Novels by Lillington

Kael's eyes opened slowly as his head throbbed. A dull ache pulsed behind his eyes while warmth from the fireplace flickered weakly against his face. For a moment, he simply stared upward at the wooden ceiling above him, blinking slowly as memory struggled to return.“Roset!” he muttered. Kael shot upright too quickly. He winces as pain explodes through his skull.“Ypure alive? I was starting to worry I would be forced to give you a burial.” Liam’s voice rumbled somewhere nearby.Kael ignored him completely. “Roset..”He remembered her being dragged off by the guards and Lyra knocking him out before he could do anything. “She is gone.”Lyra’s answer came from the far side of the room. Kael turned sharply toward her.She sat near the window sharpening her sword beneath the dim orange glow of lanternlight like nothing had happened. That somehow made him angrier. “What do you mean gone?” he snapped.Lyra did not look up. “I mean the men took her.”Kael shoved himself fully to his f

Kael hated crowds.It was simply because the air smelled of roasted nuts, horse sweat, fresh bread, and too many people pressed together beneath narrow streets.Meadow’s market had all of that. Kael had never liked crowded places but now, he had a valid reason why he might hate them even more. What if someone recognises him? True he hasn't seen any picture of him being plastered anywhere in the small settlement but that doesn't mean travelers haven't.So he kept his cloth mask covering his nose and mouth. His hood stayed low as he followed behind Lyra through the busy marketplace, carrying two sacks of grain over his shoulder while trying not to stumble into merchants and wandering children.Lyra walked ahead of him. Her face remained hidden beneath the dark cloth mask wrapped around her mouth as well.“Why do we need grain?” he muttered beneath his breath.“Would you rather we starve?” Lyra had recently developed the habit of answering his questions with more questions. She realise

The grass still carried droplets of cold dew that soaked through Kael’s boots each time he ran past the training posts. His arms burned. His shoulders burned. Even his fingers ached.The two wooden buckets hanging from the pole across his shoulders sloshed dangerously as he jogged unevenly around the field.That alone felt like victory.A week ago he could barely take three steps without spilling half the water into the dirt. Now he could make almost two full laps before losing balance.Kael gritted his teeth as the buckets swayed again. “Steady… steady…”Water splashed over the rim anyway. From somewhere behind him, Liam’s voice thundered immediately.“I SAW THAT.”Kael nearly tripped. “It was one drop!”Liam tuts his teeth in disappointment. Kael muttered darkly beneath his breath and kept moving.The old man sat beneath the porch roof chewing loudly on dried fruit while sharpening a carving knife against his boot. Beside him rested the dreaded wooden plank he used for “instruction.

The air smelled of wet earth, chopped herbs, and smoke from the cooking fire outside Liam’s small home. And Kael was still cutting vegetables. Again.The knife struck the wooden board repeatedly, sounding like the beating of a drum with one stick. Carrots. Turnips. Onions. By the light, always onions. He’s been at it for days now! He might as well open his own shade in the market! Kael sat cross-legged beneath the shaded awning beside Liam’s hut, surrounded by baskets overflowing with vegetables. A mountain of chopped pieces already filled three wooden bowls near his knees.Sweat clung to the back of his neck and his fingers smelled permanently of onions now. Across the field, Lyra moved through combat drills with Liam. Or rather…she survived them.The old man stood barefoot in the grass holding nothing but his wooden plank while Lyra attacked him relentlessly with her sword.And somehow… He kept winning.“Too slow,” Liam barked.Lyra swung again. The plank cracked sharply against

Rain hammered softly against the towering windows of Astra academy, covering the entire place in thick dark clouds. It might as well reflect Ronan’s foul mood that morning Inside the upper halls, Ronan sat alone at the long oak table in his workspace, shoulders stiff beneath dark ceremonial robes as stacks of decrees surrounded him.Not only is he the head of the Astra academy, he was the supreme mage of the realm; the ultimate power in the realm. Ronan signed another parchment without reading half of it, the quill moved sharply across paper.His eyes burned from exhaustion; he had not slept properly in days. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw blood on stone.His father collapsing and Kael standing there like he'd done nothing wrong. The room smelled faintly of old parchment and candle smoke. Only one lantern remained lit now, casting long shadows across the walls lined with ancient books and relics.A knock sounded at the door but Ronan did not look up.“Enter.”The heavy door

A wooden bucket of freezing water crashed directly into Kael’s face.He shot upright with a strangled gasp, sputtering as water soaked through the thin blanket beneath him.“What in the…”“Sunrise passed already.”Master Liam stood in the doorway holding the empty bucket. The old man looked fully awake. Worse, he looked energetic.Kael wiped water from his eyes furiously. “You threw water on me!”Liam snorted. “You complain loudly for a man who wished to become stronger.”Kael looked around wildly. The small room smelled faintly of old wood and herbs. Sometime during the night, Lyra had apparently vanished because her sleeping mat sat empty near the far wall.“Where’s Lyra?”“Awake.” The old man said, "Something that appears difficult for you.” Liam shook his head and walked out of the room with a lousy house escaping his lips as he clears his throat. Half-awake and deeply offended by existence itself, Kael dragged himself outdoors into the cold mountain air.Mist rolled heavily acr

