#witchlings series

[authorclaribelortega]

Witchlings Book Three Title!!!

Book three will be called.......HOUSE OF ELEPHANTS!!!!!!!!!

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! 🐘🐘🐘

Coming October 2024 (sorry, sorry!!!)

[lady-embers]

"Hello Princeling"

"Hello Witchling"

🎨 Hachandraws

Dorian is the ultimate Shadow Daddy & Manon is 👸

Also, they remind me a bit of Azriel and Gwyn 💙

[im-a-writer--im-in-distress]

The Witchling (Part I)

Insert with: Ruhn Danaan

Reader: Female (she/her)

Words: 2100+

About: Ruhn and his girlfriend are having a rough night…

Warning(s): (spoilers for this story ahead) violent fighting, character death, near death, vampirism (TVD), werewolf bite (sorry, Ruhn)

A/N: Day Six of Ruhn Week 2024! The prompt is "Night". @ruhnweek New stories all week! So, y’all can blame @danikamariewrites for this post, because that’s what gave me this idea. I was at a loss for this day until I saw that (amazing!) post. So, yeah. @danikamariewrites your fault.😏 (I’m already working on a Part II. *cough cough*)

Ruhn sat on the edge of his desk at the Aux, phone pressed to his ear. "I’m so sorry I can’t be there to see you off."

Your laughter floated through the line, though it did little to ease his guilt. "Stop, it’s fine. The city needs you more than me. I can manage one night without some grand farewell."

He ran a hand through his hair. "You know I’m always here for you, right? Even when you’re out with your coven?”

"You worry too much, prince. We take care of each other.” Your heart tightened at the lie you told, your fingers tracing the edge of the blood bag hidden in your coat. “Plus, I have my own magic to protect me, remember?"

"I know, but…" He hesitated. I want to be with you. "I just hate the thought of you out there without me."

"I know," you whispered, showing your heart. "And I love that about you. But you have to trust me. I can handle myself."

"I do trust you, witchling. It’s just…” It’s dangerous. “I miss you."

Your breath hitched, the weight of your secret pressing down on you. "I miss you too, Ruhn. More than you know."

The silence between the two of you was thick, filled with half-spoken lies. You broke it first, your playful tone meant to mask the ache in your chest. "I’ll make it worth your wait."

Ruhn’s chuckle was warm as he joined in on your joke. "I’m gonna hold you to that.”

But the warmth fell flat even for himself. He knew these hunts were part of your culture, and because they were, he would never be invited to come along, but he didn't like you spending an overnight outside the city. Even if your coven was with you. “Be safe, okay?"

"Always," she replied. "I love you, Ruhn."

"I love you too, Y/N. Call me when you get back, please?"

You didn’t respond, but he heard your breathing change. “Y/N? What’s wrong?”

Ruhn heard the phone clatter to the ground, and other voices over the line. He called to you, but no one responded. Only the sound of shuffling and yelps of pain.

Your heart raced as you crouched low, shadows coiling around you like dark tendrils enveloping an egg. Your phone lay on the ground, Ruhn’s frantic voice faint in the stillness of the standoff. The creature that had knocked your phone out of your hand breathed heavily just out of sight. It stepped into the moonbeam, his eyes gleaming. It was a… human?

"Who are you?" you demanded. "What do you want?"

A hulking wolf-shifter stepped forward with a sneer. No, he was the one whose breathing you’d heard. "You’re trespassing, witch. This is our territory."

Your eyes narrowed. The Auxiliary had strict patrol zones, and you had been careful to avoid them. Sometimes that meant betraying other borders. "I'm not here for trouble. Just passing through."

"Passing through?" said another voice, dripping. An angel stepped into the dim light, his wings casting eerie shadows on the alley walls. "Looks like you’re doing more than just passing through."

Your hand closed on the empty blood bag in your pocket. “I don’t want any trouble,” you said.

But you were already in trouble. The shadows beyond these men rippled and half a dozen more of their pack stepped forward. It was a mixed pack, one developed by those exiled from their own; it was exactly the kind of unholy union your kind was meant to manage.

These packs always had something to prove. And you were their new target.

One of the shifters lunged at you, claws extended. You dodged, your body moving with heightened speed. It was fast enough to get away, but not as fast as you were capable of. Hunger gnawed at your insides, weakening you. You retaliated with a swift kick that sent the shifter sprawling back. His pack growled. They weren’t done.

"Come on, then," you said, summoning your shadow magic to envelop your attackers. Tendrils of darkness wrapped around their limbs. In your weakened state, though, the shadows couldn’t hold tight, and one by one, they broke free.

You didn’t have time to think about it. Another beast charged, jaws snapping. You sidestepped, slashing with a blade concealed in your sleeve, drawing blood. He howled, and you took a step back, your breath coming in ragged gasps. The angel watched, a cruel smile on his lips.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked in a genuine voice, then launched himself at you. You blocked and countered, but each movement was draining. The depleted blood in your veins was already a concern; without it, your strength would continue to wane.

A sharp pain exploded in your side as a shifter’s claws raked across your ribs. You staggered, barely avoiding a second blow. Your mind raced. You needed to escape. You couldn't die here, not like this. Not without seeing Ruhn again.

The angel laughed, his blade glinting as it slashed at you. You managed to land a punch that sent him reeling.

But it wasn’t enough.

Their pack of misfits surrounded you, eyes glowing. You felled one, then another, but they kept coming, relentless.

Each dodge you made, each strike you landed— They all stripped your energy, your weakened state making each step more and more unsteady. Your instincts were dulling, too, confirmed by the barrelling strike one of the shifters surprised you with. His big paws pinned you down as your blade skittered away across the pavement. His teeth bared down on you, inches from your face, when his nose caught a whiff. "You smell… different." He sniffed you again, and his pupils swelled with primal recognition. "Prey."

Your blood ran cold. They could scent your true nature. You were in over your head.

You didn’t have a choice. You let your true eyes show, glowing red in the dark. The wolf in him sneered, thrilled. But then, he faltered. Your eyes seared into his, and his body heated from the inside out. Panic threaded into his eyes. Then, he was crippling off of you, sharp cries falling out of him as his blood boiled.

You took the chance to scramble away. A heel landed on something with a crack. It was your phone, the cracked screen gone black. Ruhn… You’d forgotten about him. He’d heard all this?

"Interesting." The angel gleamed, sadistically delighted, as he stepped closer. "You're not just any witch, are you?"

“What gave me away?” You spat, pushing to your feet. The blood magic had faded from your eyes. But so had the energy you desperately needed.

The angel kicked your blade back across the pavement. It landed by your feet, but you didn’t dare take it. “Go on,” he said. “We’ll wait.

You eyed him, your muscles prepared to leap at any sign of movement, and kneeled to retrieve your blade. As soon as your fingers wrapped around it, the human—a Vanir, you realized—launched at you. He held two blades, and he wielded them well. You struggled to dodge, landing only one blow good enough to stun him. Your speed glitched behind him and you cracked his neck, letting the limp body fall.

You were breathing hard now, unable to catch your breath. This was it. You weren’t going to survive this fight. Now, you just needed to make your body as presentable as possible for when Ruhn inevitably found your corpse.

The angel hmph-ed in amusement. He stepped forward. “Let’s finish this.”

You launched at him, focusing your strength into your feet to stay balanced as you parried with each other. He was good, and tonight, you weren’t much better. Tonight, he was a worthy opponent for your last fight. He shoved you with his arm and you tripped, landing hard on your knees. “Stay down, witch.”

Pain and exhaustion threatened to overwhelm you. How could you fight when your own body was betraying you? You pushed to your feet. If this was your last, you were gonna make sure it was one hell of a fight.

Teeth sank deep into your shoulder and you cried out at the searing pain, the sound echoing in the narrow alley. Agony washed through your veins, frying every nerve ending in your body, and you collapsed under it. Terror struck you. A wolf bite. No…

‘Y/N!’ You heard your name on Ruhn’s voice crash in your mind, the first sign it was over. Your mental block had fractured and crumbled, and Ruhn knew it.

That only made this worse.

The angel laughed, a deep, haunting laugh. "Finish her," he ordered.

You lashed out, catching the angel off-guard. Your blade sliced the base of his wing, shaving feathers off to the quick. He stumbled back, cursing, but his pack was relentless. Claws and blades tore at you, your only defense to pull shadows around you like a shield. You could feel the venom spreading, your body—and your magic—growing weaker with each passing second.

One last desperate, crazy idea. Gathering the last drops of your strength and magic, you pulled the shadows tightly to ball at your chest. They resisted the tight compression, needing to be free, but you held tight, sweat and blood streaking down your skin. It took all your strength to hold them tight.

The angel towered over you, bright white under the moonlight. “Goodbye, witch,” he said, and daggered his blade down at you.

You released your hold and the shadows splintered from their confines, exploding in all directions. Their razor edges ripped through the last of your attackers. You saw the blurry image of angel wings fall to the ground as darkness overtook you.

The bullpen was in chaos, and it was all Ruhn’s fault. He had burst out of his office towards the boys when he heard the fighting on the other side of the line. He put it on speaker-phone and watched the men get white in the face.

Flynn and Ithan had wrestled with him, trying to calm him down, but the second the phone line went dead, Ruhn lost it. His roar of frustration and panic echoed through the building, silencing everyone. Flynn's grip on his arm tightened, and Ithan stepped in front of him, an attempt to calm him that didn’t do much.

"Dec, find her!" Ruhn snapped. Declan was already hunched over his station, fingers flying over the keyboard as he scanned security footage. "Check every damn camera near the gates!"

"She's with her coven, right?" Dec asked, but didn’t wait for an answer.

Ruhn's mind raced. He had to focus, had to think. Your mental block was up, and that was a good sign. It meant you were still conscious, still fighting. But it also meant he couldn't reach you, couldn't tell you he was coming. His chest tightened, helplessness crushing him.

Your agony sliced into Ruhn’s mind like a white-hot iron, the force of it physically knocking him to his knees. It was a raw, guttural sound like nothing he’d ever heard.

"Ruhn!" Flynn shouted, dropping to his side. "What's happening?"

"Y/N," Ruhn whispered, breath coming fast from the flash of your pain. You’d never spoken in his mind before. He couldn’t help the sick feeling that came with it this time. Flynn's face was a pale blur before him, eyes wide with alarm. Ithan dropped a hand on his shoulder.

"We’ll find her," Ithan said, his voice strong like he meant it. "She’ll be okay."

Ruhn nodded, swallowing hard. He forced himself to stand, unsteady on his limbs. "We need Hypaxia," he said, his voice raw. "She might know where Y/N is."

Flynn nodded, and Ithan pulled out his phone, dialing the witch-queen's number, and handed it to him. It felt like an eternity before she answered. "Where’s Aurora?" he barked. No time for pleasantries.

"Ruhn, what happened?"

"She's not with her coven, is she?"

"No," Hypaxia admitted, her voice soft. "She's alone."

Ruhn's fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles white. "Where is she?"

"I don't know, but she would've gone to her caches.” Hypaxia said. “I know where one is."

"Give me the address," he growled. He snapped his fingers at Flynn and he bolted over.

Hypaxia rattled off the address, and Ruhn relayed it to Declan, who immediately triangulated it on his screens. "I'll meet you there," Hypaxia added. "I have the key."

"Fine," Ruhn bit out, then gave Ithan his phone back. He turned to Flynn. "You're coming with me. Ithan, keep your phone hot. I'll send you another address if she's not there."

Flynn nodded, already pulling on his coat. Declan called out from his station, "I don't see anyone on the cameras."

"She's alone," Ruhn barked, his voice echoing through the bullpen. He didn't wait for a response, didn't look back as he darted out the door.

.

Part II Part III coming soon!

[jameyannefuller]

Hey friends! We've had a flurry of really excellent magical school books over the last five years or so that I have absolutely loved. I want to write a magical school story of my own soon, so I studied these books: what do they have in common? What are they doing differently from each other? How are they similar to older magical school books? How are they bringing a new twist to the subgenre?

