ISADORA

Mates are divine.

They are not chosen.

They are written. Etched into the soul, sealed under the full moon. They are the hunger that never dies. The breath that completes another soul. The ache that doesn’t fade. They are fate. Our fate.

But fate can be cruel sometimes.

A mate can either be your salvation or your curse.

He can love you and, at the same time, ruin you.

You can be his redeemer....

Or you can be his—

Isadora paused. The pen twirled between her fingers, her thoughts knotted in dark ink.

Her eyes lit with a sudden idea. She leaned in to write, but—

She smelled him

His scent... The one scent that has haunted her dreams. The one she could never describe, only feel. The one that makes her hair rise, and her skin burn softly.

A breath behind her. Soft.

His growl, low and primal... not threatening, just known.

She turned and saw him.

His face was buried in the shadows as always.

Destroyer.

She smiled and wrote it down. The idea that skirted her. She stared at the last two words...

Redeemer and destroyer.

She looked at his eyes, which she had never gotten to see.

“You came.”

He walked towards her.

“Nooré,” he said, his voice smooth like silk wrapped around a baby.

Isadora smiled.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear with his finger.

He turned to leave.

Her smile faltered.

“Won’t you show me your face? Or at least... tell me your name.” Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

He kept walking away.

“Please,” she murmured, almost pleading.

He stopped.

“Let me tell you who you are.”

“Who?” she asked desperately.

He turned to her and stretched out his hand.

“My redeemer,” he said, his eyes fixed on hers.

Though she couldn’t see it, she could feel it burn.

Again, she smiled, slowly stretching her hand to reach for his.

~~~~~~

“Dora.”

She heard her name. The warmth of his fingers faded. Her mum’s voice pulled her back.

She muttered some incoherent words—nonsense—before opening her eyes.

The same smile on her lips stayed.

She sat up, holding the duvet over her chest while reminiscing about her nightmare.

The same one she had been having since she clocked eighteen.

The burning sensation she gets whenever she feels his eyes on her.

His soft breath on her neck brings a smile to her face.

His harmless growl makes her feel secure.

And lastly, his scent. The one that she could still smell even now.

She has gone crazy. Having the same nightmare for the past three years and loving it.

She knew she was weird and strange.

She drove her fingers into her hair.

Red, black and silver. A hair that people thought was strange. Herself included.

At least she once used to... not anymore—not when her mystery man touches it before leaving.

She tossed the duvet aside and walked into the bathroom.

“Dora.” She heard her mother’s voice, this time close—in her room.

Isadora hid behind the door, giggling softly.

A personality of hers that she loved so much. Quite mischievous and naughty.

She heard the door close, and she knew her mother had left.

“Finally,” she muttered, doing her stuff in the bathroom.

She came out already dressed up for school.

That’s right. She was a college student. A history student.

She always fancied books, books about history. Fiction as well. Mostly the things that had to do with the paranormal and supernatural. Slightly abnormal things—way out of the world.

She went downstairs and saw her parents seated on the couch.

Her parents looked stressed and worried, like they were trying to hide something away from her.

Isadora noticed it.

“Mum, Dad, are you okay?” she asked, stepping closer to them.

Elazar touched the back of his neck. “Of course, we’re okay... What could be wrong with us?“.

Isadora narrowed her brows.

“Dora,” Ruth called. “Here, take this.” She picked up a brown envelope that was lying on the desk.

Ruth’s hand was trembling as she stretched it out her hand.

Isadora exchanged glances between them. Short but meaningful.

She collected the envelope.

“You should deliver this to the city of Gloamhaven,” Elazar said, ignoring Isadora’s eyes.

Isadora smiled. “I have to get going.”

Her parents’ eyes widened. They both stood up.

“You didn’t even ask us any questions about it,” Ruth said.

“Nah. I am a history student. I love anything ancient and weird. My style.” Her smile was still intact. “Besides, we were given a project to write about our latest discovery, and you know, I don’t joke about my project.”

Her parents stared at her, speechless.

“I love you too,” she blew them a kiss and walked out.

Immediately, she left; a tear fell from Ruth’s eyes as she slumped to the couch.

“What have we done?” she muttered.

Elazar held her shoulder. “We have no choice.” He hugged his sobbing wife, their gaze fixed on the door.

