Are you guys ready to meet someone even more notorious than Draco?

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Draco fixed the collar of his trench coat as he made his way down the guest hallway.

A door was cracked open and he peered inside to see Alesandria rising from her sleep. Red bags outlined her bloodshot eyes and her veins were purple against her pale skin. The emperor hesitated, his fist balled against the door.

He contemplated but ultimately decided to greet her later in the morning. Walking away from the guest room, he rounded a corner and found himself in a dark hallway. It was another set of sleeping quarters.

Silence surrounded him as he made his way towards the one room that showed any signs of life. The lights were on and the door was slightly opened. Coming from the opened space was a lovely voice that pulled him forward.

He peered through the door to see Onyx's silhouette. She was wrapped in a plush robe with her wet hair plastered to her face. She went around the room in a light manner, brushing her fingers through her hair as she hummed a song to herself.

He pried his eyes away and knocked on the door. His hands rested on his chest to still his beating heart. "Coming!" Several minutes passed before the door opened wider. Onyx's face emerged from the shadows. "Draco."

"Good morning to you too" he teased, bowing his head. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, taking a cautious step forward. A smile lit her face and she stepped aside. "A bit better. You can come in if you want."

With a nod, he stepped into the room and was immediately greeted by a chilly wind. His eyes darted over to the open balcony doors. "If you wanted to freeze to death, I would have settled you in the winter valleys," he said between chattering teeth.

She laughed and walked over to the balcony doors. They closed with a hush despite the cold winds battering against the glass doors. "Sorry. Nowadays, I need some encouragement waking up. This bed is so comfortable."

Her eyes trailed over to the emperor who had a questioning expression on his face."What's wrong?" she asked, walking over and settling a hand on his shoulder. The scar on his jaw flexed as he sat down on her bed in deep thoughts. "Is it about Rheynoak? What happened yesterday?"

"The desert tribes are planning a rebellion against us," Draco said, cutting in between her words. "I felt it yesterday as soon as I stepped on the tribal grounds and the sight of Irene and Heather confirmed my suspicions. Those two are notorious for rebelling."

"Did they cause you these scars?" Onyx asked, running her fingers on the thin slit of skin that was open. The emperor hissed at her touch and pulled away harshly, brushing a bruised knuckle on his face. "He put up a good fight. That's all I can say. What we need to concentrate now is how the Inner Circle can defend itself when the tribes attack."

"We don't know for sure if they are" Onyx suggested."

"They will" Draco assured. "And I will personally make sure they all die."

A silence filled the room as the emperor pondered on his next move. "They're after something greater. They want revenge."

"Why?" Onyx asked. Draco casted a look towards her. "Years ago after the war near Gwanchu lake, the inner circle and the tribes had a huge war that resulted in us killing and burying the body one of their strongest allies."

A pause settled between his words as he spoke. "Rheynoak's father."

"But I thought Rheynoak killed them and-"

The Emperor interrupted her words. "That's just a story he made up for people to fear him. Who knows his real intentions. Anyway, we buried the body between the barrier that casts off the mortal kingdoms from the Inner Circle. That way, no one would ever reach him. However, if they manage to attack and steal his body, they can resurrect him back to life and God knows what will happen after that."

"So what's the move now?"

"There's no time to waste. You and Alesandria have to continue your training and I have to arrange board meetings with the other rulers. Military defenses and warriors have to strengthen and the barrier has to be reinforced. If we don't take immediate action, it's all downhill from here.

"I have arranged a meeting with a close friend of mine at Elsavior's Academy of Higher education and Magical Advances. She's very skilled and will give us a more accurate and modern result of Alesandria's lineage and what kind of hybrid she is. Azura and Castrin will accompany us.."

"Why can't we just call Iredine and have her do it?" the Siphon questioned. The emperor shook his head. "We currently not on speaking terms."

Onyx watched as Draco sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Dark bags circled his eyes and a bead of sweat glistened on his forehead. With a huff, he got up from the bed and made his way towards the door without any words.

