Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 97
May 18, 2019
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH! 
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH!
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH!
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH!
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH!
BOOK REVIEW: Legendary (Caraval, #2), by Stephanie Garber ~ Simply MAGICAL!
~ LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER
[image error]
Hello lovely people and welcome to a new review, here on Victorious Pages.
As the day that my Finale copy will arrive approaches, I thought the time was right for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Caraval series, Legendary.
It’s been more than a week since I read it, but I really needed to fully fathom everything that happened in this book. All the revelations and plot twists, and everything that (hopefully) will happen in the last instalment of this trilogy. What I didn’t want to do was write a review based solely on my first impressions and emotions, which is why I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible.
As per usual, I will start my review with the non-spoilery section and then move on to the spoilers and the discussion. So, if you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, rest assured that I will inform you when the spoilery part will begin. Fair warning though, that there will be spoilers from Caraval included in the review.
With all that being said, let’s get to the summary of Legendary.
“A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.“
Technically speaking, the second instalment of the series was far better than the first book. The writing style was improved A LOT (and it was actually my cup of tea this time), the story as a whole was fast-paced, with beautiful descriptions and narration, amazing plot twists and revelations.
But then again, maybe that was because I like Tella as a main character much more than I like Scarlett. Tella is the funny, cunning, smart, optimistic, romantic, more relatable and accessible sister. She’s the protagonist you want to get to know, the person who you want to hang out with, the girl whose love story is going to excite you and make you get butterflies in your stomach.
[image error]
Scarlett on the other hand… Well, I like Scarlett because, where she is, Julian follows!
[image error]
Or maybe I liked Legendary more because it wasn’t as confusing as Caraval was, at least in my opinion, neither it had as much info-dumping as its prequel. With a world being built and a magic system being, more or less, explained, it was inevitable for me to ADORE the development of the story, the characters, the magic system and, of course, the epilogue, that left me wondering what’s going to happen in Finale.
So, in terms of technicality, Legendary was the kind of book that drew me in and simply made me crave for more.
And now for the spoilers…
[image error]
*LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE, FOLKS*
[image error]
So, my initial reaction was OH! MY! GOSH!
May 16, 2019
The ULTIMATE Book Tag
Hello awesome nerds and welcome to the ULTIMATE book tag!
I originally came across this tag on The Bibliophile Girl and I enjoyed reading her answers so very much that I decided to write my own. Yes, once again I wasn’t tagged, but I thought it would be fun to do this book tag anyway.
No rules, nothing else I should mention, so without further ado, let’s get to the tag!
[image error]1. Do You Get Sick While Reading In The Car?
I used to when I was younger, but I don’t anymore. Which is actually a relief, considering that I use mass transit at least three times a week. And well, you know how boring it can get on the bus without an escape door, aka a fantasy book! 
May 13, 2019
The Folk of the Air Book Tag
Hello awesome nerds and happy Monday!
It’s been a while since I posted a book tag and since I fell completely in love with The Folk of the Air series, by Holly Black, I decided to do this super fan tag, considering that The Queen of Nothing is gonna be released this November AND The Wicked King is extremely high on my TBR pile.
So, without any further ado, let’s get to the book tag!
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RULES
You must tag the original creator ( Xandra @ Starry Sky Books )
Spoilers galore! You should probably read The Cruel Prince first! (You don’t really need to read The Wicked King, but that would be nice.)
Answer all the questions.
Try to tag at least 3 other bloggers.
Though I wasn’t tagged by anyone, I’m gonna do it anyway!
JUDE: A CHARACTER WHO WOULD PROBABLY KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP.
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Probably Mia Corvere, especially if I had gotten her pissed the day before.
CARDAN: A CHARACTER WHO SEEMS LIKE A BAD GUY
BUT IS ULTIMATELY MORE COMPLEX THAN YOU THOUGHT[image error]
Prince Ericen from The Storm Crow, because I still believe he’s not the a$$ he seems to be! Also, I cannot believe I have to wait for over a year to read the sequel!
LOCKE: A CHARACTER (OR PLOT TWIST) THAT MADE YOU WANT TO THROW THE BOOK.
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May 11, 2019
BIRD OF PARADISE ~ PART 3
Happy Saturday, awesome nerds, and welcome to this last part (at least for the time being) of Bird of Paradise.
We’ve been working our butts of these past couple of weeks, editing and trying to polish the entire book as much as possible. I do hope that I will be able to share more about this with you, dearies, later this year, but for the time being, just enjoy the third chapter of Fay’s story; my story.
