Anthesis of Sadness - Chapter 11: Massacre

“Strip.”The command was sharp, laced with authority, cutting through the silence like the crack of a whip.The deep timbre of Dimitri's voice sent a shiver down the spines of the gathered women. They had learned quickly in the past two days, obedience meant survival. At his order, they bowed their heads, hands trembling as they peeled away the thin, tattered fabric that barely shielded them from humiliation.But one of them did not move. She stood frozen in place promting Dimitri's eyes narrow._________Born in a world of deception, Princess Sorayah Drakon was forced to live as a prince, hiding her gender and her unique gifts. She can heal wounds, command the elements, disguise as someone else or animals, manipulate dreams, creates powerful illusions, and ability to wield strength no other human possesses.Feeling trapped, she sheds her false identity under the cover of night to dress as a woman. One fateful night, during one of these secret escapades, she met Lupien Nightshade, the crown prince of the werewolves! It was love at first sight.But love soon turns into tragedy when Lupien kills her father, throwing the human kingdom into chaos. Humans were captured as slaves and Sorayah became one of them.She swore revenge, wanting to get close to Lupien to kill him but before she could, she was claimed by Dimitri Nightshade, Lupien's uncle! When she realized their interests aligned, Sorayah sought to gain his trust and use him as a weapon.Two enemies. One kingdom. A shared thirst for destruction.But there was something else.Something Sorayah hadn't planned for.Dimitri Nightshade was irresistible.She hated him so much she wanted to carve his heart out with her bare hands but she couldn't deny the way he made her burn with passion.Will Soraya be able to bend him to her will?Or will she be trapped in his claws forever?

“Great Saint, why did you follow that thieving baldy to rob the sacred mountain?” “Ah, it’s a long story. Back then, that thieving baldy grabbed my neck and asked me, ‘Are you coming with me to the Western Heaven, or should I send you to the Western Heaven...’” “What about you, Marshal Tianpeng?” “He said he was afraid of getting hungry on the way to the West, so he brought some dry rations along.” “...” This is a story filled with joy, scheming, and relentless teasing all the way through.

Zaiyila thought she had suffered enough—betrayed by her own mother and sold into marriage with a wealthy, aging man. But on the night of her pre-wedding ceremony, everything takes a dark and unexpected turn. A swarm of deadly snakes descends upon the gathering, killing her groom-to-be and throwing the hall into chaos. Fear spreads as the people recognize the serpents as the servants of the enigmatic and terrifying Snake King, Everett.When Everett himself arrives—a striking, horned man of unmatched beauty and power—Zaiyila finds herself drawn to him in ways she cannot explain. Despite the fear he inspires in others, she feels an unshakable connection to him, one that transcends the realm of logic. The moment she defies the fearful kneeling of the crowd, she unknowingly seals her fate.Taken into Everett’s domain, Zaiyila is forced to confront not only the dangerous, supernatural world she’s been thrust into but also the awakening desires she cannot deny. As she unravels the truth about her past and her connection to the Snake King, she must decide—will she resist the pull of destiny, or will she embrace the darkness and passion that Everett offers?A tale of betrayal, power, and an irresistible bond, Bride of the Serpent King explores the fine line between fear and desire, fate and choice.---

Meili is a once-in-a-generation beauty raised in secrecy in the inner courtyards. To keep her safe from the palace concubine selections, her family conspires to make everyone, including her, believe that she's ugly. The secret's revealed when 3 peeping Tom’s get more than they bargained for spying on the 'ugly sister' bathing.The perverts are best friends, a young commander, the second prince, and an admired poet, and the 3 young men compete fiercely for her affections. As Meili emerges from 16 years in seclusion, her deeply rooted body dysmorphia has hilarious consequences as she misreads her interactions with men and proves to be a far more complex puzzle to woo than any of them are equipped for.A cdrama romcom where a young girl is a glittering prize trying her hardest not to be won.[#teen #lovequadrangle #historicalromance #romcom #chinesedrama #sweetromance]EXTRACT: Meili slipped out of her robe and sat on a ledge in the warm pool. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, tiny silver bells tinkled as she moved.It felt wonderful to be free of her chest binding. It was starting to get quite painful. She didn't dare stop wearing it in case it encouraged her already disconcertingly large breasts to keep expanding.It was onto this scene that the Commander, the Prince and the poet happened, as they soundlessly raised their heads above the peaked roofline. For a full minute not one of them moved or breathed.Her long hair covered her generous curves, allowing tantalising glimpses. She reached behind her neck to push back her hair.Commander Bai, realising what was about to happen, clamped each of his hands firmly over the eyes of the Prince and Tan Bowen. A fight broke out on the ridge-line as the men clawed and scratched in a panicked attempt to see what came next.Meili looked up in fright, just as the commander forcefully pushed his two friends, sliding them down the steep rooftop.For just a split second, the eyes of Commander Bai and Meili met.