Better now that you¡¯re here.¡± He kissed my cheek. ¡°Have you been out training this whole time?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°We lost track of time otherwise I would¡¯ve been back sooner.¡±


    Raydir glanced at the way I was holding my ribs and slouching on the sofa. ¡°Arwyn, lift your arms.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Just do it, please.¡±


    I grimaced as I forced my arms as high as they would do, whimpering as the pain stabbed through my chest and they fell back to my sides. ¡°Happy now?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s working you too hard. God, Ar, are you really still in this much pain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. And don¡¯t blame Darius for this. He¡¯s asked constantly if I¡¯m feeling up to continuing, so this is on me. Plus, the healers cleared me for training.¡±


    ¡°Still. If you¡¯re in pain, then maybe we need to ease you away from training for a few more days.¡± He reached out to brush my hair behind my ear.


    ¡°What¡¯s the real reason you wanted me to keep training with Darius while I was recovering?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s clear you don¡¯t trust that he¡¯s keeping me safe.¡±


    ¡°You favor him over Fletcher,¡± Raydir replied. ¡°I wanted you to have something to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± I carefully crossed my arms over my chest.


    ¡°I wanted to see if my fears were true,¡± he confessed.


    There it was. The truth.


    ¡°Ray, you have nothing to fear.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about something Emilia said in Gwyniar. As much as fate tried to tear us apart, it¡¯s what brought us together in the first place.¡±


    His expression sombered and his green eyes filled with sadness. ¡°Maybe it is fate that has kept our friendship turned love alive for so long. Maybe it is truly fate that decided you were meant to be with Darius.¡±


    ¡°But if it were in the hands of fate to tear us apart, don¡¯t you think it would have happened by now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see, Arwyn? That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening right now.¡± He sighed. ¡°When you were still unconscious, I asked Darius if he had feelings for you.¡±


    My body froze but I nodded along, like it was news to me. ¡°And what did he say?¡±


    ¡°He skirted the question, but it doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure out how he feels. Just look at the way he looks at you.¡± Bitterness laced his voice.


    Heat rose to my cheeks. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to act on anything. Mostly because I don¡¯t have feelings for him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you? You¡¯re slipping away, Arwyn. I feel it every day.¡±


    ¡°Ray.¡± I covered his hand with mine. ¡°We¡¯re bound. Nothing can change that.¡±


    ¡°Except something already has.¡± His face darkened.


    ¡°This is about the pact, isn¡¯t it? And what he said about ¡®being with me¡¯?¡± I inched my hand away from him. ¡°This is all because he put the idea in your head that something was going to tear us away from each other. That your bond with me would weaken and his would strengthen.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯ve seen the way you look at him, too. You can deny it all you want, but it¡¯s there, Arwyn. And maybe it¡¯s time¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I cried out, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. ¡°No, don¡¯t you dare finish that sentence, Raydir.¡±


    ¡°When we were in Gwyniar, you heard that voice telling you that something was waiting for you back in Darqua. I heard it too.¡±


    I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to stop me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want any of it to be true, Ar, but all the signs are there. With the incident at the lake, I know you said he was protecting you from something, but something changed after that. Then the rogue attack. Both times it¡¯s been Darius who protected you.¡±


    ¡°You know that doesn¡¯t mean anything!¡± I protested.


    ¡°We¡¯re all the other has ever known, which is great, but we¡¯re not kids anymore.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I swallowed, nodding as realization hit me for what was going to happen. ¡°You want us to think about other options.¡±


    ¡°Not right away. But maybe it¡¯s something to consider.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want?¡±


    He tilted my chin up with one finger. ¡°I need some time to figure it out. I think we both do. What do you think?¡±


    I nodded, closing the gap between us so that our foreheads touched. ¡°We just need time. So, a break?¡±


    ¡°A break, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°I, um, need to go.¡± Without another word, I ran back out of the cabin, ignoring the searing pain in my ribs from fighting back the urge to burst into tears.


    I ran and didn¡¯t stop until I got to the lake. Anger pulsated through my veins, followed by guilt for feeling angry.


    It¡¯s not a breakup, I reassured myself. He just wants some space. He still loves me and I still love him. That¡¯s not going to change.


    I held my head in my hands, forcing myself to take steady breaths.


    Should I not have chosen Ray? After everything we had been through, was this all my fault for ruining our future together? Was choosing him always going to bring this much pain?


    ¡°Arwyn!¡± Darius¡¯ voice broke through the silence and the barrier I had forced into my mind.


    ¡°Go away.¡± I groaned. Darius was the last person I wanted to see right now.


    ¡°You can punch me if you want.¡±


    I whipped around to face him. ¡°What?¡± Are you serious?


    He put his hands up in defense, and took a tentative step forward. ¡°Just saying. If you want to take out your anger on something, well, I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Stop invading my head.¡± I wrapped my arms around my body.


    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s hard to turn it off.¡± He sat down next to me. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want any company right now, but just pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Like it¡¯s that easy.¡±


    The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to avoid saying what I¡¯m thinking because then you really will punch me. But whatever you need to do to stay sane right now, do it. You¡¯ve been going through so much, Ar. I know things between us have always been rocky, but I want you to know I¡¯m here for you. Everything you feel with the attack is valid.¡±


    My nickname sounded different coming out of his mouth, but I wasn¡¯t sure what to think of it.


    ¡°Why do you keep doing this?¡± I asked, forcing myself not to meet his eyes and failing miserably. In the fading evening light, they shone almost grey.


    ¡°Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Saying things that make me want to kiss you. Why do you do that to me?¡± It wasn¡¯t until that moment that I realized it was true and Raydir was right. I was falling for him.


    Darius ran a hand through his hair. ¡°We can¡¯t control our feelings, Arwyn. Just how we act on them.¡± His eyes dipped briefly to my lips, which slowly parted, letting out slow breaths. He licked his own lips before shifting his gaze back up to me.


    My heart began to beat faster in my chest as I anticipated what was to come. Without thinking, I leaned forward with one hand against my thigh, the other nestling its way into his hair. Darius reacted, resting his hands on my hips. My breath came out in short spurts, warm against his cheek.


    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± Darius asked, his voice gruff yet comforting. He looked at me with those mesmerizing blue eyes that I fought to resist.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I inhaled sharply and pulled back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want anymore. Raydir wants me to be happy and I want the same for him. I just want things to make sense..¡±


    He reached out with his hand halfway to brush my hair away from my face. My braid had loosened, leaving several strands hanging in waves by my face.


    Oh how I desperately wanted to have the sweet taste of his mouth against mine. How would it feel to kiss him?


    Then why don¡¯t you find out?


    My lips found their way to his, and electricity sparked between us. He responded, moving his lips to taste mine and rubbing circles on my hips with his thumbs. Thunder rumbled low in the distance, the threat of rain evident in the air.


    My body melted to his touch while my other hand traveled under the hem of his shirt. The muscles on his abdomen rippled at my touch when my fingers grazed over his scar. When I tugged at his shirt, he reacted by breaking the kiss, raising his arms over his head to give me access to release its hold on his body. As our lips found each other again the first drops of rain fell from the sky.


    I shrieked, pulling away from him and immediately regretting it. Darius must¡¯ve noticed that¡ªI still wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about his ability to sense my vulnerabilities¡ªbecause he pulled me to my feet, and we ran to the shade of a tree. I winced at the pressure on my ankle but didn¡¯t care.


    Within seconds, he carefully lifted me up so my legs could wrap around his waist to prevent any further impact on my injuries, pressing my back against the rough bark of the tree. Then his hands tangled into my hair, thumbs brushing delicately against my cheeks. I kept a hand pressed against his chest as he kissed me, his lips moving to pepper kisses along my jawline before grazing them over my neck. His fingers left my hair and reached for the clasps on my top.


    ¡°Wait.¡± I pressed back against his chest when I realized what was about to happen, and he lowered me down.


    ¡°Too fast?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not ready for this.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, this isn¡¯t your fault. I have to ask though, are you and Raydir¡ªdid something happen?¡±


    ¡°You mean did we end our engagement?¡± I instinctively twirled the ring around my finger.


    He nodded.


    Don¡¯t you think you should¡¯ve asked that before we kissed? ¡°No, not yet.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to?¡±


    Please don¡¯t ask me that. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Darius raised his eyebrows at this. ¡°We should probably go back.¡±


    My heart sank, and I visibly winced. I don¡¯t regret kissing you. ¡°Yeah. We should.¡±


    ***


    A week later, I reluctantly met up with Darius again for power training. He hadn¡¯t said a word to me since the day we kissed when I told him Ray and I were still together. Yet when I showed up on his doorstep, asking if we could continue training, he¡¯d immediately agreed.