"Draco" Onyx whispered, capturing his attention. He turned his attention back to her. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I don't where I would be without you." The weight of her words set an unsettling feeling within him. "Please, don't give me all the credit. It's I who should be thanking you" he replied back with a slight smile as he took notice of the decent space between them.

"If it's not too much to ask" she continued, holding his gaze. "I have decided to stay in Elsavior for a while. At least until everything has settled down." Those words brought an unexplainable joy to his soul. Without a word, he engulfed her in a hug. His arms circled around her waist as he pulled her closer.

"Thank God. For a second, I thought I would have to practically beg you to stay." A laugh escaped Onyx's lips as she held onto him. "It wasn't a hard decision to make. Not with everything you have done for me."

They pulled apart and for the first time, the emperor realized that the siphon was wearing nothing but a robe. In a panic, he let go of her waist and shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans. "I'll see you downstairs" he informed, keeping his eyes on the ground.

Without waiting for her reply, Draco excused himself out of her room and ran down the stairs, silently praying that this woman wouldn't be the death of him.

The hours passed with the kingdom slowing waking up.

Alesandria was the last one to meet everyone in the dining hall in a disheveled state of mind. Her eyes were bloodshot red and her black hair was tossed into a messy updo.

"Sorry. I didn't realize we were doing anything significant today" she apologized, running a hand over her crinkled white dress. Draco took a good look at her with narrow eyes but only nodded. "It's okay. You're just in time actually" he informed.

Alesandria wore a questioning look as her gaze passed from Azura, who was tucking a thin needle into her hair to conceal the weapon, to Onyx who adjusted her sword underneath the cloak she wore.

"Where are we going?" she questioned.

"Castrin will explain it to you on the way. We have no time to lose" Draco said, ushering everyone out the back exit of the palace to an open door that led to a steep edge of the cliff. A cold breeze swept past their feet as the first rays of sunlight lit up the dark skies.

Castrin took his place next to the hybrid and grabbed her arm to quicken her steps with his. "We are visiting someone who can help us identify what you are and prove if you are a true descendant of the Crojesian royal lineage" he explained to her baffled face.

Her cheeks flushed red with anger as she took one look at his face before passing an enraged look at the emperor. "But I am! I have the scars on my back to prove it!" she protested in a gritty voice.

Draco did not turn to meet her gaze but answered her with an impatient tone. "Listen, there have been many who have claimed to be you throughout the years. I won't take a simple oral confession. I need solid evidence that you are who you say you are. Onyx went through the same thing and so will you."

He turned back to momentarily meet her eyes. "Understood?"

Despite the urge to argue with him, Alesandria chose not to as soon as Castrin passed her a warning glare. With a rugged tone, she simply accepted his terms.

"Azura, you will lead the way to the academy," the emperor said to the warrior standing next to him. "Onyx, you will stay close to me. Castrin, you will fly with Alesandria. Make sure to keep her out of plain sight."

"Understood" Castrin replied. "How are we getting there?" Alesandria asked.

"You're flying with me" Castrin answered, leading her to the edge of the cliff. He gestured over to Azura whose wings were out in all their glory. She leapt off the edge of the cliff only to resurface and soar into the air.

Draco intertwined his hands with Onyx's and held her close as he engulfed both of them in his large wings and flew them towards the sky. A strange sound left Alesandria's lips as she turned to Castrin with an infuriated yet terrified look.

"Don't worry, love" Castrin said as his wings grew from his back. "I won't let you fall."

Before Alesandria could question him, he had already swept her body into his arms and plunged off the cliff. A terrified scream escaped her lips as the world spun before her eyes. Her hands flew to her face to cover her vision as she waited for an impact but nothing ever came.

A few steady heartbeats, she opened her eyes to see herself secured in Castrin's arms as he flew them across the horizon. Onyx and Draco were only a few feet ahead of them and Azura several feet ahead of them both.