[image error]
Bird of Paradise
GLUTTONY
“Now, is that my favorite witch, or did the Messenger steal my sight at last?” Fay heard a familiar, deep voice purring inside her ear, strong hands catching her by the waist, the male’s breath tickling the sensitive skin of her lobe, as a fruity, inviting scent wafted in the air and through her nostrils.
“Lucas!” Fay exclaimed, turning around to come face to face with her undead friend. “You smell delicious! What did you drink tonight, you little bloodsucker?”
“Only the finest wine here in Changeling!” the vampire said, his red eyes glistening under the spotlight’s bright light. “Do you know how many fallen angels in here are eager to share their blood with me?”
Fay couldn’t help but smirk. Maybe the majority of the vampires living in the city weren’t picky about whom they might feed on, but that wasn’t the case with Lucas, the leader of the local clan. She could see the blood flowing in his indigo veins, his olive skin gaining some color back, despite his usual paleness. As if he were almost human, like he used to be centuries ago.
“What is it?” Lucas asked, seeing the smile on Fay’s face.
“Nothing,” she murmured. “I just think you’re really brave. Feeding on fallen angels on a night like this. Especially with Gabrielle here!”
“I don’t even care about that little, flying minion,” Lucas barked, his eyes flying over to the Messenger for just a second. “She’s simply here to show off. I can’t keep my kin starving all night, just to make a good impression on her, now, can I?”
Fay turned around to stare at Gabrielle again. She’d do whatever it took to make a good impression on that divine woman, whatever it took to be on her good side, whatever it took to prove to her…
What the Hell is the matter with you?the snakes lurking under her enchantment hissed inside her ear, waking her from her reverie.
You’re here to steal her soul and get it to your father, not become one of the Creator’s sidekicks.
It was as if she had used her icy powers on herself, shivers going all the way down her spine, ice piercing into her rotten heart. She was a witch, for crying out loud. Not some foolish angelic being who wanted to climb up into the Garden of Eden again. But her mother was… Not a fool, still a fallen angel anyway. And if Fay wanted to save Eugenia from her father’s malice, she should do exactly as he had asked her to.
Even though this felt completely, utterly wrong…
“Fay! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Lucas snarled, snapping his long, delicate fingers in front of Fay’s eyes.
“Sure…” Fay whispered, aware the vampire could hear her, despite the loud music. “What exactly were we talking about?”
“Oh, Hell no!” Lucas exclaimed, his palms locking upon Fay’s alabaster face, forcing her to look him in the eye.
She blinked, taken aback by her friend’s bravery. Even Lucas didn’t dare to make moves on her, and he’d known her since the day she was born. Fay put her palms on Lucas’s hands, sending a gust of ice directly to her friend’s undead core. He flinched, still his firm grasp didn’t loosen not even one bit.
“Please don’t tell me you fell for her!” Lucas hissed, staring her deep inside the eyes.
“Her who?” Fay echoed back, as a crazy idea started taking shape inside her mind.
“Gabrielle!” Lucas snarled, cocking his head towards God’s Messenger. “I am aware of what she can do to creatures like you.”
“Creatures like me?” Fay chuckled. “You better keep that vicious tongue of yours under control or I’ll gladly cut it off and use it for some sleeping potion, Luc!”
“Threaten me all you want, my little, fallen Bird of Paradise, but creatures like you, Satan’s children, are drawn to every forbidden fruit there is,” Lucas whispered, never blinking, never pulling his hands back away from Fay’s face. “God has a very peculiar sense of humor, that I have to admit!”
“What are you talking about?” Fay asked, never failing to be surprised that vampires were able to speak the Creator’s name out loud. “I’m not drawn to anyone, especially not that wanna-be version of me. We both know I’m way hotter than Gabrielle.”
“The Hell you are, girl, but just don’t let her come close to you,” Lucas said, finally pulling back, his eyes flying somewhere behind Fay for just a second. “She has her way of getting into people’s hearts and leading them to Heaven, whether they want to or not.”
“And what if I told you I’m planning on driving herto Hell instead?” Fay hissed. “Interested to help?”
Lucas gasped, his full lips spreading into a genuine grin an instant later.
“What do you have in mind, little enchantress?”
* * *
“Are you sure this isn’t going to end up in a bloodbath?” Lucas asked, walking right next to Fay, towards the dance floor, right across from the Messenger’s private balcony.
“Why do you care? This would be like the twenty-fifth of December coming early this year for you,” she chuckled.
She couldn’t help but smirk. Partly because of Lucas, who was trying in vain to swallow his groan, and partly because it felt bittersweet the least that, although this particular holiday was her favorite, she just couldn’t even mouth the name of it. She was the Devil’s daughter and He was the Creator’s son, after all.