    ¡°Keep your focus!¡± Darius instructed. His voice came out gruff and firm, yet it held a subtle softness. ¡°Hold it up, just a little longer.¡±


    After we had parted ways that day at the lake, I had gone back to my cabin and taken up residence in the extra bedroom. If there was ever a moment to be glad we had opted for the two-bedroom cabin, this was definitely it. Not only had things been weird between me and Darius, they¡¯d also been strange with me and Raydir. I couldn¡¯t get him off of my mind or the look on his face when I¡¯d returned to the cabin. A look that when I reflected on it, made me riddled with guilt.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± The stream of water wavered, but I kept my arms thrust out in front of me as long as I could.


    Was Darius really the first person I wanted to go to when Ray and I were fighting? Had that been what had happened? No. Darius came to me. I didn¡¯t seek him out. But I hadn¡¯t stopped him either.


    ¡°Good. Now aim it at me.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± I shrieked.


    ¡°Arwyn, just do it. Trust me.¡±


    I maneuvered my hands, swirling the water and pushing it toward Darius. He jumped out of the way so the water vortex landed back into the lake, splashing out toward the two of us.


    ¡°Wonderful. Now use the water to trap me," he said.


    My eyes widened. Was he serious? ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Darius, if you say ¡®trust me¡¯, I will dunk your head under water.¡± I groaned and dragged a hand down my face.


    Darius smirked, putting his hands up in defense. ¡°Okay, okay. I won¡¯t say it.¡±


    I flicked the water in his direction. It splashed in his face, drenching his dark hair and making him sputter. ¡°That was fun.¡±


    He wiped water out of his eyes, grinning. ¡°Alright. Now, trap me in the water.¡±


    Sighing, my hands lifted the water into another swirling vortex, making sure it grew tall enough before shifting it toward Darius. The water surrounded him, lifting him up so his feet were dangling just above the surface of the lake. The vortex tightened around him, and I began to panic.


    ¡°Darius, I can¡¯t do this!¡± I cried.


    ¡°Just¡ªtrust¡ªyourself. Take¡ªa breath¡ªloosen¡ªthe grip. You¡¯re doing great.¡±


    Shakily, I retreated one of my hands to disengage the vortex. What I didn¡¯t expect, however, was the vortex to fight back. ¡°Darius! It¡¯s not¡­what do I do!¡±


    ¡°Take a breath. Trust.¡± His eyes locked on mine, chest fighting for breath. You can do this. Breathe.


    I nodded, closing my eyes and focusing as much as I could on the water.


    ¡°Great job.¡±


    Slowly, I opened my eyes to find Darius, unharmed, grinning at me. The water vortex had evaporated.


    I whacked his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare scare me like that. I thought you were¡­I don¡¯t ever want to hurt you.¡±


    Darius ran a hand through his wet hair, making it stick up in all different directions. ¡°You could never hurt me.¡±


    I slumped against him. Except for when I shot you with that arrow. ¡°So explain something to me. When I was passed out from the rogue attack, you told Raydir that only one link could remain.¡±


    He stiffened. ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°What did you mean exactly? How is that decided?¡±


    Darius shifted uncomfortably. ¡°If our link wins out over your link with Raydir, it¡¯ll be the only one that remains. And vice versa. The only caveat is¡­¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°The only caveat is what, Darius?¡±


    Darius scratched the back of his head. ¡°You have to make your choice by the third Alignment.¡±

 Chapter 17.1 [Edited]

    ¡°Arwyn. Arwyn! I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Darius¡¯s voice echoed behind me. I stormed away from him after launching a stream of water at his face.


    ¡°Damn you, Darius!¡± I whirled around to face him when his fingers clasped around my wrist. ¡°You had all this time to tell me the truth. How long have you known?"


    He shifted uncomfortably. ¡°A while.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to tell me? This is my life you¡¯re screwing with.¡± I threw my hands in the air and collapsed on a rock.


    ¡°Ar.¡± His fingers tenderly rubbed circles on my back. I tensed, not wanting to give in, but it felt nice. And I hated that. ¡°What happened with you and Raydir?¡±


    ¡°You. You happened, Darius.¡± Tears flowed down my cheeks. ¡°Did you not tell me because you want me all to yourself? Is this some sort of selfish alpha male thing?¡±


    He shook his head as his stormy blue-eyed gaze landed on me. ¡°Of course not. I care about you, Arwyn. And I just want what¡¯s best for you.¡± He leaned forward.


    I longed for the taste of his lips on mine, the feel of his hands over my body. Wait, where was this coming from?


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head and pushed a hand against his chest. ¡°Darius, I appreciate you talking with me yesterday and that kiss was pretty amazing, but it wasn¡¯t the right time. Ray and I are on the rocks right now, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to us.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going through a lot right now. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed.¡±


    I sighed, flopping my head against his chest. ¡°How is it that in moments like this, you always know the right things to say?¡±


    ¡°One of my charms, I guess,¡± he teased. ¡°So, I guess I¡¯ll see you later?¡±


    ¡°See you later, Darius.¡± I gave him a half-hearted smile before walking away.


    Flashes from yesterday clouded my brain, heated passion mixed with the tender moments with Raydir from the last few days. Fingers grazing my skin. Gentle kisses. Gazes locked in desire. Subtle touches. Passionate glances. Small smiles to share an inside joke. Darius. Raydir. Darius. Raydir. Darius. Ray¡ª


    ¡°Trouble on the horizon?¡± Caesaria asked, her voice breaking through my internal debate. She crossed her arms over her chest as she approached.


    I waved at her. ¡°Try all the time. Do you think I can stay with you for a while?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Of course you can. But why? Did something happen with you and Ray?¡±


    Could I really do this? She deserved to know. ¡°Raydir and I are taking a break.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? What happened? Start from the beginning.¡±


    I winced. ¡°Promise you won¡¯t be mad?¡±


    ¡°Promise.¡± She looped her arm through mine. ¡°But tell me as we walk because I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    I sighed and relayed the story to her, starting from the love ceremony in Gwyniar and the voice that spoke and ending with my kiss with Darius. When I was finished, I watched her face for reactions.


    ¡°Cae, please say something.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what Ray was talking about,¡± she murmured under her breath before turning to me. ¡°Tell me more about this voice. You said you first heard it in Gwyniar?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m pretty sure it was Darius and Raydir agrees. But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No he doesn¡¯t,¡± she interjected.


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What do you mean he doesn¡¯t? Ray and I had this conversation already. We both thought it had to be Darius because, c¡¯mon, who else could it be? They¡¯re the only two people I have a link with.¡±


    Caesaria kept walking and I hurried to keep up with her. ¡°Raydir isn¡¯t convinced anymore that it was Darius. And frankly? Neither am I. I mean, do you really think Darius would purposefully do anything to try and break you and Ray up?¡±


    I considered this. But as much as I didn¡¯t like it, Darius had truly proven himself as a friend and not some guy trying to win over a girl.¡±


    I shook my head, breaking away from my thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s not why we¡¯re taking the break. It¡¯s because we both need time to sort out our feelings, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    Cae ran her fingers over her arms. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to be the type of friend here for a minute who understands that you¡¯re going through a rough patch, but I want you to know that keeping what you¡¯re feeling bottled up inside is not the way to go. Talk with Ray. Communicate with him. You two practically just got married and now you¡¯re about to give it up for what, a crush?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    I stayed silent for a minute. She was right. ¡°He¡¯s having doubts about us, too. And I don¡¯t know where they were stemming from.¡±


    We entered the Grand Cabin and took seats at one of the tables.


    ¡°Yes, you do.¡± She looked into my eyes. ¡°Arwyn, this man gave up his life for you. The least you can do is talk with Ray. Tell him how you feel. Because if he finds out after the fact that you do have feelings for Darius, someone is going to get hurt.¡±


    I sighed. Ray was going to be hurt no matter what, and I hated that. ¡°I know.¡± I wish I didn¡¯t feel this way about Darius.


    Caesaria took a deep breath beside me. ¡°And now I¡¯m going to be the friend who you spill all the dirty details to. So, tell me: how was it?¡±


    ¡°Kissing Darius?¡± I bit my lip, not sure I wanted to admit the truth. ¡°Amazing. Sensational.¡± Different.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve made out with him how many times now?¡±


    ¡°Only once.¡±


    ¡°For now.¡± She smirked.


