Princess Jannar’s mother was of Isle Royalty, Princess Luxi. An older cousin of Queen Sharra, her cool eyes resembled the Thalassic Sea. Every room she entered, her beauty alone pulled everyone in her direction. Luxi married King Jaho and became Queen of the Desert at age 19. They fell in love instantly. Luxi died two and a half years later, three days after Jannar was born…..just like the prince’s mother did when he was born.

***

Princess Jannar and Lady Larella were standing atop of the hill when Prince Jaho shouted Jannar’s name. His eyes were red and glossy.

“What is it, brother?” Princess Jannar shouted.

Jaho cleared his throat.

“Your mother.” He yelled. “I’ve seen your mother.”

Jannar quickly ran over to where Jaho was standing.

“What are you talking about?” She said quickly. “The moon has not bled yet. The doors are still locked.”

Jaho aggressively shook his head.

“I don’t understand myself.” He uttered, head hung low.

Jannar grabbed her brother’s chin and lifted it. “Explain.”

Jaho’s gaze jumped to Larella, who was watching them from afar.

“After Larella left….” Jaho started, then took a deep breath. “I dropped one of my shielding rings. When I went to pick it up, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there she was, wearing our colors. Orange and red.”

“Impossible.” Jannar whispered. “Impossible for a shadow shifter to change when the sun is out…..and the door to Gardenia is—”

“Is forbidden to us.” Jaho said, finishing her sentence.

Jannar closed her eyes. While she only had faint memories of her mother, her mother’s image was everywhere. Portraits of her in her own room. Portraits of her in the throne room.

“Are you sure it was her? Did she say anything?” Jannar rushed out.

Jaho, who was still staring at Larella, turned his attention back towards his sister.

“A warning.” He responded. “She gave me a warning.”

Jannar frowned. “What did she say?”

“I, too, will suffer just like her.” He answered slowly. “The White Spider will come for me and everyone I love. Just like it did her.”

“Wh—”

“Just like it did my mother.” He added.

Jannar grabbed her brother’s hands.

“We must talk to our father.” She said quickly. “Now.”

***

The Coral Bastion Palace has over a dozen rooms. Most are functional, but some are not. For over three centuries, ever since the Gods left, two of them have been locked and forbidden to enter. But between those two rooms, a red painted door stands. The door to The Throne Room.

Inside, the walls are painted in red, and adorned with cream-colored outlines of foxes in battle, representing the history and resilience of House of Sfin. A reminder of how they survived for eons. How they survived the War of Flames and Weapons, the war between the Gods Sfin and Fyr. How they survived the Abyssinian War and The Hallow War. Throughout eons, House of Sfin has represented both destruction and resilience.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Minutes before his children arrived, King Jaho was sitting on the throne. The king was wearing his royal attire, but no longer his eyes. Instead, dark hollow holes were exposed. The curse took them away.

But he wasn’t alone. Beside him, a tall woman stood. She was wearing a black veil that accompanied a black, lace dress.

“You are sending your son to die.” She whispered, voice raspy. “When the moon bleeds, it’ll consume everything in its path.”

“We are not here to talk about my son.” The king responded. “Do you have it?”

The tall woman smirked. “Do you have what I want?”

The king nodded, then pointed towards a box on a wooden table. “You’ll collect the remaining souls when I have my crown. Now tell me, where is the third piece?”

The woman stepped down from the throne platform, her fingers carefully grazing the red seat. It was as smooth as silk.

“Did I ever tell you the story of how Queen Andelusia defeated the Red Spider?” She asked, as she circled the throne. “The Crown of Judgement allowed her to see into the human soul that lived inside and see its wrongs.”

“What is the point?” The king huffed.

The woman dramatically rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see.

“She was able to pull the soul out of the spider and place it into a standing mortal.”

“And?”

“She damned the mortal to the abyss…leaving the actual spider immobile and powerless without his yang. The Incarnate of Nirea went into rage and cursed everything in her path.”

“And why should I care?”

“When you are able to mend the crown back together, you will have unimaginable power. Even the Incarnate of Death will be afraid.”

The king slowly smiled. He hated the Immortal King, Stefan. Bad blood between the two still remains.

“But…” The tall woman added loudly. “With that great power comes a heavy price.”

The king clenched his jaw.

“Take care of the names on that list, Jaho…..and I’ll give you what you want.”

The king shifted in his seat. “Tell me again, why should I trust you?”

The tall woman, now standing behind Jaho, bent over and placed both of her hands on his shoulders.

“You shouldn’t.” She whispered close to his ear. “In fact, being afraid of me is more appropriate.”

The king suddenly covered her hands with his and gripped them tightly.

“But I’m not.” He purred.

The tall woman smiled. “You are, actually. I’ve seen through the windows of your soul. You fear my presence because you yet to understand what I am and where I come from. But your desire for unspeakable power just happens to currently outweigh that fear.”

The king slowly let go of the woman’s hands.

“Why do you even want those souls?” He asked, clearly frustrated. “I can build you souls. Why force me to take the living when I can build you them from scratch?”

“That’s not your concern.” She answered loudly. “If you want the location of the remaining pieces of that crown, you must complete the new list I just gave you and get me those souls.”

“Why can’t you do it?” He asked. “And what about the High Court? The Dowers are due to arrive here to investigate.”

“You let me worry about that High Court.” She responded.

“And the Dowers?”

The tall woman slowly walked away from the throne and towards the window.

“And the Dowers?” He shouted as she walked away. “I’m sure not even you can escape the Beings of Judgement.”

The woman immediately came to a halt. The mention of Judgement stirred up feelings of disgust and resentment.

She turned around to face the king, who was putting his eyes back in. He could hear the sounds of his children approaching and didn’t want them to see him like that.

“Even that wretched Goddess, Judgment, fell to my wrath eons ago.” She responded, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “Get me those souls and you’ll have your crown.”

King Jaho waved his left hand in the air. “Alright.”

The tall woman made her way again towards the window.

“You should also know you have an unwelcome guest here.” She said, as she put one leg over the windowsill.

The king immediately raised himself in his seat.

The tall woman was half way out the window when she turned around and told the king,

“Beware of the one spying made of ice and mystery. She is no friend and she hides power.”

Before the king could ask for clarification, the tall woman disappeared and a knock on the door was heard. His children.