𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 (𝟏) | 𝟏𝟖+

xliv. lililya's gift.

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𝟏𝟔 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐑

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐃 𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍. She despises this place, only because it reminds her of the darkness that runs through her bloodline—her once black wings, evidence of the curse in her veins. The wyng feared those like her, for legends spoke of those with haunted wings as those with obsidian souls. Not that she believed those tall tales.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She's only at this damned place because of Kodan. He willingly makes foolish deals with the witches, a constant she can't change. Before the mother witch, they begged her for her spell-binding interference so they could be granted a firstborn to eventually lead the pack. The bargain gave them Morrow.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎And her little tomorrow is everything.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She wishes Kodan could see it too.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Kodan squeezes Lililya's hand, not even looking back as they descend farther beneath the surface of the earth. The alpha still loves his mate, but it's a relationship that's fractured time and time again due to Morrow. Lililya adores Morrow, but Kodan regretted his firstborn son the moment he laid eyes on him and those dreaded wings.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She wishes she could turn back time and tell Kodan the truth about her true heritage, but she'd fallen so in love with him that she was afraid she might lose him for good. He became her salvation, a knight in shining armour, and now? She can't be sure if she's her saviour or if he's a treacherous dragon in disguise.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Lililya squeezes back. "We can't keep doing this."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"We don't have a fucking choice," Kodan grumbles as they make their way down slate steps. "I need this in order to keep Tabrien in check."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"No, you don't," she retorts. "It's not like our pack is going to stage a mutiny. I meant we can't keep leaving the palace when Morrow's—"

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Kodan cuts her short with a demanding growl. "He's the reason I have to keep coming here, and he's the one that's going to take my title one day." He picks up pace as he walks, his voice dropping. "He can't lead the pack. Not in his condition."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"You say that like he's broken."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"He is."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"He's not!" Lililya removes her hand from her mate's. "If he's broken, then what does that make me? What are you going to do to fix us?"

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Kodan says nothing, just huffs as he enters into the witches sanctuary. The space is darkened by cobwebs and stone carvings, the only light coming from melting wax candles and weak sconces. It smells of decay and lavender mixed with sage. Sweet, but sullen. Here, the shadows remain forever dominant, and it only leaves Lililya with a shiver running through her bones.