Alesandria intertwined her arms around Castrin's neck as they flew across Salion. The capital seemed to be busy while the other neighborhoods and towns were still sound asleep. It was still too dark to make out any moving bodies but the several lights that lit up the city bridge seemed to be enough evidence that the whole kingdom would be awake soon.

"This is Salion, the capital of Elsavior" Castrin explained to her. "And that is Tide Oayos, one of Elsavior's largest body of water." He pointed toward a huge body of water that laid beneath a hanging bridge.

She glanced down at the dark body of water whose waves crashed on nearby rocks. An unsettling feeling rumbled within her stomach. "What's the bridge called?" she asked, turning back to meet his lingering gaze.

"Hanishuska's bridge. It's named after Elsavior's Goddess of love." A simple sigh left Alesandria's mouth as she took in the bridge which was lit in orb lights and decorated with blooming flowers.

After nearly thirty minutes of sailing through trees, mountains and dense fog, the silhouette of a beautiful palace carved from glass and marble came into view. It was a monstrous building that spread over the mountains it stood on. Rivers of waterfalls splashed against the gold balcony of the building and millions of lights lit the glass windows.

"So this the academy" Onyx whispered as they landed on the sturdy ground of the balcony. The roaring waterfall nearly drowned out her words but luckily, Azura caught it. "It's one of the few academies in Elsavior. I went here a couple hundred years ago" she explained.

"Technically, you only stayed for half of the training program" Draco corrected. Azura passed him a sour look. "I hate you" she replied with a sturdy tone. Laughter left Draco's lips as he led them towards the entrance of the academy.

The several bodyguards that were standing at the entrance bowed at the sight of their emperor. "I am looking for Raiyah Vaolcris. We made an appointment for today."

The bodyguard closest to him volunteered to accompany him to the student labs and granted access for all of them to enter. They walked through a golden arch that led them down a brightly lit hallway. Every door they passed illuminated blue and silhouettes of students training or working in labs passed their view.

"How is Raiyah doing with her academics this year?" Draco asked the bodyguard. "She is the top in her class, your highness. She is currently conducting an experiment which involves turning Siphon magic into energy that mimics mortal inventions."

"And what result should that experiment yield?" Azura questioned. The bodyguard turned his gaze towards her. "She is hoping to learn the strategy of human combat by studying their weapons and using their skills to our advantage."

Draco wore a proud smile. They climbed up a set of spiraling stairs that led them to the student laboratory. "She should be in the back of the lab, your highness." The Emperor thanked the young guard and made his way through the lab. The students, dressed in white coats and fitted eye wear, bowed towards their emperor as he passed by. Draco didn't seem to mind the attention, even trading a few smiles with several lab workers.

Towards the back of the lab stood a young girl no taller than Alesandria. Her black hair was cropped short to her shoulders and she wore large glasses that slipped off her face. The white lab coat was too big on her as the sleeves were rolled up and pinned to her shirt.

"Seems like you have grown an inch or two taller since I last saw you." At the sound of his voice, the young girl looked up and a smile slipped on her face. "The last time you saw me was over a year ago" she commented.

"It's not my fault you refuse to visit your big brother" Draco retorted back. The girl laughed before slipping her gloves and glasses off. She ran over to the emperor and engulfed him in a hug. Draco happily picked her up and squeezed her tightly.

"It's nice to see you too, Raiyah" he breathed into her hair. She laughed before letting go of Draco and hugging Azura and Castrin affectionately. "I've missed you guys!" she exclaimed letting go of Castrin who patted her on the head.

"Likewise" Castrin replied back. "Although Draco might have a different opinion on that."

"No comment" the emperor quickly retorted. "Raiyah, I would like to introduce you to two very important people. This is Alesandria Erovex" he said, gesturing towards the hybrid who simply nodded her head. "And this is Onyx Ashrevion," he said, turning her over to the demi-hybrid who greeted her with a small smile.

"So these are the two girls that have captured your attention" Raiyah teased. "I always knew you were a womanizer but this is truly impressive." Azura snorted at the comment while Onyx blushed. Draco gave his sister a stern look before rolling his eyes.

