Brielle POV
As soon as they reached the wicked big gray castle what was hidden away from any one what lay next to and lava mountain , Brielle let her fury explode. She screamed—loud, raw, and guttural—as the rage of her failure poured from her chest. Her voice echoed off the castle walls, rising up to and eco in the castle.
She had been so close. So close to get Willow and proof to Lord Lorcand her royalty to him. If she had succeeded then he would looked at her deferent and then she would become leader to this freaks. But Everest—that cursed elf—had stopped her just in time.
Her scream was cut short by a thunderous voice behind her.
"Enough!"
She spun around, eyes wide. Lorcan the Dark Lord stood in the doorway, his dark cloak dusted with ash, his blade already drawn. The firelight reflected off his dark long brown hair with his yellow-brown eyes like a beast watching its prey.
"If you scream again," he growled, voice cold as steel, "I'll carve out your tongue with my bare hands and feed it to the crows."
Brielle crossed her arms, trying to keep her voice steady. "I was this close to catch her but then that stupid Elf caught in the way of our plan."
Lorcan stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "We'll try again. The Queen grows weaker by the day—you've seen it yourself. Soon, she won't be able to protect her daughter. That's when we strike."
Brielle's lips curled into a dark smile as a flicker of hope returned to her. She had seen it—the Vila Queen stumbling under her duties, the light in her eyes dimming.
"But you say it was important and you need her" she asked, her voice low and cautious. "You have told me that she was you Queen of the death "
Lorcan's smirk deepened as he stepped into the firelight. "Leave Willow to me," he said, his tone almost amused. " When the time is right I will strike and then I would go and get herself"
Something in his voice made Brielle pause. There was a deeper game being played, one she dared not ask too many questions about. Lorcan's reputation for black magic and cruelty was known far beyond these woods. And he was the king of the death and of the souls. So she wont dare to ask him more.
"Just don't ruin her," Brielle said with a sly smile. "At least if the dark magic wont do it and make her the queen you always wanted"
Lorcan turned toward the dusty old fireplace, grabbing a half-empty bottle of liquor and pouring it into a cracked glass.
"I don't make any promises " he murmured, lips twisting as he raised the glass to his mouth.
Brielle rolled her eyes and turned on her heel. She needed to blow off steam. The next time she faced Willow, she wouldn't fail.
Willow POV
As fast as her wings would carry her, Willow flew through the cold breeze of early dawn, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't have time to plan what to say—only one thought consumed her: Find him. Find Everest before it's too late.
Finally, she spotted him in the distance, just about to cross the ancient stone bridge that led into the northern woods. She landed hard, her boots skidding slightly on the frosted ground.
"Everest , wait!" she cried out.
He didn't hear her at first. Panic surged through her, and she broke into a run.
"Don't go!" she shouted. "Please, wait!"
Her breath hitched, uneven and gasping as she ran. "Everest !"
He finally stopped at the edge of the bridge. With a deep frown, he turned—only to freeze when he saw her.
Willow stood before him, breathless, cheeks streaked with tears. Her hair was windswept, her eyes red—but burning with something fiercer than sadness: resolve.
"Willow?" he asked, his voice low, guarded—but laced with concern.
She didn't hesitate. "I'll marry you," she said, voice trembling but sure. "If you'll still have me."
The world seemed to still.
Everest didn't speak at first. His eyes searched hers, stunned by the weight of her words. When he finally spoke, it was gentle—careful.
"You don't have to say that," he said, stepping closer. "I don't want to force you into this."
"You're not forcing me," Willow whispered. "This is my decision."
She swallowed hard, fighting through the emotion building in her throat. "My mother is dying, Everest . And if I don't take the crown—if I don't accept the power—our kind will die with her."
Tears shimmered in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She saw it then—the shift in him. His expression cracked, emotion blooming in his normally still features. His jaw clenched, and she watched his blue eyes begin to glisten.
He reached for her hands, his touch warm and grounding.
"Willow," he said softly, "are you sure?"
Her only answer was to close the distance between them.
She crashed into him, her lips meeting his with the force of everything she felt—fear, love, desperation, hope. The world vanished in that moment. There was only him—his scent, his warmth, the feel of his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her into him.
His kiss was everything—gentle, fierce, soft, and consuming.
Her hands found his strong shoulders, sliding up around his neck as their kiss deepened. She let him in—welcomed him—and her breath nearly gave out. She finally pulled back, gasping softly, her forehead resting against his.
"I want to marry you, Everest," she whispered against his lips. "I want to be your wife. We have known each other our whole life and you are my best friend"
He looked at her then, his ocean-blue eyes wide with emotion. And then—he smiled. A slow, beautiful smile that melted her completely.
He kissed her again, and she welcomed it.
In the darkness of the fading night, Willow didn't care that the world around them was uncertain, or that war was coming.
All she knew was this: she was going to marry the man she loved—and save her people.
They stood there for a long time, wrapped in each other's arms, their lips meeting in slow, lingering kisses that said everything words couldn't.
When they finally pulled apart, it wasn't by much—they remained pressed close, his arms still tightly wrapped around her waist, hers resting on his chest. The wind whispered around them, but in that moment, they only saw each other.
"Are you sure about this?" Everest asked again, his voice low and steady, but there was a glimmer of vulnerability in his eyes as he gazed down into hers.