Karl did not tell her immediately.When he returned to the penthouse that evening, he found Anna already waiting in the same room he had last seen her in, seated by the window with the city stretched behind her.She wrapped her arms across her chest, her hair pulled out of its usual ponytail and flowing in the wind. God, she was beautiful. Why didn't he notice that before? Karl paused at the entrance.There was still a quiet heaviness in her expression, the residue of everything she had been forced through in the past forty-eight hours. Even with safety around her now, her body had not fully accepted that she was no longer in danger.Karl covered the distance between them.“Hey.” He said quitely. “You’re back,” she said simply.He nodded once, pulling a stop right next to her as she turned fully to face him.“I went to see my brother,” she said. “He’s stable. They told me he’ll be moved soon like you said.”Karl gave a slight nod. “Good.”For a moment, neither of them spoke. Karl wa

Karl stepped into Zach’s office without knocking.The space was exactly what one would expect from someone like Zach. Black. It was all black luke he was the devil's assistant or something. The only light was from the glass walls that overlooked the city. “There's only one person with that much audacity.” Zach said, his fingers continued moving across the keyboard. Karl closed the door behind him and walked further into the room.“We need to talk.”Zach leaned back in his chair, glancing over his shoulder before turning fully to face him.“That sounds serious,” Zach said, studying his expression. “What happened?”Karl didn’t sit. He remained standing near the edge of the desk. “I’m getting engaged,” he said.Zach blinked once. Then he let out a short laugh, shaking his head as if he had misheard.“I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re what?”“Engaged,” Karl repeated.Zach turned his chair completely now, one leg crossing over the other as he gave Karl his full attention.“To who?” he asked

The door had barely opened fully before Karl closed the distance between them.He had only a second to take in the state she was in; the damp strands of hair clinging to her face, the oversized coat hanging loosely over her shoulders, the way her hands trembled before she reached for him.Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt as though she needed something solid to hold onto, and then her arms wrapped around him tightly.Anna buried her face against his chest as the tears she'd been holding back escaped her. Her shoulders shook and the quiet sob that escaped her turned into something she couldn’t contain.“I…” Her voice failed before she could form anything coherent.Karl’s hand held her, his hands face buried in her hair. He didn't need to ask questions, the head of security had told him everything over text. Kar exhaled, he's so glad she's safe.“You’re safe,” he said quietly.Anna tightened her hold on him as if she needed to hear that more than anything else.“They came into

Anna had just finished rinsing the last of the dishes when the knock came.The sound made her pause mid-motion, her hands still submerged in the sink as water continued to run over her fingers.She turned her head slightly, listening. She wasn't expecting any visitors. Hell, she never got any visitors. Another knock followed, rattling the door on its hinges.Anna frowned, who the hell was it at this hour?! It was freaking late at night.She dried her hands slowly on a towel and walked toward the door. Her mind ran through the handful of people in her life who could show up at her place uninvited and she found none.“Who is it?” she asked, stopping just short of the handle.There was no response. Her fingers hovered over the lock for a moment before she leaned closer, pressing her ear slightly toward the door.Silence.Anna’s chest tightened, that's odd. She took a small step back, refusing to open the door until the person at the other end said something. “I said who is it?”Then th

Karl stood near the wide glass wall of his loft, his phone rested against his ear. It's been two days since he went to the hospital and he'd been restless ever since. Walking in to save Anna in a time like this seemed careless. She would ask questions. Not that he didn't have answers but lord, he didn't want to raise her suspicions any further. “I have already stationed two men outside the hospital,” Reed said from the other end of the call. “They will rotate in shifts to ensure her brother remains safe.”Karl’s gaze remained fixed on the glass, though his mind was elsewhere.“And Anna?” he asked.“She returned home earlier this evening,” Reed replied. “One of our men followed at a distance. She is inside. There have been no unusual movements in the area.”Karl exhaled quietly, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. He might not be able to jump in the way he wanted but this was reassuring enough. “Make sure it stays that way,” he said.“Of course, Mr Karl.” Reed assured

Melody moans echoed through the wall of the office. Caden's grip on his phone together as he watched melody, his own melody, wrapped in the arms of another man. Caden sat alone in his office with the blinds drawn halfway. The door had been locked from the inside for the past one hour, and his phone remained in his hands. The video had already replayed more times than he could count. His thumb hovered over the screen again before pressing play.It was the same thing he'd watched before; Melody was wrapped in Zach's arms like he was the only important thing in the world.Caden’s jaw tightened as his eyes remained fixed on the screen. He watched the moment she fell into the pool, the way Zach moved toward her, the way his hands wrapped around her. He watched the closeness that followed. The way she didn’t pull away, the way she smiled. His grip on the phone tightened unconsciously. Then came the part that made him mad. The kiss. Zach had kissed her and instead of pulling away, she h