“Still, I don’t want to infuriate Gabrielle. Or Michael, for that matter. You know how he can be about his former bestest bro,” Lucas whispered. “If things go out of control, I’m out of here. And so are my fledglings.”
“Oh, please stop! For the love of Lucifer!” Fay snapped. “Don’t be such a wimp! Your fledglings get to drink some more, the lycans will feast on the bloodless corpses, and when they make their mistake, it’ll be us the ones that’ll break the news to the Messenger. You’ll gain some more free space to drink and I’ll seem like someone who doesn’t want to follow in her father’s footsteps. It’ll be piece of cake, Luc, I promise!”
“That’s what your father said, too, Fay, and look where we are now!” Lucas snarled, and for a second, Fay thought he’d bail on her. “Whatever… I’m going to Hell anyway. At least, let’s just do it the old-fashioned, glamorous way!”
She let a low breath out and blended in with the clueless dancers around her, the music echoing like the nightingales’ song inside her ears. As if it wanted to bring some balance in the grotesque, scarlet setting that would reveal itself in a few moments.
“Do your thing, Luc,” Fay murmured, mist pouring out of her fingertips, the temperature dropping drastically around her. “And I’ll do mine.”
“You got it, Fay,” was all the vampire said.
She felt rather than heard it–the vampire’s incantation. The mesmerism… The power of submission all vampires had. Although Lucas’s could be extended to those of his kin as well. No wonder why he was the lawful leader of his clan.
The fledglings stood still the moment their sire sent his order, her order, to them.
Tell them to feed on the humans, just make it look as if the lycans were involved. Make it more grotesque, less… aristocratic.
That’s what Fay had told to Lucas, and that’s what Lucas said to his children. And so the fledglings, immature, hungry and impulsive, went straight to the humans that were dancing closer to the lycans’ territory, almost hidden in the darkest corners of Changeling.
Fay locked her gaze upon the undead creatures and the humans that would soon become the bloodsuckers’ appetizer. They were the ones Alex had let inside Changeling, after her instigation. She felt an abrupt heaviness inside her chest but she repressed it an instant later. She had work to do. She wouldn’t let foolish things such as remorse to distract her from her ultimate goal. Besides, that leather-dressed girl was basically walking on thin ice a few minutes earlier, begging Alex to let them get inside the club.
The vampires were quick, that she had to admit. But she was even quicker. And so the moment their sharp fangs touched the soft mortal skin, Fay sent out a gust of ice, turning those little holes into infected frostbites, wounds that resembled those caused by lycan venom.
Lucas glanced at her, a sardonic smile spreading upon his face.
I’m doing you a favor, Fay. Don’t forget that, he murmured inside her head.
I won’t. My father will learn of your involvement. I’ll make sure of it.
Everything else happened in the blink of an eye, faster than the Devil and his followers had fallen from Paradise. For as quickly as the vampires had bitten the mortals, just as quickly they returned to where they were before, dancing at the center of the club, moving faster than the light itself, invisible to weaker eyes–invisible to Gabrielle, who was inspecting the fallen angels, those who were trying to rise up again in her eyes, in God’s eyes, and win their place back in Eden.
Fay stared at the lycans, their nostrils flaring at the smell of fresh blood. The older ones flinched, yet didn’t make a move. She didn’t mind. It was the younger ones she was after, those less able to resist the scent of fresh blood. And, thank Lucifer, they did exactly as she’d planned!
Cracks, shrieks and scarlet rivers consumed the dance floor.
“MESSENGER!” Fay yelled, her voice echoing loud, covering the club’s music. “A rebellion has broken out!”
Gabrielle turned to look at Fay, the Messenger’s blue eyes locking upon the witch’s cerulean ones. An instant later, they flew to the bloody feast that was occurring on the dance floor. And somehow, Fay felt what Gabrielle was thinking.
Gluttony!
© Victoria Moschou. All Rights Reserved 2019.
Thank you all for coming back and for reading my posts. It means the world to me and I want you to know that I don’t take you for granted; I never will!
I look forward to reading all your thoughts and feelings in the comment section below.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Till next time… Toodles!
May 9, 2019
BIRD OF PARADISE ~ PART 2
Welcome, welcome, my innocent souls, to another Bird of Paradise chapter.
Working on these posts and rereading this story makes me realise how much I adored creating this new world and how excited I am to share it with you guys. So, if you’re as ready as I am, there’s no need to rant more. Let’s get to the actual chapter now, shall we?
