Four matches passed in a blur of footwork, sparks, and strained breaths. A few impressive. Most forgettable. The crowd, still buzzing from Nyomei’s performance, was hungry for the next highlight.They didn’t have to wait long.“Next match—Lotanni Ryel versus Bryon Aros.”A hush settled.The name Bryon alone drew tension. Petrusia’s second-in-command. Royal werewolf. Born with both privilege and power, and trained like a weapon since childhood.He stood and cracked his knuckles, shoulders flexing as he rolled them back. His golden-brown hair shimmered faintly in the sun, eyes narrowing with anticipation.Across the room, Lotanni exhaled slowly, rising to her feet. Her loose braids swayed slightly as she stood. On her shoulder, a small, liquid-like creature purred—a cat-shaped familiar, glimmering like sunlight on rippling water.“Be careful,” Bainer warned, gently brushing Lotanni’s shoulder. “Don’t try to match him in brute strength.”Lotanni smiled, a little too calmly. “I wasn’t pla
The first thing I noticed was the chill of the water. My body ached as I moved slightly, the stream's gentle current lapping against my legs. I was lying on the bank, half-submerged, with the cool rush of water sliding over my arms. My clothes—or what little remained of them—clung to my skin, heavy with moisture. I forced myself upright, trembling. The water had washed away most of the filth from my body, but faint streaks of red lingered on my skin. My heart sank as I stared at the stains, the metallic smell of blood clinging faintly to the air. This wasn't the first time I'd woken like this. It was always like this. The beast inside me would pull me into the dark void at the back of my mind—a suffocating, empty space where I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. She always took over when her hunger grew too strong, shutting me away until she was satisfied. When I woke, she was gone, and I was left to deal with the aftermath. I splashed water over my arms and legs, scrubbing at
The hand covering my mouth was impossibly strong. I kicked out wildly, my nails scraping against a muscular arm that held me firm. My heart thundered in my chest, panic rising like a hurricane. Even with the beast's persistent energy coursing through me, I couldn't break free. 'I can't die like this,' I thought, fear tightening its grip on me. 'Not at the mercy of another predator?' Before I could wrestle free, a calm, steady voice whispered against my ear."Relax, child," it said, smooth yet commanding. "The beast won't harm you now." My entire body froze. The deep voice—it was familiar, but in a way that made chills run through me. My mind raced as I strained to see his face through the dim moonlight, but all I could make out was a shadowy figure. And then it hit me.He was the one who had been giving orders earlier, leading the search party. 'Why is he helping me?' I wondered. 'Does he think I'm just another victim?' When his hand finally released me, I stumbled back, gasping
"You . . . you know?" My voice trembled, barely above a whisper.Kema’s golden eyes locked onto mine, unwavering and piercing. “Of course, I know,” he said bluntly, his tone calm yet sharp. “You think I wouldn’t recognize the signs?”My legs felt like they might give out as the weight of his words settled over me. 'He knew. Then . . .' I summoned the courage to look him directly in the eyes—but that didn't last, as I'd dropped my gaze just as fast to the ground, both frightened and red-faced. "Then why did you lie for me? I don't understand?" I cringed, and took some steps back. Still looking away from him, I asked, "What do you want?""If I wanted you dead . . ." he said, walking to me. For some reason, I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. Even the stupid beast in me didn't help this time. "You'd be dead." He added when he got close enough to hold my arm. His grasp was firm—dominating.“You’re lucky I found you before they did,” he continued, his voice deep and resolute, like eve
As I walked back home, I forced myself to think back, trying to recall the evening. Celene, my stepmother, had sent me on one of her ridiculous errands. She’d insisted I pick up a hemmed cloak from the seamstress on the far side of the village, even though we both knew it wouldn’t be ready. I suspected she only wanted to keep me from surprising my father with dinner at his forge.She’d watched me spend the entire afternoon preparing his favorite meal, her lips curling into that familiar, spiteful smile.‘Of course, the witch couldn’t let me have a moment of peace,’ I thought bitterly.The memory was blurry after that. I’d left the seamstress’s shop and walked through the village. Then, as I approached the quiet stretch of road near the fields, I felt it—her presence.The beast’s dark, suffocating aura descended on me, digging into my senses. Her voice came next, low and demanding, resonating in my mind like a drumbeat.“I'M HUNGRY, JADE. I NEED MEAT."I shivered at the memory. She alw
"Where's what, ma'am?""Is your head full of bricks?" Celene sneered. "Where's the thing I asked you to get for me? I don't see it on you." She eyed me from head to toe like I was dressed in shit."Can't this wait?" My father protested. He sat silently at the far end of the table, his face drawn, his shoulders heavy."Why wait, honey?" She smiled at him. "I'm only asking if she did the errand I'd asked her to do. Is that so bad?" She asked, eating her soup. "So?" She raised a brow at me."The cloak isn't ready yet, so I've returned empty-handed . . . ma'am.""Oh, I see," she twirled her spoon in the air. "How sad," she jested, letting out a small laugh.I glanced at my father, hoping for even the smallest sign of defense, but his gaze stayed fixed on his plate.I waited a bit, the clanking of utensils filling the air, and then finally said, "May I leave?"“Tomorrow, you’ll scrub the floors, polish the silver, and tend to the garden.” Celene leaned back, one perfectly manicured hand re
Marie’s room was quiet, her small figure settled on a stool as she waited for me to untangle her golden curls. Her innocent smile was a balm for my aching heart, and for a brief moment, the storm of emotions inside me calmed.I picked up the brush from her bedside table and ran it gently through her hair. The golden strands shimmered in the soft light of the candle on her nightstand.“You’re so nice, Jade,” Marie said softly, breaking the silence. “I wish everyone else was nice to you too.”Her words hit me harder than I expected. I paused mid-stroke, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. “That’s very sweet of you to say, Marie,” I said, my voice trembling just enough to betray the emotion behind my words. “But don’t worry about me, okay? You just focus on being the wonderful little girl you are.”“But I do worry,” she said, turning to face me, her blue eyes wide with concern. “I hear them talk about you, and it’s not fair. You’re not bad. You’re not a witch like they say.
