“I love him!” Lucian exclaimed, his voice echoing in the dimly lit chamber, raw emotion spilling over. “And I’ll do anything to protect him!” With determination fueling each movement, he carefully packed his blood vials, ensuring their fragile glass would not shatter in the fray of travel. He swung the bag across his body and took a moment to steady himself against the cool stone of his window.

As he perched at the edge of the ledge, the sprawling expanse of Bloodhaven lay before him, a place he had called home but felt increasingly like a cage. He turned to Boris, his eyes filled with sorrow, but also fierce resolve. “I’m sorry, but I can never be the prince you want me to be—I can’t be the king my father was.”

Without waiting for a response, Lucian launched himself into the night. His body morphed, muscles shifting and reforming as he transformed into a bat, his wings unfurling wide and strong. He soared into the cool night air, leaving behind the confines of his old life, wings carrying him toward a destiny fraught with uncertainty.

As he crossed the border, a sense of liberation mingled with the weight of regret. The world beneath him changed rapidly, landscapes shifting from the familiar shadows of Bloodhaven to the unknown expanse that awaited him; Moonhallow. Lucian's heart raced in anticipation, but as he drew closer, dread tightened in his chest.

Moonhallow was in ruins.

The once vibrant enclave, known for its bustling energy and beauty, now lay in shambles, a ghost of its former self. Buildings crumbled into heaps of debris, and the air was thick with an unsettling silence that spoke of despair and loss. Panic surged through him. Had something happened to Rylan? Was he too late?

Lucian landed gently among the rubble, transforming back into his human form. Adrenaline coursed through him as he surveyed the devastation, his heart pounding angrily against his ribcage. Fear clawed at his throat as he remembered the stories of how the shadows had threatened Moonhallow—the very fears that had once kept him tethered to his royal duties.

“Rylan!” he called out, his voice trembling as it echoed against the hollow remnants of the town. He listened for a response, straining to hear anything amidst the overwhelming silence. The devastation was like a weight on his soul, dragging him down, and he took cautious steps through the debris, desperate to find any clue of where his friend might be.

Time seemed to stretch as he navigated through the wreckage, hope mingling with despair. With each corner turned, he envisioned the places they had shared laughter, the spots where secrets were spilled, and the very ground that was now coated with ash and desolation. “Please, let him be safe,” Lucian whispered to the wind, anguished thoughts swirling within him.

But with every passing moment, the reality of the situation began to sink in, gnawing at the edges of his determination. Lucian knew that confronting the aftermath would be only the beginning of a perilous journey—one whose outcomes he could not yet fathom. Yet with the call of his heart echoing in his mind, he pushed forward, ready to face whatever awaited him in the ruins of Moonhallow.

As I looked into your honey due eyes, I saw my future go up in flames and I gladly, happily, wantingly watched it burn.

You ignited the flame but I let it spread in my heart like a wildfire. In that moment I realized you would be my downfall, my undoing, the weight that finally made me shatter.

You were my forever happily ever after.

In my future I saw collage I saw work I saw tiring days I saw the predictable I saw smiles and laughter Then I saw you, then I saw life, then I saw my future transform into something more. I would watch my idea of a future burn into ashes…if only just for you because I didn't want my future anymore. I wanted our future.

Why did you make me stay You always said you were inlove You asked me to love you forever You made me promise

I stayed and you hated my presence I fell inlove and you throw it out I gave you my heart and soul and you burned it I kept my promise till this day I will forever love a ghost

I say a ghost because that’s what you became I never see you or touch you You talk because I’m a good distraction All I ever was to you was a distraction.

I remember the first glace I took of you You looked so angry and messy Gosh you were beautiful I knew you were going to bring me down But i had to have you

ADON

I never really thought of my own life much. I’m not selfless—or caring. It’s just that I never really thought I amounted to something, compared to other people. I was less than, and therefore unimportant.

And that was fine. But what was not fine was the avoidance.

I needed people, I craved people. I needed someone to hold onto, someone’s chest to bury my face in.

I wanted to be loved.

But in this life, some people love others more than they love you, and I was left and forgotten.

——

We went to a public beach one day, when I was twelve and had not yet met Jack, with some of my stepfather’s friends. They were all rich, of course, and all White. Though some had deep, rich tans that they so loved to have. My mother, light-skinned with long, curly hair, was chatting with the other wives, while my stepfather talked to his pals in low tones, chuckling when one told a joke that made no sense to me at the time.

There were no other kids except me and my sister, who at the time was six. She was small, baby fat still clinging to her legs and her cheeks, her she had a rosy hue on her skin.

She looked White, not even mixed. Was that why my stepfather didn’t touch her? Was that why I was the only one who was punished.

I stared at my dark skin, the sand grains standing out against the color.

Black.

White.

Was it because of this that I felt less then?

But then I thought of the people at my school who were even darker than me. The bullies, the people who ignored me, who cast me away. I felt less than them as well, so what really was the reason.