Kelvin glances at the letter in his hands and back at Keith in disbelief.Laying on his table is a letter from the royal palace, requesting him to take up the position of King.Kelvin was a distant relative to the royal family, and it was almost like his lineage was never going to be king despite being related to the royal family..Keith glances up at Kelvin, he have been watching the young man for a while now, and he knew that this man was more than suitable for that position..“You want me to take over the position of the King? This is a huge responsibility! I don't think that I am…” “You are very vast in politics. You are kind hearted, I have tested you a thousand times in the past few months, and you have not failed one. You are just the right person for that seat..” Kelvin was visually surprised and a little bit doubtful..“I heard that the court wanted you to become king. Your father was King. It is only reasonable for you to ascend as one too..” Keith smiled. There's somethin

Warden,Ava and the Grandmaster were more than ready for what was about to go down. Amanda was going to be crowned queen and they won't let that happen!All they needed to do was to submit their evidences to the court, and she would be apprehended immediately.Unfortunately, Amanda doubled the security around the palace. No one is allowed in except she authorises it.The only way to get into the palace would be by using force, something the Grandmaster had visioned in the past!Ellinor was standing right next to Warden,she was going to take out her frustration, anger and pain on those bastards. Anyone who dares to stand in their way.She was going to be leading several men into the palace. The idea was to take down each and every guard within the palace walls, assuming everyone was on Amanda side. Despite the fact that she was just getting better, Rose wanted to be a part of this. They were the ones who had set her up with Jeff. It was only fair that she gets her own fair share of unl

“Your highness you can't make such drastic decisions! The King has just been laid to rest and we need the two Princes to complete the events! Then we can ordain our new king..” Amanda was sitting on the throne, facing the court members after hours had passed.Arthur was laid in his room and his funeral will be happening the next day. She didn't waste any more time to get things started.“I understand your fears but prince Keith is nowhere to be found. The guards have searched everywhere for him but no one can find him. He seem to have dropped from the surface of the earth. We can't and I repeat we can't leave the throne empty. We need to do what is right and needful at this minute.” “What are you suggesting that we do then? We just have to keep looking for the Prince and hope that he returns one day.” A member of the court replied.“How long do we hope to wait? Eternity? The young man has just lost his father. A man he met a few days back. I don't think that he will be in the right f

It was the day of the very last competition and Keith found himself a bit anxious..Today's competition was supposed to be the display of royal gifts. It is to show everyone that he is truly his father's son. He was also given the gifts bestowed to the royal family hy the Creator.Keith glances at Edward who was more than confident in his own abilities. He had seen what Edward looks like when he isn't full control of himself , he was nothing short of a monster…Keith was worried, chances are that Edward would go out of hand as a result of this so-call display..“The events has been going smoothly and we have come to the very last one. You would have to show everyone that you are truly your father's son and this is as a result of your absence…” “We believe that the two of you have remarkable abilities, you will be forced to put you both in a combat only then can we tell the strongest..” Edward smirks at this, it was almost like he had seen it coming from a million miles away..His exc

Keith stepped out briefly a smile on his face. He felt so alive and radiant with energy..The discussion he had with Ellinor was a beautiful one that yielded results! He had expected that talk to be a direct opposite of what eventually happened! He assured her that she was safe and her that secret was safe with him..Keith decided to walk around that early morning, trying to get as much sunlight soon as possible..‘You didn't win the competition yesterday.”He turned to see Hana, someone he least expected to see at the moment!She seems to be out for the sun as well but a rather disturbed look was on her face..“And why does matter if I win or not?” Keith asked in irritation.He decided to drop the act of playing nice, it was time for her to know that she was in the wrong..“But you seemed happy. Llike you won. am sure that you want to be king as much as Edward wants it too.” She pointed out.Keith tilts his head to the side, wondering where this conversation was going to lead to..H

Keith had a smile on his face, he won this round and his points seems to be looking up really good.The most important thing was the fact that Ellinor told him his family were safe like she promised.Nothing could make him anymore happier than that. To know that his family was safe and sound in the Jade temple.Ellinor was right next to him. She notice the radiant smile on his face, making her wonder if he wanted to go meet his family…“Are you going to stop by and say hello to them? Your mother, Agnes, asked of you and I told that that you were doing fine..”Keith was quiet, he didn't think about going to visit Agnes, neither did he expect her to ask about him.Agnes and Williams are every right to blame Emma's death on him. It was his duty to protect his sister but he failed horribly..To make matters worse, the person who had caused them pain happens to be someone related to him by blood!“As long as they are safe in the temple, I am fine. There's no need for me to go and visit them