Reminder
2043 Words
“Leave,” I snapped. The tracker gave a quick bow and scrambled out, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.
At that, I barely noticed Celeste slipping in, her keen eyes already alight with curiosity.
“You’re unusually quiet this morning,” she teased.
“Not now, Celeste,” I ground out.
But she didn’t take the hint. “This is about Brielle, isn’t it?” She said the name like it was a curse. “The pack’s already buzzing. People want to know what happens if she’s aligned with the Winterbloods.”
“She’s not,” I said through gritted teeth, though my certainty felt thinner than it should have.
“And if she is?” Celeste raised an elegant brow. “You do know what that means, don’t you? If the Winterbloods take her under their wing, her loyalty will belong to them—not to you, not to this pack.”
My jaw clenched as her words cut into the ugly truth I hadn’t wanted to face. I had spent years ignoring her, pushing her away. And now she had slipped entirely from my grasp.
“Leave me,” I growled, the sharpness in my tone silencing Celeste’s smug expression.
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
The Winterbloods. The name itself sent chills down my spine.
An hour later, I stood before the gathered council of the bloodraven pack, my pack their expressions a mix of outrage and fear. Every eye was on me, waiting for my response.
“She’s our Luna,” I growled, pacing before them. “Winterblood or not.”
“Our Luna?” Elder Reed scoffed, his arms crossed. “She was cast out—divorced if you remember. She holds no title here. And now, she aligns herself with them? The most dangerous clan in existence?”
“She’s still part of this pack,” I snapped, though my words rang hollow, even to myself.
“Alpha.” The elder’s tone softened but carried the same unwavering resolve. “She made her choice when she left.”
Something inside me snapped upon hearing that, “No. I made that choice. And it was a mistake. A mistake I will fix.” I affirmed.
Meanwhile, Celeste, standing in the corner, scoffed lightly. “A noble sentiment,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “But even you can’t protect her from them.”
“I’ll protect her from anything,” I growled. “No one is taking her from me.”
Just as I said that my whole being was paralyzed with cold like I was drenched in a bucket of ice, the truth haunted me, cutting deeper than any challenge from my council. Brielle’s world was no longer mine to control, she’s no longer the undesirable woman I tossed aside. The Winterbloods had her now, and their power made mine look insignificant.
Brielle’s p.o.v
After speaking for a while, the man introduced himself as Ezra, a name that sent a shiver down my spine, though I couldn’t say why.
He led me down grand, spiraling halls, every inch of the estate dripping with wealth and history.
“We’ve been searching for you for years,” Ezra said quietly as we walked. “Your disappearance fractured the dynasty. Without an heir, the balance shifted, and enemies multiplied.” He continued as we proceeded further toward the hall.
At that, I stopped in my tracks. “I don’t care about your enemies.” My voice trembled. “I don’t even know who I am to you.”
Ezra turned, his expression unreadable. “You are Brielle Winterblood—the rightful heiress of our dynasty older than any pack on this continent. Whether you accept it or not, the blood in your veins has chosen you. And now, so will we.”
He stopped and stepped closer, lowering his voice. “But you’re not the only one who’s changed, Brielle. Your power calls to those who would destroy you as much as those who would serve you. The longer you deny your place, the more danger you invite.”
The weight of his words pressed down on me. I wasn’t sure I wanted this—whatever this was. I’d spent my whole life being pushed aside, ridiculed, belittled. Now, I was supposed to be a leader? Isn’t that ridiculous? I huffed almost rolling my eyes.
“I didn’t ask for any of this,” I uttered after some time.
“And yet, here you are.”
I hated the knowing in his tone, the way he spoke as if he’d already decided my fate. But what I hated more was the stir in my chest that told me he wasn’t wrong.
On the other hand, the night coated the sprawling estate, its quiet hum broken only by the distant echo of rustling leaves. I couldn’t sleep as Ezra’s words replayed in my mind, an incessant reminder of the world I had inherited but knew nothing about.
The heavy wooden door to my room creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. My heart jumped, and I shot upright, gripping the edges of the silk sheets.
A young woman stepped in, her movements careful, her expression unreadable. She was striking, with pale hair that fell down her back and eyes like storm clouds.
“You’re awake,” she said softly, shutting the door behind her.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Lila. Ezra sent me. He thought you might appreciate some… clarification about everything.”
Clarification. A delicate word for the chaos unraveling inside me. I nodded, gesturing for her to sit, though I wasn’t sure why I was suddenly desperate to hear what she had to say.
“You’re scared,” Lila began, sitting on the edge of the chair across the room. “That’s normal. I felt the same way when I first arrived here.”
“You’re a Winterblood too?”
Her lips tilted into a faint, almost melancholic smile. “No. I serve the dynasty. My family has for generations.” She tilted her head, studying me. “And now, so will yours. Whether you choose it or not.”