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Bird of Paradise
LUST
The city was still empty, even though summer was officially over; not that it had arrived at all that year. Endless cloudy days, unexpected thunderstorms, wildfires… It had been one hell of a nightmare for the mortals. If Fay didn’t have other, more pressing issues to worry about, she would’ve definitely given a helping hand to the other demonic creatures, that were multiplying like rabbits in the depths of her father’s blazing kingdom.
Alas! She had no time to waste. So that night, when Eugenia finally went to bed, after a long, exhausting day at her pastry shop, instead of staying inside at their old house, gazing at the Aegean from the balcony, Fay decided to act. She’d go to Changeling club–the only place in the entire city where fallen angels, both good and evil, witches, vampires, lycanthropes and faeries, could socialize without being afraid of getting caught.
Things had changed since Eugenia was her age. People didn’t believe in miracles anymore. They did not believe in nightmares coming to life either. They had forgotten what it was like, when witches, such as herself, lured mortals into dark places for vampires and lycans to feed, while they stole their most vital organs for their spells, incantations and enchantments, and faeries, pixies and nixies grabbed with their bare hands the humans’ hopes, fears and dreams, leaving them lunatic, in best case scenario, empty corpses, in worst.
It didn’t take long for Fay to arrive at the club. The streets were almost empty at that time of the day, the pure-hearted mortals having let their subconscious take action, Morpheus having them all in a tight embrace, offering them gifts that would never become reality.
The embroidered entrance of Changeling looked as imperial as ever, glistening under the lights of the boulevard, golden and scarlet delicate patterns bringing back to life the war that had occurred millennia ago back in Heaven. And though no glamour was placed on the club to draw mortals’ eyes, still, the main entrance was the reason why more and more of them kept coming there every night. More and more souls that had already taken her father’s road and were practically begging for a place in Hell, simply by coming here and fraternizing with her lot.
What the Hell? They’ve chosen it, anyway…Fay thought, heading towards the Changeling’s door, where a group of teenagers were waiting to get inside.
“Sorry, poppet… Not tonight,” Fay heard Alex say, as she moved closer to the bouncer. The faerie was talking to a young girl who was trying to persuade him to get in. In vain of course… As if a revealing red, leather dress could lure Alex, the beauty incarnate!
“Oh, come on now, Alex! Let the kids have some fun,” Fay sighed and two of the group’s males turned around to look at her, their jaws falling to the ground the moment they saw her.
She couldn’t blame them. She had her reasons for dressing like that tonight. She had her reasons for hiding her true form, even from the immortal beings of Changeling, letting them see only what she wanted, what she needed them to see–a gorgeous, blonde, blue-eyed young woman, a white, long satin dress embracing her luscious curves, her skin covered entirely by the fabric, still leaving very little to men’s, and women’s, imagination.
“If I let them get in, can you guarantee they’ll come out in one piece, Fifi?” Alex asked, winking at Fay.
Fifi? Why did I let him call me like that last month when we were goofing around at his place? Fay seethed, a serene smile spreading upon her snow-white face, revealing nothing of the push she felt at the sound of that nickname.
“You have my word,” Fay whispered, staring unblinkingly at the faerie before her. “I’ll let no harm come to them. Especially these two little angels,” she went on, moving closer to the young men that were still devouring her with their eyes.
“Even you can’t promise that, Fifi. Especially on an Anniversary night,” Alex protested, still unwilling to let the mortals in.
She flinched for just a quarter of a second.
Is it actually tonight? Fay wondered.
Thankfully, the faerie didn’t realize that. Let alone the humans…
“Come on, now, Alex,” Fay mused.
“The place is already packed with monsters,” Alex whispered, low enough so that only Fay was able to listen to what he had said.
“My dear Alex… The whole world is full of monsters with friendly faces and angels full of scars,” Fay whispered back, her voice barely audible. “Surely I can handle some spoiled, feathery babies. And besides… You probably forget that I’m my father’s daughter,” she hissed, catching with her peripheral vision the confused glances the mortals exchanged at the sound of her words.
“Whatever Fay…” Alex snarled, and Fay knew she had won.
“Come along, now, boys,” she murmured, turning to face the two young men again, using just a touch of her icy powers to make the three girls that stood behind them get goose-bumps, all over their bodies–a little more than just a touch to the leather-dressed girl.
“Try not to get lost in Hell,” Alex growled, the characteristic sound of Changeling’s music echoing inside Fay’s ears, as the bouncer opened the club’s door. “The way downward is easy from Avernus.”
Fay rolled her eyes, grabbing the two men by their hands, dragging them with her inside the club, the girls’ high heels clattering on the marble stairs.