Turns out I had a lot to say on the subject, and so I give you a blog post! Enjoy!

[vinelark]

ALL timkon recs I BEG

hello hi! here are some of my favs! it got long so putting some under the cut

💄 Lipstick on the glass by @cairoscene read for timkon being soft and goofy and disgustingly in love, set in vague future college-y years with amazing core four dynamics too. cair is one of the funniest people to ever exist and we are so blessed that they decided to write some timkon. (also read for my own greatest contribution to literature, the fictional “jerry the void nexus” meme)

🎢 been a number and a name by @wynterstars i had SO MUCH FUN reading this one, a 90s comics-divergent AU where robin and superboy become friends—and crushes—when superboy is pretty new on the scene. feat. lex luthor being terrible, tim staging a rescue operation that at one point involves platform shoes and a blonde wig, spice girls references, and fantastic action sequences. it’s also a series, with an installment focusing on kon & clark, and a currently updating longfic sequel with SO MANY timkon identity shenanigans (my beloved) and kon feelings (also my beloved).

📸 the surveillance series by @smilebackwards i feel like i rec this all the time but it’s because it’s THAT GOOD. a tim-centric AU where tim joins the family late, but is still involved in bat business without the bats realizing. there’s some fun timkon identity shenanigans at the top, and some of my all-time favorite tim characterization (ruthless! lonely! brilliant!) plus a great tim & bruce arc, too.

🦉 Detours by miyaji_08 this is part 2 of a series and i def recommend reading the whole thing! a reverse robins + joker jr au that has lots of trauma and lots of healing, and in part 2 there’s timkon identity shenanigans that’s simultaneously enemies to lovers + And They Were Roommates. tim sure does run a gauntlet of horrors in this series, but it has so much healing and also one of my fav reverse robins concepts i’ve read so far.

📱 unfurl by @burins tim and kon might be dating, and there’s no kryptonian sex ed handy. bruce, being bruce, makes it his business, which means talking to clark and Realizing some things about his own feelings. superbat are billed first here, but i think timkon steal the show—i laughed out loud like five different times reading this. hilarious and sweet on all sides. (and if you like this, check out their timkon road trip fic!)

🌾 A Saturday Evening by malcyon in which tim visits the kent farm for family dinner with kon, feat. very sweet established relationship timkon and fun superfamily dynamics, and it touches on tim’s past grief over kon’s death (and complicated feelings post-undeath).

🤼‍♂️ Sore Loser by @hearteyeshayley kon learns that tim always let him win while sparring, and has to process that. this was such a fun exploration of tim’s prowess as a fighter—one who regularly has to go up against superpowered friends and foes alike—and also tim as a person who is always doing mental calculations about the people around him (in an endearing way). kon, too, got his time to shine and grow, and the ending was so smart and sweet.

🔮 Ascension by Violet_Witch an AU longfic where tim is a witchling and kon is a fallen angel who has (oops) just lost his wings. tim sets out to help get kon’s wings back, and there’s a ticking clock because angel wings are dangerous in the wrong hands—and tim has a big, horrible secret that’s about to come due. the plot/worldbuilding of this was WILDLY cool, and there was a big ol misunderstanding in the middle that had me clawing my face off (in a good way).

🌌 straight on ’til morning by merils kon vs. the terrifying ordeal of growing up, feat. sweet friends-to-lovers timkon and really thoughtful exploration of some of kon’s canon past relationships and their abusive dynamics. i haven’t finished this one yet but it’s been rec’d multiple times and i’m excited to dive back in (and it's recently complete!)—and what i have read so far gave me an amazing sequence of kon and dick interacting and dick’s big brother mode activating in an instant, which is something i now desperately need more of.

📧 aaaand would it even be a reclist by me if i didn’t include send to all by @cairoscene the absolute moment i find myself feeling down i go reread this and boom. i am instantly laughing again. timkon are just one part of a bat grab-bag here but they are so so funny and cute and in-character. maybe one day i’ll compile the timkon-centric sequel that exists in my head but for now i’ll just go reread this for the zillionth time.

okay yeah!! i’m probably missing so many good fics here because i constantly have like a zillion tabs open that i plan to read someday. also i reserve the right to reblog later like OH I FORGOT— but in the meanwhile, happy timkon reading!

[moonlightazriel]

Chapter 5: Revelations /// Azriel X F!Reader

Summary: A new discovery leaves her astonished and face to face with an old enemy.

Word Count: 2,7K

Warnings: Blood, mentions of fight and angst.

Notes: King Ridderak making his first cameo in this series hahahaha

Main Masterlist

Worlds Apart Masterlist

Her heart loudly cracked in her chest as she watched him from afar, her fists banging against the glass cage. She screamed, begging him to not go with the female covered in shadows, her hands dragging him away from her. Her safe heaven had turned into a nightmare. 

She sat against the cold floor, her naked body shivering as all of her insecurities started to bubble to the surface, bare for his judgmental eyes to see. His eyes took her in, every inch of uncovered skin, every scar, from the big marks on her back, to the small cuts on her arms and legs. 

Blue coated her cheeks as blood concentrated on her face, making her hide her face in embarrassment. Laughter sounded from around her, and as she peeked, everyone she knew stood there, judging, mocking, criticising. She shut her eyes close as Asterin's disappointed glare burned holes in her soul. Disappointed in what she had become. 

Tears streamed down her face, burning their way down. It was so hard to breathe, and she felt like the walls were closing on her, crushing her against their confinement. From a thousand miles away from her, the female kept dragging him away. She opened her mouth but nothing came, not a single word, just broken sobs. 

Someone knocked on the glass. Long dark hair, green eyes, that big smile turned into a cruel smirk as he moved his head from one side to another in disapproval. Ruvyn lowered his body until he was face to face with her. 

“You really thought you deserved love? You’re a fucking filthy bitch, you deserve to die alone.” His voice reverberated through the glass cage and she turned her head, looking for him once again. He was almost gone when the words finally left her lips.

“Azriel!” She yelled. “Please don’t leave me alone.” 

A thunder shook the room and she woke up startled. Rubbing the remaining tears of her face, she kicked the covers, taking a quick shower, her riding leathers secured in place. She marched down the house, ignoring the happy chatter. She just wanted to be gone. 

Meraxes was as agitated as she felt, frantically moving until she rested her head against his nose, trying to calm him down. He lowered his leg, and she climbed, adjusting her body on the saddle and eagering him towards the sky.

Thunders ripped the skies, rain pelted against her body making her shiver in her seat. Velaris was getting far away, she aimed for the mountains, wanting to get as alone as possible. Tears mixed with rain drops as glimpses of her dream filled her head. 

She screamed in anger. How was it possible that even after so many years he still had the power to mess with her head? Make her feel small like a little witchling. She hated him, and she hoped he was rotting in the underworld, he didn’t deserve to be claimed by the Darkness. 

Meraxes landed, heart beating in synchrony with hers, afraid she would do something crazy from up there, if the wild emotions emanating from her were any indications of it. She hit her hands against his sides, telling him to move again but he stood his ground, not moving a muscle.

“Great.” She growled, removing the belt that kept her on it. Sliding down his leg and pacing around like a madwoman. 

She still had another thing to face, despite her best efforts to make it seem that it wasn’t that big of a deal. She was finally able to name the winged male that plagued her dreams for years. 

Azriel.

The name echoed on her head and she clenched her fists, as if she wasn’t already in deep shit. She sat by Meraxes feet, petting his nose as he rested his head by her side. She felt all that shame once again as she remembered how disgusted he looked at her. He had never looked at her like that before, maybe something changed now that he finally saw her in person. 

She wondered if he dreamed of her too, if he knew who she was. He had said to be patient if he didn’t remember her at first, what did it even mean? She wanted to confront him, but she didn’t want to look like she was crazy in case he didn’t share the same dreams. She wouldn’t embarrass herself further. 

Once again she found herself contemplating the big question: What the fuck she would do?

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 

“Do you think she was alright?” Nesta wondered, still looking at where Y/N had stormed, like the thunderstorm outside. 

“Why do you care?” Elain asked, her bored gaze fixed on her sister, everyone seemed to care a lot about that female lately. 

“She’s a guest in my house, I'm just concerned.” She replied, but deep down, she was worried because she knew that broken expression and empty eyes like the palm of her hand. The same expression she had for months after the events with Hybern, the same feelings she fought so hard to never feel again. 

“Talking about guests, would you let Lucien stay here?” Feyre asked, holding Nyx against her chest as she fed the baby. “I don’t think he’ll want to stay at the River House.” She subtly nodded towards Elain.

“Yeah, he’s welcome to stay here too.” Nesta agreed. Lucien wasn’t that bad after all. 

“I still don’t know why he’s coming, I don't want him here.” The middle Archeron protested, making Feyre roll her eyes. 

“Lucien is a member of this court and a dear friend of mine, he has the right to be here whether you want it or not.” Feyre spoke gently, despite this conversation making her exhausted, whenever Lucien was invited Elain would act like that, just to sit seething with anger whenever he interacted with another female. 

“Alright, I'm sorry.” She said, biting a cookie. She felt anxiety curse through her body at the thought of seeing Lucien again, it’s been a few months since she last saw him, she wondered if he was doing alright. 

The doors bursted open, water pooled at her feet, a black liquid coated her clothes and her face. She was holding a decapitated head, Elain and Feyre felt their stomachs twisting at the sight and the horrible smell that covered both her and the head.

“We have a problem.” 

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 

Meraxes’ head lifted from the ground, she wasn’t sure how much time had passed, the tears had stopped and all she felt was a heaviness on her chest, making it hard to breath as usual. She heard the low growl from the wyvern, his eyes squinted as he felt something approaching.

She quickly got up, hands grabbing the handle of Godslayer, placing the sword in front of her and whatever was approaching. The smell that hit her nose made her stomach churn, bile rose on her throat and she had to prevent herself from throwing up.

Bells rang in her mind, the smell wasn’t unknown to her, and despite her better judgement, she took a deep breath, welcoming the scent inside her lungs, making a bitter taste fill her mouth. 

The form that ran towards her wasn’t unknown either, a body covered in greyish skin, not a single hair in it, long arms and legs, vaguely reminiscent of a human in height, huge claws and a big mouth filled with pointy teeth ready to devour her flesh. His legs looked like one of hinds, almost quadrupedal.  

She roamed around in her mind for the right name, a creature that was summoned and guaranteed the powers from its victims to the summoner. Its slit-like nose sniffled the air and that mouth opened in a horrific grin.

Ridderak, that’s what this thing was, she was warned about them, those bloodthirst fuckers. She didn’t know if that thing was meant for her, but she wouldn’t give it the chance to find its target. 

He lunged for her, claws digging the soil as he ran like a dog towards her, jumping away from the venom in Meraxes tail as he swung it in its direction. The Ridderak ran on two legs again, dodging the wyvern’s attempts to stop him. 

Y/N waited for it, jumping out of the way as it lunged for her, its huge claws ripping the ground where she stood just mere seconds ago. She swung her swords, cutting the skin, black putrid blood poured from the cut. 

She cursed when at light speed, the monster turned around, its venomous teeth missing the skin of her arm by just a few inches. She had to avoid them at all costs, she didn’t know if they had their Yrene here, and she wouldn’t risk getting poised by something they couldn’t cure. She refused to die here, for that thing. 

Meraxes moved around them, trying to land a hit on the Ridderak while she tried to avoid his claws. He lunged for her again, and she descended her sword, the blade slicing its arm, she forced the weapon down, watching as it screeched in agony, the hand hanging by just a tiny patch of skin. 

Its other hand found the skin of her side, on a superficial cut through her leathers and her ribs. She sucked in a breath, pain erupting from the gash, her head getting slightly dizzy, but thankfully its claws weren’t poisoned too. 

She moved her body away from it, feeling the deeper claw get out of her inch by painful inch. Warm blood started to run down her side, she rolled her eyes. Those were her only pair of leathers in this damn place.