    I whacked her arm playfully. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t exactly a make-out.¡±


    Caesaria raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh it was so a makeout. It was hot and heavy, right? Totally a make-out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so maybe it was a make-out. But that doesn''t matter because he confirmed what I feared about the connection, the marking, everything.¡±


    She regarded me with hesitation. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°I have until the third alignment to make my decision between him and Ray. And I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m mad at myself. I like Darius, and he likes me. But should that be the reason why I give up Raydir and everything I¡¯ve ever known?¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, it¡¯s natural to have doubts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not having doubts, Cae. But if I can¡¯t trust him¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you thought that maybe he didn¡¯t tell you because¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you say protect me, I¡¯m going to smack you. Just like I told Darius this morning. ¡®Trust me¡¯. ¡®I¡¯m trying to protect you¡¯. I just can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    One of the servers placed a salad in front of me before I stabbed at the food with my fork. ¡°I wish for once people would stop trying to protect me. This is my life.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s your life, Arwyn. But¡±¡ªshe looked around the room¡ª¡°Look, I¡¯m going to tell you something because Darius is a guy and he¡¯s obviously crazy about you so he won¡¯t tell you this, but there is a reason why the two of you fight so much yet always come back to kiss and make up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not kissing him ever again.¡± Pfft, yeah right.


    Caesaria smirked. ¡°You seriously underestimate your feelings for him, Arwyn. Listen, I have to run, but I¡¯ll see you later?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°See you. And I can still come stay with you, right?¡±


    She gave me a hug. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll talk to Rosie about getting you an extra cot.¡±


    With that she hurried away, leaving me to finish my lunch in quiet.


    Once I finished eating, I headed toward the library. I had been in Darqua for over two months, and ever since going back to the library at my former home in Gwyniar, I longed to hold a book in my hands.


    The library in the Grand Cabin was massive with oak-paneled doors and walls lined with bookshelves. I walked over to the left side and slipped a book out of the shelves, running my finger along the smooth spine. The scent of old leather wafted toward my nose and I smiled. It felt just like home.


    Before I knew it, the sky had darkened as the clouds settled in, and I hurried over to Caesaria¡¯s cabin. She invited me inside and we got settled for the night.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed,¡± Caesaria said. ¡°If you need anything, just knock. I hope the couch will be okay until we can get you that cot. Then you¡¯ll be able to bunk in my room. And sorry for not having an extra room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cae. I promise. You weren¡¯t expecting to have a roommate, right? Heck, if I knew that Ray and I were anywhere near the end, I would¡¯ve told Rosie to give us a one-bedroom cabin on our arrival here.¡± I curled my fingers around a mug of hot ibisco tea.


    ¡°Arwyn, do not beat yourself up over this break. Remember, that¡¯s all it is right now. It¡¯s not an official break up. And, well, maybe just think about Darius.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows and she rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Think about what I said about Darius,¡± she clarified.


    Right. ¡°I will. Night.¡±


    Thunder rumbled in the distance. As I settled into the couch, the rain began to hammer down on the cabin roof. I closed my eyes, breathing in the beauty of the rain. Ever since I was a child, the rain had always been my favorite. Maybe that¡¯s why my powers were to control water.


    I opened the book I¡¯d borrowed from the library in the Grand Cabin. With the aroma of the tea and the sound of rain pelting against the cabin windows, I soon drifted off with the comfort of knowing I was safe here. No Raydir. No Darius. Just me.


    And maybe that¡¯s how it needed to be for a while, I thought to myself as I drifted to sleep and into a memory.


    ¡°You¡¯re late!¡± I hissed as I let my sister into our bedroom well after she¡¯d agreed to return from her rendezvous with a man she called Earl Bennett.


    Arabella quietly closed the door. ¡°Sorry. We got caught up in the moment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t get caught.¡±


    She pulled at the pins that held her hair into a fancy updo, letting her dark tresses tumble down her back. ¡°Relax, Ar. Ginny took me through the servant quarters so I wouldn¡¯t be seen. And I¡¯m back now.¡±


    I huffed and bounced on the bed. ¡°He better be worth it, Bella. Your ceremony is in a few days, what happens if it¡¯s not his name you pick?¡±


    ¡°Then we will run away together.¡± She placed her hand over mine. ¡°I know what it means, Arwyn, and I¡¯m prepared for the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Even if it means leaving me?¡± My voice came out barely above a whisper.


    Tears filled Arabella¡¯s eyes. ¡°I love you, Arwyn. With all my heart.¡± She reached forward and brushed my hair behind my ears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± My voice broke.


    She leaned forward and kissed my temple. ¡°Get some sleep, Ar. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 17.2 [Edited]

    Much to my dismay, I woke up remembering I had a medical appointment to check the progression of my bruises.


    The sun warmed my skin as the wind wisped my hair over my shoulders on my walk. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I approached. I hadn¡¯t seen Raydir since we decided to take a break. I hadn¡¯t told him yet about needing to make my decision and I wasn¡¯t sure I could. What would he say? What could he say?


    The medical cabin was nearly empty when I arrived with just some of the healers mulling around. I smiled when my gaze landed on Raydir. Maybe I could easily slip it into conversation. Maybe if I told him I still loved him. I would always love him.


    ¡°Hey, Ar,¡± he greeted me.


    ¡°Hey.¡± So far so good. Maybe if we kept the conversation casual, this could work.


    An awkward silence then fell between us until Raydir spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Izel.¡±


    He walked away and a minute later, Izel joined me.


    ¡°Good morning, Arwyn. How are you feeling? Any pain?¡± she asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°Not really. I think the daily swims have helped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. As an acquator, the water speeds up the healing process. Can I see the bruises?¡± Izel closed the curtain around the bed then tucked her short black hair behind her ears.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± My fingers fumbled with the buckles of my top. I pulled it open so Izel could see the bruises.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re fading nicely.¡± She hesitantly reached out to palpate. ¡°Any pain when I do this?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Good. You should be ready to resume your usual activities now, including modified combat training. I¡¯ll make a note in your chart.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I re-clasped my top.


    ¡°You¡¯re all set.¡± Izel¡¯s gaze scanned the room. ¡°But it looks like Raydir might want to speak with you before you go. I don¡¯t know what happened between the two of you, but I hope things work out. He¡¯s sweet.¡±


    I nodded, keeping my eyes fixed on Raydir as he walked over. ¡°He¡¯s been my best friend for twelve years. And I couldn¡¯t ask for anyone better to take that role.¡±


    She gave my arm a squeeze. ¡°Come back if you have any issues, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thanks, Izel.¡±


    ¡°She cleared you for training?¡± Ray asked, taking Izel¡¯s place.


    ¡°Yes." I tucked my hair behind my ears. "But I¡¯ll continue to take it slow. Fletcher knows the extent of my injuries so we¡¯ll modify as needed. And you don¡¯t need to worry about Darius.¡± I winced at the way that sounded. ¡°I mean, he knows my limits too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ar. I understand. And you¡¯re sure you have no pain?¡±


    Only emotional, I thought to myself, forgetting we still had our mind link for now.


    His eyes flickered up to meet mine.


    ¡°No pain,¡± I settled on responding, swinging my legs. ¡°Are you preparing for the next Alignment?¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, we don¡¯t have to do this.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°Do what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Pretend to make small talk just because we¡¯re taking a pause from us. We are still friends, we will always still be friends, Ar. We can still talk. We¡¯ve always been good at that.¡± Raydir looked up at me, his green eyes shimmering with a twinge of sadness. ¡°And I hope maybe we still have a chance.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too,¡± I said. ¡°I just need to figure things out. We both do.¡±


    Raydir ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Maybe we can talk about something other than the Alignment? The last two, well, we¡¯ve had each other to lean on. This time, we¡¯ll have to learn how to cope differently.¡±


    In more ways than one, I thought to myself. ¡°Right. Do you have the recipe for the ibisco tea?¡±


    Raydir chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant, but yeah. Rosie gave it to me, so I can bring it over to Cae¡¯s later."


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I winced at how pathetic this all seemed. I used to be able to tell Raydir everything. Where had that confidence gone?


    He kicked the toe of his shoe on the floor. ¡°Listen, are you free at all tomorrow? There¡¯s something I wanted to talk to you about."


    I froze. "Yeah, maybe lunch. Why, what were you thinking?¡± I walked with him to the front entrance of the medical cabin.


    ¡°Sure, I can do that. Meet me on the porch of the Grand Cabin tomorrow at noon?" he asked.


    ¡°Why there?¡± I asked.


