Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I spent the night tossing and turning, thinking of everything my father had told me.

One thing that stuck with me was why Mathias would fall on his sword.

Did they not fight in their wolf form? I knew I would not have peace without an answer, so I planned to speak to my father in the morning before I left.

Sleep never came due to anxiety. I was anxious to see Nikolas the next day, and I was anxious to find out why my father said Mathias fell on his sword.

I needed to understand the battle because, based on my father’s accounts, Mathias seemed confused, and he was behaving as if they hadn’t spoken in a while.

I needed to be sure of certain things. I also wondered if Isabelle was in Snow with her child or if something terrible had happened that prevented her from returning to claim Forest over the past twenty-nine years.

I wondered what Nikolas would do if that should happen.

Would he hand over to Mathias’ heir, or would he insist and push back?

If I wasn’t in love with him, I wouldn’t have bothered, and it might have been a relief, but it didn’t feel like it.

Typically, Kings inherit the throne when they are Thirty-three years of age, so there was a possibility the heir was yet to come. Regardless, I knew I would have to give Nikolas the heads up on the matter when I could because speaking to him of my father in that context always triggered him.

No matter how he cared for me, his hatred and mistrust was deeply embedded, and his emotions could not be handled. It was something that I would have to discuss with him when the opportunity presented itself.

I would ask my father what happened that made Mathias fall on his sword and keep the information to myself. Then I would compare everything and present my understanding to Nikolas if he ever brings up the past. One thing I am sure of is that I won’t be able to tell Nikolas until he brings it up.

I heard movement in the early morning, and I knew my father was preparing for work. I knew my entire day would be messed up, and I might have to close early just to catch up on my sleep.

I rushed out of bed and went to the bathroom to rinse my mouth. I hurried to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and pack lunch for my father.

He came to the living room around the time that I had finished packing his lunch. “Good morning,” I said, plating his breakfast on the kitchen island so he could sit on the high stool and eat.

“Good morning, Princess. Did you sleep well?” he asked me, picking up his fork and admiring the content of his plate. This was my opportunity to ask him what had troubled me all night.

“I didn’t sleep at all. I stayed up wondering about what you told me last night,” I said, and he sighed and put down his fork. I think I had messed his appetite up.

sorry, Father,” I said quickly, and he

you want to know?” he asked, lifting his fork again, ready to eat.

on his sword? I assumed he would fight in his wolf form. Why with a sword?” I asked him,

my truth,” he said, and I picked up my fork to eat. I wasn’t hungry, but I knew watching him eat would

head to Woodland. We didn’t have much, and we didn’t have weapons either. So, we headed to the palace in multitude to tell the King we would leave Riverhead

but

us, he accused us of wanting to

what we were planning to do. The

have many Lycan warriors, and his army of werewolves was with me. Fighting in his wolf form would not

many wolves more quickly than

make him swift on his feet, so it became a sword fight,

he chose the only weapon to make it easy. A

underfunding of the army, so we had to rely partially on our wolves, but

we obtained some

were newly recruited, so they weren’t as skilled as the werewolves that had years of training. We were able to wipe them out

they would aim to kill, so

we just wanted to live in Woodland. I told

so he held on to his grudge, but there was a look of realisation in his eyes, and it haunted

he had lost the battle, and alphas had their pride. There were two things for him to do to keep his honour, run away or die. He chose to die, and when I refused to kill him. He

screamed and knelt by his body,

said you were coming for

wanted to usurp power. Someone told him we were

the sword out when Israel and Austin came to where we fought; I was about to tell them

to tell them it wasn’t like that, but they refused. They thought

to the entrance, where Isabelle was made to kneel while

her, but Mathia’s last words made me realise we had

only heir. The werewolves might kill them too. Mathias had already lost an heir once I could not let his bloodline end. So, I asked for

fought me for my decision, claiming that The Snow King would come for me and that

I did not care.