She thought Alex was done with his advice for the night, but just before closing the door behind them again, she heard him. Just a faint whisper, only audible to her–one of the powers demonic creatures, like witches and faeries, shared with one another. A characteristic her father thought could give them an advantage against the creatures of the Light.
“And you, Fifi,” he whispered, “try not to piss off Gabrielle when she arrives. She’ll come to show who’s the one that still has the upper hand, sooner or later. Don’t antagonize her.”
She definitely wouldn’t… She’d simply try to steal the angel’s divine soul! Even if she hadn’t seen Gabrielle, not once, in her entire life.
* * *
The Anniversary nights were legendary among their kind, both angelic and demonic creatures, both angels and demons, too. For the divine creatures of Paradise, those who hadn’t fallen, but had fought alongside Michael, to preserve God’s divinity, were coming to Changeling solely on occasions like this one.
The Anniversary… It signified the day when her father had rebelled against God. The day when Lucifer had gathered his followers to rule in Paradise and had been defeated triumphantly, simply to found a sham of a kingdom and rule in it–rule in Hell. The Anniversary was the only chance the fallen angels had to win a place back in Heaven. It was their only chance to rise again, to get their divinity, their wings, back. If only they had decided to truly walk down the Creator’s path again and abandon all the earthly delights the human world had to offer to them. If only they had proven they deserved to be taken back in Eden.
And it was a good thing Eugenia had apparently forgotten that the Anniversary was tonight. For otherwise, Fay’s plan would crumble, before she even managed to put it into motion.
She walked up the marble staircase of Changeling, the humans’ group following her–the young men walking next to her, the girls keeping their distance. The mortals’ hearts echoed loud and clear inside her ears, the adrenaline flowing inside their veins alongside their blood, tickling Fay’s sensitive nostrils.
“So what is this Anniversary night, anyway?” one of the two young men asked. “Is it some sort of birthday party that the club has?”
“Something like that,” Fay murmured, as she reached the top of the staircase and placed her hand on the glass door, that led to the main area of Changeling.
She turned around to look at the mortals one last time, wondering if she’d done right, pushing Alex to let them get inside and all. They were innocent… At least, they still were. And vampires and lycans were even crueler on nights like this, knowing they’d never gain a place in Paradise, being weak as the humans were, still demonic enough, thanks to the anomalies the Satan had gifted to them.
Oh, snap out of it. It is what it is.
“It was a pleasure to meet you all,” Fay said, her serene smile spreading upon her face–a smile that didn’t actually reach her eyes. “Try not to get bitten, little angels!”
* * *
Fay left the mortals behind, blending in with the demonic and angelic creatures around her. Changeling was as gorgeous as ever, grand chandeliers hovering from the ceiling up above, little, private balconies with leather settees, bars and little round tables, velvet armchairs and booths giving the club a certain eerie, divine essence. It was only the electronic music that brought a more human, modern touch to the whole place. Because half of the beings in that club could still hear the divine music of Heaven echoing in their ears. The harps, the violins, the empyrean voices… And as for the other half, shrieks and blares, cries and shouts were the ones that sounded like music to their ears.
It was the music that made the place look earthly. And the mortals themselves, of course. Twirling on the dance floor, between fallen angels, pixies and demons, the humans were, as far as Fay was concerned, the only pure beings inside this club–the only ones upon whom the Devil didn’t have a claim… yet.
She didn’t want them close when she’d do what she had come here to do. And judging by the lowering of the lights, the gradual change of music, harps replacing the electric guitars and the drums, she wouldn’t have to wait much longer.
A single spotlight turned on, illuminating the highest of the Changeling’s balconies. Fay turned her head towards that direction, to where everyone was staring at right now.
It was in that exact moment when it struck her. Why her father sounded so dogmatic, so desperate, when he told her he wanted Fay to bring Gabrielle to him. For Gabrielle was exactly like Fay, with just a teeny tiny difference. Her beauty, her divinity, her perfection, all of that was real. Golden hair, dark blue eyes, pale white skin. A snow-white dress and golden wings, glistening under the spotlight’s light.
She was the most beautiful woman Fay had ever dared to look at– for Fay’s beauty was fraudulent and it was better to avoid staring at the truth, when she could even deceive herself in that beautiful lie of hers. Still, Fay couldn’t take her eyes off of God’s Messenger.
Gabrielle’s stare locked upon hers for just a split second and Fay gasped.
How would she manage to steal that divine soul, when it was her heart that had been stolen?
© Victoria Moschou. All Rights Reserved 2019.
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Till next time… Toodles!