    Raydir shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been dabbling in the culinary arts and thought maybe we could test something out together.¡±


    ¡°That could be dangerous,¡± I teased. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in. See you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± He gave me a nod and we stood awkwardly at the door to the medical cabin until Izel cleared her throat behind us.


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    ¡°This is the part where you hug,¡± she said. ¡°Twelve years of friendship and you just clam up? C¡¯mon, you two are better than that.¡±


    Raydir laughed then wrapped his arms around me. His hands tangled in my hair and my nose scrunched against his chest. I inhaled deeply, wanting to memorize the wonderful woodsy scent that lingered on his skin.


    He pulled away. ¡°Bye, Arwyn.¡±


    I watched him walk away. Things between us needed to stay as normal as possible under the current circumstances. But sooner or later I would have to accept that a part of my heart would always belong to Raydir.


    With plans made, I walked toward the lake hoping I¡¯d be able to get a few minutes to myself. The wind whipped through my hair and the sun warmed my skin as I walked. The sound of the rushing waterfall called out to me, urging me to come in for a swim.


    If only I had the time.


    Just as I was reaching down to unlace my boots, I caught sight of someone walking swiftly toward me.


    Darius. As he approached, he smiled then froze upon seeing the look on my face. "Hey."


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°Hi. Before you come any closer, I want to establish some ground rules.¡±


    His lips twitched into a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Rule number one: We will always keep a six-foot difference between us during this and any future lessons. Rule number two: there will be no teasing, flirting, taunting, or kissing. We are to keep things strictly professional.¡± I took a step forward, he took a step back. ¡°Rule number three¡ª¡±


    ¡°How many rules are there?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Four. Rule number three: You are to remain fully clothed at all times. I will remain fully clothed at all times. You will train me from here while I immerse myself in the water when and if needed.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s rule number four?¡± Amusement glimmered in his eyes.


    I glared at him. He was having way too much fun with this. ¡°Rule number four is you will not, under any circumstances, bring up the impending deadline of when I have to make my choice between you and Raydir. Is that all understood?¡±


    Darius dipped his head in agreement. ¡°Yes. Are you ready to begin the lesson?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always ready.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He instructed me on creating a tidal wave and focusing my energy on it. After a few failed attempts and several misdirections because Darius just couldn¡¯t seem to grasp the ¡®remain clothed¡¯ concept, we decided to take a break.


    ¡°You¡¯re distracted, Arwyn,¡± Darius said.


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°I have a lot on my mind right now. The next Alignment is coming soon, my head is a mess¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then use that to your advantage." He waved his hands in front of him. "Focus on everything¡ªyour anger, your fear¡ªwhen manipulating the water. The power draws from your emotions. And these rules work both ways, right? So you¡¯re breaking rule four.¡±


    I sighed and prepared my stance to try again. ¡°How¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Good. Now focus your energy on lifting up the water.¡±


    As the water began to curve into the shape of a wave, movement by the woods caught my eye and my expression shifted. ¡°Darius. Get in the water. Now.¡±


    A deep growl sounded from the woods as the rogue emerged from the brush, just as it had done when it showed up for me and Caesaria. Just as it had done when Raydir and I were together. Except this one had a spot of gold in its eyes.


    ¡°Dar¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Darius slowly slipped into the water. ¡°Use your powers to keep it at bay. That¡¯s all we can do right now.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh. How exactly do you recommend I do that?¡±


    He rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Conjure a tidal wave again. Aim it at the rogue and wait.¡±


    ¡°Wait for what?!¡± I squeaked, my throat going dry.


    Trust me. He brushed his lips over the top of my left shoulder.


    Rule number two, Darius.


    That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing, Ar. Focus on the water.


    I raised my hands shakily, the water coming with them as it mended itself into a tidal wave, arching toward the wolf. The rogue bared its teeth, clearly angered by the water. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Keep going, you¡¯re doing great.¡± He rubbed his hands on my shoulders, and I felt a new surge of energy flow through me.


    Dammit, Darius¡ª


    Yell at me later. I promise this will help.


    It better. I urged the water forward so it hung dangerously close over the rogue¡¯s head. He let out a deep, guttural growl and spread its wings. Crap, what now?


    Ease back just a bit.


    I followed his instructions. The rogue seemed slightly calmer at my retreat, retracting its wings but still keeping them close to its body.


    ¡°So what do we do?" I asked. "It¡¯s not attacking us.¡±


    ¡°We can stay here until it leaves,¡± Darius suggested. ¡°Or we can swim away and hope it doesn¡¯t follow us.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side. ¡°I have an idea.¡± My fingers delicately drew up small bubbles of water and floated them toward the rogue. The wolf regarded the bubbles carefully then snapped his jaws at each in succession, popping them on his snout. He shook his head in surprise.


    My lips twitched into a smile. ¡°Darius, I don¡¯t think it is a threat. Look.¡± I repeated the gesture, and the rogue jumped at each of the bubbles this time. ¡°He likes it. Like a game.¡±


    ¡°Careful, Arwyn,¡± Darius warned.


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± One more round of water tosses, and the rogue seemed satisfied, slinking off into the woods with paying us another speck of attention. ¡°See? It¡¯s gone now. Should we continue with our lesson?¡±


    Darius gaped at me. How did you do that?


    I raised my eyebrows. I just had a feeling. ¡°So, the lesson?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°We can call it a day if you¡¯d like, actually. That was really impressive. Not many people would be able to engage a rogue like that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m not sure how much of that was me, Darius. You lent me your strength again. And you broke almost all of the rules I just established.¡±


    His lips twitched into a smile. ¡°First of all, I retracted once you changed your course. You controlled the water all by yourself. And in my defense, breaking those rules probably saved our lives.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter Darius. I put those rules in place for a reason.¡± I ran a hand through my hair and waded to the water¡¯s edge, lifting myself out so that my feet could still dangle in.


    ¡°Arwyn, how long are you going to keep me out?¡± he asked. His blue eyes searched my brown ones for answers.


    ¡°As long as I need to, Darius. I made those rules for a reason, okay?¡± I don¡¯t trust myself around you. ¡°I need this to be an objective decision and I can¡¯t have you on my mind like this.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°As you wish. But just so you know, planning lunches with Raydir doesn¡¯t seem so objective to me.¡±


    I glared at him. How did he know about that? ¡°You have no right to judge the way I do the things that I do, Darius. Just go. I don¡¯t want to see you right now.¡±


    "Fine." He dipped his head below the surface of the water and swam away.


    Sighing, I stood up and trudged back to Caesaria¡¯s cabin, hoping that Rosie had found us an extra cot by now. No Raydir. No Darius. This is the way it has to be.

 Chapter 17.3 [Edited]

    I was thankful it was still early by the time I arrived back and even more pleased to see there was now an extra cot in Caesaria¡¯s room.


    ¡°Hey, how did things go?¡± she asked, running over to hug me when she saw the look on my face.


    ¡°I have two more days to choose and that¡¯s all I¡¯m thinking about. How do you think it went?¡± I slumped onto the couch. ¡°Darius and I now have a strict set of rules which he immediately broke.¡±


    Caesaria laughed. ¡°Can you blame the guy? He has terrible impulse control.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t that. Honestly, he¡¯s very respectful of my boundaries and I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve not broken the rules had we not, er, run into a rogue.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    I winced. ¡°Yeah. Long story short, everything is fine. The rogue didn¡¯t attack; in fact, it acted tamer than the ones we¡¯ve seen before. So technically Darius was protecting me. And I guess it was my fault because I was the one who told him to get in the water with me. But that aside, I hate that he¡¯s just so perfect, it¡¯s like he¡¯s impossible to hate. I don¡¯t even know what to do.¡±


    ¡°I do. C¡¯mon.¡± She grabbed my hand and dragged me up from the couch and out the door. ¡°We¡¯re going riding.¡±


    ¡°Cae, I don¡¯t think riding is going to help.¡± Even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. Riding helped clear my head almost as much as swimming.


    At the barn, we mounted our horses and took off at a gallop together. I followed behind Caesaria because I had no idea where we were going.


    ¡°Keep up!¡± Caesaria called over her shoulder.


    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡±


    She pulled her horse to a stop in the middle of the woods and hopped down, waiting for me to catch up.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you bring me here?¡± I asked once I had caught up.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good place to clear your head. And maybe think with your heart instead of your head.¡± She rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Close your eyes and listen to the sound of the birds. Tell me that¡¯s not the most relaxing sound you¡¯ve ever heard.¡±


    I did as she instructed, focusing on the way my hair fluttered around my face and the chirping of the birds in the rustling tree branches. ¡°That is very relaxing.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± She bumped me with her hip as I reopened my eyes. ¡°Sometimes you just need a little bit of nature to help you find peace.¡±


    She was right. I hadn¡¯t really had any time to even breathe since arriving in Darqua, and the valley was more expansive and beautiful than I could¡¯ve ever imagined. This was the kind of peace I longed to have.