"This little scrap on annoyance is my younger sister, Raiyah. She is a senior magic developer and weapons/combat specialist here at the academy and she will be assisting us today." Raiyah shook both of their hands and ushered them to a quiet corner.

"Draco updated me on what has happened in the past few weeks" his sister explained as she led them to a room with rounded glass windows and a simple marble table laid out. "I must say, when he told me that the long-lost daughters of the Crojesian rulers had been found and were currently living with him, I was a little bit more than shocked."

They all entered the room and Raiyah shut the door behind her. "While I am worried about the war that the Desert Tribes will eventually stir up, I am more interested in the history that runs in your blood." She pointed a finger at both Onyx and Alesandria.

"What are you going to do to us?" Alesandria questioned as she watched the young girl walk over to a drawer and pull out an assortment of needles and bottles. "Don't be scared" Raiyah commented, pulling a rag from her lab coat to polish the tools. "It's just a simple test."

"Okay, but what does it consist of?"Alesandria pressed. The young girl raised a questioning eyebrow at her before turning her gaze to the emperor. "She's a curious one. She must have gotten that from her father."

"Excuse me?" Alesandria pressed, taking a hesitant step towards the girl. Onyx placed a hand on her sister's shoulders while Castrin held her back by holding on to her arm. Draco gave his sister a warning look. "Don't push it, Raiyah" he warned her, shaking his head.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I am going to take a sample of your magic and drain it into this bottle" Raiyah explained, holding up a glass bottle. "After that, I will use my own magic to examine the properties in yours. Nothing you can't handle."

Alesandria passed her a sour look but kept her mouth shut as she adjusted a large needle. "How fast will the results arrive?" Draco asked.

"Should take five minutes. No more and no less." Raiyah passed a look between the two sisters. "Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go" Alesandria offered.

Raiyah gestured her over to the marble table where she had all her supplies lined up. She then sterilized Alesandria's arm and wrapped an elastic band around her arm to restrict movement. "Don't move" she instructed as she inserted the needle into Alesandria's arm.

The hybrid hissed as the tube attached in her arm illuminated gold as it drained her magic into the bottle attached to it. While that was going on, Raiyah did the same procedure with Onyx and asked Draco to step outside for a private moment, leaving Azura and Castrin in charge.

Onyx let her eyes trail to the window at the siblings who were engaged in a serious conversation. Though she could not hear anything, the concern in Draco's eyes and the blatant expression on Raiyah's face seemed to suggest that it was not a lively topic they were discussing.

"What's the history between those two?" Onyx asked Azura. "There is no history between them. They are siblings and they have always been close, especially when their parents passed away. When Draco became emperor, Raiyah set herself on her own path and moved out of the palace."

"So what has she been doing with her life then?" Alesandria pressed. "Well, she is a brilliant warrior and has aided in several battles. She's an avid traveler and is a professor at several institutions in the Inner Circle as well as a research student here" Castrin explained."I would say she's been living her best life."

"What was her life like before?' Alesandria asked. Castrin and Azrua exchanged hesitant glances. "That is none of our business and most certainly none of yours" Azura answered as she pulled the needle out of Onyx's and Alesandria's arm before securing the glass bottle lid.

Alesandria frowned but said nothing more.

Castrin signaled the two siblings to come back. Raiyah promptly took the two bottles from Azura's hand and labeled them with the pencil wedged behind her ear. "You are more than welcomed to stay here. I am going to run over to the analysis lab and quickly get the results" she informed.

"Is there a bathroom around here?" Alesandria asked. "Yes. Castrin will be able to show you" Raiyah replied back.

As Castrin led the hybrid out of the room, Raiyah turned to her brother with an exasperated expression. "Keep an eye on that sister. Something about her seems unbalanced" she expressed.

"Well, to be fair, she just escaped from Rheynoak's grasps" Draco defended. Still, Raiyah shook her head. "Trust me. I know the difference between a broken hybrid and a manipulative one."

With a final glance at the group in front of her, Raiyah turned and exited the room.

