Life was a precious gift.

It chose only a few people and if they were lucky, they would experience the full joys of what life bought.

But there was a limit to everything.

With life came death and death seemed far easier, far simpler than life. There were two sides to death, two sides to everything it seemed. Those who were lucky would experience a dark, empty, peaceful limbo, drifting between the afterlife and purgatory.

But for those unlucky souls, it was a fiery hell of burning skin and tormented screams that never seemed to end. No matter what you believed, death could be a ball of fire that never stopped burning if you were unlucky.

A heartbeat fluttered in the darkness, quiet but growing stronger. Her mind was astray, her body stuck between life and death. Everything seemed too heightened, too bright and for while, her soul floated into peace.

But the events of what happened came tumbling down on her like boulders, weighing her body down and pulling her under deep currents she couldn't swim out of. Her lungs felt ready to combust, the desperate need for air chaining her body.

She kicked and screamed and the lights got brighter. Voices surrounded her, growing stronger and an ache formed in the back of her mind. She was calling out for someone, anyone.

Then, like she was pulled out of the water, life touched her lips and air rushed into her lungs. Her body shook and shuddered and her fingers shook, her toes curling into what seemed like a soft spread.

Before she knew it, her eyes flew wide open, a mirage of colors encircled with an emerald ring and the sun met her gaze.

A soft groan fell from Alesandria's lips, her dark hair matted to her forehead as she sat upright in her bed, sweat beading down her face. Uneven breaths rushed in and out of her lips, her chest heaving up and down as she did so.

It was hot, too hot and her heart was hammering inside her chest. Beating with a new source fo energy she couldn't figure out. She kicked the sheets off of her body, crossing her legs and looking around the room she was in.

It looked normal with white curtains and a king sized bed she sat in but something was different. It had a new aura, a new atmosphere that smelled of magic and power and danger.

"Good morning, princess." The sound of Castrin's voice captured her attention and she turned around to see the Dark Magic Summoner sitting by her side, his dark locks matted to his forehead and his ever-gazing eyes smiling at her.

"What happened? Did it work? Where are the others?" Alesandria asked, scrambling around the bed as if she was trying to get away from a snake. Her friend laughed, nodding his head. "For someone that woke up from a three-day nap, you sure do have a lot of questions" he uttered to her, crossing his legs.

"Three days" she whispered, clutching her chest. "I've been asleep for three days." The summoner nodded again, running his fingers through his dark locks. "Yes, you have. The others are downstairs, sound asleep. I figured since I was the first one to awake, I might as well be the first one to break the news to you."

"Break what news? Did the oath work?" she asked once again, curling her fingers into the silk sheets. He nodded once again, looking her straight in the eye. "The oath worked, alright," he said in a tone that was too humorous for a dreaded setting. "Killed all of us in the process."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, brushing her fingers through her hair. The silky strands felt softer and she frowned, casting a gaze over to her dark locks. Smiling, Castrin reached behind him and pulled out a sword, a sword that looked identical to her dagger.

He placed it beside her knees, watching with careful eyes when her fingers grazed past the gray steelhead of the sword down to the dragon intertwined around the sharpened blade. The ruby was still engraved in the middle of the weapon, surrounded by dark, metallic designs that glittered in the morning sun.

Gingerly, Alesandria wrapped her hand around the weapon, surprised by how smoothly it fit in her hand and how right it felt. Her fingers gripped the head of the sword tightly, the ruby twinkling when she tilted it towards the sun.

"A sword fit for a princess," Castrin said when he saw how she awed the weapon in her hand. Alesandria looked up, nestling the sword in her lap. "Princess?" she uttered, raising her brows. "Castrin, what in the bloody stars are you talking about?"

Sighing, the Summoner pushed himself off of the chair and walked around her bed to the vanity table that sat across from her. A mirror laid encased in golden designs, the handle curving when he picked it up in his strong hands.

"The oath worked Alesandria and you are officially a hybrid," he said as he sat down on the bed beside her, his cerulean speckled eyes gazing into her very confused orbs. "But we also uncovered something else about you that we didn't know. I think you should take a look at yourself."