The Ridderak wrapped a hand around her cloak, pulling her harshly to the side, her knees failed and she fell, her head hitting the ground with full force, knocking the air out of her lungs. She barely had time to process before the thing tried to bite at her face, her sword had flown out of her reach, she cursed. She opened her hands, her claws projecting out of their confinement and she aimed for the heart.

The feeling of her nails piercing the tight skin could only be described as disgusting. She wrapped her hand around the beating heart, pulling it out with all her strength. Black blood splashed across her face, so sticky that even the heavy rain couldn’t wash it all off. 

She pushed that damned thing away, its body falling limply in the ground. She grabbed her sword, removing its head just to be sure it wouldn’t come back to life again. She frowned as the adrenaline faded and that horrible smell started to stand out. 

She wrapped her cloak around the wound to stop the bleeding. Meraxes lowered until she could climb, gritting her teeth as more pain erupted from the wound. She adjusted the belt and placed the head on her lap. Meraxes grabbed the body in between his claws and they flew back to the House of Wind. 

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆ 

“Are you hurt?” Nesta asked. They had placed the head on top of the table and suggested that she could take a bath, to which she didn’t disagree. 

“Just a bit.” She said, removing the cloak and opening her leathers. Nesta watched as she revealed the wound, four slashes across her ribs, one deeper than the others.

“I would hardly call that a bit, I'm getting you a healer.” The Archeron said, leaving the witch alone so she could shower. 

It hurted like a bitch when the water and later soap hit the wound, but she had to deep clean if she wanted to get rid of an infection. The shower was longer than she had wanted, but no matter how much she had cleaned herself, she kept feeling just as dirty. 

After her skin was pink and raw, she had left, she had a few bruises here and there but the worst was the ribs. She opted for a pair of leggings and a loose shirt with no bra underneath, to avoid pressure on it. 

Someone knocked on her door, she allowed them in. Nesta entered followed by an older female, she had kind brown eyes and a gentle smile. She reminded her of Hafiza, the latter always being so nice to her, she enjoyed having tea with her whenever she had to go to the Tower of Dawn. 

“This is Madja.” Nesta introduced her. “And this is Y/N.”

“It’s really nice to meet you.” Y/N started. “But I'm fine.” She moved, wincing in pain. 

“That’s what I'm going to see.” She turned to Nesta, silently asking for privacy. The female nodded and left the room. Madja pointed toward the bed. “Lady Nesta told me you have quite a wound in your ribs, please lay down and remove your shirt.”

Y/N did as she was told, laying on her side with an arm around her breasts and the other above her head to give the healer full access. The female started to inspect and hum as she worked. 

“It should be closing by now, do you know if what hit you was poisoned with ash?” Y/n looked at her.

“I’m not quite like your other friends, I heal like a human.” Madja’s eyes sparked with curiosity. “Usually I give some stitches and get some tonics for pain and to try and accelerate the healing.” 

“You have experience in healing?” The female inquired, hands roaming through her things until she pulled a string and a needle. 

“I learned a few things with the best healers we have.” Madja prepared her things, and Y/N closed her eyes as she started to stitch her back up. “You remind me of one of them, she had the same kind eyes and she was so skilled.” 

“She sounded like a great person.”

“She was.” She breathed, Madja’s quick fingers working through each slice until everything was done.

“I’m going to wrap you up and I need to check you in a few days to see how you’re progressing.” She grabbed white bandage and motioned for her to sit, Y/N sat with her arms up as the healer wrapped her around her torso. 

“Thank you, it feels much better already.” The woman turned to her.

“Do not forget your appointment.” She warned and Y/N smiled at her.

“I won’t.” The female opened the door, and Y/N followed her to the living room, where everyone gathered on the couches, waiting for them apparently.

“Thank you for taking care of her, Madja.” Rhysand spoke, shaking her hands, the female nodded, and Morrigan approached her to take her back, she supposed. 

“I assume we need to talk.” She sat on a lonely chair. All eyes turned to her, she hated the attention but she swallowed past the lump on her throat and started. “I was out for a ride with Meraxes, he felt it first, but I saw it coming too. I refused to believe at first cuz I thought the nightmare was over, but it was a Ridderak.”

“A what?” Azriel’s voice sounded and she turned her eyes to him, his hazel ones fixed on her, in a flesh disgust coated his features and she was back trapped on that cage looking as he left her there alone with her demons.

“It’s a Valg demon who can be summoned. It needs the victim’s blood to be summoned, and it will hunt it and kill, the sacrifice guarantees the power of the deceased to the summoner.” The air in the room was heavy with worry.

“How is that thing here?” Rhysand spoke, his eyes wide.

“I don’t know, they just don’t appear out of nowhere, someone has to call them. Someone that knows how.” Everyone groaned.

“Why do I feel that we won’t like what you’re going to say next?” Nesta rubbed her temples.

“Because the only people i know that have summoned Ridderaks were possessed by Valgs.” More surprised gasps.

“Does this mean that we’re dealing with Valgs here?” Cassian inquired.

“Precisely. We just need to find who summoned them and kill them.” She concluded.

“And where do we find it?” Feyre spoke, nestling Nyx protectively against her.

“I have no idea, but I would be glad to help.” Another voice spoke and her gaze was dragged towards a male dressed in a green tunic, hair in a low bun with some loose braids, russet eye and a yellow mechanic eye, a scar marred his face. 

“Lucien!” Feyre greeted the male.

⋆˙⟡☾𖤓☽ ⟡˙⋆

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[beanie-beebo-writes]

Harsh awakenings

Pairing: Hunter x Gender neutral!reader

A/N: There are a huge lack of fics where Hunter comforts the reader. As a creator, I felt it was my duty to fulfill that. We need comfort too!

TW: Light gore, pursuit

-----------

It was dark. You were cold and wet. That was the first thing you registered. There was a dim light not far from you, it appeared to be a streetlight. Your body felt fatigued. You forced yourself to practically crawl towards it.

A flash of grey darted in your peripherals in the forest beside you. You froze and slowly looked over. Nothing was there.

But something felt incredibly wrong.

You couldn't shake the feeling as you finally stood under the streetlight. It illuminated you like a spotlight. You shivered. You weren't sure if it was from the cold, or fear. You were just grateful for the light.

"All by your lonesome?" A voice growled menacingly in your left ear.

You gasped and turned towards the threat. There was nothing there. You panted and furrowed your brows in confusion. You heard a twig snap in front of you. You turned blindly to the noise. The cracks got louder. The earth seemed to shake. A pair of red eyes glowed from the brush.

You froze.

A figure emerged from the forest. But it wasn't someone to fear. It was Hunter. You felt confused with mixed emotions but lightened up. Something still felt wrong.

"Hunter.." You said in relief.

He slowly but silently walked towards you. A chill ran up your spine. Why did this feel wrong.

"..Hunter?" You asked uncertainly.

"If that's what you want to call me, sure." His voice became garbled with another familiar voice you couldn't quite place.

It felt cold and lifeless. Your adrenaline started kicking in. But you couldn't move. He appeared into the light that cast upon you. His skin was all slashed and his check was mangled with a black goo. Your eyes widened in both shock, worry, and fear.

"What, cat got your tongue?" He chuckled darkly.

Your heart was pounding in your ears, tears threatened to spill as you saw the one you loved mangled in front of you. What could you even say?

"No matter, it'll be easier this way." He said.

"What?" You squeaked out.

"Don't you know? You're next on the list.." He said in an almost sing-song voice.

"List? ..What list?" You sputtered.

"What is this, Taxi Driver? Yes witchling, you're chosen."

"Chosen for what?"

"Me."

His limbs elongated with a series of sickening cracks, antlers sprouting from his head as he roared loudly. His form turned into a mangled mixed of Hunter and Belos' true form you both had fought off not long ago. Your legs finally found the will to move again. You ran. Harder and faster than you ever have in your life. Your feet hurt as you hit the pavement rhythmically.

You heard a series of crashes behind you before a blur of black jumped in front of you. He slowly inched towards you as you began to back away slowly.

"You can't run from me, (Y/N). I'll always be here. Lurking, from the shadows." Belos growled, Hunter's voice mostly drowned out.

"Hunter, please!" You cried out, tripping on your own feet to the asphalt below.

His face turned back to the boy you loved, mockingly. "Hunter is no more." He said cooly.

He moved to strike with one of his giant claws, you shielded your face and scrunched your eyes shut before hearing his voice again.

"(Y/N), (Y/N)!" Hunter said worriedly.

You opened your eyes to your bedroom, panting in the dimly lit room. You registered something touching your face, you jerked away instinctively, still cloudy from before.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay. It was just a nightmare." You heard Hunter say beside you.

His voice made you whip your head tearfully. He was okay. You stared at him taking in every feature, even in the dark. Your face was wet with tears, you wiped them as you furrowed your brow, looking down at his hands. His normal, scarred hands. You swallowed roughly in between gasping breaths and blinked. Looking back at him and around your shared bedroom, you realized he was right. It was just a bad dream. A horrible, bad dream. It wasn't real.

You practically cried in relief, rushing into his arms.

"Oh thank god." You cried softly.

Hunter was taken aback by the sudden rush of movement, but rubbed circles into your back and lightly shushing you.

"It's alright, you're safe. You're safe." He reassured softly.

You weren't sure how long you held him for. You didn't care. He was here and he was okay, and you didn't want to let him out of your sight. You began to calm down after a bit, despite your shuddering breaths and hiccups. Hunter put a hand in the back of your hair and gently pulled you from him for a moment so he could look into your eyes.

"You okay?" He asked, thumbing his hand through your locks.

"I... I think so." You said shakily, sniffling and wiping one of your eyes.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked, wiping the other side of your face gently with your other hand.

You leaned into his touch and shrugged. He caressed your cheek and kissed your forehead.

"You don't have to if that'll make you uncomfortable. Here, lay back down with me." Hunter said, gently guiding you down with him.

You nestled into his side and he held you. You both stayed this way for a few minutes before you began to open up.

"You weren't... you." You croaked.

You felt Hunter stiffen at this, you looked up at him and saw worry etched into his face. You continued.

"You were... that

A flash of grey darted in your peripherals in the forest beside you. You froze and slowly looked over. Nothing was there.

But something felt incredibly wrong.

You couldn't shake the feeling as you finally stood under the streetlight. It illuminated you like a spotlight. You shivered. You weren't sure if it was from the cold, or fear. You were just grateful for the light.

"All by your lonesome?" A voice growled menacingly in your left ear.

You gasped and turned towards the threat. There was nothing there. You panted and furrowed your brows in confusion. You heard a twig snap in front of you. You turned blindly to the noise. The cracks got louder. The earth seemed to shake. A pair of red eyes glowed from the brush.

You froze.

A figure emerged from the forest. But it wasn't someone to fear. It was Hunter. You felt confused with mixed emotions but lightened up. Something still felt wrong.

"Hunter.." You said in relief.

He slowly but silently walked towards you. A chill ran up your spine. Why did this feel wrong.

"..Hunter?" You asked uncertainly.

"If that's what you want to call me, sure." His voice became garbled with another familiar voice you couldn't quite place.

It felt cold and lifeless. Your adrenaline started kicking in. But you couldn't move. He appeared into the light that cast upon you. His skin was all slashed and his cheek was mangled in with a black goo. Your eyes widened in both shock, worry, and fear.

"What, cat got your tongue?" He chuckled darkly.

Your heart was pounding in your ears, tears threatened to spill as you saw the one you loved mangled in front of you. What could you even say?

"No matter, it'll be easier this way." He said.

"What?" You squeaked out.

"Don't you know? You're next on the list.." He said in an almost sing-song voice.

"List? ..What list?" You sputtered.

"What is this, Taxi Driver? Yes witching. You're chosen."

"Chosen for what?"

"Me."