    We sat down against a tree and Caesaria turned to me. ¡°So, things with Darius. What¡¯s the latest?¡±


    I sighed and leaned back on the grass, swiping a hand down my face. ¡°Complicated.I still can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t tell me sooner that I had to make this decision before the next Alignment.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling about all of it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Conflicted. On the one hand, there¡¯s something to be said about first love. I wouldn¡¯t be here if it weren¡¯t for my relationship with Raydir. But Darius makes me feel confident. He understands me in a way Raydir never has. He pushes me more.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Raydir doesn¡¯t know yet about the deadline.¡±


    Cae sat up. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I haven¡¯t had the chance.¡± I glanced down at the grass.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t had the chance or are avoiding it?¡±


    ¡°Both. But he deserves to know the truth, I know. I¡¯m telling him tomorrow.¡±


    Caesaria hummed quietly but didn¡¯t say anything else. There wasn¡¯t much else to say. Ray and I both knew what tomorrow¡¯s lunch was going to bring.


    It was time to face the truth.


    The moonlight sparkled over the lake in the valley, the waterfall rushing in the background. Everything about it felt peaceful, safe. I dipped my hand into the water, letting it lap over my fingers.


    ¡°The valley certainly is beautiful,¡± a silky voice spoke from beside me. I looked up. A girl only a few years older than me stood beside me shrouded in a veil of silver, her dark hair tumbling perfectly over her shoulders and down her back. Her pale gold dress shimmered and for a second I believed she was truly there next to me.


    ¡°Is this even real?¡± I asked. ¡°How are you here?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± Bella sat down next to me on the grassy bank. She unfastened the cloak around her neck and wrapped it around my shoulders. ¡°Your mind is troubled, my dear sister. The valley isn¡¯t what you expected it to be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I expected and more. It¡¯s a place where I could see myself growing old with Raydir. But my heart seemingly has other plans for me.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve seen. Arwyn, what I told you years ago about following your heart, I meant every word. Be with the one you truly love, not who you think you should love.¡±


    ¡°But how do I figure it out when my heart is telling me two different stories?¡± I asked.


    Arabella rested her hand on my shoulder. ¡°Healing from the hurt takes time. You have to give yourself permission to grieve over the impending loss of one love before you can let yourself love another.¡±


    ¡°Why was it so easy for you, Bella? You knew Bennett was for you, always. Why can¡¯t it be that easy for me?¡±


    Bella smiled. ¡°Because your fate has not been decided yet, Arwyn. In time you will learn. Let him into your heart when you are ready.¡±


    Her presence began to fade.


    ¡°Wait! Bella, don¡¯t leave me!¡± I called out. ¡°Which ¡®him¡¯ are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°I am here when you call for me,¡± she replied, her voice a mere echo. Her body disappeared completely, and I was once again alone on the grass.


    ¡°Bella!¡± I shot straight up, my eyes taking a minute to adjust to the darkness and take in my surroundings. I was laying against Caesaria, my back pressed up against a tree. A dark grey cloak lay draped over my shoulders..


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    ¡°What happened?¡± Caesaria asked sleepily, sitting up and stretching her neck. ¡°Oh, wow. Arwyn, we fell asleep out here.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where this cloak came from?¡± I asked, ignoring her realization.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have it when we went riding?¡± Caesaria furrowed her brows and frowned.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. No, I definitely didn¡¯t have it.¡± Breathing in deeply, I caught a whiff of lavender from the cloak. Memories from my youth flooded back to my head. ¡°How much do you know about astral projection?¡±


    Caesaria scratched her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of that being an ability, but I guess it could be possible. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°My dream. I-I don¡¯t know. My sister was there, but that¡¯s sort of impossible because she¡¯s dead.¡± I pulled the cloak tighter around my shoulders. ¡°This is her cloak. She gave it to me in my dream, which I know seems impossible, but I saw her, Cae.¡±


    She pursed her lips in thought. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to see, Arwyn. We need to go to the library.¡±


    Quickly, we mounted our horses and took back in the direction of the stables. Once our horses were safely back in their stalls, munching on oats, Caesaria led me back over to the Grand Cabin. The valley was quiet this late in the evening, the silence only broken by the occasional hoot of an owl. The crisp air was quickly becoming cooler with every passing minute, and I was suddenly thankful for the cloak.


    ¡°What are we doing here?¡± I asked.


    She hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s probably easier if I show you. Follow me.¡±


    I hurried after her and she led me down the halls to the library. The scent of aged leather hit my nose the minute the door to the library opened, revealing the expansive two-story room covered wall-to-ceiling with books. A spiral staircase sat in the middle of the room leading up to the second level.


    ¡°So what exactly are we looking for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Information about the Alignment.¡± Caesaria traced her fingers along the shelves until she got to what she was looking for. ¡°Here we go. The different Alignments and their meanings.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows as she passed me the book. ¡°You have an entire book on the types of Alignments?¡±


    ¡°We have multiple. Jasper¡ªthe cousin of the First Wolf¡ªstudied the ways of the valley. We have the general books of information then the personal accounts that Jasper recorded.¡±


    ¡°I thought Randel released Jasper¡¯s wolf spirit when he attacked him?¡± I flipped through the book, letting my fingers linger over the yellowed pages and fading ink.


    ¡°He did. The trio lived out their days here in Darqua.¡± She crouched down to a floorboard and pried it up with her fingers.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I shrieked.


    ¡°Relax, Arwyn. And keep your voice down.¡± She glanced at the door. Freeing the floorboard, Caesaria took out three weathered leather notebooks. ¡°These are the journals from Jasper¡¯s observations. He wanted the history of the valley, of the curse, to be passed on so that others could learn from him and his mistakes.


    I watched the way she fiddled with the edges, clutching the journals closely to her chest.


    ¡°This is where it all began.¡± She unwrapped the tough band that held it in place, and the book fell open to the first page:


    A curse that befalls the one who rejects their Chosen. A curse that captures the hearts of a secret betrothal. The valley is the only safe escape. Beware the Blood Moon on the third alignment of the Summer season.


    Jasper Quinlevan


    Delia Elderwen


    ¡°Quinlevan,¡± I whispered. Glancing back up at Caesaria, I saw her fiddling with a locket around her neck, the initials CQ etched into the gold. My eyes widened as realization hit. ¡°CQ. Caesaria Quinlevan? Are you related to Jasper and Randel?¡±


    Her voice, in an answer that gave me more questions, came out barely above a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m directly related to Randel, actually. Jasper¡¯s cousin, the first wolf. Quinlevan¡ªthe last name was passed down and changed over the years. There¡¯s some sketches of both of them here somewhere but most of the research is from Jasper.¡±


    ¡°So what happened to Randel?¡± I asked, remembering what Rosie had told me on my arrival.


    ¡°He turned rogue. It¡¯s rare for it to happen, but it still does. That¡¯s why we wanted to be so cautious when you and Raydir ran into that one by the lake. And because it¡¯s shown up two other times here, the Council is more on edge about it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still¡±¡ªsaliva turned to stone in my mouth¡ª¡°Is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°As far as we know? Yes. We think he¡¯s the rogue you and Darius ran into.¡±


    My body tensed.


    ¡°Arwyn, say something.¡± Caesaria waved an arm in front of my face.


    What did she want me to say? I felt sick. The rogue I had played with less than 48 hours earlier was supposed to be the First Wolf? Did that mean he was the one who killed my sister? Is he the one who attacked my father? Could he have been the one that attacked us?


    I inhaled sharply. ¡°The rogue¡ªthe one who attacked us¡ªthat was Randel too?¡± How could that be? How could we be sure?


    Caesaria nodded. ¡°The Council believes so. But there is still a lot I don¡¯t understand. If Arabella somehow gave you that cloak, Bennett needs to know.¡±


    I shifted my weight between my feet. ¡°What would he be able to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But he might know more than us. He was, after all, her fiance.¡±  She crouched back down, replacing the floorboards and securing the secret spot for the notebooks. ¡°You¡¯re not to tell anyone about my ancestry, understood? Not Raydir. Not Darius. No one.¡±


    ¡°I promise. I won¡¯t say anything,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Good. Now, this Alignment is the Blood Moon,¡± she explained, her expression dark. ¡°It means that any wolf¡ªspecifically those with the harsher wolf spirit¡ªhave a higher chance of turning rogue.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Something to do with the schematics of our world. We become more connected with our wolf spirits during this time.¡±


    I drew my hand to the pin that latched Bella¡¯s cloak around my neck. ¡°How exactly does this all work? She¡¯s dead.¡± The words felt like lead as they left my tongue.


