Thorns of the midnight rose

Thorns of the midnight rose

Espada

5.0
Comment(s)
5
View
39
Chapters

In the opulent kingdom of Vynthera, Lady Seraphine Caldris is a woman of unmatched beauty and cunning intellect. Born into a noble family, she is admired for her grace but feared for her sharp tongue and even sharper wit. Beneath her polished exterior, however, lies a secret: Seraphine is the true heir to the throne, a truth hidden after her parents were betrayed and murdered by the scheming Duke Alaric-the man she was once betrothed to. The betrayal shattered Seraphine's heart, but it did not break her. Masking her fury behind an elegant facade, she weaves her way through Vynthera's glittering court, hiding her pain behind a confident and dominant demeanor. Her sharp arrogance and alluring presence make her both irresistible and intimidating. She plays the long game, quietly building alliances with those disillusioned by the Duke's tyrannical rule. When a mysterious assassin, Cassian, attempts to take her life under Alaric's orders, Seraphine does the unexpected-she spares him. Intrigued by her courage and ambition, Cassian offers his deadly skills in exchange for her protection and a chance at revenge of his own. Their partnership is fraught with tension; Cassian is as infuriatingly cocky as he is skilled, and the sparks between them threaten to ignite something Seraphine cannot afford to feel. As Seraphine edges closer to her revenge, she discovers that the Duke's betrayal runs deeper than she ever imagined. Alaric has uncovered the Midnight Rose, a cursed artifact said to grant immortality at the cost of its wielder's soul. If he succeeds in unlocking its power, Seraphine's plans-and the kingdom-will be lost. Caught in a web of deceit, mystery, and forbidden desires, Seraphine must risk everything to expose Alaric and reclaim her throne. But as secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, she begins to question who she can trust-including Cassian, whose own past may hold the key to the Duke's downfall or her ultimate destruction.

Thorns of the midnight rose Chapter 1 The Mask of Elegance

The grand ballroom of Vynthera Palace glittered like a jewel in the soft glow of a thousand chandeliers. Nobles in their finest silks and jewels danced, drank, and laughed, their voices merging into a harmonious cacophony of wealth and power. Yet none shone brighter than Lady Seraphine Caldris.

She stood near the marble staircase, her emerald gown clinging to her slender frame like a second skin. Her raven-black hair was swept into an elaborate bun, a single diamond pin glinting like a shard of ice. Her piercing gray eyes scanned the crowd with practiced ease, taking in every whispered conversation, every sidelong glance.

Tonight, she wasn't merely a noblewoman. She was a predator among prey, cloaked in the guise of a gracious hostess.

"Lady Seraphine," purred a voice at her elbow. She turned, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Duke Alaric, her former betrothed, stood before her. His presence was a shadow she could never escape.

"Your Grace," she replied, her voice smooth as velvet. "How kind of you to attend tonight's celebration."

"Would I miss a chance to see the most radiant woman in Vynthera?" His smile was charming, but Seraphine saw the malice lurking beneath. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Still playing the perfect noblewoman, I see. One would think you've forgotten the past."

Her smile tightened. "I assure you, I forget nothing, Your Grace."

As Alaric moved away to mingle with the other guests, Seraphine's fingers tightened around the stem of her wine glass. He was testing her, as always, reminding her of his power. But he didn't know the fire simmering beneath her composed exterior. Not yet.

"Not enjoying the party, my lady?"

The voice startled her, its low, rich tone cutting through her thoughts. She turned to see a man she didn't recognize-tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and a dangerous smirk. His clothes were simple but finely tailored, and his piercing blue eyes held a spark of mischief.

"Enjoyment is a luxury," she said coolly, masking her intrigue. "Who are you, and why are you here uninvited?"

He chuckled softly, unbothered by her icy demeanor. "Cassian. Let's just say I'm here on business. Though I must admit, the sight of you makes the evening far more interesting."

Her eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, a sudden commotion near the grand doors drew everyone's attention. A servant stumbled in, blood staining his uniform.

"Assassins!" he gasped, collapsing to the floor.

Panic erupted in the room, nobles screaming and scrambling for safety. Seraphine's heart raced, not with fear, but with cold, calculated purpose. She turned back to the stranger, her voice low and commanding.

"If you're here on business, Cassian, I suggest you prove yourself useful. Follow me."

Without waiting for a response, she swept through the chaos, her mind already strategizing. Tonight had been meant for observation, but fate had other plans. If assassins were involved, then someone-likely Alaric-was making their move.

And so would she.