Willow looked up at him, her heart full, and a soft smile spread across her lips.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she said quietly. "I want to be your wife. I've known you my whole life, Everest. You've been my best friend, the one who's always been there… the one who knows me better than anyone else ever could. How could I say no to that? I want to be your wife and took this journey "
His smile widened, eyes shining with a joy so pure it took her breath away. In that moment, she saw it all—his love, his hope, his unwavering devotion.
"Then we should get married," he said, stepping even closer until their foreheads touched. "I'll marry you, Willow."
He kissed her again—soft, warm, and full of promise. And as their lips met, she melted into him once more, overwhelmed by the certainty in her heart.
This was right. This was real. She had made the right decision.
Mathew POV
Just as dawn crept over the mountains, they arrived back at the castle—just in time for supper. The heavy iron gates groaned open, revealing a man standing beside a guard near the stables. Mathew slowed his horse and slid down, handing the reins to one of the stable hands.
Before he could ask his father who the unfamiliar man was, he heard him call out, "Dorian! What a surprise!"
Mathew frowned. The way the two men embraced—like old friends reunited after years—made him think they shared a deep history. Deciding to give his father some space, Mathew turned and made his way toward the castle. Supper in their household was no light affair. His mother always said it was sacred—a time for family to be together, to talk, to share.
As he stepped onto the path leading up to the castle, the white stones crunched beneath his boots. Suddenly, he heard another set of footsteps beside him. He glanced sideways just as a familiar voice spoke.
"Alex," Mathew said, surprised. "I thought you'd already gone home."
"I was waiting for you," Alex replied, still in his black knight uniform. He gave Mathew a playful punch on the shoulder. "Call me crazy, but who in their right mind rides into the woods this late in the day—with his father, no less?"
Mathew chuckled and came to a stop. "We had... royal duties to attend to."
Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "In the woods? That's a strange place for royal duty."
Mathew shook his head, grinning. "It's hard to explain—you'll see everything at the coronation." He gave his friend a quick pat on the shoulder, tempted to show him what had happened, to reveal the magic... but decided it could wait. The time would come soon enough.
"See you later, Alex," Mathew called as he continued toward the castle, waving over his shoulder.
As soon as Mathew reached his bedroom, he headed straight to the shower. After cleaning up, he decided on a simple white shirt, jeans, and his black boots—neat enough for supper, yet casual enough to relax in.
He made it to the dining room just in time. The servants were already setting the table, placing dishes of steaming food before the flickering candles. His mother and sister were already seated.
"And how did the request go?" his sister asked as she approached him, her radiant smile lighting up her rosy cheeks and bright blue eyes.
Mathew grinned. "It was… something magical," he teased, giving her a playful look.
Just then, his father entered the room—followed by the man he had earlier called Dorian.
Mathew's mother looked up from the table, and a sudden warmth spread across her face. Her eyes widened with joy as she stood and opened her arms. "Dorian! Is that really you?"
She embraced the man like an old friend, leaving Mathew confused. Who was this man? How come both his parents knew him so well, yet he and his sister had never met him before?
He felt his sister nudge his upper arm. "Who is that?" she whispered.
"I don't know," Mathew replied, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Curious, he decided to approach his parents and the mysterious guest. As he came closer, his father turned to him with a smile.
"Dorian, I want you to meet my son—Mathew," Elijah said proudly.
The man's hazel-green eyes met his, warm and piercing. He had a rugged, noble look, the kind earned by years of battle or hardship. Dorian extended a strong hand, and Mathew accepted it with a firm grip.
"Nice to meet you, Mathew," the man said. "I'm Dorian—an old friend of your mother and father."
Mathew noted Dorian's sun-kissed skin, golden-brown hair, and the short beard that framed his face. There was something both gentle and weathered about him.
"Dorian and I went to the same school. We grew up together as kids," explained his father, Elijah.
Soon, their mother came to join them, stepping up beside his father.
"You boys must be hungry," said Charlotte with a warm smile.
"Starving," joked Elijah, rubbing his belly. "We had a big afternoon today."
Mathew took a deep breath as his father gave him a knowing wink. His mother turned and walked back to the dining table to check with the servants if the food was ready.
"You got your power today?" Mathew heard Dorian ask. "How do you feel?"
He turned his gaze back to Dorian and frowned slightly. Then his father spoke gently, "It's okay, son… Dorian knows about the Vila."
Mathew looked at his father, then back at Dorian, and said, "I'm okay… just a little different."
Dorian nodded, taking in his words. But then Mathew noticed the man's eyes grow sad as he began to speak.
"I lost my wife and daughter in the fire back then. They were both Vila fairies. That's why I know about the magic."
Mathew nearly held his breath, absorbing the weight of Dorian's words. "Your wife was a fairy?" he asked, barely believing what he was saying.
"She was," Dorian said quietly. "And we had a beautiful daughter together. But they both died in that fire—the one that spread through the forest and took so many lives."
Mathew could see the pain that lingered in Dorian's eyes, the kind that only came from deep loss.
"I'm sorry to hear about your loss," Mathew said sincerely.
Just then, his mother's voice called out, interrupting the moment.
"The food is ready! Come, sit down and eat," Charlotte announced. They all joined the table, taking their seats. But Mathew could not help to wonder about Dorian's wife who die in the fire. He thought that all fairies were gone, like his father had told him. He could not help to wonder that there was more to the story and that his father may be wrong. Maybe there are still fairies in the forest, he thought, because the flowers are still alive, and how he got his magic. He could not too think maybe his father knew more than what don't knew and he is not telling the whole truth. He tried to push it aside first and then picked up his knife and fork . First thing tomorrow, we will see if he can find out the truth about this because something tells him that there is more to this story.