His limbs elongated with a series of sickening cracks, antlers sprouting from his head as he roared loudly. His form turned into a mangled mixed of Hunter and Belos' true form you both had fought off not long ago. Your legs finally found the will to move again. You ran. Harder and faster than you ever have in your life. Your feet hurt as you hit the pavement rhythmically.

You heard crashes behind you before a blur of black jumped in front of you. He slowly inched towards you as you began to back away slowly.

"You can't run from me, (Y/N). I'll always be here. Lurking, from the shadows." Belos growled, Hunter's voice mostly drowned out.

"Hunter please!" You cried out, tripping on your own feet to the asphalt below.

His face turned back to the boy you loved, mockingly. "Hunter is no more." He said cooly.

He moved to strike with one of his giant claws, you shielded your face and scrunched your eyes shut before hearing his voice again.

"(Y/N), (Y/N)!" He said worriedly.

You opened your eyes to your bedroom, panting in the dimly lit room. You registered something touching your face, you jerked away instinctively, still cloudy from before.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay. It was just a nightmare." You heard Hunter say neside you.

His voice made you whip your head tearfully. He was okay. You stared at him, taking in every feature even in the dark. Your face was wet with tears, you wiped them as you furrowed your brow, looking down at his hands. His normal, scarred hands. You swallowed roughly in between gasping breaths and blinked. Looking back at him and around your shared bedroom, you realized he was right. It was just a bad dream. A horrible, bad dream. It wasn't real.

You practically cried in relief, rushing into his arms.

"Oh thank god." You cried softly.

Hunter was taken aback by the sudden rush of movement, but rubbed circles into your back and lightly shushing you.

"It's alright, you're safe. You're safe." He reassured softly.

You weren't sure how long you held him for. You didn't care. He was here and he was okay, and you didn't want to let him out of your sight. You began to calm down after a bit, despite your shuddering breaths and hiccups. Hunter put a hand in the back of your hair and gently pulled you from him for a moment so he could look into your eyes.

"You okay?" He asked, thumbing his hand through your locks.

"I.... I think so." You said shakily, sniffling and wiping one of your eyes.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked, wiping the other side of your face gently with your other hand.

You leaned into his touch and shrugged. He caressed your cheek and kissed your forehead.

"You don't have to if that'll make you uncomfortable. Here, lay back down with me." Hunter said, gently guiding you down with him.

You nestled into his side and he held you. You both stayed this way for a few minutes before you began to open up.

"You weren't... you." You croaked.

You felt Hunter stiffen at this, you looked up at him and saw worry etched into his face. You continued.

"You.. you were that monster again. You wanted me... you said I was chosen." You said shakily.

Hunter waited a moment before speaking.

"I'll never let anything like that happen again, you hear me? Even if it's my dying wish-"

You rushed to grab his cheeks, tears forming again.

"Don't say that! Not after.." You looked away for a moment in vulnerability.

Hunter furrowed his brows guiltily and gently guided your gaze back to him

"I know. Sorry. What I mean is it'll never happen again, ever. Belos is dead." He said gently.

He shuddered at the name but pressed on.

"You will never have to see his eyes again. You will never have to witness him... taking over my body like that. Ever. Again."

You looked at him, still teary-eyed but now for a whole different reason. Relief. He was free, you all were. You never had to be at the hands of his woes until the end of time.

You rushed to kiss him as your cheeks became wet again. It was a firm but loving, brief kiss. He slightly returned it before you broke away, staring at him with your glistening eyes.

"I never want you to leave me. Ever." You said with a wobbly tone.

"I promise, I won't." He said.

He leaned in and kissed you, you exhaled and practically melted into him. He was the one to break it this time. Again, Hunter gently guided the both of you back down, his hands not leaving your side. You continued to gaze up at him, as if he would suddenly disappear. Hunter smiled warmly and kissed your nose.

"Go back to sleep, okay? We can talk more in the morning." He said.

Despite not feeling tired, you yawned on cue, rubbing your burning eyes. This made Hunter chuckle. He began to play with your hair just the way you liked it. He hummed softly, his voice as always having that magical effect on you. You felt yourself slowly relax into him, your heart full of love. You felt a tinge of blush dust your cheeks and silently thanked whoever that it was too dark to see. Your eyes slowly threatened to close, Hunter's steady humming sensing you off into a warm, peaceful bliss.

When you finally drifted off, Hunter kissed your hairline and positioned himself to be comfortable with his arms around you. You steady breaths lulling him also to the realm of dreams.

[hunny-beann]

Desiderium II

Loki Laufeyson x f!Reader

<- Part I

Note: Thank you so much to everyone who left such kind feedback on the first part of this series! <3

Warnings: A little bit of angst, mentions of death/disappearances, a crazy amount of pining

Word Count: 6,170

It had all started well over one thousand years ago, when you and the now so well known god of mischief were but babes at the mercy of the wild world around you.

You, the daughter of a powerful and well sought after witch named Karliah and an experienced healer named Tal, born and raised for eight years within the woods of Asgard until destiny laid herself bare before you and stole you away.

A witchling by blood, and a strong one at that, your parents had brought you up with grace and dignity in mind, each passing day a new lesson, and each moment spent a gift, though one that sadly ended up being in low reserve.

Eight blessed years of life spent with two loving parents, before it was traded for a still well-loved, but slightly more lonely life with your aunt, whose adoration did not make up for your sorrows, but did keep you from going down the wrong path upon your loss.

'Abandoned' they had called you when your dear aunt moved you out of the woods and into the palace to live alongside her, 'Left behind', they'd said.

But deep down, nearly everyone knew the truth of the matter.

Karliah was no weak woman, and Tal no coward. If neither had come for their daughter within the first few days of their sudden absence, then surely something had come for them, something strong enough to harm the most powerful witch in the known realms outside of those found within the royal family.

Most shuddered at the thought of this, and stuck to the tall tales of your improper abandonment instead.

'Poor witchling, left to die, so lucky to have been brought in by the merciful hands of her aunt, the palace teacher, educator of the princes and all other royal manners of children, be them visitors or otherwise.'

Oh, and of course, you.

From eight onward, you had lived within the palace walls, wandering from corridor to corridor and exploring every available nook and cranny until you had all but mapped it out within your mind, branding this once so foreign place as your home with a childlike fondness.

And you had not done such a thing by your lonesome, had you?

No, of course not, for everyone knew of your friendship with the feeblest prince, little Loki Odinson, the magic bearer, the one who used his mother's feminine magic, the seidr, over that which had been deemed stronger by the many men of Asgard.

The boy cared not for his image after all, he was just a child, the second born son of a god, and thus not the one who would have to worry about succeeding the throne himself someday.

No, that duty fell to Thor, more brawn than brains, but oh so sweet, though he notably lacked the vast intelligence of his brother.

It was as if someone had cut the perfect child in twain and created some hilariously different duo to see what the Allfather might do.

And though he loved them both, it was clear that in Odin's eye, the brawn came before the brains nearly every single time.

So, while Thor had his expectations laid out before him upon his birth, Loki had spent his days wandering the halls with you, the little witchling and her trickster prince, bound together by adventure and some childlike wonder found only in the eyes of those who had yet to learn but craved so desperately to do so.

The two of you were as close as close could get, tugging each other along by the hand, whispering secrets into one another's ears, every day a new opportunity to amuse yourselves in spite of the boredom that seemed to surround the palace.

Though, notably, you seemed to be the most interesting character of all, and perhaps that had been what had drawn your trickster prince to you in the first place.

Your mother's daughter to be sure, just as she'd had prophetic visions, ones containing the future in bursts that she often controlled, you had something rather similar, though far less easily grasped.

You, Asgard's little witchling, had prophetic dreams randomly while deep within your slumber, something that you had learned shortly after taking up residence within the palace.

It made you miss your mother tremendously to have her powers, and you resented the lack of control that you had over them, but even so, as each passing dream came true, you found suddenly that you were far more useful to those around you.

You were able to say which one of two dinner options might be best for upcoming guests based upon visions you would see weeks prior to their arrival, and on more than one occasion, you had avoided being caught by straying away from the wrong hallways while on your adventures with your dear friend after having had a particularly useful dream a night or two beforehand

Loki, of course, so heavily fixated on his intense study of magic, was entranced by this naturally inherited power of yours, and would gladly spend hours hearing you talk about your visions, no matter how mundane.

Except after one dark evening, he found that you no longer wished to.

You had woken up pale, a sure sign of a vision the night before, one that the god of mischief, thirteen years old at the time, knew all too well.

He had greeted you enthusiastically, something that was not so uncharacteristic of him at that time, only to find that you did not wish to talk about what you had seen.

Something bad, he'd realized with a start, having never considered before the downside to a power such as yours.

Sure, your mother had been able to control hers in some ways, but yours could appear almost as nightmares to you, uncontrollable and painful, because in the end, waking up offered little relief.

It could still come true after all, more than likely would too.

Not a very fair situation for such a young witch to endure on her own.

So, he decided, you would not have to.

And thus, a promise had been made.

Under the blooming flowers of one of many beautiful trees in the queen's garden, you and the god of mischief locked your pinkies together in fealty.

You would no longer hide your visions, no matter how frightening, from your prince, and in turn, he would never lie to you, at least not on purpose.

It was a childish way to appease one another, but in the end, that promise was what ended up driving you onward far into the future.

In fact, that promise was why you had ended up in the Avenger's Tower in the first place, lying on the floor with an audience of heroes watching as the man who had once been your closest friend rushed toward you, falling to his knees close enough that he could touch you if only he reached out.

You had missed his touch more than that of anyone else throughout your many years of solitude, a fact which gnawed at you slightly when you thought about your aunt and the wonderful hugs she had once given, until the final one, which had oh so sadly been in farewell.

Still, even she could not top the feeling of being held by Loki Laufeyson, though back when he had still done so, he had been Loki Odinson to you, and to everyone that knew him.

It had been Loki Odinson who had danced with you at nearly every social event, Loki Odinson who had mastered the art of sneaking into your room each night, Loki Odinson who had held your hand sweetly since childhood as you'd wandered through paths yet untraveled by your feet, and Loki Odinson who had kissed you beneath that same tree which the two of you had made that binding promise under.

You could only hope, as you looked up at the man before you, that Loki Laufeyson was not so terribly different.

You were unsure if you could take another loss, after all, not after having been alone for so very long, yearning to see the face of the one you once loved, silently praying that he might find you somehow, back in that old cabin where the two of you had carved your names in your youth.

Over your one hundred or so years there, you had all but traced that carving raw, remembering what it had been like to have the god of mischief at your side.

There was no longing like that which you felt for Loki, and of that you were certain.

Even as he stared at you with such a wild expression that you almost wondered if he had gone mad at the sight of you after so many years, perhaps having long since thought you gone from him.

It would not be so strange, after all, that you would have died in the time that passed. As far as your dear Loki knew, you were but a witchling, your immortality fragile and preserved almost entirely by the safe life that you once had led in the palace alongside him until your "disappearance".

You almost shuddered to think about explaining all of that to him now, and wondered briefly in the back of your mind if any part of him blamed you for your sudden absence.

Had his father told him of all that had transpired? Had Thor? Or had your dear prince of Asgard been left to wonder what had become of you, assuming himself abandoned at your hand?

As you gazed up at his still so perfect features, taking in their persistent familiarity, you found that you could not tell.

That is, until he spoke up, voice husky and thick with what almost sounded like grief, or the impending weight of tears.

"Starlight?"

He repeated as if in disbelief, the familiar name causing you to freeze up instantly.

You stared, unable to move nor speak.

The entire room fell silent as everyone watched on in shock at the scene unfolding before them.

There, on the floor, having just fallen out of some magical hole in the wall, was a woman. The very same woman, in fact, that this small group of avengers had just seen smiling within Loki's hellishly realistic dream as the duo lovingly lived out their life together.

A life that had never existed.

A life that, according to the adopted son of Odin himself, never would.

Except he'd never anticipated this, had he?

No, they could see his surprise in the way he stared down at you, his hands hovering just inches away as if he were afraid you would turn to dust before his very eyes if he even dared touch you.

