Novels by Layla Prese

CHAPTER 7 THE KINGDOM OF THE ETERNAL FLAMEI stepped forward into the heart of Astraeth, my kingdom, and for the first time in my life, the weight of destiny didn’t feel heavy, it felt alive Every step I took pulsed with energy, as though the stones beneath my feet recognized the blood flowing in my veins.Thousands of my people knelt. Not out of fear, but with reverence, awe, and hope. Their eyes glimmered with fire, light, and a strange magic I couldn’t yet fully name.I inhaled sharply. My voice felt alien, yet natural as it left my lips:“I am Lyra, heir of Astraeth, king of this land. Rise.”Slowly, as if waking from a long slumber, they did. A roar of unity, power, and devotion rose through the air. I swallowed. My chest throbbed, my hands tingled. Every fiber of my being screamed, this is where you belong.Lythera hovered beside me. “Your people have waited centuries. They will fight for you, die for you, and follow you without question—but first, they must learn *how* to wie

CHAPTER 6 THE FIVE KINGDOMS OF RUINThe darkness didn’t just whisper, it pulled me in.A cold wave slammed into my chest, dragging my breath out of me. For a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The world around me spun like a broken wheel. The ground beneath my feet vanished, and a violent wind whipped through my hair.ThenA hand grabbed my wrist.Warm. Firm. Alive.“Kael, stay with me!” the goddess’ voice snapped through the chaos.I blinked. Light tore through the darkness, and suddenly I was standing in a place that didn’t look real at all. The sky above me looked like it had been split between fire and storm. Half burned in red flames, half churned with black clouds and lightning.The goddess, Lythera, hovered beside me. Her silver eyes glowed with sadness and something sharper—fear.“Where… where are we?” I whispered.“This,” she said softly, “is the world your enemies want to create.”Before I could ask more, the ground rumbled. The sky cracked open.And then I saw the

CHAPTER 5 THE SPIRITS OF BLOOD AND VENGEANCEThe Crimson Empire spread before me like a wound in the world—red clouds swirling, towers smoldering, dragons circling like predators above the city. The Heart Ground beneath my feet pulsed with raw energy, reacting to my bloodline’s power. I could feel it thrumming through my veins, coiling like a serpent, ready to strike.Lyra hovered at my side, calm as ever. “Kael… focus. You are not just walking into battle. You are walking into history. Every move you make here will echo through the five kingdoms.” “I understand. But I need to see them. I need to know them.”Lyra’s silver eyes narrowed. “You will. But be careful. There is something you haven’t faced yet.”I tilted my head. “What?”Her gaze darkened. “The spirits that destroyed your bloodline. The ones who killed your parents, your grandfather. They linger in this empire. You must face them, or you will never be whole.”I froze. My chest tightened. My stomach turned over.All my life

CHAPTER 4 TRAINING OF FIRE, BLOOD, AND MAGICThe words still echoed in my chest like a drum. My heart hammered, but this time not from fear. From something stronger. Something alive in me that hadn’t existed before. Power. Raw, untamed, undeniable power. The Goddess had unlocked it—but it wasn’t enough. I could feel it simmering, itching to explode, to consume, to dominate.Lyra stepped closer, her hand brushing my arm. “Kael… calm down. You can’t let it overwhelm you. You need control.”Control? I snorted, though there was no humor in it. “Control? Lyra , I’ve just seen five kingdoms in chaos! I’ve just been told I have the blood of a demon, a dragon, and a sorcerer! I can’t control this—I barely survived controlling my own arms an hour ago!”She shook her head, but her eyes were steady. “You can. You’ve always had it. I just helped you see it. But raw power is useless if you can’t wield it. Come. You must train.”“Train where?” I asked. The throne room wasn’t built for this. The w

CHAPTER 3 THE GODDESS WHO OWNS MY FATEOne moment I was in the throne room, surrounded by the council and the elders who had just recognized me as heir. The next moment—everything exploded into a blinding white void. No floor. No sky. No sound. Just pure light ripping through my senses like fire.I staggered forward, clutching my chest.“What—what’s happening to me?” I shouted, my voice echoing like it was bouncing through ten different worlds.A voice answered from everywhere and nowhere at once.“Kael.”My name. Spoken with power so ancient it felt like the earth itself had whispered it.I spun around. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”The blinding light folded in on itself, compressing into the shape of a woman—tall, glowing, almost painfully beautiful. Her silver hair floated as if underwater. Her eyes were galaxies. Her skin shined like moonlight reflected on still water.She didn’t walk toward me.She glided.The Goddess.I knew instantly. My blood recognized her before my mind di

CHAPTER 2 THE WOMAN WHO KNEW MY POWEROne second I was staring at the glowing veins under my skin, the next a powerful shockwave burst from my chest like a bomb. The alley around me cracked, debris shot into the air, and the world bent as if space itself warped.I stumbled back, breath burning.“What—what’s happening to me?!”The woman stepped forward slowly, not scared at all. Her hood fell back a little, revealing sharp eyes—silver, bright, unreadable. “Adrian, listen to me. You need to calm your breath. Your magic is reacting to fear.”“Magic?” I shouted. “What magic? I don’t—”“Stop talking,” she commanded.Her voice hit me like a hand to the chest. Not physical—more like it touched something inside me.Even worse: I obeyed.She stepped close, raising one hand toward my shoulder. I jerked away instinctively.“Don’t touch me!”“If I don’t touch you,” she said calmly, “your power will rip this entire street apart. Probably half the city block too.”My heartbeat shook my ribs.She