A frown pulled on her lips as she took the mirror away from his hands and looked at herself. Her reflexion shocked her, seeing just how different she looked. Of course, she could still tell it was her but her hair was longer, darker and kissed by the twinkle of stars. Her skin was smooth, too smooth and her fingers were long and delicate. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips were a rose tint.

Even her eyes were different, a hint of gray and green splattered across a canvas of gold and ringed permanently with an emerald ring that never seemed to die. But what shocked her the most was the hybrid marks splattered across her shoulders and the back of her neck.

They were the color of gold and rust combined, creating swirling patterns that decorated her skin. The designs intertwined around her shoulders and down her neck and back, disappearing underneath the dress she wore.

Above her neck, just hidden underneath the curve of her ear was a tiny crown struck by two bleeding arrows. A family crest.

"Castrin, unless this washes off, I suggest you better tell me what is going on," she said, setting down the mirror on the bed. Her reflection scared her, seeing just how pristine and clean she looked.

It wasn't her, it couldn't be.

A laugh escaped Castrin's lips, her fingers grazing past her cheeks lovingly. She forced herself not to blush underneath his touch, even as he brushed a strand of her behind her ear. "The oath has a mind of its own. We can't control it" he said in a hushed voice only she could hear.

"During the oath, something went wrong after you stabbed yourself and died. Venix got affected by the Catalyst Moon's rays and she died too along with Lucien and Onyx who tried to save her. Yongui and I were in the middle of performing a spell that could potentially stop the oath when she started feeling the side effects of the oath and died as well. During her last breath, she screamed a spell that caused a humongous fire explosion, supposedly killing us."

"You all died because of me?" Alesandria whispered in a hushed voice, stroking the hand that was on her cheek. Her friend nodded, pulling her closer to him until he shoulders brushed against his. "Luckily for us, Immortals can't die that easily and we were resurrected back to life. It was only when we got back home that we saw the tattoos scrawled on your skin."

He stopped, taking a deep breath and she caught sight of that. Alesandria raised her eyes to meet his, stopping to catch her breath when the cerulean flecks in his eyes twinkled back at her. "What do they mean?" she asked, shaking her head. "Please, Castrin, tell me."

"Do you want the simple answer or the long explanation?" he asked, stroking her cheeks firmly.

"Whichever one will cut through the skin easier" she replied back, finally giving in and letting her cheeks flush red at his touch.

"Those marks belong to a specific royal family that ruled a powerful kingdom a long time ago. You, Alesandria Erovex, are the lost hybrid Queen of a fallen kingdom named Crojesian. Your parents did not abandon you. They died during a horrible war but luckily you survived. You are a queen, Alesandria. The true heir to their throne."

It took her a minute to process his words, to fully take in what he had just uttered to her. Her, a simple village girl, a Queen of a fallen kingdom that belonged to her parents?

The realization was too heavy and unbearable, sinking into her chest and cutting her deep within her skin.

"I'm a queen?" she hissed underneath her breath. Her friend nodded, pressing a soft kiss against her temple. "You were always a queen, darling."

Sucking in a breath, she curled up against Castrin's chest, letting his arms wrap around her waist as she laid in the silence of the room and the horror of the truth, holding back tears she didn't know where prickling behind her eyes.

A/N: And that is the end of another chapter!

So sorry it was a short chapter!

So...surprise! Alesandria is the long lost hybrid queen of Crojesian! Bet you didn't see THAT COMING!

*laughs manically*

Well, that was a series of plot twists. And more to come in The Septic Curse!

One more chapter and then the epilogue and then the book is officially over!

*wipes tears* I promise myself I wouldn't cry.

This has been a crazy ride and I can't believe it is almost over. Before the end is near, I would like to hear what you liked about this book. Why you liked this book and what you thought of it overall.

Any improvements or changes?

Favorite characters and least favorite character!

Favorite shipping? Favorite quote? Favorite moment?

I don't know, just tell me!

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

So tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter and don't forget to comment down below and vote if you liked it.

Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May