Continue Reading

You'll also like

Reborn Heiress: The Wolf's Vengeance Deal

Reborn Heiress: The Wolf's Vengeance Deal

Sibeal Sallese
5.0

I lay paralyzed on stiff white sheets, a prisoner in my own skin, listening to the rain lash against the window like nails on a coffin. My father, Elmore Franco, didn't even look at my face as he checked his clipboard. He just listened to the steady, monotonous beep of the heart monitor-the only thing proving I was still alive. Without a hint of remorse, he pulled a pen from his pocket and signed the Do Not Resuscitate order. My stepmother, Ophelia, stepped out from behind him, wearing my favorite pearl necklace and smelling of cloying perfume. She leaned close to my ear to whisper the truth that turned my blood to ice. "It was the tea, darling. Just like your mother. A slow, tasteless poison." She chuckled as she revealed that my fiancé, Bryce, had a two-year-old son with my sister, Daniela. My inheritance had been funding their secret life for years, and now that the money was secure, I was an inconvenience they were finally scrubbing away. As my father yanked the power cord from the wall, the beeping died, and the darkness swallowed me whole. I was being murdered by my own flesh and blood, used as a bank account until I was no longer needed. I died in that sterile room, drowning in the realization that every person I ever loved was a monster who had been waiting for me to take my last breath. Then, I gasped. I woke up in a luxury hotel suite surrounded by silk sheets, five years in the past-the very morning of my wedding. Next to me lay Basile Delgado, the "Wolf of Wall Street" and my family's most dangerous enemy. In my first life, I ran from this room in a panic and lost everything. This time, I looked at the man who would eventually destroy my father's empire and decided to join him. "I'm not leaving, Basile. Marry me. Right now. Today."

Abandoned Ex-Wife: Now Untouchable

Abandoned Ex-Wife: Now Untouchable

Tao Yaoyao
5.0

My five-year-old daughter was dying in the ICU, her heartbeat replaced by the continuous, electronic scream of a flatline. I gripped her cold hand, my throat sealed shut by a terror so absolute I couldn't even cry out. I dialed my husband Grayson's private number, the one reserved only for me and his assistants. He declined the call instantly. A second later, a text buzzed against my palm: "In a meeting. Do not disturb. Stop calling." Five miles away, Grayson was at a luxury gala, adjusting his silk tie and laughing with Belle Escobar. He told her I was just being "dramatic" and using our daughter's "fever" as an excuse to avoid the event. He had no idea Effie's heart had already stopped. When I finally reached our penthouse, soaked from the rain and carrying Effie's small socks in a plastic bag, Grayson didn't even look at me. He snapped at me for ruining the hardwood floors and asked if I'd left Effie with the nanny just to "feel sorry for myself." Three days later, while I buried our daughter in a small, lonely ceremony, Grayson was at the Hamptons. Belle posted a photo of him golfing with the caption: "A mental health day with the boys." He didn't even attend the funeral, but he returned home demanding I clear out Effie's room to make a study for Belle's son. The injustice burned through me until there was nothing left. I swallowed a handful of sleeping pills, desperate to join my daughter. But instead of the darkness, I woke up to blinding lights and the scent of Grayson's expensive cologne. I was standing in a ballroom, wearing a blue silk dress I had already burned. Above me, a banner read: "Happy 5th Birthday Kaiden & Effie." I was back, exactly one year before the tragedy. This time, I wasn't going to be the grieving wife. I was going to be their worst nightmare.

