Chapter 1 When the First Magic Dreams

Ahhhh FINALLY!! My bitches!! The long awaited book 3!! Thank you so much for your love and patience!!

Ok my wildlings if this is the first time you're seeing this series...put this in your library, turn around and search for HUNTED HYBRID - Aegis War Saga 1!!

There are two fully completed books before this one!! Believe me you don't wanna miss those or you will be LOST AF!! Enjoy!!! Find me on the faceybook to keep up with new releases and content! Author Rhiannan Demlow! Muuaahhhh!!! Much love!!

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Lyrielle Drakenholt POV

I dreamed of my mother's death.

Not the peaceful kind. Not the gentle closing of eyes after a life well lived. I watched her burn. She stood beneath a crimson sky, her silver, green, blue and purple hair whipping around her face. Her five mates lay motionless across a field of black roses beneath two dying moons. And I couldn't fucking reach her.

"Mom!"

She turned, golden eyes filled with tears. "Lyrielle, you must remember."

"Remember what?"

The earth split. Rivers of blood swallowed the flowers, and my mother's expression twisted with something I'd never seen before. Fear.

"Two daughters born beneath the turning stars," she whispered, her voice becoming ancient. "One shall command the waters. One shall carry the storms. Together, they shall stand where creation first drew breath."

"Mom?"

Her body dissolved into silver light.

"WAIT!"

I lunged, but my fingers passed through empty air. A childlike giggle echoed behind me. "She's not dead, silly."

I spun. A little girl stood barefoot among the roses, galaxies swirling beneath her translucent skin. Flowers bloomed wherever she stepped. Chaos.

"Where's my mother?"

"Up there!"

She pointed toward a kingdom of floating towers and celestial gardens. Luminara. The Divine Realm. Where my mother and fathers had ascended, leaving their seven children behind to face a kingdom suddenly demanding a new ruler. The Trial of the Crown. Seven heirs. One throne. And apparently, an entire realm furious that our family might continue ruling.

"Why are you showing me this?"

Chaos touched a black rose. Its petals opened, revealing a golden crown. "Because the story is starting again."

"What story?"

"The one that never finished."

The blood beneath us bubbled. Chaos recoiled. "No. She's not supposed to be here!"

A woman's laughter rose from the earth. "Little dragon. Such lovely blood."

Crimson markings crawled across my arms. A woman emerged wearing a crown of bones and rubies. Her gown flowed like blood, and darkness filled with screaming mouths hid her face.

Raelith. The Blood Goddess. The monster our parents had defeated.

"Your mother stole what belonged to me," she hissed. "My kingdom. My worshippers. My beautiful little Chaos."

Chaos hid behind me. "I don't like her."

Raelith smiled, revealing rows of glistening teeth. "But I like you, Lyrielle. Your blood will open the door."

Blue dragonfire erupted across my skin. Before I could strike, the world shattered. I landed in the academy courtyard. Or what remained of it. Broken towers surrounded the enormous magical tree, now blackened and skeletal. Bodies littered the marble paths.

"LYRI!"

Nyxaria stood across the courtyard, her violet-and-gold hair floating around her face.

"NYX!"

I ran. The ground split between us. A black throne rose from the fissure, and upon it sat a woman wearing my mother's face. "Come, daughter."

"Mom?"

Her eyes turned crimson.

"Not quite."

Behind her emerged hundreds of vampires, fae, and wolves. Then words burned across the broken sky.

WHEN THE CROWN IS LEFT UNCLAIMED, THE ANCIENT BLOOD SHALL RISE.

WHEN TWO DRAGONS SHARE THE FIRST MAGIC, THE VEIL SHALL SPLIT BETWEEN THE SKIES.

ONE SHALL OPEN WHAT WAS SEALED.

ONE SHALL CHOOSE WHAT MUST BE SAVED.

AND WHEN THE LAST STAR FALLS, CREATION SHALL DEMAND ITS PRICE.

"No," I whispered.

The woman laughed. "Prophecy does not ask permission, little princess."

The sky cracked, and my sister screamed.

~

Nyxaria Drakenholt POV

I was drowning.

Which was particularly insulting, considering water was supposed to be my fucking element. Darkness surrounded me. No surface. No bottom. Only a heartbeat pounding beneath the water. Vhalra thrashed inside my soul. "This is not our water."

No shit. I opened my mouth to scream. Water rushed inside, and I prepared to drown, except...I could breathe. Suddenly, I stood atop an endless black ocean beneath two moons, one silver, one red. Between them floated my mother's crown.

"Would you wear it?"

I turned. A woman stood behind me, wrapped in midnight blue, her face hidden beneath a veil of stars.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who remembers what came before the gods."

Fantastic. Another cryptic immortal. "Where am I?"

"Between what was and what will be."

"That clears absolutely nothing up."

She smiled. "You are very much your mother's daughter."

The ocean shimmered. Images appeared. Mom and our fathers fighting beside armies. The academy rising from the ruins of war. Children of every species laughing beneath its towers. Peace. Then everything changed. A chalice overflowing with blood. A black temple. Aurelion Moonveil beneath a crimson moon.

