Cassandra PendragonA final impression fluttered through my thoughts, incoherent and blurry before I again found myself in the realm of the spell, the memories I had lived through still vivid in my mind. The shadows were gone and the magic vibrated with a new brilliance. I could feel it now, like an extension of my mind and with nothing but a thought I willed the strands of energy to dissolve. The constructs vanished without resistance and like a rising curtain the realm disappeared. My perception shuddered and I stumbled back into reality.I blinked in the dim light inside the tent, the crisp smells and muffled sounds that suddenly flooded my senses were disorientating for a moment. I had fallen to my knees in front of Reia’s bed, my wings encircled us both in a translucent sphere of silvery light. Erya and Golamosh were standing on the other side, their faces lined with worry. I was exhausted as if I had just truly lived through a fraction of another’s life. My hands were shaking an

Cassandra PendragonWell payed, Reia, there was no way I’d decline. I was curious as to why I had suddenly changed my mind in regards to the Trial and the consequences if she would manage to pull through. Maybe some part of me had rebelled at the idea of taking the decision away from her, maybe it had had something to do with the island itself, but either way I wanted to know for sure and going with her would make it a hell of a lot easier. But the little vixen couldn’t know that now, could she? Well, as her de facto subordinate for the next couple of hours I was going to have ample time to question her.“It’d be my pleasure,” I said out loud with a small bow while my mum nodded and addressed Reia and Mordred:“I’ll be the sole judge, then. You have two hours to prepare. Both of your parties will work together as far as necessary and I’ll decide if you passed the trial based on the accounts of everyone who’ll come along. Strictly speaking this is against tradition as we don’t have a d

Cassandra PendragonMy brother was afraid of heights, or at least of flying on the back of an oversized snake, which made the trip all the more enjoyable. While Reia quickly lost her fear and enjoyed the sensation of riding the wind, he wrung his hands and kept his eyes closed. Lucky for him it didn’t take long to reach the spring on the back of a dragon. When Viyara landed he was the first to jump down. He walked a couple of steps and inhaled deeply, fighting down a bout of nausea. Grinning I followed suite and helped our living carriage back into her clothes once she had transformed.The place unsurprisingly hadn’t changed but without the strange manifestations it seemed much more welcoming. No eerie silence or otherworldly displays of light haunted us, which I found highly suspect until I remembered that the magic had left Astra in waves. There was probably some kind of buildup necessary before anything could happen and we had stumbled in, during one of the tranquil periods. “Once

Cassandra PendragonThe soft, silvery glow that briefly flickered along my meridians and settled in around my heart placated her more than anything I could have said. With a sound like sliding bolts I felt the woven net of energy my promise had conjured join the already present chains in my chest. A pinched smile played around my mouth when I said:“See, no more ditching, ever. Now you’re truly stuck with me. Does that…” She silenced me effectively when she pulled me back, her tails circling around my waist. Silky hair brushed over my cheeks when she leaned in and kissed me deeply. A few breathless seconds later she whispered:“You didn’t have to do that, but thank you. I’m still mad, though. A promise doesn’t make up for your stupidity. You’ll have to try a little harder.” A mischievous gleam had entered her gaze.“As you wish.” I turned around in her embrace to fully face her. Adrenaline still sang in my veins and the rush I felt when I lost myself in her emerald eyes was undeniably

Cassandra PendragonI was somewhere in between. I could still see the circular chamber as an afterimage of sorts while I struggled with the sensations my own body was providing me with. Every muscle and tendon connected to my wings was burning as if it had been dunked in acid and I could feel torrents of blood gush down my back, a warm stream of sticky liquid that formed a dark puddle beneath my feet. I couldn’t remain upright, spasms raced up my legs and along my back and I collapsed face first into my own blood. My wings felt like they were about to be pulled out of their sockets, a much stronger force than I had ever experienced had taken hold of them and was constantly trying to rip me a part. My ingenious manoeuvre had worked, I was in my own time stream and still anchored in the alternate version. Unfortunately that also meant that right now my wings were the only thing connecting two separate streams. In a way I was a stick thrust between two wheels. If the wheels were turning