RIVER 'S REDEMPTION

CHAPTER ONE

Morina

“Tell the truth, Morina.” Ciara, my younger sister, was standing against me for the first time.

The little girl I had raised myself after our parents passed away was now accusing me of being a fake. Even though it was true, the fact that she, out of all people, was the one exposing me hurt badly.

“I have been saying nothing but the truth from the start. Ciara, just what are you trying to do? Do you know that lying against me, the Crown Princess, can be considered treason?” I said boldly.

Someone scoffed. In the council room filled with dozens of powerful people working for the greater good of our Empire, Vinory, and me, their future Empress, someone had the audacity to scoff at my words.

“Morina, how dare you continue to put up with your wicked act!? You think we don’t already know the truth? You have been using dark magic to deceive us for years, and yet, you expect us to follow you blindly in this bloody war!?”

The person who said all of that was the same person who scoffed at my words. And he was none other than my fated mate, Graham Norton. He was the only person other than my younger sister who could refer to me without using my title.

And now, he was using such a privilege against me.

I was getting a headache as I sat on the throne-like chair at the head of the long oval table in the council meeting room. Ciara and Graham were standing next to each other at the other end of the table, provoking and denouncing me.

“What proof do you have?” I maintained utmost composure as I spoke.

The two of them had suddenly barged into a meeting and began saying that I was deceiving the empire and should be punished.

I couldn’t believe they were pulling such a game while we were at war. The castle’s gates were being attacked by a madman leading mad warriors right this moment, and they were busy making such a sly move against me. It was despicable.

“Isn’t this proof enough?” Ciara planted two books on the table. “Your diary entries are filled with illusionary spells, and this spell book was also hidden in your room. A spell book that teaches black magic.”

The council members began whispering to each other at the evidence present. One of them picked up the diary to confirm the details written inside.

Fuck.

“This is no time to be playing jokes.” I stared at my sister and mate coldly, then ordered, “Guards, take them away and lock them up for the rest of the night.”

Before the soldiers planted within the council room got to my sister, she yelled, “Prove yourself, Morina! Morph to your wolf form right now without taking a ‘break’ to prepare yourself or chanting any foreign language!

“Do it, right now. In front of everyone, prove that you haven’t been deceiving us for years that you’re powerful and possess the true moon-blessed wolf that you say you do.

“Prove that you can truly end this war against Alpha River and bring peace to Vinory once again. Prove that you’re not a liar.”

I’m sorry, but I’m a liar.

I wanted to say those words, confess that I’ve been shielding myself from the harsh reality for years by using nefarious means. But as the future Empress and saviour of Vinory, I couldn’t afford to be weak and powerless.

“No. I have nothing to prove to you.” I said with a sharp tone, then activated my dark magic, creating an illusion to cause my naturally gray eyes to glow in an eldritch manner.

With that little gesture, I was able to ‘prove’ that I truly possessed a wolf. But that wasn’t enough for Ciara and Graham.

“Check the diary entry for the second day of the fifth month. What’s written on the page shows how she’s able to get her eyes to glow without chanting spells.” Graham pointed out as he rushed to grab the diary, flip through the pages, and set it down so that everyone could see.

Not good. I was playing into their hands. f**k.

“Your Highness, I admit that you are above all and perfect, but to put a stop to the rumours about using dark magic, why don’t you just morph into your wolf right away as solid proof?” One of the elderly council members suggested to me with a kind tone.

“She can’t. If she could, she would’ve done so already.” Ciara spoke in my stead.

Everyone turned to look at me after that, expecting me to say something, do something. But I couldn’t. I hadn’t mastered the art of weaving an illusion strong enough to end the doubts of not having a wolf without chanting a complex spell in solitude and silence.

And my lack of a response was already proof that I was a liar. A fake.

“There you have it. The future Empress of Vinory doesn’t even have a wolf. How can she lead us to victory? The castle’s gates can only stand for so long before Alpha River comes marching in to kill all of us and usurp the throne.” Ciara said.

“It’s impossible to defeat him. He has ten times the military strength of Vinory’s army. He has taken over all our subordinate Kingdoms. What remains is this castle and the people inside it.

“In a day or two days’ time, our warriors will fall, and we will all die at his hands. How can you people not see this?” Graham cried out.

The faces of council members twisted with worry and fear. The outcome of the war was certain. Vinory had had a twenty percent chance of winning before now.

But with this new information of me not having a wolf, they must think that our chances have dwindled down to zero percent. Even though I knew this very well, I still wouldn’t go down without a fight.

I couldn’t fail the Empire before I even became the Empress of it.

“The only thing we can do now is to surrender.” Ciara said calmly.

“What nonsense!” I barked.

“If we do so, we will escape death at the cost of our pride,” Ciara continued, shedding off any shame she had.

I could see that the council members were leaning towards this suggestion. But I wasn’t.

“We will do no such thing!” I stood up from my chair and slammed my hands on the table. “Vinory will not submit. I will find a way to end this war. Leave it all to me.”

Graham scoffed once again. “We should place our trust on a liar and a coward who doesn’t even have a wolf? I think not.”

“How dare you?” I seethed.

Even though he and I didn’t exactly have the best relationship as mates, I was still the Crown Princess, and talking to me like that was plain disrespectful.

But no one stood up for me. No one rebuked Graham for having such audacity. It was clear where their loyalties lied.

“Morina, you will only doom this empire if you continue being so stubborn. Surrender to Alpha River tomorrow and end this war. Or continue with your stubbornness and get yourself killed.” Ciara said to me with an icy tone.

I searched for the quiet and innocent sister I had before today in her eyes and actions, but I couldn’t find her. Ciara was not on my side. No one was on my side.

Knowing this fact very well, I still refused to give in.

“If my stubbornness kills me, then so be it. I will bring an end to this war without Vinory cowering before Alpha River.”