    ¡°But if she¡¯s speaking to you in your dreams, then her wolf spirit is very much alive.¡± She handed me two of the books from the shelves. ¡°Read up on these. It should at least give you some answers.¡±


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t appear to me as a wolf,¡± I protested, ¡°so how is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°Because your sister had one of the most complex gifts,¡± a new voice replied. Caesaria and I turned to see Bennett standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. ¡°Shall we go to the Council Room? There is much to discuss.¡±


    We followed him in silence before taking seats on opposite sides of the table in the Council room.


    ¡°Okay, Bennett,¡± I said. ¡°Explain.¡±


    Bennett cleared his throat. ¡°Your sister is a somnior which means she can walk through others¡¯ dreams. And it sounds like that is what you experienced¡ªBella appeared to you in your dream. But you said she appeared as human?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°And what about the cloak? Is retrieving tangible objects part of the power?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± He paused. ¡°But I¡¯m still unclear on how that¡¯s possible now.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest. ¡°Then what do you know? I thought you said you knew her power?¡±


    ¡°I do, but it¡¯s not that simple. Let¡¯s move forward. Once a year on the Blood Moon, we all become more connected to our wolf spirits,¡± Bennett said. ¡°Everyone acts differently on the Blood Moon. But it¡¯s also why this is when you have to decide who you want to be with.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± I asked. ¡°If this Blood Moon connects me to my wolf spirit, why is it when I have to choose my mate?¡±


    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t be able to connect with your wolf spirit. And if you can¡¯t connect with your wolf spirit, you risk going rogue,¡± Bennett replied.


    I swallowed hard. ¡°So making this decision will protect me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we still must be careful. There are more rogues on the Blood Moon, that¡¯s just the nature of it. And because of the recent attack on your father and the rogue who attacked you, we need to be prepared for the worst.¡±


    I glanced at Caesaria. She was looking down at her hands. ¡°Prepared for what exactly?¡± I thought back to when my training started and my heart twisted into knots.


    ¡°Things between Gwyniar and Alvenora have been even more tense since your father was attacked,¡± she explained. ¡°Our sources say that he hasn¡¯t returned to his duties as leader of Gwyniar since the attack. Raydir¡¯s father, Duke Alexander, doesn¡¯t want to wage war on Darqua, but the interim leader of Gwyniar does. I have a feeling your father would agree with Duke Alexander because he knows a war would mean bringing harm to both you and Raydir. And we know that¡¯s the last thing he wants.¡±


    I frowned. Lord Byron had always been a loyal friend to our family. I didn¡¯t see why he¡¯d betray us now. ¡°If the interim leader wants to wage war, someone had to give the order.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say your father wants nothing to do with a potential war. Maybe not. But someone does, and we need to prepare ourselves for the worst.¡± Bennett stood up. ¡°Now, it¡¯s late. You two should go back to your cabin and get some rest. These next few days are crucial for rest before the Alignment.¡±


    I wanted to ask more about my sister, but with the way Bennett shooed us to the door, I knew that wasn¡¯t going to be possible.


    So, reluctantly, we nodded and walked back to the cabin in silence.

 Chapter 18 [Edited]

    I frowned at my appearance for the third time in twenty minutes and twirled the skirt of my corset dress around. The laces cinched at the waist, crisscrossing across my stomach before tying into a bow by my hip. The white sleeves of the shirt stitched beneath the dark fabric straps of the dress dropped over my shoulders, leaving my arms bare.


    I sighed. This would have to do. I walked out of the bathroom back to where Caesaria was lounging on the couch. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think the same thing I thought five minutes ago. And five minutes before that,¡± she said. ¡°Look, Arwyn, does it matter what you wear to see Ray? I mean, it¡¯s just lunch.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not just lunch. It¡¯s the lunch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°The lunch. The last lunch I¡¯m having with Raydir before I have to make this choice.¡±


    ¡°So? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a death sentence. You¡¯re still going to see him around.¡±


    ¡°I know. It just won¡¯t be the same. Things are going to change between us, and there¡¯s no way of stopping it. Once he knows, there¡¯s no going back.¡±


    Caesaria rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around me. ¡°He¡¯s still going to love you. That won¡¯t change. I can feel it in him. And no matter what happens, I¡¯ll be here for you.¡±


    I hugged her back tightly. I didn¡¯t want her to see the tears that had sprung to my eyes. ¡°Thank you, Cae.¡±


    She squeezed my hand. ¡°Now go! Have fun. Enjoy the moment with Ray.¡±


    I left the cabin, rushing to meet Raydir on the steps of the Grand Cabin like we¡¯d agreed. When I arrived, he was pacing back and forth. He clasped and unclasped his hands in front of him, and his hair was tousled despite his clear attempt to slick it back.


    I swallowed hard, trying to calm my beating heart when his gaze landed on me. My hands smoothed down the non-existent wrinkles in my skirt and I climbed the steps.


    Taking a deep breath, I said, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± He took my hands in his and leaned in to kiss my cheek just as I went for his other cheek. Our lips brushed against each other lightly and Raydir¡¯s hands slid down to surround my waist.


    Just as I parted my lips to deepen the kiss, he pulled back and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Glad you¡¯re here,¡± he said. Sadness glimmered in his green eyes. ¡°Shall we?¡± He held out his arm.


    I nodded, afraid that if I tried to speak, no coherent words would come out.


    Raydir led me down the hallway to the kitchens. For the time of day, it was surprisingly empty.


    ¡°We have the kitchens to ourselves,¡± Ray announced, reading my mind. He rolled up his sleeves. ¡°I was thinking we could make grilled cheese and tomato soup.¡±


    I blushed. ¡°Grilled cheese and tomato soup, huh? You¡¯re really pulling out all the stops.¡±


    Raydir laughed. ¡°Yeah. Figured I could teach you. No better time to learn how to make your favorite meal.¡±


    My heart swelled with joy. ¡°I would love that.¡±


    Raydir began to shuffle through the cabinets, instructing me where to gather ingredients. He stood behind me and covered my hand with his as we sliced the tomatoes for the soup. For the ones that didn¡¯t need to be cut, he placed them in a strainer. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist and the tomatoes shriveled as the juices were sucked out, dripping through the strainer into the pot.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± I breathed.


    Ray shrugged. ¡°My power goes a lot further beyond manipulating medicinal plants.¡±


    ¡°See, I told you it could come in handy for cooking,¡± I teased. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s next?¡±


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    ¡°There should be some basil in that rack over there.¡± He pointed across the counter before turning back to the soup mixture that began to sizzle on the stove.


    I went to retrieve it. When I handed it to him, our fingers brushed lightly.


    ¡°You know, Ginny is the one who taught me how to make this,¡± Raydir told me.


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Really?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah. There was this one day when we were playing hide-and-seek. You were sometimes just too good at that game and I got bored so I went to find Ginny. With her help, we found you in the library. You were fast asleep in one of those poofy chairs you loved so much.¡±


    He paused to start preparing the sandwiches. Once they were sizzling on the stove next to the soup, he continued. ¡°She knew I was hungry, so that¡¯s the first day I learned to cook.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Ray. You never told me that story before.¡±


    He grinned while using the spatula to flip the sandwiches. Then he moved back over to the pot of soup. ¡°Here, taste this.¡± Ray lifted the tester spoon to my mouth.


    The warmth of the soup hit my throat instantly, sending memories of my youth to the forefront of my mind.


    ¡°Reminds me of home,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°This really is amazing, Ray. You have such a talent here.¡±


    Raydir ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not that good.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are!¡± I protested. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Ray.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything after that, only turning back to the food. Once it was ready, we gathered our lunches and packed them into a basket. We walked together to the lake, the sun warming our skin as we strolled next to each other. Occasionally, our fingers would brush. Sometimes, the touch would linger. Other times, Raydir pulled away. . We ate in silence, neither of us daring to say anything. The sound of the birds fluttering their wings and singing their songs above us in the trees was the only sound to be heard. After a few minutes, Raydir was down to the crusts of his sandwiches. He twirled them between his fingers.


    ¡°Do you want my crusts?¡± he asked.


    I grinned. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He passed them over. ¡°I¡¯m glad I will always have you to count on to eat my crusts.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Of course.¡± But even as I said it, I wasn¡¯t sure how much longer it would be true.