And maybe you would, it was hard to tell when one did not know, after all.

Hard to tell, indeed.

The silence persisted for several long moments, before finally, you spoke up.

"I-I found you,"

You began, a soft smile gracing your lips, though it notably did not erase the obvious exhaustion from your eyes,

"It worked."

Loki frowned at that, his eyebrows knitting with confusion as he remained on his knees before you, the god of mischief, so besotted and enamored by your presence that he would live upon his knees once more, for however long you so required.

A surprising sight, to be sure, at least for all who bore witness to it from the outskirts.

Though notably, you did not seem to pay it any mind, as if his almost pleading body language was a normal part of speaking with him that you had come to know so well.

Loki reached forward hesitantly, his fingers outstretched as if he were about to place his hand upon glass, and with another tired smile, you did the same, placing your smaller fingertips against his with a sense of ease that had the entire room outside of yourselves wondering what could possibly be going on in front of them.

Who were you? What were you doing here? How had you gotten here? And why was the god of mischief himself looking at you as if he'd seen a ghost?

Whatever answers they were seeking though, they did not find quite yet, not in the still pervasive quiet of that room you all inhabited.

Still, all watched on with immense interest as Loki's eyes widened at your touch, and he withdrew as if stung, expression morphing into one of confusion, pain, and longing all at once, all of these being emotions that few in this room had ever seen him experience before.

"What are you doing here?"

Loki asked cautiously as he lowered his hand back down to his side, watching with sharp eyes as you did the very same with a casualness that nearly made him shiver.

If this was not truly you, then it was a damn good copy, one that rivaled any of his own creation in the history of time itself.

You let out a shaky sigh, your smile somehow growing more exhausted each time that you wore it upon your face.

"I needed to find you. I know that it's been a long time, and that you probably won't have any idea what I'm talking about when I say this, but I made a promise, and I am bound not only by my word, or the title I was given, but also by my care for you to ensure that I keep it, no matter what."

You looked down toward the floor, clearly expecting Loki to overwhelm you with questions, having long since anticipated his reaction to a moment such as this one, especially since it had been so very long since your promise had been made...

But to your surprise, he only had one question to ask, one that had the entire room buzzing with quiet conversation and confusion, and your eyes alight with utter shock.

"You've had a vision?"

He asked gently, tone low and concerned, eyes seeking yours and clearly finding the answer he was looking for there within in instant.

You nodded anyway.

Loki turned immediately to the small crowd standing behind him, though he was most notably looking for Tony, his expression pleading for the very first time since he had been imprisoned within this realm.

"I apologize for the suddenness of my request, Stark, but might you have some available space for her to stay?"

He asked quietly, as if trying to keep their discussion private in spite of the crowd watching on curiously.

"I believe this conversation may take us some time..."

He trailed off, thankfully having his question answered before he had to elaborate any further.

"Uh yeah sure, there's an empty room two doors down from yours, have at it..."

Tony trailed off himself after a few moments, before finally he continued,

"Just uh, keep me updated, okay? I try to make it a habit to actually know the people who are staying on my property."

Loki offered the man a rather firm nod in response to his request, moving into a kneeling position and offering his hand to you, his fingers outstretched and his palm upturned,

"Can you stand, starlight?"

He murmured, and immediately you nodded, grasping onto the god's hand and pulling yourself to your feet just as he did the same, allowing the audience to truly see you for the very first time, though it was your clothing far more than your physical form that garnered their attention.

The cloak around your shoulders was a deep and stunning green adorned with familiar gold accents, though on the inside, it was dark and lined with what somehow looked to be a billion little gold stars lighting up a night sky. It was almost as if they twinkled even as you stood still, wrapping the fabric tighter around your neck as everyone seemed to stare.

"Follow me." Loki said quietly, letting go of your hand after a brief moment of hesitance, and though you nodded, taking a few short steps forward just as the god began to make his way toward the door, you did not make it nearly as far as he, instead having your eyes roll back suddenly before you pitched forward without warning, the sensation of a single strong arm wrapping around your waist from behind as voices sounded from all around you being the last sensation you felt before darkness closed in.

The next thing that you knew, you were waking up in an entirely unfamiliar room, in an equally unfamiliar bed with a soft groan of confusion and pain, your head throbbing and your bones aching in spite of your still relatively young age (as far as Asgardians went, that is).

Immediately, your eyes landed upon the god sitting in a chair beside you, his gaze unwavering yet somehow almost casual as he took in the sight of you once more.

How long had it been since he had seen you last? Over one hundred years at least, that was to be sure.

You gazed back at him, a pained groan leaving you just before you spoke,

"What happened?"

You asked, hearing the god of mischief hum from where he sat before he pushed a glass of water in your direction.

You took it eagerly, beginning to drink it in small and controlled sips.

"You over exerted yourself."

Loki said simply,

"Whatever it is that you did to get here nearly took every ounce of energy that you had."

His tone was disapproving as he spoke, but you chose to ignore it in favor of focusing a little bit too hard on your water in an effort to avoid him.

This was harder to do than you'd thought it would be, seeing him after all this time.

It didn't make it hurt any less, not even in spite of all the years that had passed, and you struggled not to stare at the way his hair still fell the same, and his clothing still looked so similar.

It did not appear as though either of you had changed in the slightest, and yet you knew for a fact that such a thing was not true.

"We both know that you were taught better than to risk your health for something foolish."

Loki said, his tone stern but his voice soft, as if he hadn't yet decided how he was supposed to address you.

You sighed in response, looking away at the subtle reminder of who exactly it had been that had worked so tirelessly to teach you better.

You did not dare allow yourself the opportunity to wonder what had become of her.

"We do."

You replied casually, though your tone betrayed your nerves, as did your fidgety body language.

"But this is far from foolish, I'm afraid."

You all but murmured, watching as your old friend leaned closer, urging you silently to continue,

So, you did.

"I-..."

You trailed off, briefly giving up before finally starting over again.

It was so hard to explain, all of this, all that had happened, but Loki deserved to know the truth, and if no one else would tell him, and you had made a promise, then who were you to deny him the knowledge that was so rightfully his?

"Lo..."

You trailed off a second time as you watched the god of mischief flinch at the once familiar nickname, immediately causing you to clear your throat and try again.

"Loki, there is something that I have to tell you, and I want you to know that it was never my decision to keep it from you for this long. When I found out, I searched and searched all over for you, but Odin found me first, and there was nothing that I could do but flee..."

Loki looked down at you, confusion etched into each of his features,

"I do not understand."

He spoke,

"What does Odin have to do with the promise you once made to me? In what manner has he worked his way into this?"

You frowned, unable to meet the gaze of the being who had once been your best friend, and then almost so much more, as you finally spoke.

"Loki, Odin has everything to do with this, because it was he who banished me and made it impossible for me to find you for so long. He saw me as I was searching the palace for you, and could tell from my complexion alone that I'd had a vision..."

You trailed off for a moment, but Loki motioned for you to continue, his body language reminding you of the way that he had once so eagerly listened to the tales of your visions, his eyes always wide and his body always leaned in toward yours, as if he feared that he might miss something if he could not make out every little syllable and each individual pause.

Oh, how you missed those times with him.

Yet even so, instead of lingering upon those thoughts as you so wished to, you carried on.

"He could tell that I'd had a vision, yet when I would not tell him of what, and I insisted that I speak to you instead, he seemed to know immediately what I had witnessed, in spite of how hard I had tried to hide it."

Loki raised a questioning brow at you, his gaze still unwavering,

"So he knew what you saw and did not approve of you telling me?"

You nodded, but it seemed that Loki was not yet finished,

"Alright, that's easy enough to understand, but what does any of that have to do with this promise we made to one another? How did his knowing of your vision stop you from telling me of it for so long? And what could have possibly consumed you to waste so much energy on finding me just to keep your childhood promise after all of these years?"

You flinched slightly at the barrage of questions, but did your best to respond,

"I know this is complicated, but you have to understand, Loki, Odin never wished for you to know, and he was willing to do whatever he needed to in order to ensure that you didn't."

Loki sighed, dropping his head into his hand,

"And what exactly was it that you saw then, starlight? Do you intend upon enlightening me anytime soon?"

He was growing cross with you now, in that very same way he once had with his teachers when they did not give him the answers to his questions as directly as he wished.

He was still so hungry for knowledge, and you could not help but wonder what trouble that had gotten him into throughout your many years apart.

You placed your hand upon his, palm grazing the back of his hand more out of habit than anything else, though you did not move it even when he tensed, desperately wanting to believe that he still found something soothing within your presence, and that you had not lost him entirely, not when he still owned so very much of your heart and soul.

"I am going to tell you, Loki, why would I come here just to break my promise?"

You reasoned gently, watching as your dear god of mischief simply scoffed lightly before looking toward the ground, never one to admit it when he had overreacted.

"What I saw in my vision was no small revelation, and I want you to know that keeping it from you for so very long was never my intention."

You began, eyes growing desperate as you took both of the god's hands into your own, causing him to look up toward you once more,

"I was banished, Loki, never would I have chosen to betray you so otherwise, and I pray that you know that."

The god sitting before you pulled his hands away from yours at that, eyes growing weary, as if he was no longer certain that he could trust you.

It nearly shattered your heart to feel his touch be ripped away from yours after so very long of being alone, of missing him each and every day, but even still you did not reach back out for him again in that moment.

"Betray me?"

He whispered, his tone gaining a slight edge to it as he spoke,

"What do you speak of, witchling?"

He hissed, and you were quick to respond,

"My prince, you do not understand, what I am saying is that I never would have chosen to betray you by waiting as long as I have to tell you what I am about to. You have always been dear to me, and I have felt guilt eat away at me for all of these years that I have allowed this lie to endure in spite of my knowledge, even if I could not risk helping it until now."

Loki sighed, motioning for you to continue,

"Just get on with it then, I desire not to be kept in such suspense regarding my own life, starlight."

You took a deep breath, nodding as you began, trying your best to maintain eye contact even when it got hard.

"Loki, over one hundred years ago, I had a vision of some event far in the future, wherein you sought out your father's treasures, and learned a most difficult truth."

You watched as the being sitting in front of you stiffened slightly, his gaze widening as he slowly shook his head back and forth.

"No."

He whispered, and you watched on in confusion as he continued,

"No, no, it cannot be. You cannot possibly know. My sole comfort throughout all of these years was that you had no way of knowing..."

He carried on, and hesitantly, you reached forward to take his hand once more, and this time, he simply stared down at where you were touching him, as if not entirely believing your touch to be real anymore.

You offered him a look of deep compassion and sympathy, before finally you continued,

"You are not Odin's true son, Loki, but a-"

"Monster."

He cut you off, voice still quiet and body all too still as he stared down at your enjoined hands.

You shook your head,

"No Lo, not a monster, that is not what I-"

"My knowledge of your vision has come far too late, my dear."

Loki said gravely, a deep and humorless chuckle leaving him as he finally looked you in the eyes again, allowing you to see the tears that had built up there in spite of how hard he had tried to hold them at bay.

To the untrained eye perhaps, they may not have been so obvious, but even after all of these years, you knew his eyes far too well to not notice that they were growing wet.

Your brow creased in confusion and concern as you took his other hand in yours once more, squeezing both the way you always had before when he had experienced some great emotional suffering.

"Whatever do you mean, my prince?"

You asked gently, watching as Loki's expression morphed into one of so many emotions that you could scarcely name them all in the brief moment that they flashed upon his face.

Grief, sorrow, anger, longing, disgust, guilt. So many things to feel, and none of them good.

He continued,

"I'm afraid that what you have revealed is a truth long known to me, sweet starlight."

He said quietly, and instantly you understood, your expression falling as sadness overcame you, not only over you being too late to help him avoid further suffering, but over the way that he so clearly felt about himself.

He thought what he was to be a monster, something to be feared and hated as if it meant a thing.

