Enzo The groan of the iron gates sent a shudder through my body as they ground open, revealing the vast expanse of the arena. The deafening roar of the crowd washed over me in waves, their excitement palpable in the air. Here I was again. In the arena. I had hoped that I would never have to co
Exchanging a quick glance, the panther and I weaved through the mayhem, our eyes locked on our ultimate target—Mila. She rose from her throne, her expression twisted into a mask of fury as she witnessed her carefully constructed facade crumbling around her. “Fools!” she screeched, her shrill voi
Nina The deafening roar of the crowd was replaced by agonized screams as chaos erupted around us. Bodies surged forward in a frenzied stampede, trampling over one another as they fled the arena in terror. Overhead, the sound of a flurry of beating wings filled my ears. Mila had shifted into her
Nina Darkness enveloped me, replacing the inferno of flames and smoke that had taken over the lush jungle. The last thing I saw before everything went black was the swirling array of portals, out of which poured a plethora of armored troops. My father’s reinforcements had arrived. But were they
Nina The thick veil of mist hung heavy in the air, enveloping our makeshift camp in a shroud of eerie stillness. The acrid stench of smoke still clung to our clothes and hair, a lingering reminder of the inferno we had barely escaped with our lives. Two days. We had spent two days traveling, and
“Your foolish quest has cost us dearly,” he began without preamble, his words biting. “The forest, our home—all of it, reduced to ash and ruin because of your reckless actions.” A flicker of sadness flickered inside of me because I knew that Kai was right. But before I could muster a response, the
Enzo The acrid stench of smoke scorched my lungs with every labored breath, the ash-choked air searing my throat as I stumbled blindly through the smoldering ruins of the forest. Ash crunched beneath my boots, embers glowing like crimson eyes in the hazy gloom that had enveloped me. All around m
Nina Despite the refugee camp’s chaos, it was a shockingly lively place with a lot of laughter. Now that so many families had been reunited and we had made our way to an untouched swath of forest, things seemed to be looking up. Over the next couple of days, the camp grew more and more lively. T