    The wind blew between us, bringing an increased tension with it.


    ¡°So, I need to¡ª¡± Ray and I started at the same time.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I tucked my hair behind my ears. ¡°You first.¡±


    Raydir cleared his throat. ¡°Um, I think we should talk about this Alignment. It¡¯s, um, kinda a strange one.¡±


    You¡¯re telling me. ¡°Yeah. Listen, about that¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, Arwyn, please let me finish.¡± He averted his gaze. ¡°Don''t think you have to stay with me because it''s the only choice. You''re the creator of your own journey. And I see how happy Darius makes you."


    My body tensed. He knew. He knew about the choice, and he was willing once again to give me up. "I promised myself to you, Ray. I promised to be your forever."


    Raydir clasped my hand in his. "And we might still have a chance at forever. We just need to put it on hold so you can have your ''right-now''."


    Tears brimmed my eyes. ¡°No, Ray¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have to let you go, Arwyn.¡± His voice cracked as he fought back tears. ¡°I¡ªwe both need different things right now. And the best way to do that is to not be together.¡±


    ¡°Ray, please.¡± I cupped his face in my hands.


    He turned his head away and my hands dropped to my sides. ¡°This is for the best. For both of us.¡±


    Liquid stained my cheeks as the tears fell freely, dripping onto the fabric of my dress. My body shook with sobs as I tried to catch my breath.


    ¡°Ray.¡± My throat ached, barely able to get the word out.


    Raydir turned back to me, his gaze sweeping over my face. Then he did the last thing I expected given the circumstances. He tucked his thumbs behind my ears, cupping my face in his hands. His lips brushed over mine, softly at first then increased the rhythm as my lips parted, giving his tongue access to explore my mouth. I clung to him, my fingers grasping at the fabric of his shirt. His hands roamed over my back, pressing me closer to his body. He pulled me into his lap, brushing my hair away from my face as his thumbs moved away from my face to rub circles against my hips.


    I ripped open his shirt, desperate to have the feeling of his skin beneath my fingertips, longing for the memory of his touch one last time. His bare chest taunted me; it was now a deeper tan from all the time we¡¯d spent outside in the valley. I ran a hand down his torso, and his muscles tensed as my fingers traveled over the trail of hair that disappeared over the top of his trousers. As he went in for another kiss, I breathed in deeply. He smelled like the cedar trees from the valley, an oh-so-good scent that made my heart beat faster and my body yearn for him. The sweetness of his lips mixed with the saltiness of our tears. When I swiped my fingers across his face, they came back wet. Memories of the past twelve years flickered like a movie through my mind as we kissed. Little moments like chasing each other around the palace, to the big moments of our first kiss, our first time making love, swirled together. His breath constricted, coming out in short, shallow pants and his fingers traced delicately against my skin.


    I inclined my head to the side and his lips dipped down to my mark. He paused, his breath hot against my skin, before pulling away. The moment dissipated into nothingness. A sharp, unfriendly cold filled the space between us. I shivered, running my fingers down my bare arms, reaching for Raydir''s last touch.


    Raydir stood up. ¡°Goodbye, Arwyn.¡± Without another glance, he walked away.


    This was it. We were over.

 Chapter 19.1 [Edited]

    I watched Raydir walk away then dropped my head to my knees. I couldn¡¯t believe it. Just like that, we were done. I let the tears stream freely down my face, gasping for breath as my body shook with sobs.


    ¡°Arwyn. Oh, um, is this a bad time?¡± Fletcher walked into my blurred line of sight.


    I swiped the back of my hand across my face. ¡°Sorry. I sort of forgot we had a training session. I¡¯m fine. We can do this.¡±


    Fletcher shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t seem fine. Did something happen?¡±


    My throat constricted as I held back another round of sobs. Fletcher frowned, then hesitantly wrapped his arms around me. I clung to him, whimpering and trying to form words.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be ok,¡± Fletcher reassured me. ¡°I know I¡¯ve only known you a short time, but you have more spunk and determination than a lot of people I know. If you didn¡¯t, I don¡¯t think you would¡¯ve shown up in the valley. And I¡¯m really glad you did.¡±


    I sniffled. ¡°Thanks, Fletcher. You¡¯re a great friend.¡±


    ¡°Do you want any company?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I think I just need to be alone right now,¡± I said. ¡°But thanks.¡±


    Fletcher nodded and left me be. Time seemed to pass by too slowly but soon night fell over the valley. The evening air was cool and crisp. Stars still shimmered in the sky, and the silence was only broken by the occasional hoot of an owl. After wandering around on my own, I found myself in front of another cabin and raised my fist to knock.


    A few beats later, the door opened. A very confused Darius stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.


    ¡°Arwyn?¡± he asked. ¡°What are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you be resting? Does Ray¡ª¡±


    I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips lightly to his. I needed to know how it felt, how it truly felt to kiss him.


    This seemed to wake him up. He wrapped an arm around me, pressing my body ever so carefully to his to avoid my bruised ribs. Kissing him ignited a spark between us, one that had been ready to erupt for days. Together, we stumbled into his cabin, nearly falling over the furniture.


    ¡°Ar, wait.¡± He broke the kiss, gently setting me down but keeping a hand firmly around my waist. ¡°We should talk about this.¡±


    Slowly, I nodded and he removed his hand so we could sit next to each other on the couch.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Arwyn?¡± He reached forward to brush my hair behind my ears.


    ¡°I ended my relationship with Raydir,¡± I said, stumbling over my words as I tried to explain to him what happened. ¡°And this time it¡¯s for real. Not a break, but an actual end to everything the engagement. We went to the lake today and it was magical and wonderful but then reality sunk in and we came to the agreement that we were holding off on the inevitable because he found out that I have feelings for you which is honestly your fault because you told him in not so many words that you have feelings for me too. Then I went back to the cabin with him even though I¡¯ve been staying with Cae and I did some thinking after we, um, fell asleep together and then I couldn¡¯t sleep so I gave back the ring and wrote him a note but when I left the cabin, I had no idea where to go and that¡¯s how I showed up here.¡±


    ¡°Do you want some tea?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Did you hear anything I just said?¡±


    Darius smirked. ¡°Yeah, I did. And my question remains: tea?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    He left the couch and came back a few minutes later with two mugs of tea, handing one to me. Then he handed me a bag of ice which I reluctantly placed on my ankle.


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    ¡°So, you and Raydir ended things?¡± he asked.


    I nodded, biting my lip. ¡°He broke up with me today at the lake, but it¡¯s been imminent since we went back to Gwyniar.¡±


    ¡°Because you have feelings for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know if you really want to be with me.¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°I like you, Darius.¡±


    ¡°Arwyn.¡± He gently laid a hand on my thigh. ¡°We can¡¯t do this. You¡¯re vulnerable right now. And your inner wolf is pushing to the forefront of your mind.¡± He stood up abruptly.


    ¡°What?¡± My heart sank.


    ¡°Your inner wolf is fighting for attention,¡± Darius explained. ¡°Drink the tea. It¡¯ll help, I promise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what the tea has to do with anything,¡± I muttered but reluctantly kept sipping at my mug.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same ibisco tea that you give Raydir before the Alignment. It¡¯s meant to calm the wolf urges. Although, for the softer wolf, it also works during situations like this.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Breakups. When you¡¯re vulnerable.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°So are you saying that¡ªwhat I just did¡ªthat was my wolf wanting attention and not me, Arwyn, trying to show you how I truly feel about you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What about the choice I have to make on the Alignment?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your last resort, Arwyn,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to choose me because you want to. Not because you think you have to.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just it, Dar,¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯m choosing you!¡± I backed away from him, heat rushing to my cheeks. ¡°This was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have come here.¡± Without another word, I fled the cabin, going back to the one I shared with Caesaria and hoping I could just sleep for ten years.


    Cae frowned when I walked in, looking up from where she was sewing on the lace ties to a new corset top. I guessed my expression said everything she needed to know.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°Ray and I broke up. He said he had to let me go so that I can be with Darius. And then I went to see Darius and he¡­I tried to tell him how I felt but he said it wasn¡¯t me. He said it was just my wolf spirit talking and he thought I didn¡¯t actually mean the things I was telling him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Arwyn.¡± Cae got up from the couch and enveloped me into a hug,


    For the third time that day, I broke down into tears as I sobbed in her arms. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Cae. I lost him.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be with Darius?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I paused, thinking about what all had happened in such a short span of time. There was certainly something about Darius that intrigued me, but maybe he was right. Did I actually like him in the same way that I loved Raydir? ¡°I think I need time. But that¡¯s not something I have. I have to make a decision on the Alignment.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Cae said. ¡°You don¡¯t technically have to choose either guy.¡±


    This piqued my interest. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know how Bennett said that if you don¡¯t choose, you¡¯ll turn rogue?¡±


    Good feeling gone. I shifted uncomfortably on the couch. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a third choice,¡± she told me. ¡°An alternative to the rogue punishment.¡±


    My eyes widened. A third choice. That changed everything, but would it be worth it?