I continued thinking about it at the time and kept on destroying every sand castle my sister tried to create. It didn’t make me feel better to see her fuss and swat my dark hands away with her own pale ones. It wasn’t like I hated her; she didn’t do anything to me.

She just existed. She had no choice in the matter. She didn’t know what happened when she left the house with my mother for their trips.

She just was greater and I was smaller. Like those things we were taught in math.

ＳＩＳＴＥＲ　＞　ＭＥ

It was just the common way of the world, I supposed.

——

ＳＩＳＴＥＲ　＞　ＭＥ

ＳＴＥＰＦＡＴＨＥＲ　＞　ＭＥ

ＭＯＴＨＥＲ　＞　ＭＥ

ＣＬＡＳＳＭＡＴＥＳ　＞　ＭＥ

ＡＤＵＬＴＳ　＞　ＭＥ

Who wasn’t more than I was? Who didn’t overachieve me by plenty? My sister grew to be a lawyer. We don’t talk anymore. She is far, far away and I am here. With a man who loves control, a man who loves to be used, and a man who loves the taste of human flesh.

And I’m happy. I am cared for. I have attention. I have comfort. I have warmth.

Of course, I am still less.

ＬＯＶＥＲＳ　＞　ＭＥ

——

As I looked up into their eyes, I saw my future go up in flames. It didn’t matter what I wanted—though I would soon learn that I would get what I desired in the mean time—it was them. I could feel it.

Jack.

Holland.

Thomas.

I love them with every being of my soul. With every beat of my heart, I rotate around them like the Earth with the Sun. One would not be there without the other.

If I die with them. I will be pleased. My death is not important.

I repeat, once more:

ＡＤＯＮ　ＩＳ　ＬＥＳＳ　ＴＨＡＮ

【Adon…Adon isn’t easy. He may be even harder than Penny—or Treasure, even. (I’ll get to Treasure’s past soon.) First of all, I want to clarify that I am Black; it seems to bug people if you write about racism when your not that race. (FYI people can write about racism even if they aren’t the race they aren’t talking about, as long as they do it correct!)

Like, my love-hungry baby wants something, but still sees himself as a speck of dirt even after all of these years. I really want to change that, but I know if I give him an arc, the story wouldn’t be the same.

No one is getting redeemed in the Judges of Man series. People are going to die, people are going to get hurt, and no one is going to change. Their eyes may be opened, but they won’t change their ways. Sorry.

Anyways, imma come up with some new characters to write while the main cast is still on the run. I would ask for y’all to help me make a character—it would be nice—but I know not a bunch read these and the chances are low. (I’m stating what I think, anyway)

As always, sorry for the long notes and have a wonderful day/night. 💙】

As I looked into your eyes, I saw my future go up in flames

Chills run up my spine And tears fill my own eyes

You’re saying goodbye Without saying a word

You said forever but Forever has come and gone

You touch my shoulder And it lacks electricity

Our love is being sent to the graveyard

Everything I held out hope for- Buried and gone.

As I looked into your eyes, I could see my future go up in flames I know I shouldn't be thinking this way, but I'd let you ruin my life time and time again When I look into your eyes, I can feel the heat boil over my body, the dark brown in them bring a smile to my face I know what is on your mind when you look at me this way With that look, I am a player in your game A loud thunder rolls through the room, the small spark between us now ablaze Your hands grip hold of my neck, and I lose my breath And with those devilish eyes, I am brought to death

I loved your eyes you knew that All day I would stare into ur brown starry eyes In the sun they sparkled and had a hint of green in them It was fascinating to me how they always looked green or honey brown They were the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen Looking in ur eyes made me feel at home I felt safe But then the end when I told u it was over When I looked at u it was just dark When u started not being urself all I saw was red around ur pupils U consumed all that smoke and it turned u into someone different I saw my future go up in flames when I looked in ur eyes I know what I did in letting u go was best for me but I also couldn’t help but think about those brown starry eyes I once used to look at that made me safe

When I met you The first thing I noticed where your eyes As blue as the sky As deep as the ocean As beautiful as the moon The eyes that caught my eye That made me believe you where the one The one for me They showed me kindness They showed me love But when I saw your eyes I knew one thing As I looked into your eyes, I saw my future go up in flames Knowing you would leave Though those eyes where kind Though they where loving I know you would leave Those beautiful blue eyes Where the eyes that would once hurt me most

crash! the bowl once in my hand now shattered on the floor whack! a fist pounds my face once more so small so weak so tall so bleak my blurry vision trails up your body and reaches your face so cold so dark as i looked into your eyes, i saw my future go up in flames so much anger so much pain so much hurt you can’t contain so you punish me instead but i can’t let you do this any longer i have to be released so in the dead of night while your fast asleep i’ll kiss your head once more i’ll run and not look back for i deserve a life of peace not being held captive by the person who i once called home.