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.

am sorry, Father,” I said quickly, and he

you want to know?” he asked, lifting his fork again, ready to eat. I studied him a bit and then decided to ask

assumed he would fight in his wolf form. Why with a sword?”

my truth,” he said, and I picked up

to 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 and go

no longer mingle with the Lycans, but to our surprise, Mathias was already coming for us with his

us, he accused us of wanting to attack

tell him what we

and his army of werewolves was with me. Fighting in his

to injure and kill many wolves

him swift on his feet, so it became

chose the only weapon to make

not have silver swords because of the underfunding of the army, so we had to rely

battle, but we obtained some swords

Lycans Mathais was using were newly recruited, so they weren’t as skilled as the werewolves that had years of training. We were

others. Some werewolves wanted to help me, but I knew they would aim to kill, so I ran towards the woods, knowing Mathias would follow to kill me because he believed I

to the woods, I pointed my sword at Mathias and pleaded with him to yield. I told him we did not want his kingdom, we just wanted to live in Woodland. I told him of

his grudge, but there was a look of realisation in his

keep his honour, run away or die. He chose to die, and when

by his body, weeping. His

They said you

to usurp power. Someone told him we were

out, a war had broken out, and he had to keep his honour. I pulled the sword out when Israel and Austin came to where we fought; I was about to tell them what happened when the others came and started hailing that

to tell them it wasn’t like that, but they refused. They thought I was just being modest. They

back to the entrance,

Mathia’s last words made me realise we

alive and might eliminate her and Mathais’ 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

Snow King would come for me and

I did not care.