You squeezed his hands again, urging him to look into your eyes, and drawn in by a habit he had once believed to be long since forgotten, he did, seeking out something within you that you were unsure of, but desperately wished to give.

"Loki, I am so very sorry that I was too late to tell you the truth. I studied so long to find some way to get to you, but I could not risk trying anything until I felt more certain of what might work for fear of Odin finding me."

The god before you regarded your words with utter shock, but you simply smiled in response,

"I will explain all when the time comes, sweet prince, but for now, please just know that you are no less Loki to me now than you ever were, nor were you any less Loki when I learned the truth. You are Loki Laufeyson, or even Loki Odinson if you so choose, and you are a crowned prince of Asgard and the god of mischief. No lineage could ever change that or take it away from you. You are no different now than you were back when you did not know."

Loki regarded you with brief confusion, as if he had never anticipated for you to feel such a way, or maybe for anyone to for that matter, and then suddenly, his eyes were squinted, his mind obviously deep in thought.

You had no doubt that this was partially in effort to change the subject to one he was far more readily prepared to discuss, but you did not tell him that you knew this.

He would talk when he was ready, if he ever truly was.

"Hold on a moment,"

He began,

"I understand that you did not explain all, but there is one thing that I cannot ever see making any sense."

He continued, eyes searching yours for the answer to a question that was yet unasked.

You shrugged,

"Lay it on me, Lo, I'm an open book."

Loki bristled a bit at the nickname, but said nothing, likely all too aware of how much of a habit it was for you, even after all of these years.

To hear it fall from your lips so easily though...

He distracted himself with his question immediately to stop that thought where it began.

"I know that you wished to keep your promise to me, that much is clear, but you spoke earlier of you having done so not for your word, and not for your title, but for care."

You nodded, cheeks reddening slightly at the memory, though the god sitting before you was clearly far too deep in thought to consider the connotation of your words as heavily as he otherwise may have.

"Your care is easy to understand, and your word is another worthy mention when it comes to reasons you may have worked so tirelessly to find me, but I do not understand what you mean by your title. What title is a witchling so bound by that would keep her from breaking her fealty to me? Why would you say such a thing at all?"

You looked away, unable to meet your old friend's gaze even as his eyes bore into you,

"Well..."

You murmured, eyes meeting his once more before you quickly looked away again, hoping somehow, that even after all of these years apart that the silence might speak for you the way that it always had with him.

He had been all but capable of reading your mind once, and who was to say that such a thing ever truly went away?

You watched as Loki's eyes widened by a millimeter, a slight inhale alerting you to some subtle realization that had just entered through the back of his mind, one that he had not been at all prepared to consider, but that made far too much sense for his liking, particularly as he considered all that had happened to you further.

His hand found the underside of your jaw, and without warning, he tilted your head upward, forcing you to look him in the eyes, allowing you to see all of the emotions building within his green irises.

Confusion, anger, frustration, but most of all, disbelief, though you could tell that the latter of the four was quickly fading.

"Starlight, did you tell Odin what you saw within your vision that day?"

He asked sternly, and, swallowing thickly, you shook your head, watching as the god of mischief's eyes widened even further.

"No."

He said matter of factly, repeating your answer as if it might make it easier for him to process what he was slowly coming to realize,

"You- You never told him what you saw."

His tone was incredulous as he spoke, his expression incredibly hard to read as he stood, using the grip you still had on his hands to tug you up alongside him.

His eyes found yours once more now that you were standing together, his head shaking back and forth almost as if he were in utter disbelief of what you were saying.

"And you know what he did, don't you? What you've become?"

He asked gently, and slowly, hesitantly, you nodded, watching as the prince of Asgard chuckled from above you,

"What a surprise you've been at every step of the way, starlight."

He muttered, leaning his head down against yours like he used to for the briefest of moments before he pulled away, clearing his throat slightly as he did.

"Well, now that we have some of those things clarified, what do you say we give the others a real introduction, hmm?"

You nodded after a moment of contemplation, moving to wrap your cloak around your shoulders once more, just barely missing the way that Loki's eyes shone at the familiar sight of it, his hands briefly reaching out toward you before he stopped himself and walked across the room to open the door for you.

From there, he guided you out into a long hallway, maneuvering the two of you about until finally, you reached a rather large common area, where you suddenly realized with a start that everyone from before was waiting.

Thor smiled at you from where he sat on the couch, the apologetic edge to it very nearly causing your heart to weep.

There were few who deserved to feel guilty over what had happened to you less so than Thor, who had only been doing what he was told.

You would have to speak with him privately soon, to thank him for having caught you when you fell forward earlier on in the day, if nothing else.

Though, you suspected that the two of you would have plenty to talk about beyond that.

The room was silent as you and the god at your side entered quietly, all eyes on the two of you as Loki cleared his throat slightly before finally speaking.

"So, as many of you have likely surmised, this is the witchling that was present in the portion of my dream that I showed earlier."

At that, you shot a glance toward the asgardian beside you, briefly wondering what on earth he could have possibly been referencing, when he brought the topic back to the discussion at hand, successfully distracting you for the time being.

"That said, she is no illusion or dream, nor is she some spirit come back to haunt me."

You watched as the man who had granted you permission to utilize a room earlier groaned at that, slapping a wad of green paper into the hand of a blonde woman who sat next to him, who simply grinned subtly.

Still, Loki paid this no mind, and continued after a brief pause,

"She is very real, and though both of us are rather confused, we are working together to figure out what exactly is going on here."

At that, a multitude of hands shot up, causing Loki to glare at those who had raised them until they begrudgingly lowered them once more.

"We will happily inform you of all that we know in just a few moments,"

He said pointedly, causing a few of the people who had been so eager to ask questions before to roll their eyes at his dramatics, though they appeared to be fairly used to them by now based upon their reactions.

"But before we get to that, I would like to introduce you properly."

Loki sighed deeply, casting you a sidelong glance of what almost appeared to be sympathy before he finally continued,

"Starlight, meet my... coworkers of sorts, the avengers."

He began, and you gave a small wave to the people in the room, smiling the tiniest bit when a few friendly looking faces waved back, some even eagerly.

Still, that almost peaceful atmosphere was clearly not meant to last forever, because after Loki's next sentence, well...

"Avengers, meet starlight, the Aesir goddess of compassion, mercy, and fidelity."

All hell broke loose.

Desiderium Tag List: @princess-ofthe-pages

Loki Tag List: @mischief2sarawr

[rosebdraws]

“Any witch can be a friend, if you give them a chance.” -Witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega

I’m in love with the Witchlings series, so I had to draw Thorn, Seven and Valley. kids who battle monstruos, forge unlikely friendships, and battle classism and injustice?? Heck yes. I’ll take 10 more pls 💕

[thisbelongsto-nohbodys]

So, post-series headcanons on Luz, Amity, Willow, Gus, and Hunter?

I'm mostly waiting on any creator/crew post-series Q&A interviews to really dive into major headcanons but here's a few off the top of my head that I have atm:

Luz: After finishing University (with flying colors), Luz became a writer/comic artist in the human realm and both a writer and explorer in the demon realm. With King's new glyphs, Luz got not only to see which old glyph combos still work but also test out new ones that she thought of in the 3+ years that she had before King figured out his Light glyph.

Amity: Due to taking over her dad's factory and working on both new abomi-ton inventions and exploring Amity got buff, her muscles are not as large as Willow's but Amity could dead-lift Warden Wraith's weight. Amity got to meet Mildred Featherwhyle at a human convention Luz took her to, Amity got all of her books signed and keeps them behind glass cases guarded by new abomi-tons she designed.

Willow: Willow is a coach for the new Hexside's Flyer Derby team and really likes helping the kids, she still plays with the original Emerald Entrails but as they have their own thing she's had to remake the team and will have her team skirmish against the Hexside team to help them get better. She helped Dell and Eda rebuild the Palistrom Woods with the help of the Plant Coven Artifact (before turning it over to the new Plant Coven Leader). While not the Plant Coven head now, rumor has it that many are considering suggesting her in a future Coven Head election.

Gus: He and Vee run the University of Wild Magic's Human/Witch Exchange Program, however it's less sending witchlings to human school and more an extended summer field trip (less likely to be hounded by authorities for kids not in school in summer as Luz and Vee points out early on), Gus and Vee help show witchlings around the human town of Gravesfield and teaching them about human things. He has yet to make peace with the Giraffes but he's getting close.

Hunter: After doing some digging into the history of Caleb he discovered that he's related to the Clawthornes, Eda tried to make a "little nephew" joke but Luz pointed out that since Hunter is a Grim Walker clone of Caleb that he's actually Eda's Great Great Great (insert more) Grandpa. This new family connection brought him to Dell who taught him Palisman carving alongside Eda also helping. Hunter considers both Darius, Eberwolf and Camila as his parents, all of whom consider him as their kid.

[jaspersreprise]

Connecting with your spirit guides

Hello, before I go on and about the information here, I just want you to know that I am sharing knowledge coming from a book called “The Witches Way”, published by Leanna Greenaway and Shawn Robbins :) It’s particular penchant is mainly Wiccan, but the books purpose it serves is a guide to modern-day witchcraft. I’m here to divulge information for our fellow beginner witches, who are still educating through their practice and journey, just like the majority of the witches that mentors and teaches. Although, this posts purpose is probably not aimed to how to start getting into your spiritual journey, but it could be something you’d want to learn later on. I hope you understand. But of course, I’ll post the essentials about how to start and where to start. Keep on learning little witchlings!! <33

Your guide will never want to frighten you, so it is unlikely that they will suddenly appear before your eyes in the cold light of day. To reach a successful connection, you must be prepared to experience a deeper level of consciousness. It can take a lot of practice to perfect, and only when you are at an advanced state in the meditative process can you begin to see visions.

These will usually occur when you are in the middling stage between sleep and wakefulness or in the moments before you wake up. You might also want to keep a motepad and pen next to your bed, as it is common to be told relevant information in dream sleep.

From Leanna Greenaway/Shawn Robbins, „Over the years and with a lot of practice, I have mastered the art of connection. For me, it’s like looking at a screen, a bit like a video recording. The background is black and the images appear with gold edges. The pictures move like they would in a video and last anywhere between one and three minutes. Prior to the visions, I sometimes hear a ringing sound, a bit like tinnitus but not as annoying. This is when I know my soul is turning into a higher frequency and I have finally connected.”

Read on for simple tips and steps to help you achieve a connection with your spirit guide

Items to have nearby

Crystals are very good to dot around the house, as they balance the energies in a room and can also help you to ground yourself. The seven crystals below are good if you want to promote successful meditation. I recommend that you house these stones somewhere in the bedroom. There is no need to spend a fortune on them when purchasing; small, polished versions, or tumble stones, can work just as well as large, more-expensive pieces. The choice is yours.

Angelite , used for summoning guides and angels

Amethyst , a calming stone sed to enhance psychic ability and meditation

Clear quartz , amplifies healing energy; known as the master healing stone

Rose quartz , good for relieving stress and tension; restores the aura by replacing negative energy with positive energy, boosts a live vibration

Black tourmaline , a ground stone that connects the Earth with the human spirit; aligns with chakras

Aventurine , energises the Heart Chakra for wellbeing and emotions

Carnelian , improves concentration during meditation

Mindful meditation

People begin with a series of meditation techniques when first trying to connect to their spirit guides. Before embarking on any spirit communication, it is imperative that you meditate for at least thirty minutes.

Lots of people find it hard to meditate for thirty minutes, but once you get the hang of if, it’s very easy. Those of you who have researched meditation will know there are hundreds of ways to get into a meditative state. There is also a wealth of information online that can help you find the right method for you.

If you choose to perform your meditation during the waking hours, select a crystal and hold it in your hand. If you want to use all of them in your meditation, sit and space the stones in a circle around the base of the chair you’re using or on the floor, should you choose to go without a chair.