The knot in my chest tightened upon hearing this. “What if I walk away?” I asked curiously with a raised brow.
Lila leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “Do you really think you can?” She asked and at the same time, I felt a lump hooked in my throat.
At that, I gave no response.
“Power like yours doesn’t hide,” she continued. “It calls to others. Even if you run, it will follow you. The enemies of this dynasty will follow you. And then what?”
Her words settled into the room like a cold mist.
“You think I have power?” I managed to say, my voice quiet.
“We know you do. And soon, you will too.”
I nodded, pondering over her words when a sudden knock startled me from the fog of my thoughts. I turned toward the door and watched as Ezra strode in, his presence commanding even without a word.
“We leave at sunset,” he announced.
“What?” I blinked, confused.
“You’ll meet the Court.” His tone brooked no argument. “They need to see who you are.”
“No,” I said before I could think it through. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Ezra’s face darkened. “You are Winterblood. Your blood demands this.”
“I never asked for this blood,” I shot back.
“That doesn’t matter,” he countered. “You carry it, whether you want to or not. Do you think we do this out of choice? We do it because if we don’t, someone else will take what is ours. And you, Brielle, are ours.”
His words hit like thunder, shaking something deep inside me. But it wasn’t anger or fear that rose in response—it was determination.
“I’ll meet your Court,” I said finally, my voice calm but firm. “But I won’t be controlled.”
Ezra’s lips curled into something resembling a smirk. “That remains to be seen.” He seemed amused and left without saying another word.
The next day…
The grand hall was unlike anything I had ever seen—large, luxurious, and filled with an eerie glow that seemed to stem from the crystalline walls. Ice sculptures flanked the towering pillars, reflecting the dim blue light of chandeliers that dangled dangerously from the arched ceiling.
On the other hand, the Court had gathered.
Figures draped in deep blue and silver sat upon sophisticated carved chairs in a semicircle. Their gazes burned as they fixed on me, scrutinizing, calculating. Their energy prickled against my skin like frostbite, though I refused to shiver. I stood tall, despite the weight of their judgment pressing on me.
I’ve already gone through a lot just to show vulnerability to a group of unknown faces.
Ezra remained at my side, unyielding, a silent force anchoring me.
“She doesn’t look like much,” a woman with sharp features sneered, her voice cutting through the cold silence. Her hair was the color of fresh snow, and her icy stare made her point clear—she didn’t think I belonged here, but I didn’t care.
“She is everything,” Ezra replied smoothly, his tone chilling. “You’d do well to remember that.” His voice was cold and with a hint of shrewdness.
“And what proof do we have?” the woman shot back, unmoved. “What makes this girl Winterblood? She has neither training nor mastery of the craft.”
“The proof,” Ezra said with a slow, deliberate smirk, “is in her blood. Would you like me to demonstrate, Lysandra?” He scoffed with a hint of mockery in his tone.
Lysandra’s face froze, her confidence cracking slightly. Whatever Ezra meant, she clearly didn’t want to see it.
“Enough,” a deep, commanding voice rang out, silencing the murmurs that had begun to ripple through the room.
At the far end of the hall, a man rose from a throne carved of pure ice. He was older, but his presence dominated the room. His silver hair was cropped close, and his piercing blue eyes held the wisdom and ferocity of centuries.
“You are late,” he said, his voice a low rumble that settled into the bones.
Ezra tilted his head, though not by much. “King August. I thought it’s best not to force this meeting.”
‘King.’ Of course, he was a king. Because my life wasn’t complicated enough.
The king’s gaze swept over me, and for a moment, I felt as though he could see everything—every scar, every thought, and every betrayal.
“Brielle Winterblood,” he said at last.
Hearing my name spoken by him felt heavier, and sharper, as though the simple words carried more meaning than I could yet comprehend.
“Yes,” I responded, my voice steady despite the weight of the room.
“Do you know why you are here?” he asked, stepping closer. The sheer force of him was overwhelming, though I refused to back away.
“No,” I admitted. “Not fully.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “Honest, at least.”
“The Winterblood line has dwindled,” he continued, his voice echoing off the walls. “You are the first heir of pure blood in nearly two centuries. Do you understand what that means?”
“Not really.”
“It means,” Lysandra interjected with a derisive laugh, “that the entire dynasty rests on you. And you’re completely unprepared.”
Her words stung more than I cared to admit because they weren’t entirely wrong. I had no idea how to navigate this world, let alone lead it.
“Then prepare me,” I said, my voice firm.
The room fell silent again. Ezra glanced at me, his expression unreadable, and even Lysandra blinked in surprise.
“Bold,” the king murmured. “Perhaps there is hope for you after all.”
- Writer