    ¡°Not many, if any, people in the valley besides me know this,¡± she continued, ¡°but it¡¯s laid out in Jasper¡¯s research. Because the Blood Moon connects us to our wolf spirit, you have the chance on that Alignment to become your full wolf but not to a rogue extreme.¡±


    I considered this. I¡¯d only had one Alignment where I shifted. Maybe it would be a good idea to spend more time as my wolf.


    ¡°When would I turn back?¡± I asked.


    Caesaria shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s where it¡¯s unclear. But maybe that could be a good thing. You haven¡¯t had any time to clear your mind.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. But before I go through this Alignment, there¡¯s something I need to do first. I want a haircut.¡±


    Cae rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve had long hair ever since I can remember. But I think it¡¯s time for a change. Something that¡¯ll suit me better.¡±


    ¡°Something that won¡¯t remind you of Ray, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So will you do it?¡±


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Blood Moon is in two days. I want to start things fresh.¡± I looked up at her with pleading eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can talk to about this.¡±


    She squeezed my arm. ¡°Then let¡¯s give you a fresh look.¡±


    Ten minutes later, I sat in a high-top chair from the kitchen with Caesaria behind me. A pair of scissors sat perched between two fingers.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± she asked again.


    ¡°Absolutely. Chop it.¡± I took a deep breath.


    This was the start of a new beginning.

 Chapter 19.2

    The next two days dragged by but before I knew it, darkness had fallen over the valley and it was time for the Alignment. The Blood Moon. My choice would be finalized and my link with Raydir severed forever.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Caesaria asked that evening.


    ¡°Extremely.¡± My fingers floated over the praesidium necklace that Raydir had given me, and I wondered if I should wear it tonight. We were no longer together, but I felt that it still connected us even if only in a small way. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the rogue. My sister¡¯s wolf spirit had already been released when she was attacked but my father hasn¡¯t had that chance.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll have your mother beside him,¡± Cae tried to reassure me.


    I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about. We can¡¯t control what our wolf does. What if he hurts her?¡±


    Caesaria bit her lip. ¡°We can¡¯t predict what¡¯s going to happen. We just have to focus on what we can control, okay? Let¡¯s just focus on getting ourselves through this Alignment.¡±


    I sighed. My father didn¡¯t deserve this, but there was nothing we could do except hope that it would all turn out ok.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to go.¡± She tugged at my arm and we hurried out of the cabin to join the others.


    Everyone was already outside waiting for the Alignment to begin. Raydir and Darius were standing a few feet apart.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted them.


    Darius nodded at me but stayed silent. His blue eyes refused to meet mine.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Raydir asked. His gaze scanned over my face then quickly dropped away.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing ok. Still not used to these Alignments.¡± I tucked my hair behind my ears. So this is what awkward small talk feels like. Hm.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take time.¡± He scratched the back of his head. ¡°You should know, Arwyn, after the Alignment I¡¯m leaving the valley.¡±


    My eyes snapped up to his. ¡°What? Why? Is it because of me?¡±


    Raydir scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Not everything is about you, Arwyn.¡± A pause, then, ¡°It¡¯s my father. There¡¯s a lot of tension right now in the dukedoms and I need to be there to support him. I don¡¯t really have a reason to be here anymore, do I?¡±


    I stumbled backwards, unable to form words. Luckily, Bennett took that opportunity to walk over to us.


    ¡°Good, Arwyn, you¡¯re here,¡± Bennett said. ¡°We need you for this part.¡±


    ¡°Part of what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your decision,¡± Raydir explained. His gaze flickered to me and a wave of sadness washed over his face. Despite the darkness that fell over the valley, I noticed Raydir¡¯s eyes seemed bloodshot. ¡°Bennett said that basically the three of us have to make some sort of verbal statement regarding your choice.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows and turned to Bennett. ¡°What?¡±


    Bennett glanced at the sky then back to the three of us. ¡°The Alignment is going to happen any second. Arwyn, put your left hand on Raydir¡¯s and Darius put yours on Arwyn¡¯s.¡±


    We followed his instructions.


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    ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Arwyn, what is your choice?¡± Bennett asked.


    ¡°Are you prepared to make your choice?¡± the announcer had asked.


    I looked between Raydir and Darius. This was it. ¡°I-I choose¡­¡± My gaze scanned the crowd of people who had gathered around us. Izel and Caesaria stood next to each other, waiting in anticipation.


    ¡°Do it!¡± Cae mouthed to me, sending a nod in my direction.


    I turned back to the expectant stares of the men in front of me. ¡°I choose my wolf spirit.¡±


    Thunder rumbled above us.


    ¡°Gah!¡± I stumbled backwards as something struck my vision. Flashes of blue and green mixed with the grey fur of my wolf as I shifted.


    The Alignment had begun.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fight it,¡± a voice lulled in my head. ¡°If you truly want to choose your wolf spirit, you have to let her be one with you.¡±


    My breaths came out in short pants as fur started to obstruct my vision. Soon, my entire body was covered in it, just like on the last Alignment. I pawed at the ground.


    Caesaria let out a howl then she nudged me. The look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.


    I pushed off against the ground and bounded off. The wind whipped through my fur. I had to keep going. There was no time to stop. No destination. Is this what wolves felt like? My tongue lolled to the side and the scents of the forest hit my nose at a million miles an hour. My stomach grumbled. I needed food. What was I going to eat? Maybe a rabbit? Oh, yeah, a rabbit sounded good. And man, was I thirsty. I sniffed the air, the scent of the watergrasses hitting my nose. My feet bounded against the ground, carrying me over to the rushing water in the lake.


    The moment my reflection appeared on the mirrored surface, I jumped back baring my teeth. That was me? Gosh, that was a lot of fur.


    My tongue lapped up the water, the coolness lingering on my tongue. That should hold me for a while. Now, north was to my right. I needed to go southeast. I turned around, stumbling over my paws and took off again.


    As I approached Runswick a day and half later¡ªstopping occasionally to refuel with berries and smaller animals¡ªfamiliar buildings came into view and voices of the townspeople filled the air. Gwyniar seemed darker and less welcoming. Tension hung in the air as people passing by glared at one another.


    I stalked forward, hoping to remain unseen for as long as possible. Judging by the number of kids who were out and about¡ªsome skipping alongside a parent, others screaming and running around with their friends¡ªI would guess that classes just let out. Which meant it had to be a school day. Four days in school, three days to engage in work around the dukedoms. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for the younger members of a family to help out their parents in their various shops. That could mean the older sibling watching the younger ones while the adults who were part of the Royal League attended their private meetings, which always happened to be at our palace. It was why I used to hide out in the library a lot as a kid.


    ¡°Mama, we learned about wolfies today!¡± a small voice, attached to a little girl in identical braids on either side of her head, said. She skipped along the path, tugging on her mother¡¯s arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice, sweetie.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever met a wolfie, mama?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°No, darling.¡± The woman¡¯s gaze bounced around nervously in front of her.


    I cocked my head to the side, my ears perking to attention. Was I really that young when I learned about Darqua? How much did people know now that my father was recovering from the attack?


    Crack. A twig snapped underfoot, and the woman froze, clutching her daughter¡¯s hand. Her eyes scanned the view in front of her, widening only when she saw me.


    I snorted and stepped forward.


    The woman tightened her grip on her daughter¡¯s hand.


    I won¡¯t hurt you! I wanted to say, but the only vocalizations I could make were small non-intimidating barks. Well, at least I got the non-intimidation part down.


    ¡°Stay away from us!¡± she shrieked.


    Okay, maybe I needed to work on the non-intimidation.


    I stepped forward. The woman stepped backwards, shielding her daughter who¡¯s lower lip was now stuck out in a pout.


    ¡°Mama¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not now!¡±


    I let out a small whimper, hoping to show a friendlier side. But it didn¡¯t work.


    Within seconds, guards had surrounded us. Or, more accurately, they had surrounded me.


    ¡°It¡¯s that thing!¡± the woman pointed an accusatory thing in my direction. ¡°It-it tried to attack my daughter.¡±


    Wha¡ª


    And then it all went dark.