Avril's Point of View We were finally going to leave on this mission. I had a feeling that Tyler didn't want me to go with them, but he wasn't saying anything so far. That was a good thing since there was no way I would be left out. I was a capable fighter. When the stable hands brought out our mounts, I tried to translate their names from Fae to English. Most were already part of human mythology, so it was pretty easy. The only ones he hadn't heard of were the stoikheṓdes alogo, which were elemental horses. They usually only had one element, but it could be lethal. We bred and trained these as warhorses. It was strange since we didn't really go to war, but some of the patrols along the border were mounted, effectively giving the patrol an extra 'warrior'. All of the Shifters transformed into their animal forms. I loved feeling Echo's fur. His soft brown and white fur was velvety smooth to the touch. I couldn't resist putting my arms around his neck and giving him a hug and ear sc
Avril's Point of View So far, throughout the early evening, it had been quiet. There were the usual sounds of night creatures. I could hear the occasional hoot of a glaukē as it hunted a sika or a mus, its silent wings aiding it. "What was that?" Tyler whispered. "It is called a glaukē. You would call it an owl," I answered. From the books I had read while in the Mundane Realm, there were equivalent nocturnal animals. The
Avril's Point Of View "Tyler!" I screamed, feeling his pain through the mate bond. As I watched in horror, time seemed to slow to a crawl, the sounds of battle fading into a deafening silence. With every fibre of my being, I reached out to him, my heart pounding with dread as I witnessed the severity of his wound. "Tyler!" I cried as I held him. "Someone help him!" He looked at me but seemed unable to answer. Through the mate bond, I could feel that he was still alive. He was in pain. So, so much pain, and I could feel it all. They must have stabbed him with a dark blade made from enchanted obsidian. A blade forged from lava, containing its heat. Any wounds from it burned. But amidst the chaos and despair, a glimmer of hope emerged. With a de
Avril's Point Of View "Prince Tyler will make it." Those magical words of hope kept me from the insanity of losing my fated soul mate. A small number of words, yet with so much importance and consequence behind them. The weight of the past few hours lifted off my shoulders. Tyler was going to be okay. I couldn't wait to see him and hold him, but I knew he needed rest. I thanked the healers, and they left to attend to other patients. I sat by Tyler's side, holding his hand and watching him sleep. He looked peaceful, his breathing steady. I couldn't help but think about what could have happened if we hadn't been able to save him. I shuddered at the thought. There was still a chance I had managed to conceive during my heat. What if I were carryi
Tyler's Point Of View This chapter covers some of the previous chapter, but from Tyler's point of view. I awoke in what looked like the Fae infirmary after being stabbed in the back. I wasn't sure what they stabbed me with, but by the Goddess, it hurt. It felt like I was burning up from within. Before I even opened my eyes, I could sense Avril was sitting beside my bed, her hand in mine. I opened my eyes to see Avril's worried face, her eyes red from crying. She tried to hide it with a smile, but I could feel the tension in her grip on my hand. "Hey," I rasped, my throat dry. "Hey, you're awake," she said, her voice trembling with relief and her eyes filling with tears. I nodded, trying to sit up but feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. Avril gently pressed me back onto the bed, concern etched on her face. I told her through the bond that I was okay, but I could still feel her worry. "I know. I'm just so relieved that you are okay, but you need to rest, Tyler," she said s
Tyler's Point Of View As the day continued, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. I tried to push it to the back of my mind, but it kept nagging at me, growing increasingly intense with each passing moment. My wolf, Echo, was also on high alert, his senses hyperaware of everything around us. We were back in our own apartment when Avril noticed my unease and placed a comforting hand on mine. It only made things worse. The slightest touch felt like a jolt of electricity running through my body, causing me to flinch and pull away. "What's wrong, Tyler? Are you in pain?" Avril asked, her voice laced with concern. "I'm fine," I snapped, my tone sharper than intended. "I just need some time alone to think." Avril's face fell, hurt evident in her eyes. I could feel the guilt and shame building up inside me, but I couldn't stop the wave of anger and paranoia that was consuming me. It felt like the world's weight was on my shoulders, and I struggled to keep my emotion
Avril's Point Of View This chapter covers some of the previous chapter, but from Avril's point of view. Tyler had been acting weirdly all day since returning from the infirmary. There was a block in our mate bond, and he was quick to anger. He wasn't very talkative over lunch, but he seemed cordial enough. After lunch and back in our apartment, Tyler and I sat on the couch. I hugged him and could feel the mini electric shocks we always got whenever we touched. It was what made the mate bond so incredible, having this electricity between us. I wasn't expecting Tyler to flinch and pull away. Nor was I expecting to feel rejected like this. "What's wrong, Tyler? Are you in pain?" "I'm fine," he snapped at me. "I just need some time alone to think." I thought Tyler and I had an unbreakable connection through the mate bond, but maybe I was wrong. I didn't want to make things awkward between us, so I tried to brush it off and act like nothing happened. But deep down, I couldn't help
Avril's Point Of ViewWhile sitting in the prison cell talking to Ruby, I couldn't help but notice that it was relatively clean and functional. Certainly, the bathroom was more than just a bucket in a corner. It was very different from the ones where the traitorous Elders were kept.Ruby told us how and why she was trying to escape Lord Umbra. It was an eye-opener to learn that not all Fae were evil. We were taught that all Dark Fae were followers of Lord Umbra, cast out from our society because they were evil. It never occurred to me to think about those on the other side of the border before the shield went up.She paused for a moment, then continued. "As for your problem, I don't know how to counteract the enchantment, but I suggest you talk to those witches who were with you. After all, Tyler should have died from being stabbed, and he didn't. That's not normal."We all looked at each other, realising that she might be right. If Tyler was still alive, there must be some kind of ma