The journey to the cathedral of Qell was long and somber. I left Nivel alongside other aspiring young humans, each of us seeking to awaken the magic that lay dormant within us. Families from neighboring villages gathered, their excitement a sharp contrast to the heavy dread settling in my chest.The grand cathedral loomed ahead, a towering testament to the power of the Eight Great Gods. Its walls were carved with intricate depictions of their divine feats, the towering spires reaching toward the heavens.As we entered, the air grew thick with reverence and anticipation.But beneath that reverent quiet, whispers floated like venom, coiling through the hallowed space. The awe-inspiring carvings of the Eight Great Gods seemed to watch me with disdain, their divine gaze almost joining the voices.I held tight to my father’s arm as we moved through the crowd. The grandeur around me—the towering spires, the intricate murals—felt more oppressive than holy. Each step I took seemed heavier tha
Four matches passed in a blur of footwork, sparks, and strained breaths. A few impressive. Most forgettable. The crowd, still buzzing from Nyomei’s performance, was hungry for the next highlight.They didn’t have to wait long.“Next match—Lotanni Ryel versus Bryon Aros.”A hush settled.The name Bryon alone drew tension. Petrusia’s second-in-command. Royal werewolf. Born with both privilege and power, and trained like a weapon since childhood.He stood and cracked his knuckles, shoulders flexing as he rolled them back. His golden-brown hair shimmered faintly in the sun, eyes narrowing with anticipation.Across the room, Lotanni exhaled slowly, rising to her feet. Her loose braids swayed slightly as she stood. On her shoulder, a small, liquid-like creature purred—a cat-shaped familiar, glimmering like sunlight on rippling water.“Be careful,” Bainer warned, gently brushing Lotanni’s shoulder. “Don’t try to match him in brute strength.”Lotanni smiled, a little too calmly. “I wasn’t pla
A bell rang twice, silencing the chatter. The instructors had returned with a brass raffle box—one by one, names would be drawn to determine the match-ups. The tension thickened, each aspirant sitting stiffer than before, eyes trained on the box like it might bite.One instructor held up the first strip of parchment. “Nyomei Eral.”Lotanni and Bainer instantly turned to her.“You’ve got this,” Lotanni said, bumping her knee.Bainer nodded with an encouraging smile. “You’re stronger than you think.”Nyomei’s stomach twisted, but she rose anyway. “Thanks,” she said quietly, nerves prickling under her skin. She walked toward the gate that led out to the sparring ground, each step heavier than the last.Across the field, her opponent was already grinning as he warmed up. Wiry, confident, and brimming with kinetic energy. He bounced on the balls of his feet, fists flaring with dull-orange sparks.“Your opponent,” the announcer said, “is Orin Zarrin. Mage class. Energy Burst magic.”That dr
“Why are you alarmed by the news? Or don’t you see the resemblance?” Kalu Drya asked, smiling a little deeper.“No, it’s just . . . I didn’t expect to meet the commander’s mother so soon. Least of all like this. It’s really an honor to meet you,” I said, sliding off the couch and dropping to one knee.'Naila would’ve been so thrilled if she wasn’t stuck in the void right now.'But then something clicked.My heart began to race. 'Wait . . . the head healer is a mage. Kema’s a werewolf. So—does that mean he’s a hybrid like me?'I looked up at her, eyes wide.“Get up, child,” she said gently. “It’s fine. And yes, I know what you’re thinking.”I stayed silent, but she didn’t wait for me to speak.“You’re wondering if Kema is a hybrid, aren’t you?”“Well,” I mumbled. “Yeah . . . is he?” The question left my mouth faster than I could stop it.Kalu Drya smiled, but this time there was a quiet sadness in her eyes. “He’s my adoptive son. No blood between us—just bond. I’ll say nothing more on
“So, the test of the Great Gods for you was Jodeicasca, the tailless snake of regret?” Kalu Drya, the Sky Border’s head healer, asked. She was an elderly woman with a smile as gentle as her voice, her presence oddly soothing despite the weight of her words.“For the last time . . . Yes!” I snapped, exasperation leaking into my tone.I lay on a long chair, staring at the ceiling, arms crossed in defiance—yet fear coiled around my heart, twisting inside me.Ten Hours EarlierI woke up gasping, as if I had been drowning and had just broken through the surface. My breaths came in frantic gulps, my chest rising and falling with violent urgency.I was in a large bed—soft, unfamiliar. Blinking through the haze of panic, I took in my surroundings. The room was spacious, pristine, and entirely white. The only piece of furniture was the bed I lay in. Even the loose garment draped over my body was a stark white, blending me into the room like a ghost.I didn’t understand what was happening, but