Lucien Virell kneeling before an altar, a beautiful blonde woman beside him. Something enormous moving beneath the mountains.

"What is this?"

"The inheritance of unfinished wars. Your mother defeated monsters, Nyxaria. But she could not destroy every seed they planted."

"Then tell me how to stop them."

"First, you must understand what you may lose."

The ocean trembled. A golden lion appeared, followed by a black wolf. Rykard. Kaelth, Lucen's wolf. Both transformed into my mates. Lucen reached for me. "Nyx."

I stepped forward. The water turned red. They vanished. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. These are possibilities. Love will strengthen you, but your enemies will use it against you."

My stomach twisted. "Are they going to die?"

"Some sacrifices cannot be avoided."

Rage exploded through me. "Then I'll change the fucking prophecy!"

For the first time, she looked pleased. "Perhaps. Prophecy reveals the roads before you, not always which you will choose."

The crown descended.

"The Trial of the Crown," I whispered. "Seven heirs. One throne."

Inside the crown appeared Drayen, Seren, Kaelen, Finnian, Maeve, Lyrielle, and me. Then the images fractured. Some wore crowns. Others carried swords.

One figure lay motionless beneath a white sheet.

"Who is that?"

Silence.

"WHO?"

The crown shattered.

"Beware the blood that calls itself pure," she warned. "Beware those who worship what should remain buried. And beware the hand that offers salvation while hiding the knife."

Her veil lifted. There was no face. Only thousands of stars, dying and being born. "I am a memory of the first beginning." Her stars flickered. "And I have seen the last."

She touched my forehead. The world exploded. I stood inside the academy's Great Hall. Everything was frozen. Alpha Draven stood mid-announcement. Taya Verric knelt beneath an enchanted moon-iron blade.

Eight fae parents surrounded her, dark sigils burning across their skin. Lyrielle stood beside me. And suddenly, I remembered.

Our parents had fully ascended into godhood. They couldn't return to Aetheros without risking the realms. Alpha Draven had announced the Trial of the Crown, and the hall had erupted into outrage. Then the lights went out. Someone had taken Taya hostage. We'd formed a protective circle with our mates, and I'd stepped forward, desperate to stop a massacre.

Then Mom had somehow sent a thread of Chaos through the divine barrier to help us. A giggle interrupted my thoughts. "Hi, Nyx!"

I closed my eyes. Of fucking course. "Chaos?"

"Yep!"

"Is this another dream?"

"Sort of!"

A tiny girl made of galaxies appeared on the banquet table, swinging her bare feet. "Did you do this?"

"Not all of it. Someone's showing you things."

"Who?"

"Someone old."

"Older than you?"

She went still. "Nothing is older than me."

A chill crawled down my spine. "Then who was that woman?"

"A memory of something that hasn't happened yet."

"The prophecy?"

Chaos nodded. "The bad lady wants the crown. The blood people want the cup. The screaming goddess wants me."

"And what do you want?"

Her expression softened. "My family."

My heart ached. I approached and took her tiny hand.

"Then we'll protect you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The hall trembled. Chaos squeezed my fingers. "Nyx? You should wake up."

"Why?"

"Because the bad magic is moving."

The sigils on Taya's captor began pulsing. A crack split the floor. From somewhere beneath the academy, a woman's voice whispered. "At last."

Chaos screamed. The dream shattered. I gasped. Lucen's hand gripped my waist. Lyrielle's fingers were locked around mine. The hostage crisis was still unfolding. Only a heartbeat had passed.

"Last warning, princess," the woman snarled. "Stand down."

I looked at Lyrielle. Her face had gone pale. "You saw it too?"

She nodded.

"The prophecy?"

Another nod. Chaos giggled nervously. "Surprise?"

I almost laughed. Instead, I studied the woman holding Taya, the terrified families, and the academy we'd called home. This was where it began. Not with a crown. Not with a throne. But with a choice. The same choice our mother had made eighteen years ago.

To protect those who couldn't protect themselves. To fight for a world where blood or species didn't determine worth. I squeezed Lyrielle's hand. Our dragons stirred. Our magic rose.

"The prophecy isn't finished, girls," Chaos whispered.

I smiled. "Good."

Lucen leaned closer. "Nyx? What the hell are you smiling about?"

"Apparently, the gods have decided to fuck with our family again."

Lyrielle snorted. Rhaen groaned. Chaos burst into delighted laughter. Above us, the enchanted ceiling flickered. Two dragons appeared among the stars. One silver-blue. One violet-gold. And beneath them, ancient words burned across the heavens.

TWO SHALL RISE WHERE ONE ONCE STOOD.

BLOOD SHALL CALL, AND CHAOS SHALL ANSWER.

WHEN THE CROWN FALLS, THE QUEENS SHALL RISE.

The hall erupted into screams, and somewhere far above Aetheros, the Gods watched with bated breath.

The age of Chaos had begun.