The words lingered in her mind long after she left the council chamber.
It worked last time round.
Each step down the quiet hallway felt heavier than the last.
Servants bowed to her as she passed.
The guards bowed their heads down.
No one dared look her in the eyes.
As a rule Seraphina would have noticed every face, every expression, every whispered conversation.
Today,
None of them she saw.
She wasn’t walking through Vale Estate anymore because.
She was heading for the execution platform.
Once more.
Under her feet the polished marble gradually turned into rough wooden planks, stained with blood.
The lavender smell that had been wafting about the halls became that of the metallic odor of fresh death.
The walls had disappeared.
Silent onlookers in their place, thousands of them.
Watching .
Judging.
Waitin’.
Her breath caught.
“No, no…
She halted her walk.
Liora, several paces behind, hurried forward.
“My lady?
Seraphina was silent.
She could not.
It was no longer a memory that she remembered.
It was something she was living through.
Heavy chains bit into her wrists.
Knees slammed against splintered wood.
Rain soaked her hair to her scalp.
Someone behind her jerked harder on the iron shackles.
A voice came from across the square.
‘Seraphina Vale.”
Another.
“Ex-Luna.”
Another.
“Traitor.
The crowd went berserk.
And some cheered.
Others swore.
She scanned the sea of faces frantically.
Only one mattered.
Kael.
He was at the front.
His face was unreadable.
Chilly.
Just as it had been the day she died.
No…”.
Before she knew it, the word was out .“My Lady!”
Reality came back.
Seraphina’s knees gave and Liora caught her.
Somebody.”
The maid’s scream rang through the corridor.
Servants came running.
Seraphina heard them faintly.
Her entire body was trembling with violence.
Not in fear.
From memory.
She held on to her chest.
It hurt.
Right where the executioner’s blade had plunged into her heart.
She gasped for breath .I– ”
Her voice cracked.
I remember…” ”
Her mind was hit with fragments.
The hands of the executioner shaking.
The scent of rain.
The sound of her unborn child going away inside of her.
Kael’s silence.
Lucien in the crowd watching.
Smiling.
“No …
She squeezed her eyes closed.
“Stop…
But the memories wouldn’t.
Again the executioner’s sword was raised.
The blade reflected the light.
She heard her scream.
Deep within her consciousness…
There was another voice.
Enough.
Everything went dead.
The place of execution.
The audience.
The Hangman.
Even the rain.
Memory choked out the silence.
Then…
A large silver wolf moved between Seraphina and the blade.
The emerald eyes glowed with a quiet rage.
Mine.
The word rang in her soul.
Don’t mess with my stuff.
The executioner’s sword hit the invisible barrier of the wolf.
Not meat…
It broke into a thousand pieces.
The memory shattered like broken glass.
Seraphina took a ragged breath.
The pain went away.
Not lost.
But tolerable.
Her wolf was protective and over her.
He bent his head.
Teeth bared at the collapsing memory itself.
Then…..
The vision was gone.
Seraphina opened her eyes.
She was in her bedroom, lying.
The estate healer bent over her.
Lord Vale paced restlessly by the fire-place.
“What happened?
Her voice was hoarse.
The healer looked at Lord Vale with concern.
“You passed out.” For how long?” Close to an hour.
Seraphina slowly pushed herself up.
One hour.
It had seemed like seconds.
In an instant Liora was on her side.
“My Lady ..”You made us scared.”
Seraphina looked out the window.
The sun had shifted.
The day was already gloaming.
““I have to go.”
The healer was quick to protest .You need a rest.
“No.” She threw her legs over the side of the bed.
“I want answers.
She stood…
Something stabbed her suddenly in the back.
She stumbled.
Lord Vale caught her before she could hit the floor.
“Enough.
His voice, normally soft, suddenly took on an unexpected authority.
“You are not leaving this room.”
Seraphina looked at him.
For a second…
“Almost,” she argued.
Then she saw something.
Fear.
No suspicion.
Not disappointed.
Fear.
Her father was really scared to lose her.
That realization softened something inside her.
“‘I’m sorry.
Lord Vale looked surprised.
“No reason for you to apologize. I made you worry.”
He placed a hand on her cheek.
“Once you came back to me.”
His voice shook.
““I don’t want to lose you again.”
Once more.
The word haunted Seraphina’s mind.
Did he just mean after she disappeared into rogue territory in this timeline…
Or was it just chance?
Before she could say—
A burning sensation suddenly bloomed in her chest.
She gasped her.
Heat surged beneath her skin.
One time.
Two times.
Then stronger…
She gripped the cloth over her collarbone, instinctively.
Under her fingers.
.
.
Something changed.
Not under the skin. into it.
The crescent-shaped birthmark started to shine faintly with silver light.
Nobody else saw it.
Seraphina alone.
Way down in her head…
Her wolf raised its head.
Seal…
A sharp crack ripped through her consciousness.
Soft.
No violence.
But different.
Like old stone starting to crack.
Seraphina went rigid.
Her wolf stared into the unending dark surrounding them.
A single silver crack crawled slowly out across a huge invisible seal.
And something else on the other side of…
It opened its eyes.