Alesandria ground her teeth together as the voice in her head clawed at her skull.

A sharp pain ran up her spine and exploded at the back of her neck which caused her to internally gasp and stumble on Castrin's foot. "Be careful" he warned as they neared the bathroom.

She managed to muster up a smile as he stopped at a porcelain white door. "I'll wait out here for you" he insisted, opening the door for her. Alesandria shook her head and pushed the door open herself. "You don't have to do that. Distract yourself. It will bore you less."

"But the whole point of me being here is to protect you" he insisted. Alesandria giggled and shook her head. "No. The whole point of you being here was to show me to the bathroom. Besides, I can't really go with someone standing mere feet away from me."

Heather's voice whispered in Alesandria's mind, prompting her to wrap her arms around Castrin's neck. "Alesandria" Castrin protested but she kept him silent with a finger on his lip. "I need my privacy Castrin. Besides, you wouldn't want to make me feel uncomfortable, would you?"

"You don't need my help that much do you Alesandria?"

Heather's voice whispered in the back fo the hybrid's mind, sending a chill down the bond they shared. A small gap was all that was left in between them and Alesandria knew that if she kept on persisting, he would eventually crumble.

Fortunately, Castrin knew this as well and gave up in a weak effort. He stroked her cheek as he nodded. "Fine. I'll take a lap around this area. But you better be quick."

"I promise. I won't keep you waiting" Alesandria swore. With a final look at her, Castrin nodded and pushed himself off of her. His tall silhouette disappeared down the hallway with his fading footsteps following right after.

Alesandria pushed herself inside the bathroom and quickly locked the door before collapsing on the floor. A pained gasp rattled her head as Heather seeped her mental claws deeper and deeper into her consciousness.

"I must say. You are doing a splendid job at making yourself acquainted with these filthy royals. However, that was not the mission."

"I'm trying my best but everyone here is secretive. I am not even allowed to know the history behind the emperor and his genius sister. It's going to take some time to gather some information"Alesandria protested down the bond.

Heather's laugh rang in her head once again.

"We don't have time, my dear. While you are away being my little spy, Rheynoak, Irene and I have been assembling some very important alliances with some very valid people. If you fail your end of the bargain, I will drag you down with me."

"How am I supposed to gather information. What do you suggest?" Alesandria asked.

"For goodness sakes, Alesandria. Use your head. You are the heir of a powerful lineage. Seduce his court. Seduce Draco. Ask Onyx. Your sister probably knows a lot more than you do. She has been there for weeks now and she trusts you. You will have no problem with her. But don't approach Raiyah. That filthy lab rat will lead you to nothing but trouble."

"What has Raiyah done to offend you?" Alesandria asked. Heather's laugh rasped against the inner corner of her head.

"That girl is nothing but a silhouette standing in her brother's shadows. Trust me. She may be a genius but she is also very conniving and manipulative. Stay away from her."

"Speak for yourself" Alesandria grumbled underneath her breath. A jolt of pain exploded in her head and she gasped, sinking her nails into her hair. "Don't aggravate me, Alesandria. Remember, I have full control of you. One wrong move and I can easily convince you to rid yourself from this world."

Alesandria sighed but nodded. "Okay. But please, stay with me. I have to face them again and I don't want to say the wrong thing." Heather's exasperated sigh rang in her but she ultimately agreed to it.

"Just don't say anything stupid, Alesandria or good so help me, I will come over there and rip you apart limb from limb. Let me do the talking."

Alesandria swallowed hard and gathered herself up. She splashed some cold water on her face and looked in the mirror to straighten up her appearance. She looked like an absolute mess but it was better than nothing.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself out of the bathroom. As the door closed, Castrin rounded the corner with flushed cheeks. "Are you okay?" he asked when he saw her disheveled face.

Alesandria opened her mouth to answer but a sharp pain in her head caused her to keep her mouth sealed and simply no

"You promised not to talk. I expect you to stay that way." Heather's voice threatened.