~~~~~~

[GLOAMHAVEN]

The great city of Gloamhaven. A city whose peace was destroyed centuries ago. Fear was the only thing the city worshiped, and death was their labyrinth dance. But it hasn’t been like that for years. It has been peaceful, calm, safe and protected.

It’s beautiful streets that curve naturally. The great city.

Above the city, where cliffs scraped the clouds, stood a palace, Silvarrow Palace. It sat atop the tallest cliff, carved into the mountains like it was borne from the bones of the earth.

Moonstone lit the palace, and guards stood with their silver armor.

In the Gloamhaven Palace chamber sat King Dimitri Westvale. His eyes were fixed on the entrance, his long silver hair, which was packed with some strands tousled at the sides of his face, moved slightly. It felt the same unease the King was feeling.

The air shimmered faintly, and she appeared, Nyla. The palace oracle, draped in a starlit silver robe that trailed shadows.

“She must be on her way. We have to free the prince,” she said, her voice carrying the fate of prophecy, hope and war.

King Dimitri stood, his silver robe falling to the floor. “We can’t risk it,” he muttered.

“We have to. He can’t be locked forever,” Nyla said, her long silver hair flowing in gentle rhythm with the breeze that evoked danger.

She set aside her staff and took out a big, brown book.

THE FATE OF SILVARROW.

She blew the dust off the book.

“She is his fated mate meant to redeem him.”

Dimitri cut her off.

“He is dangerous to her,” he muttered, the air thickening with tension.

Nyla slapped the book close. “All she needs is our protection.” Her tone, final.

King Dimitri sighed.

~~~~~~

Isadora’s eyes wouldn’t stop darting around as she stepped into the thick forest.

The fallen branches made a crunching sound under her steps.

The moonlight draped its silver glow above her.

The envelope was in her right hand while her phone was in the second.

She was making observations and putting them down. From the city’s high-rise to the market to their natural resources.

How she found herself in the forest was unknown even to her.

Despite being new to a city that isn’t hers, she wasn’t scared. Not when her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She had vowed that she wouldn’t leave the city without finding out about its ancient story.

She had read a lot about cities like this, and now she was finally going to do her research.

She could feel the moonlight slowly fading away. It was as if there was a stopping point for it.

Looking ahead, she saw something that looked like a colorful beam.

“Wow,” she muttered, going closer to it.

The moonlight was no longer giving her light; rather, it was the beam.

Her smile broadened. “I’m definitely getting an A+ after this.” She stalked closer, not scared. Careful.

The air grew colder and heavier the closer she got. The beam of light also grew brighter, so she had to cover her eyes to avoid going blind.

She missed her step and fell on a thorn.

“Aish!” she winced in pain, checking her foot.

Her eyes went wide when she saw the big injury the tiny thorn gave her.

Her blood began trailing so fast—swiftly, to the beam.

She began hearing some sounds. The beam was trying to separate.

The forest turned into a mixed color. Red, blue, green, different colors.

She turned her face and used her hand to cover her eyes.

The ground beneath her began shaking vehemently.

Smoke, like in slow motion, cleared from the barrier.

She heard a growl, low at first, louder at second, and on the third one, a creature stepped out.

It’s huge, red-glowing, eerie eyes staring at her like they were going to feed on her any moment from now.

Isadora gulped, the creature taking slow, demonic strides towards her.

Sweat formed on Isadora’s body.

She stood and did what anybody would do.

She ran.

Panting hard like her breath was slipping away.

Sweating uncontrollably like she had been thrown in a fire and the only option was to run.

Stepping harder on rusted bricks that crushed beneath her feet, and the worst part was...

The creature was going after her.