Chapter 121
Chapter 121
The road toward the kingdom had never felt this long before.
The sun climbed steadily above the trees, casting long shadows on the path where carriages, horses, and warriors moved in tense formation. Birds chirped overhead, but their songs were dulled by the thick anxiety lingering in the air. Ellaine sat quietly inside the main carriage, eyes unfocused, hands trembling in her lap beneath her cloak.
It began subtly–a strange warmth behind her ribcage, pulsing slowly like a heartbeat not her own.
At first, she thought it was her nerves or maybe the memory fragments she couldn’t place. But then the warmth intensified. It climbed her spine, licked at her neck, and crawled into her skull. Her breath caught. Her vision blurred. Every hoofbeat on the ground outside echoed in her ears like thunder.
Every breath she took felt shallow and scorched.
She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm the fire blooming inside. It didn’t help.
‘What’s wrong with me?‘ Ellaine chant silently.
Francesco had checked on her earlier. He had leaned in through the small window, his face etched with worry. She had forced a smile then, told him she was just tired. And he–gods bless his patience–had accepted it without pressing further, though his golden eyes lingered too long on her face.
Around midday, they paused to rest beside a shallow stream that glistened under the sun. Horses drank. Warriors rotated shifts. Lira remained close to her saddle, preparing a light tonic for energy. Ellaine knew she should stay seated. But the heat was unbearable.
She needed air.
With unsteady hands, she pushed open the carriage door and stepped down slowly. Her legs wobbled, knees nearly giving out. Every motion sent sparks dancing under her skin. The world tilted. Her stomach twisted. Still, she walked–slow, uncertain steps toward the shade of a nearby tree.
That’s when Lira turned.
The healer’s gaze landed on her, and the change in her expression was instant.
Shock.
Panic.
Fear.
“My King Alpha!!” Lira’s voice cracked through the air like lightning. “The Luna–look at the Lupa!”
The warriors snapped to attention. Francesco appeared from behind a tent, eyes scanning until they locked on Ellaine.
And he froze.
She stood like a ghost in the sunlight, her white hair caught in a breeze that hadn’t existed moments before. Her cloak billowed behind her, and her hands were raised, clawing at her temples. But it was her eyes that brought silence to the camp.
They glowed.
Red.
Not crimson like blood, but deep molten ruby/swirling like liquid fire. Ancient. Unfamiliar. Wrong and right all at once.
Audrey was the first to move, sprinting toward her. She drew her blade instinctively, placing herself between Ellaine and any potential threat “Luna, can,
you hear me?”
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Chapter 121
Ellaine didn’t respond. Her lips moved, soft and barely audible.
“Noise… too much noise…”
She sank to her knees.
Francesco was at her side in two strides, kneeling beside her but careful not to touch. “Ellaine,” he whispered, voice low and steady. “It’s me. I’m here.
She whimpered. Her body trembled violently, like something inside was trying to claw its way out.
“Lira!” Francesco barked. “What’s happening to her?!”
The healer reached them quickly, her eyes wide with disbelief. “She’s awakening,” she breathed. “The magic in her–it’s tied to this land, to the Kingdom. The closer we get, the more unstable it becomes. She was sealed before, but now… it’s unraveling.”
“Unraveling?” Audrey echoed. “What does that mean?”
“It means she can’t control it,” Lira snapped. “And if it continues like this, she might burn herself from the inside.”
Francesco gritted his teeth. “We need to get her to safety.”
Then it happened.
A howl.
Low. Sharp. Near.
Another followed.
Then two more.
Rogues.
Marlow appeared at Francesco’s side, sword already drawn. “My king, movement in the south woods. We’re surrounded. At least a dozen, maybe more.”
“Fuck,” Francesco growled.
His golden eyes shifted as his beast surged forward, fighting to protect. He turned, torn between battle and his mate writhing beside him.
“Marlow,” he barked. “Split the men. Hold them off. Do not let them near her.”
Marlow saluted and shouted commands. The warriors moved swiftly into formation.
Francesco turned back to Ellaine. She was glowing now. Not just her eyes, but her entire body shimmered with a faint red hue, like embers under skin. The grass beneath her browned. The air warped with heat.
He reached out and cupped her cheek.
“Ellaine,” he whispered again. “Come back to me.”
Her eyes flickered, briefly turning silver. Recognition. Fear. And then red again.
“Too much…” she gasped. “Too loud… too many…”
Suddenly, she screamed. “AAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHHHH…..!!!!!!”
Not a normal scream..
It was silence made thunder. A blast of energy rippled from her body, invisible but felt in every bone. It knocked over tents. Horses neighed and bucked.
16:23 Tue, 29 Jul G
Chapter 121
Trees swayed.
Lira was thrown backward. Audrey dropped to one knee. Marlow stumbled.
Only Francesco remained.
He endured it.
He bore the full weight of her magic and stayed.
When the shockwave faded, Ellaine collapsed.
Francesco caught her.
Her skin burned, but he didn’t let go.
“Lira!” he shouted, eyes never leaving Ellaine. “Help her. Now.”
The healer crawled over, coughing. She placed her hands above Ellaine’s chest, muttering a spell.
“Her magic is wild,” she whispered. “We need to sedate her power. I can bind it temporarily, but we must get her to the kingdom before nightfall”
Another howl pierced the air.
Francesco stood slowly, cradling Ellaine in his arms.
His golden eyes turned to Audrey. “Form the perimeter. Kill anything that gets close.”
Audrey nodded and vanished.
Francesco looked to Marlow. “Prepare the backup horses. We ride now.”
“But the rogues-”
“I will handle the rogues,” he growled. “Go!”
Lira stayed close to Ellaine, whispering chants, weaving small protective runes across her forehead and chest. Francesco looked down at her again.
Even in this state, she looked like fire made flesh. Beautiful. Untouchable.
He kissed her forehead.
“Hoid on, my moon,” he murmured. “You’re almost home.”
And with that, the convoy moved.
The forest around them burned with tension.
And in the distance, shadows stalked the trees.
But none would reach her.
Not while he lived.