Seraphina stepped back.
The vision was gone.
The silvery light beneath her skin faded as quickly as it had come.
Her room was back.
The fire place.
The curtains fluttered in the afternoon wind.
Lord Vale’s face, anxious.
Liora’s shaking hands.
For a moment she wondered whether she’d been imagining the whole thing.
Then her wolf’s voice came again.
You saw.
Haven’t heard. saw
There was a difference.”
Yes, it was there.
It was broken.
Just a little…
But enough for something outside to wake up.
Seraphina lowered her hand from her collarbone before anyone saw it trembling.
The healer scowled.
Something still hurting?
She made her breathing steady.
“My head.” >
It wasn’t a lie, exactly.
The healer nodded wisely.
Trauma can surface without warning.” “The episodes could get more frequent if you keep pushing yourself.”
Seraphina didn’t say anything.
She felt she was recovering from emotional shock.
She had no clue the memories were of a life that should have never been.
At sunset Lord Vale had reluctantly agreed to her leaving her room.
“Just for a walk,” he warned.
No investigations.” No questioning servants.” And no wandering off the estate.’ “Got it.”
He looked at her face for a moment.
“You do not.”
A small smile played on Seraphina’s lips.
“I will try.”
Lord Vale exhaled.
It was the closest to a promise he thought he would get from her.
The gardens were still.
Golden light filtered through the old willow branches, casting long shadows over the stone paths.
Normally the peaceful scenery would have calmed her.
Today…
Each leaf that fell reminded her of the execution platform.
Every gust of wind sounded like the crowd was chanting for her dead.
She stopped by the old fountain. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
The same fountain where she’d been spoken to by the Beta that morning.
Her fingers traced the cracked edge of stone, not thinking.
You could still see the fracture she had left there yesterday.
Just a friendly reminder.
Dangerous.
Power without control.
Power driven by fear…
Was worse.
“You came.
Kael’s voice broke the silence.
Slowly she turned.
He was a few paces away and wore simple black training clothes, not ceremonial robes.
A faint cut ran along his forearm.
Fresh.
He’d been in the ring.
Or trying to.
“You’ve been looking for me,” said Seraphina.
I have.
Neither one came nearer.
There was an invisible distance between them.
Doesn’t count steps.
On the basis of the unasked questions.
Kael regarded her thoughtfully.
“I heard you fainted.” “I’m still awake.” “That’s not what I asked.
A slight wind lifted the loose strands of her dark hair.
“I am fine.”
He didn’t trust her….I’ve heard warriors say this right before they bleed to death.”
One side of her mouth lifted.
Am I supposed to be flattered that you compare me to your best warriors?
“I’m not,” he said.
His face didn’t alter.
“I’m saying you’re lying.”
There was a silence between them.
Not aggressive
Weighty.
Finally Kael spoke again.
What did you do when you left the Council Chamber?”
Seraphina’s heart grew tight.
She couldn’t tell him now.
Not yet.
He was not ready for her to remember another lifetime.
That she had seen him choose silence as she died.
Instead she answered carefully.
The Beta is wise beyond his years.
“I came to the same conclusion.” “He wanted you.”
Kael frowned.
“What do you mean?
“He doesn’t put out accusations.
He plants doubt.
She looked straight into his ruby eyes.
“And then he waits for the rest of us to water it.”
For the first time that night…
Kael looked worried.
I have known Lucien for years.
So have I.”
The words tumbled out before she could stop them.
A dangerous silence ensued.
Kael’s brows came together.
“What?
Seraphina knew her mistake at once.
She corrected herself smoothly.
“I mean..” “I know what sort of a man he is.”
Kael looked at her.
He had no idea.
But he decided not to follow it up.
No, not today.
Instead he looked toward the fountain.
There’s something else.
”What?” The Beta asked for a private audience again.”
“Her wolf growled instantly.
When?” “Tomorrow.” “Tomorrow.
With me?”
Kael nodded.
He had requested that no one else be present.
The request sent a shiver through her.
One on one private meeting could be cancelled.
Two was intentional.
Lucien was not attempting to unmask her.
He was attempting to break her.
Night fell upon the estate.
Seraphina was still awake long after the others had gone to bed.
Moonlight poured through the bedroom window.
Sleep was impossible.
Every time she shut her eyes…
She saw the blade of the executioner.
She heard the crowd;
She could feel the chains on her wrists.
No…
She whispered into the dark.
I’m not going back.”
Her wolf answered at once.
You will not.
That voice, so certain, steadied her.
For the first time in the past waking up…
She knew she was not alone in the fight.
Something in her had started to stir.
Something old.
Conservative.
Patience .
And meantime.
Outside, behind the walls of the estate…
One figure stood looking at the lighted window.
The messenger of the Beta lowered his spy-glass, and mounted his horse.
Without a word he slipped into the night.
A single message.
The first crack is showing.
Outside…
Beta Lucien stood alone on the balcony of the guesthouse.
As soon as the message reached him he slowly closed his eyes.
He smiled then.
Not with pleasure.
With kind regards.
“So… he murmured to himself.
“”Finally the seal has begun to break.”