If you hope to meditate during your sleeping hours, situate the stone(s) either under the bed or next to wherever you are sleeping. Make sure the house is quiet and sit or lie in the lotus position (sitting with legs crossed and hands on knees) as depicted in some books just make sure that you are cozy, snug, and completely relaxed. People find lying in the fetal position, under the covers, in their bed the best position. You might prefer to lie on your back or sit upright; it’s completely up to you!

First, concentrate on every part of your body, starting with your feet. Relax the feet, focusing on each toe being completely floppy, then work up the body to the ankle, calf muscles, and so fourth. Your aim is to be totally still, allowing yourself to become calm and tranquil. When you get to the area below the waist, hold a pelvic floor exercise for ten seconds, then clench your buttocks for a few seconds and relax. When you get to the top part of your body, raise your shoulders up toward your neck for five seconds before releasing them. You will feel a tingling sensation as they fall back to their usual position. Take your time. By the time you reach your facial muscles, you should be feeling extremely relaxed. Second, breathe steadily, either through your nose or mouth — whichever is most comfortable. Take a deep, slow breath inward and then exhale slowly. Repeat this for a few minutes or until you start to feel weightless. Clear your mind. Behind your closed eyes, focus in the darkness you see. See if you can pick out any shapes or lights.

Ask questions

At this stage, you should be in a meditative state, so now is the time to ask your guides for information. In your mind, ask your guide a series of questions, focusing on each question for a few minutes.

„I would like my guide to visit me. Are you there? Can you show yourself to me?

You might see patterns and shapes behind your eyes or feel a strange sensation of belonging. The experience is different for everyone. If you don’t feel anything, don’t be disheartened. Remember, some guides will not show themselves to you while uou are awake and might wait until a time when you are asleep. They know you better than you know yourself and may think that you are not ready to receive them in a conscious state.

„Please show me your gender. Are you male, female, or nonbinary?”

At this point, you must tune in physically and trust your inner thoughts and instincts. Imagine you are standing in front of a being. Tap into the energies and trust your very first answer. 

„can you tell me your name, please?”

It might take several meditations before you receive this answer, but, once again, trust those instincts—you have them for a reason. Allow your imagination to expand. Your guides name may not come quickly or even come to you at all when meditating. You might be given the name a few days later, so look out for signs. If, during the following days, you hear the same name repeatedly, perhaps on TV or the radio, it could be your guide nudging you gently. Alternatively, you might wake up one morning with a clear name in your head.

Once you have your guides name, you are on your way to connecting with them fully. If you are serious about making a connection with your guide, you must meditate every night before going to sleep. People often fall asleep during meditation; this is quite alright. When you arrive at a meditative state, your vibration rises and your energy starts to change and evolve. It does take lots of practice, so never give up. After a while you will be able to slip into this relaxed state quickly and summon your guide as needed.

Thank you for reading this. For all the beginner witches out there, I hope you grow more and more accustomed to your spiritual journey, and find your own path 🤍 please remember that you can find your own path to witchcraft — there’s no set formula, just a bunch of practices that you can choose to use. Witchcraft can be used for anything — from protection to success in certain aspects of life. If you want to know more, you may check out my quotev or tiktok account. I have posted information relating to these topics there, but I’m posting irregularly. Especially my tiktok account, I don’t really post there anymore 💔 but the works are still there.

tiktok acc: bthsheba

quotev: jaspersreprise

Simple acc names! :) goodbye now!

[authorclaribelortega]

Witchlings 3 preorder campaign coming soon, promise. Waiting on some art from my publisher before I share

[colemckenzies]

Mid-Year Book Freakout

tagged by my queen @asalesbian

Number of books read so far in 2024: 56

Best book read so far in 2024: Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata. Which could honestly go in biggest surprise bc full 5* for a short story collection is CRAZY but it was just so so good

Best sequel: thank GOD i just finished the golden enclaves or I would not be able to answer this question lmao I haven't read any other series. this wasn't even technically a sequel its the final book of the scholomance trilogy. It Was Fine.

New release you haven't read yet but want to: the only book on my tbr with a 2024 release date is GENDER THEORY by madeline docherty which. does genuinely look good but also the description was like 'a story of love, friendship, and endometriosis'. yeah <3

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year: LET'S GO WITCHLINGS 3 LET'S GOOOOOOOO

Biggest surprise: Next Year For Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson i rly thought this was gonna be Mum Fiction's First Polyamory but it was so genuinely compelling and moving and thoughtful i LOVED it

Favourite new (debut or to you) author: I don't really notice authors but I have been working my way through my gf's Mieko Kawakami collection and it's been pretty strong

Newest fictional crush: not something I really read for but I will say. not to repeat books but katherine from next year for sure genuinely one of the strongest fictional characters I've read in years. love her.

Book that made you cry: according to my storygraph there have been FOUR books I have cried at this year but most notably my first book of the year, Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. that fucked me up!

Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received): I'm working through my physical tbr atm so not acquiring that many books but I did buy a nice locally published edition of What's Eating Gilbert Grape? in bath the other day which had a cool vintage 50s illustration cover. similarly on the same trip got a hardback of Levitation For Beginners w a 70s aesthetic and wrapped in plastic. this is justified bc I have already finished reading that one.

Book that made you happy: She Loves To Cook She Loves To Eat vol 1 :) food lesbians!!

What books do you need to read by the end of the year: I have a single small bookcase of my physical tbr atm and I'd like to clear the top row at least. most notably finishing middlemarch, my lotr reread, and how to be both by ali smith (the favourite book of one of my best friends)

I'm gonna tag @hawkeyefrommash since they're a legit bookstagrammer, also book club besties @keclan and @dykemarcille AND ALSO @yellowjckets, but anyone else who wants to do it pls tag me as your tagger so I can read!!

[im-a-writer--im-in-distress]

The Witchling (Part II)

Writer: im-a-writer—im-in-distress.tumblr.com

Insert with: Ruhn Danaan

Reader: Female (she/her)

Words: 2700+

About: Ruhn and his girlfriend are having a rough night…

Warning(s): (spoilers for this story ahead) near death, vampirism (TVD), werewolf bite (sorry, Ruhn)

A/N: So sorry this took so long! I have no excuse. But here is the second part! Originally written for Ruhn Week 2024, this story was inspired by @danikamariewrites’s post found here.

Part One

Ruhn and Flynn skidded to a stop outside the address Hypaxia had given them, tires screeching on the wet pavement. The Old Square was packed with the usual bustle of Lunathion's nightlife. The witch-queen was already there, her face tight with worry.

“Hypaxia!” Ruhn called, slamming the car door and rushing towards her, with Flynn hot on his heels.

“This way,” she said and led them down an abandoned side-street blocked off by giant steel gate that sat corkscrew on its hinges. She crossed towards the decorative door set into a weathered brick wall. Ruhn yanked at it, but it only creaked in protest.

"Hurry up, witch," he snapped, frustrated.

“It’s not the door,” she replied, ignoring his tone.. She uncorked a vial of red liquid she had pulled from her robes and dripped a single drop onto the jutting corner of a mismatched brick. Ruhn watched, cringing at the sound of stone-on-stone in his ears as the brick swung open like a tiny door. Inside, there was a single jar of similar red liquid.

Hypaxia reached in and pulled out the jar. She examined it, warmth still emanating from it. “She was here. But she’s gone now.”

“Is that blood?” Flynn asked, eyeing the jar.

Hypaxia pushed the jar into Flynn’s grip, who held it at arm’s length, repulsed. She was watching Ruhn. “She never told you, did she?”

Ruhn’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond. The truth was, he didn’t know. He was discovering more about Y/N in the two hours than he had during their entire relationship. He used to think he knew her well, at least as well as she knew him. At least half as well. He didn’t even know what he didn’t know anymore. The realization hit him hard.

“Where is she?” he shouted at no one in particular, slamming his fist into the steel door. The door gave a loud rattle on its hinges, and Hypaxia flinched.

“Her blood will take us to her.” She knelt down and poured the remaining red liquid from her vial onto the pavement, mumbling an incantation over it. Heart pounding, Ruhn watched as the pool of blood twitched, then swirled, reacting to the witch’s spell. It straightened and shot off in one direction.

Hypaxia rushed after it, and the males followed. The streets of Lunathion blurred around them as they sprinted after the tracking spell, each step pounding in Ruhn’s chest. Fear clawed at him, but so did the questions. Who were you really? Why hadn’t you trusted him with whatever this was? And the deepest claw of all: Are you okay?

The blood arrow led them through dark alleys and winding streets, its eerie glow casting long shadows. Flynn kept pace beside him, talking to him, trying to ground him. “We’ll find her, Ruhn,” he said. “We’ll find her.”

His words didn’t help. The image of you lying hurt and bleeding somewhere haunted him, the echo of your gut-wrenching cry in his mind. He couldn't shake it. Your mental block was down, a sign that you were unconscious. But it wasn’t that. You were sunk deep inside your mind, not even dreaming, and he couldn’t reach you. Ruhn tried not to think about it.

They caught up with the blood arrow; it had stopped and stamped itself onto the pavement. Ithan and other members of the Auxiliary were already there; the stench of blood was thick in the air. Panic seeped deep.

He pushed past the line of officers surrounding the alley. Ithan tried to intercept him. “Dec found the scene on the cameras—”

Ruhn shoved past him and froze. It was a bloodbath. Seven mangled bodies of all sorts of Vanir littered the alley, the beam of moonlight between the roofs glittering off the river of blood. It was a shocking sight, even for someone as seasoned as him. His blood ran cold. You were here? His eyes darted across the mangled bodies, stained red. No. He couldn’t process it. His mind kept glitching back to “You were supposed to be alone”.

“Ruhn!” Hypaxia called his name. She was crouched in a shadowed part of the alley. A body sprawled alone on the ground. He dove to your side, sobs ripping up from his throat. “No, no, no.”

“She’s alive,” Hypaxia reassured him, though her voice confirmed you might not be for long. Then, she shouted for Flynn, “Give me the jar!”

Flynn tossed it to her.

Lilac eyes tracked your body, cold under his touch. Bare skin peeked through the deep slashes on your shirt, signs you had healed from at least one attack. But there was blood, too much blood, soaked into your clothes and hair, spilling out under you. “Why isn’t she healing?” Ruhn barked, his bright eyes locked on the fresh wounds that littered your skin.

“Help me,” Hypaxia ordered, and he pushed your limp body to lay flat. Your head rolled to the side, exposing an angry, red wound at your left shoulder.

“That’s why,” Hypaxia breathed, upset.

Ruhn didn’t know what she meant, but the puncture wound was deep and still bleeding, and that was all he could think about. Hypaxia snapped her fingers at him. “Come here. Lift her head up.”

Ruhn moved to kneel by your head, lifting it to rest on his knee. His fingers pulled sticky hair from your face as Hypaxia tipped the uncapped jar towards your mouth. A small stream of red rolled down your cheek and into your hair, but your body involuntarily swallowed a few gulps.

Hypaxia tightened the lid back on the jar and tossed it at Flynn, who barely caught it in his surprise. Ithan leaned over, peering at the jar. “What’s that?”

“Trust me, bro. You don’t wanna know.”

Hypaxia prodded at the puncture wound on your neck, which was swollen and red and angry. Your body whimpered and shifted away from the witch-queen’s touch. Ruhn expelled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. You weren’t awake, and you weren’t okay, but you were alive. He folded down to rest his forehead on yours. ‘You’re okay, witchling’, he said into your mind even though you weren’t there to hear it.

“We need to get her to my lab,” Hypaxia said, standing. She turned to Ithan. “You can drive fast, yes?”

Ithan bolted towards his car.

Ruhn lifted your body into his arms, feeling the chill of your blood-soaked clothes against his. ‘I’ve got you, baby.’ Crimson staining his shirt. ‘I’ve got you.’

Every second felt like an eternity. You were hurt, badly, and Ruhn couldn’t shake the image of finding you like that. Your body carved in a red you couldn’t heal. He couldn’t lose you. Not like this.