The Scars She Hid From The World

The Scars She Hid From The World

REGINA MCBRIDE
4.7

The heavy iron gates of the Wilderness Correction Camp groaned as they released me after three years of state-sponsored hell. I stood on the dirt road, clutching a plastic bag that held my entire life, waiting for the family that claimed they sent me there for "rehab." My brother, Brady, picked me up in a luxury SUV only to throw me out onto a deserted highway in the middle of a brewing storm. He told me I was a "public relations nightmare" and that the rain might finally wash the "stink" of the camp off me. He drove away, leaving me to limp miles through the mud on a snapped ankle. When I finally dragged myself to our family estate, my mother didn't offer a hug; she gasped in horror because my muddy clothes were ruining her Italian marble. They didn't give me my old room back. Instead, they banished me to a moldy gardener’s shack and hired a "babysitter" to make sure I didn't embarrass them further. My sister, Kaleigh, stood there in white cashmere, pretending to cry while clinging to her fiancé, Ambrose—the man who had once been mine. They all treated me like a volatile junkie, refusing to acknowledge that Kaleigh was the one who planted the drugs in my bag three years ago. They wanted to believe I was broken so they wouldn't have to feel guilty about the "wellness retreat" that was actually a torture chamber. I sat in the dark of that shed, feeling the cooling gel on the cigarette burns that covered my arms, and realized they had made a fatal mistake. They thought they had erased me, but I had returned with a roadmap of scars and a hidden satellite phone. At dinner, I didn't beg for their love. I simply rolled up my sleeves and showed them the price of their silence. As the wine spilled and the lies crumbled, I sent a single text to the only person I trusted: "I'm in. Let them simmer." The hunt was finally on.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
Thorns of the midnight rose Thorns of the midnight rose Espada Fantasy
“In the opulent kingdom of Vynthera, Lady Seraphine Caldris is a woman of unmatched beauty and cunning intellect. Born into a noble family, she is admired for her grace but feared for her sharp tongue and even sharper wit. Beneath her polished exterior, however, lies a secret: Seraphine is the true heir to the throne, a truth hidden after her parents were betrayed and murdered by the scheming Duke Alaric-the man she was once betrothed to. The betrayal shattered Seraphine's heart, but it did not break her. Masking her fury behind an elegant facade, she weaves her way through Vynthera's glittering court, hiding her pain behind a confident and dominant demeanor. Her sharp arrogance and alluring presence make her both irresistible and intimidating. She plays the long game, quietly building alliances with those disillusioned by the Duke's tyrannical rule. When a mysterious assassin, Cassian, attempts to take her life under Alaric's orders, Seraphine does the unexpected-she spares him. Intrigued by her courage and ambition, Cassian offers his deadly skills in exchange for her protection and a chance at revenge of his own. Their partnership is fraught with tension; Cassian is as infuriatingly cocky as he is skilled, and the sparks between them threaten to ignite something Seraphine cannot afford to feel. As Seraphine edges closer to her revenge, she discovers that the Duke's betrayal runs deeper than she ever imagined. Alaric has uncovered the Midnight Rose, a cursed artifact said to grant immortality at the cost of its wielder's soul. If he succeeds in unlocking its power, Seraphine's plans-and the kingdom-will be lost. Caught in a web of deceit, mystery, and forbidden desires, Seraphine must risk everything to expose Alaric and reclaim her throne. But as secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, she begins to question who she can trust-including Cassian, whose own past may hold the key to the Duke's downfall or her ultimate destruction.”
1

Chapter 1 The Mask of Elegance

24/11/2024

2

Chapter 2 A Blade in the Shadows

24/11/2024

3

Chapter 3 Threads of Deception

24/11/2024

4

Chapter 4 A Duel of Wills

24/11/2024

5

Chapter 5 Whispers in the Shadows

24/11/2024

6

Chapter 6 Shadows in the Glass

24/11/2024

7

Chapter 7 A Deal with Shadows

24/11/2024

8

Chapter 8 The Gilded Serpent

24/11/2024

9

Chapter 9 A Shadow in the Moonlight

24/11/2024

10

Chapter 10 The Edge of Betrayal

24/11/2024

11

Chapter 11 The Shadows we cast

27/12/2024

12

Chapter 12 A Game of Shadows

28/12/2024

13

Chapter 13 Into the Thorn's Nest

28/12/2024

14

Chapter 14 Whispers of a Darker Truth

30/12/2024

15

Chapter 15 The Bait and the Trap

30/12/2024

16

Chapter 16 Shadows in the Night

31/12/2024

17

Chapter 17 Betrayal in Bloom

01/01/2025

18

Chapter 18 Shadows of Doubt

02/01/2025

19

Chapter 19 The Alliance of the Shadows

03/01/2025

20

Chapter 20 A Dance with Deception

04/01/2025

21

Chapter 21 Echoes of Treachery

05/01/2025

22

Chapter 22 Shadows of the Forgotten

07/01/2025

23

Chapter 23 The Silent Betrayal

07/01/2025

24

Chapter 24 The Web of Deceit

09/01/2025

25

Chapter 25 Shattered Bonds

10/01/2025

26

Chapter 26 Shadows of Deception

11/01/2025

27

Chapter 27 The Gathering Storm

12/01/2025

28

Chapter 28 Echoes of the Ravine

13/01/2025

29

Chapter 29 The Cursed Labyrinth

14/01/2025

30

Chapter 30 The Herald's Warning

15/01/2025

31

Chapter 31 The Shadow of Betrayal

16/01/2025

32

Chapter 32 Secrets in the Dark

17/01/2025

33

Chapter 33 The Bridge of Broken Promises

19/01/2025

34

Chapter 34 The Eye of the Storm

21/01/2025

35

Chapter 35 Shadows within Shadow

21/01/2025

36

Chapter 36 Echoes of Destiny

22/01/2025

37

Chapter 37 A Glimpse into the Abyss

24/01/2025

38

Chapter 38 Shadows in the Veil

25/01/2025

39

Chapter 39 Echoes of the Past

26/01/2025