Without further questions, Castrin took her hand and directed her back to the analysis lab where Raiyah was finishing her examination. Draco was right beside her aiding with the transfer of the magic to the bottles once again.

"You're right on time. I was just about to tell Draco the results" she informed. "You have nothing to fret about, brother. Their magic reassured me that they are the true heirs of the Crojesian lineage. As for what Alesandria is, she is a cross hybrid between a Mind Siphon and a Redwing Witch."

"Doesn't seem like a hard combination" Azura commented. "She'll definitely be easier to train than Onyx." Raiyah nodded in agreement as she walked over to a glass shelf and sealed the two glass bottle inside. "Definitely. With Onyx, you will have to take a different approach. Physical training is essential but you should focus more on mentally and emotionally training her so that she can really have a full grasp of her powers."

"But with Alesandria, it's more of the physical aspect" Draco continued. "Redwing Witches rely on their brute strength rather than their intellectual minds to survive. Of course, she'll have to be in tune with her mental state of mind in order to be a powerful Mind Siphon but it's nothing we can't handle."

"So what is Onyx a hybrid off?" Alesandria asked, eyeing her sister suspiciously.

"A plethora of things I am sure she would be happy to explain to you" Raiyah replied back. "In the meantime, you people need to leave my lab. You are polluting the air." She nudged Azura and Castrin towards the front of the lab.

"Okay. We'll leave you to it. Don't get in too much trouble" Azura warned, hugging her once again. "I'll try my best but I can't promise you anything" Raiyah replied back with a sly smile. After sharing a hug with Castrin, they both left with Alesandria trailing behind.

She turned back to Draco and Onyx. "I wish you luck with your journey, Onyx. With all the great things my brother has told me about you, you'll be a great leader one day."

The Siphon smiled and shook her hand once again. "I should catch up with the others. I'll see you soon." Patting Draco's shoulder, she bowed her head towards Raiyah before leaving. Draco waited until the Siphon was out of earshot before turning back to his sister.

"You make it so obvious, Draco" Raiyah commented, folding her arms across her chest. "Although I must admit. You never told me your mate would be the heir to one of the most powerful kingdoms in the Inner Circle."

"She's not my mate" Draco corrected.

"But you're falling for her, you hopeless romantic" Raiyah stated.

The emperor rolled his eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Raiyah. Anyways, thank you for helping me today. It means a lot." Raiyah smiled and hugged her brother. "Of course. Anything for you. I hope you are taking this seriously though. Those two girls are the key to everything. You and the other emperors need to keep an eye on the barrier."

"How certain are you about this war?" he asked. "It can't be worse than the last one we had."

"I'm not so sure about that, brother. Knowing Rheynoak and his allies, they'll stop at nothing until they get what they want. Be prepared for any attacks and train the hell out of those girls. They are our only hope."

Draco sighed, knowing that was not what he wanted to hear but it was sadly the truth of his reality. "I should get going," he said, running his fingers through his air. "Promise you'll stop by the palace. I miss seeing you."

"Me too, Draco. Don't worry. I'll always find time to bother you." With a smile, Draco hugged Raiyah tightly, breathing in the scent of chemicals and flowers. "Take care, Raiyah" he breathed. "I need you."

He could feel his sister's smile against his shirt as she nodded and hugged him tighter. "You too, Draco."

A/N: And that is the end of Chapter Twenty Six!

I have been gone for so long. It feels good to update. Things have been hectic and I needed a break to sort my life together. College decisions  started to come out and I am happy to say that I got into a bunch of colleges including my top three so yay!

I am still waiting for three more but now that that is over, hopefully i can be a lot more active and update because I love writing this book and your comments only encourage me to do so.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas because I know I did. Here is to 2019!

Are you guys enjoying the books and series so far? I want to hear your honest opinion!

I am sorry if this chapter is crappy. I will edit it later but I wanted to put something out for you guys so apologies if it's not my best work.

So tell me what you guys thought of this chapter.

Any NEW Ships you like?

Any specific scenes you liked! Any conspiracies? I would love to hear them!

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

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Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May