Ithan skidded the car to a stop at the entrance of the alley, the tires screeching against the pavement. Before the engine had died, he was out and helping Ruhn with your body. They settled you into the backseat, your torso draped across Ruhn’s lap. He cradled your head, fingers trembling against your clammy skin.

Hypaxia clambered into the front seat. “Drive, Ithan! Faster than that,” she snapped. The engine roared to life, and the car peeled out into the road. Hypaxia twisted in her seat.

“Ruhn, you have to wake her up,” she commanded.

“What?”

“I need to know how long she’s been like this,” Hypaxia said, impatient.

“You’re the mediwitch! Can’t you tell by the wound?”

Hypaxia’s expression softened, empathy cutting through. “Wolf bites are different for witchlings. We’re on a clock.”

Ruhn looked down at you. He didn’t know what to feel. His hand traced over your cheek—the only place untainted by blood, until his fingers smeared across its surface. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Wake up, baby,” he murmured, his breath hot against your ear. “Please, Y/N, you have to wake up.”

You remained unresponsive, breaths shallow and irregular. Panic tightened its grip around Ruhn’s chest. He couldn’t shake you. Open cuts scarred your limbs. He didn’t want to hurt your.

“Use your starlight.”

“I can’t heal her with that. I’m not Bryce.” Ruhn argued.

“The brightness will jolt her. Maybe enough to jolt her awake.”

Ruhn clenched his jaw. What if he didn’t have enough?

“If you do nothing, she will die a slow, agonizing death.” Hypaxia continued, heartlessly. “Ruhn. Ruhn,”—his eyes met hers—“One touch. No more, or you will kill her. But at least, that would be quick.”

Ruhn’s stomach churned. His fingers tightened around one hand. ‘Stay with me, Y/N’, he whispered, needing you to hear him. If you had, you gave no indication.

With a breath meant to calm him—though it didn’t do a good job—Ruhn closed his eyes and focused inward. He’d started to see the spark of starlight within him like a tiny star inside of him, the way you had always described it. The power had meant a whole lot of things to him, but you thought of it as the purest part of him. He wanted to believe that. He grasped it in his hand.

He placed his hand over your sternum, feeling the faint, uneven thrum of her heart. “Please, work,” he murmured. Channeling the starlight, he pricked the sharpest point into your chest, and a flash of white piercing dark shadows flashed in his mind.

Your body convulsed, a sharp cry tearing from your lips as you sprung upward.

“Y/N!”

“Ruhn,” you coughed, catching his eye. “Ow.”

“You scared me half to death,” Ruhn snapped. Tears streamed down his face as he yanked you backwards into his chest, pressing his lips to the side of your head, his words muffled. “Don’t you ever do that again.”

You clamped your hands down on his arms, holding him tight. The sting of his hold didn’t even matter.

Ithan released a hard breath, and Hypaxia reached back to your hand in hers. “Welcome back.”

You winced, pain from your neck sharp and raw. You reached up to it.

“Don’t touch that,” Ruhn said, grabbing your wrist.

“How long has it been since you fed?” Hypaxia asked you.

You tried not to look like a guilty kid caught in the cookie jar. “The full moon,” you admitted.

“That’s over a week go,” Hypaxia exclaimed. “Y/N, you can’t go that long.”

“That’s what tonight was. I needed to hunt. Restock,” you muttered, too tired to argue with her.

Ruhn thought back, piecing together fragments of the past week. You had been with him through every step of his mission with Agent Daybright. You’d helped them attack the Spine. You were killer on that mission; they wouldn’t have gotten out without you. Had you overdone it? Had he not noticed? Guilt twisted in his chest.

Ithan made a sharp turn and the force jerked Ruhn into the door. “Hey, watch it,” he snapped, but his body had shielded yours. The city blurred through the window.

Hypaxia gave the shifter an instruction, and then turned back to you. “Your caches, Y/N. Are any near my lab?”

“Not anymore.”

“We’re almost there,” Hypaxia said. “I need you to tell me where your caches are.”

You nodded, and pressed backwards into Ruhn’s embrace. He held you tightly, his muttering into your hair. In your weakened state, you realized you couldn’t understand the words anymore, only that they were in his voice.

The car screeched to a halt outside Hypaxia’s lab, and Ithan leaped out. Ruhn lifted you into his arms, your head nestled into his neck, your wound bared on the other side.

Ithan helped Hypaxia clear a bed for you, and Ruhn laid you down, pulling a seat to sit next to you. You gave him a weak smile, brushing hair away from his face with your fingers. He grasped that hand and held on tight.

“I’ve got you, baby,” Ruhn whispered, his voice breaking. “You’re going to be okay.”

“I’m sorry,” you said.

Ruhn shook his head, kissing your hand. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Hypaxia came back with a cup. “Drink this.”

“Is that what I think it is?” you asked, looking unhappily at the cup.

“Yes,” she said. “And you’re gonna drink it.” She handed the cup to Ruhn as though to prove you weren’t getting out of it.

The bed you were on was already folded upwards at the head, so you didn’t need much help to drink the concoction. It didn’t taste bad; in fact, the warm tea was welcome on your dry throat. But as you swallowed the last of it, the stinging started. You hissed, and Ruhn put the empty cup down, moving closer to you to ask what’s wrong.

Your back arched off the bed in pain, and your face scrunched against the stinging sensation blossoming under the wound at your shoulder.

"What did you give her?" Ruhn snapped at the witch.

Hypaxia spoke to you, unperturbed by the furious Fae prince. “I know it hurts," she said, "but you won’t have to bare it very long. I put a sedative in.”

Ruhn looked at the witch, angrily. “Why did you have me torture her if she could sleep?" Why did she encourage him to risk starlight on you if it wasn't necessary?

“I needed to test her cognitive function. I did.” She turned towards you, who was breathing roughly, small whimpers falling from your lips against the pain. “Y/N, I need the addresses to your caches.”

You rattled off a single address in the business district in a half-pained, half-weary whimper. Ruhn placed a hand on your thigh. His own skin ached at the sight of your pain. It broke his heart when you arched against it again.

“Go to sleep, Y/N. Stop fighting it,” Hypaxia said, her voice less sympathetic and more matter-of-fact.

Ruhn glared at the witch. Hypaxia ignored the anger, only adding: “She needs to relax. Only you can help her with that.” And with that, Hypaxia left the room.

Ruhn touched your face. Despite the muscles in your neck pulling taut against the pain in your shoulder, your Y/E/C eyes open and lock on his gaze. You smile at him, a softer whimper coming from your chest, and you lean into his hand.

“Go to sleep, Y/N. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“I don’t deserve you,” was the whisper on your lips.

The prince’s heart cracked. He grabbed your left hand, lacing his fingers with yours in a tight grip—mostly to resist the urge of grabbing your face with both hands and being too rough.

“I’m sorry,” you said again.

“Stop,” Ruhn said, and his voice cracked. Revealing the rising fear that you were getting ready to die and leave him.

You flinched again at the tea’s sting under the bite wound, but the draught Hypaxia had put in your drink was starting to kick in, and it numbed the sharpness of the sting. The flinch of your muscles was the only sign of your pain, no longer arching off the bed. Your eyes were starting to droop, too.

“I love you, alright,” Ruhn said pointedly. “You can’t leave me. You’re not allowed to die on me.”

Your right hand lifted to lay on his that cradled your face.

He beat you to saying anything. “Promise me,” he snapped, eyes fierce, as he glared down on you. “You’ll be okay.”

Saying nothing, you reached up with that right hand and pulled him down to your lips, whimpering—desperate—as he kissed you. He was tender, but you didn’t want tender. Ignoring the pain, you leaned up, your hand on his neck, in his hair, stopping him from pulling away. You kissed him fiercely, and he matched you, bruising your lips with a need for you to be okay. You needed his kiss more than anything else.

Your mindblock was already coming down as the sedative sank in, but you pulled it the rest of the way down. Ruhn felt it give way, and immediately spoke into your mind. ‘Stay with me.’

Your hand fell from his hair in exhaustion and he released your kiss, pressing his forehead to yours, and spoke into your mind again as you fell into sleep. ‘Stay with me, witchling.’

Taglist

@acourtofbatboydreams @mybestfriendmademe @danikamariewrites

Hit me up if you wanna be tagged in the following part!

[writervaul-t]

recommendations

***note: stories linked usually don't have smut or smut is written in later parts***

page two

[ osferth ]

witchling series by @targaryen-realness

"what's going on in that head of yours?" by @bookofbonbon

"i've never heard of such a stupid plan" + "give me your hand" by ↑

i will not fight by @fan-fantasies

you promise by @lazypeachsoul

"you make me question my faith" by @lazypeachsoul

babysitting by @osferth

baby fever by ↑

the river by ↑

all's fair by @mischiefmanaged71

late night idea by @lauwrite1225

tinderbox of a heart by @aphroditesmoon

losing my religion by @kitkatscabinet

your hurts are my hurts by ↑

what good neighbors do by @polkadotsocks1993

because of you by @ultraintrovertedgryffindor

[ sihtric ]

unattainable by @mystic-shadows42

sleepless nights by @lauwrite1225

entertaining royalty by @lady-writes20

[ aemond targaryen ]

i know yours by @bookofbonbon

through the ages by ↑

"just the two of us" by @spideymatcha

to make them love me (and make it seem effortless) by @dango-milk

see no evil, hear no evil by @dilemmaontwolegs

the center of my own existence by @awearywritersworld

little women by @aemonds-war-crime

this fic by ↑

bane of my existence, object of my desire by @jasonsmirrorball

i would die for you in secret by @aemondsbeloved

with him, at all times by @theold-ultraviolence

in a week by @womprat00

she was lovin' me, she was wantin' me by @astrumark

her voice by @targaryenrealnessdarling

dragonstone hollow by @oneeyedvisenya

[ jacaerys velaryon ]

under the weirwood by @targaryen-jpg

unexpected visit by @jacesbeloved

firstborn iii by @archiveofthe-dragon

replaceable by @aphroditesmoon

the day the sun met the sea by @dearsnow

[ aegon ii targaryen ]

early riser by @solacestyles

as you are by @sunnysidelucida

earn it by @piecksbitch16

good grief by @bambimunson

devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes by @syzrina

[ multi ]

living with the greens by @syzrina

playing with fire by @sapphire-writes

[ tom bennett ]

literally everything written from @mischiefmanaged71

this fic by @osferth

[ gaius ]

labyrinth by @bornbetter

border credit: @urdadsfavegirlblogger @firefly-graphics

[thenixkat]

This is a poll. The options are my various original settings in this order:

Drako Frajo

Rainbowslick Nightmare

Grave Gold (pending a rename)

Prince of Gold

Haint Blu

Drako Frajo- scifi transforming superhero setting where the heroes powers come from the alien dragon bioweapons they've bonded with. It's set in a post-postapocalyptic world, primarily in one city on the upper east coast of what used to be the USA. Super intelligent pigeons run human society. The antagonists are alien dragons sending giant monsters to test humanity.

Ranbowslick Nightmare- a scifi horror/urban fantasy setting where a group of friends try to survive an alien invasion and later being hunted by the government for having powers. Set in an alternate universe where more than two decades beforehand a mad scientist released a supernatural virus and made a giant blue eye envelop the Blue Ridge mountains.

Grave Gold- (series pending major rehaul) Western Fantasy setting but like built on USAmerican folktales, Big Men stories, AA folklore/ghost stories and magic, Fearsome Critters, and USAmerican witchcraft traditions. Features a witchling going on a quest to rescue their brother from a wifwolf.

Prince of Gold- scifi/Western Fantasy setting following a centaur escaping from a bad marriage through capturing a dragon to pay back his dorwey to his family. He's aided by his best friend who is a wererav, his pet wyvern, and a cranky halfling.

Haint Blu- a scifi/Urban Fantasy setting featuring an amnesiac zombie magicly bonded to the ghost that raised them from the dead after they got murdered by another zombie and thrust into the world of competitive ghost fighting.