There was no warmth left in Klaus's lifeless body to fight the cold, but I clung to him regardless, my tears soaking into his brittle skin. I wept until my sobs dwindled to whimpers, shaking not just from the icy darkness but from the fear creeping through every inch of me.Then, without warning, a violent force yanked his body from my arms. It happened so fast, so silent, that I couldn't tell where he had been taken or what had done it. The air seemed to hold its breath, leaving only an oppressive, heart-pounding silence in its wake. My chest thudded so hard it felt like my ribs would crack under the pressure.'What just happened?'"The smaller creatures are warm as a meal from an oven," Klaus had said. Could it be that the larger ones are the opposite? But there was no light, no glowing hint of whatever had taken him."Please . . . don't hurt me," I quavered, my teeth clattering as I wrapped my arms around myself. I looked to my left, then to my right, but the darkness was lung-crus
“Find her head and crawl out of her mouth,” Klaus said, his voice weighed down by hopelessness. “Her tail is endless, leading straight to death and then hell. It’s a gamble to know which side leads to her head—right or left.” He let out a long, defeated sigh. “It’s up to the Great Gods to decide our fate. There’s no such thing as luck here.”‘Her mouth . . . Of course, that must be the way out!’ I thought, my pulse quickening. 'Oh Spirits, what direction should I take if I’m to start this fickle journey?'“I followed the worms,” Klaus continued. “I suppose you were doing the same?”His hand brushed my thigh, and I cleared my throat sharply. He withdrew it without a word.“I got caught in a slime,” I said. “It swallowed me, and I ended up down here. After that, I followed the sound of your humming. But now that I really look at the worms, they’re all moving in one direction.”I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to scratch at the wounds that pained me so. My lovely skin—although not
Klaus withdrew his hand, and I told myself it had been a mistake. He couldn't see me in the darkness any more than I could see him. Maybe he hadn't realized where his hand had wandered.I wanted to believe that. I needed to believe it, for my own sanity.'I may be weak and wounded, but my dignity isn't damaged.'"If you ever escape Jodeicasca," Klaus said, his voice low and rough, "I doubt you'd ever find it in you to commit another sin you'd regret. But that's only if you get out."His hand came back, resting on my chest again, firmer this time. My breath hitched, and a slight sound escaped my lips. He paused, then slid his hand back to my shoulder, stroking it as though nothing had happened.Anger erupted in me like fire. I grabbed his wrist, squeezing his knuckles together until I heard a crack. Then I flung his hand away, my chest heaving.He didn't make a sound, not even a grunt of pain.For a moment, I considered punching him, maybe clawing his face if I could find it in the dar
“Jodeicasca?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “No . . . it’s a myth, isn’t it?”The words felt hollow even as I spoke them. Fear crept under my skin, roughening it with goosebumps.“You’re perishing in her belly, and you ask me such a foolish question,” Klaus replied, clicking his tongue in disapproval.“What foolish question?” I snapped, my chest tightening with panic. “I’m scared out of my mind, Klaus!”“It’s never okay to be foolish, Jade.” He sighed heavily, the sound rasping like sandpaper. “Fear makes fools of people. And fools make mistakes that lead to foolish deaths.”“Then why are we here?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “I can’t speak for you, but why me? Why not those who deserve it more?”Klaus chuckled darkly. “Deserve? Do you think this place cares about fairness?”I ignored him, my thoughts racing. “The myth says Jodeicasca is where the unforgiven suffer endless regret to earn mercy from the Great Gods. If they pass the test, they’re condemned to eternity in the third
“That explains the feeling perfectly,” I said, my voice trembling. “And knowing that doesn’t help. If anything, it makes it worse.”The darkness pressed against me like a living thing. The faint glow of worms scattered across the fleshy ground offered little solace. I could still feel it—the presence of unseen watchers, their oppressive gaze prickling my skin. Were they demons, or was my fear simply feeding my imagination?Klaus shifted beside me, his breaths shallow and strained. “Memories of my wife and daughter came to me not long ago,” he murmured. “Ever since then, the demons have used them to torment me. I can hardly think of my daughter’s innocent face without seeing a dark fog hanging over it. I hear her laugh, calling out to me . . . and then I hear her cry, asking why I abandoned her and her mother.”His voice cracked, and a shudder ran through his frail body. “Izogie, my darling wife. Does she still hope I’m alive? Or has she given up and found someone new? I can’t . . . I