He didn't look at Rain but looked around the block, which was so empty that afternoon. Snow seems to be still piling up in some parts. Rain shivered even though she was wearing a thick coat. Jace suddenly reached out to check Rain's forehead. "What is it?" asked Rain. "Your fever's gone. The healing power of the army of darkness cannot be doubted." "Oh… And Jace, why do I feel like the winters here are much longer and colder? Even though we are only a few miles from the city where I live. We're not separated by the equator or anything like that." "Perhaps you forgot that this city has been shrouded in so many kinds of magic. Outsiders see Westlake the way we see it from the inside. Don't complain too much; we better hurry to get to the City of Darkness before it gets dark." "How did West get to the City of Darkness? Does he use a car? Or fly like you?" Jace smirked. His golden brown hair looked like bronze in the slightly dim midday sun. That day he covered his runes using make
The scenery changed to thick fog that shrouded the entire street, and she could only see the tops of towering buildings in the shrouding fog. "I'm fifteen," Jace said. "When the rebellion took place." "Wait, Jace, if there was such an important and very historical event of that magnitude a few years ago, I might have been around ten years old. How could the news never spread to the city where we live? Aren't Westlake and my town not too far away?" "You forgot the veil, Rain? I told you before that this city is filled with a veil of magic. Once upon a time, humans and shadow creatures lived alongside each other. We are separated by a veil so that there is no interplay between shadow beings and mortals until the rebellion breaks out. The number of humans in this city is increasing. At the same time, the shadow creatures are increasingly being driven into the forests and remote places." Jace sighed. "Unfortunately, I have always been in the palace since my birth. I never left it. My
It felt like his hands were enveloped in a black shadow, but it was cold. "Don't be afraid," said West's voice inside Rain's head. "Suppose you're walking into a room with no electricity." West let go of Rain's hand. The girl was nervous and immediately jumped across the marble threshold to run after Jace. The girl's heartbeat was behind her ribs as if ready to fall to her ankles. Bruck! Rain hit something that felt very hard. She nearly fell to the ground in shock before Jace grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "It's me. You hit my back," Jace said. "Sorry, I'm not used to being in the dark." Jace snapped his fingers, and suddenly the dark room was dimmed by the many lanterns lined the walls. Rain thought it was a large empty room. They were in a room that resembled a long tunnel in a cave. Lanterns were hung along the hallway walls. The color is purplish. Slowly, the light began to illuminate even though it was very dim. "Why didn't you tell me there was a lantern here?" Rain
Rain had a big fight with her father because Mark Orwell brought a woman into his apartment for the night. Grown-up Rain feels uncomfortable with her father's new lover. Tears started to well up Rain. She realized that her relationship with her father was never good during her stay in Haridra City. Apart from arguing, there was nothing more they could do together. Rain rarely visited the man when her father was hospitalized after the accident. However, she always sends money for her father's medical expenses. Rain's memories also returned when she woke up in the hospital just moments after having an accident with her father. Mark Orwell sat by the hospital bed with Rain, his head and hands bandaged. "You ran into a busy street just like that after we argued. Then, a garbage truck hits you. I ran after you. In the end, we got hit together." Mark Orwell laughed even though his face was bandaged with a very thick bandage. "What happened? I don't remember anything before today." Rain
They use the elevator to get to the restaurant. But, when they arrived on the 29th floor, the elevator stopped. Passengers were coming in. When the elevator opened, Rain and Jace looked up simultaneously. A group of men will take the elevator. Their gazes met, and Rain gaped. When the elevator doors opened, Jace immediately hugged Rain's shoulders with his muscular and possessive arms. Jace even pulled the hood of the girl's jacket to cover Rain's head so that half of her face could not be seen. Jace never let go of his arms until the three new passengers about to enter the elevator stood frozen in the doorway. From under the hood of her coat, Rain could see the three men dressed very fashionable with knee-length coats to complete their appearance. Surprisingly the three men suddenly bowed and gave Jace a royal salute. "Your Majesty, it is an honor to see you here. This is very surprising," said the man standing in the middle. "Come in. I don't mind sharing the elevator with you g
"The man wasn't watching. I agree with you," replied another colleague. The three of them surrounded Rain right in front of the restaurant entrance. The three young men almost the same age as Rein was standing in front of her. Rain didn't recognize them. However, their expressions were extremely threatening. "You?" Rain muttered when she realized the three of them looked familiar to her. One of them carried a large bow on his shoulder, and another man had a long sword at his waist. A third man flaunted a gun under his coat. The girl trembled for a moment. "Werewolves," thought Rain. "Those who were in the elevator before!" "The Darkwood King hid this girl. She knows us well. Joe, should we take her now?" said the man standing in the middle of his two companions. Rain started walking backward in fear. She didn't know where Jace was now. However, the restaurant was tranquil. When Rain stepped for the second time, suddenly, Rain's back hit something that felt hard and soft. She st
"Prickly black rose!" Jace said as he read the contents inside the envelope. "What does it mean?" Rain got increasingly annoyed and started to snatch the envelope from Jace's hand. She saw the contents firsthand with her own eyes. Her eyes were wide open. Rain showed the paper to everyone so they could read it. It was a letter paper made of a unique material that was very thin but not easily torn. The words were written in ink and with a goose feather pen. The letters look elegant. "This invitation to a gathering at the Westlake City Unity Building. I don't see anything special here other than the rose seal! And what is the purpose of this meeting? Why did the warlocks invite King Darkwood?" Rain did not understand the invitation and its meaning. "After the rebellion, all the shadow creatures split into two groups. The first group was affiliated with Mayor Flynn, and they agreed to cooperate with him. The second group is the excluded group. They are still loyal to the old king. Th
"We'll see, Miss Orwell. I'm sure you won't regret my efforts tonight to turn you into a wonderful queen." Samantha, who had no face, couldn't even see how she looked; this time, Rain was sure that the shadow woman was grinning at her. Before Samantha left Rain's room, the girl tried to hold and tug at the sleeves of Samantha's clothes. Sam turned and looked at Rain with a black face without any form or expression. "Ng... um..." Rain said nervously while wringing her own hands. "Do I need a weapon or not? You too?" Sam suddenly stood stiffly facing Rain without a word. Around Sam's body, a black smoke sprang up as if it had fallen from the surface of his skin. "Don't be afraid, Miss Orwell. I'm showing my gun. I have a lot." Rain could feel Sam smiling at her even though her face had turned pitch black, without a nose, eyes, and mouth. Sam moved her hands, and black tendrils of smoke appeared from all over her body. "This is an example. My body is my weapon. These black smokes