Read Imperial ((Imperial) Web of Hearts and Souls) for Free Online Page A

Can we say end of creation as a whole? Yeah, that would happen, no doubt.
    It was an extreme tribulation to couple with a human. Basically, the Escort would be stripped of any knowledge of their heritage, yet the dreams and cravings would remain. More than likely, they would go insane and harm not only themselves, but also the one they chose to leave their race for. Because of that, some never bother to seek permission; they feel that they can control their urges and not harm their adored. They are always wrong. Death comes to the human, and the Escort lives out his or her existence in misery. Good for our kind. Not so awesome for the tortured soul of the Escort or the one they dared to adore.
    Some lore, really old lore, has different reasoning for why that word—in any language—is our poison. It states that it is not felt simply because the sovereigns had not sensed such a thing. That until they not only lived through it, but also produced a symbol of that emotion, it would continue to be our demise. Basically, it stated we had to transcend. That when we did so, the souls we were meant to relieve would also transcend into a level of consciousness that would allow them to feel and set free the emotions that were too much for their souls to bear in the first place.
    I didn’t believe that for an instant. In fact, in my opinion I would have told you that Vade and I had proven that to be a false lore. But then again, considering how we ended…I suppose there still may well be a shred of hope that one day we could all openly feel the emotion that is at the core of all creation.
    Fever was our word for passion—rush was meant to be an eternal commitment. But like I said, commitment was not really our thing.
    No one in the history of our existence had dared to cross lines or found an attraction with the opposing sovereign lines.
    And even if there were a precedent—I never would have allowed one of my own to cross with Xavier’s line, especially my First. The emotion Xavier created was shock. He was known to be unexpected, to surprise his prey at the most unlikely moment, and when that strike occurred the victim of the emotion discovered they had been deep within a web of fate for quite some time and there was no way out at that point. That emotion usually led to fear, which was why Donalt, the sovereign of fear, and Xavier worked well together in the past.
    Donalt was the first of our kind to take human form, to live and breathe in that state for an extended period of time. I’m not really sure how well that worked out for him. I died not long after he not only mocked the life of a current human king, but also convinced the entire kingdom that his name had always been Donalt. As far as I was concerned, Donalt could stay in his little world below and take Xavier with him.
    Mazing should have known from the first flash of fever with that line that it was more than likely a ploy. I would have told her as much if she had come to me with this confession.
    Instead, she and Colton met in secret. I assume that Xavier had no idea at first, but I have no doubt that soon after he discovered this treason he declared that Colton would be coupled with a petal, simply because the timing for that announcement was too perfect for my liking.
    Petals were near the lower end of the line. They knew they were Escorts, had served bravely for a few lifetimes, and were beginning to blossom into a name we would claim and use at our will. The only class below them was mists. Those were the youngest Escorts. In most cases, they didn’t know of their heritage and were blindly living out other courses of their existence—never really knowing why they didn’t seem to fit in. Square peg, round hole.
    Coupling a First with a petal was an ostentatious move. It stated that Xavier was openly breeding his line. Forced fate is a dangerous game to play within any race.
    Like I said before, we cannot carry children, but our essence is our power. Any blast of