ARAH
Her hair was neatly tucked under a black cap to avoid attention, which seemed to be working since her friends hadn’t noticed her yet. Cora, Tonio, and Mabel sat off in the distance. Patricia was there too, along with Nick—just the sight of him brought back those strange flashes from when they’d shaken hands. They were pieces of her memories, but they had come too fast to make sense of. Nick’s reaction to that still bothered her, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
Part of her wanted to stay close to her friends, to be there when the chaos started. But she knew they’d be safer if she kept her distance. The farther away they were when Vergilius and his brides thought about snatching her, the better.
At least Stringmaster had kept her word—puppet inmates surrounded her friends, acting as protectors. That, somehow, brought Arah a sense of relief.
She glanced around, trying to spot any sign of the enemy, but saw nothing. Were they hid
ARAHHer heart pounded. Had she misheard the mayor’s last words? Judging by the crowd’s stunned and confused reaction—and Roselia gasping beside her, muttering “No”—it didn’t seem like she had.Fear twisted in her stomach. “Roselia,” she whispered, nudging her. “What’s happening?” But deep down, she already knew something terrible was coming. Before she could get an answer, her gaze snapped back to the mayor, whose eyes had turned blood-red. Fangs appeared as she lowered her head toward Mr. Pili’s neck.Arah’s breath caught in her throat.Mr. Pili froze, eyes wide, lips trembling, unable to scream. A shocked silence fell over the plaza, broken only by his ragged breaths and the sickening slurp of blood through the mic. Arah’s stomach churned—and likely everyone else’s, too. She couldn’t believe this was happening. In public. Right i
GILDEONIf there was one thing he had learned about witches, it was that no crucial information ever came for free. Vergilius’s next words only confirmed it.“I shall,” the vampire witch said, “once you have agreed to join hands with me instead.”A smirk pulled at Gildeon’s lips. “I thought you're stronger than Drusden,” he taunted. “Why do you need me?”“We are both well aware he has a dragon shifter at his side.” Vergilius shrugged, tipping his cane upward, then at Gildeon. “Two, if we include you.”Gildeon pressed his lips together. “How did you know?” He wondered if Drusden also knew what he truly was, but figured without seeing him in full dragon form, that man wouldn’t have a clue.“I am privy to many things, salamander.” Vergilius tapped his temple through the brim of his black hat. “Just as I know how a low mortal can—” He waved his wrinkled hand. “Transcend his own limitations.”Gildeon wasn’t sure what the v
GILDEONVergilius vanished from his spot. Before Gildeon could turn, he felt the vampire’s presence behind him, fangs aiming for the soft spot on his neck. Instinct took over—scales crawled from his shoulder, thickening over the vulnerable hide just as the fangs struck. The tips cracked with a sharp snap, a brief vibration running through his flesh.Gildeon didn’t hesitate. He reached out, claws clamping onto the back of Vergilius’s neck. With a growl, he effortlessly hauled the vampire witch off his feet and flung him toward the church wall. But before the impact, Vergilius darted aside, landing gracefully on his feet like a cat.“I am impressed, salamander,” Vergilius said with a smirk, tracing the jagged edges of his half-broken fangs. “Or should I say, dragon? What I have learned of your kind holds true—impenetrable skin, indeed. But we shall see about that.” His fangs regrew, gleaming beneath the moonlight, thicker than before.The f
ARAHIt took her a moment to grasp the situation. They were completely trapped within thick walls of shrubs—with even a roof overhead. She couldn’t believe how those branches and leaves managed not to fall on their heads.Her hand flew to her Gorgon amulet. The pendant vibrated intensely, growing so hot she thought it might burn her skin. The dark magic surrounding them was overwhelming, making her feel dizzy.The lights continued to flicker, and the anticipation of them going completely out churned in the pit of her stomach. If the whole plaza went dark, it would be a complete disaster. People were already panicking, and some had even been trampled. Thankfully, there weren’t many children around, though hearing the cries of a few seized her gut. The enemies had better not harm a single child, or Arah would lose it.“Stay close to me, Miss Arah,” Roselia said in a low voice, her arm raised protectively in fro
DRUSDEN’S COVENA sudden blast of energy ripped through the plaza, yanking Lokius, Alaunus, and Vienna into a warped fold of space before hurling them off their feet in the blink of an eye. They barely had time to flinch before they were airborne. They spun and flipped, gasping for the breath that had been knocked clean out of their lungs.Water from the fountain exploded into splashes around them, droplets striking their skin and catching flashes of light.Meanwhile, Stringmaster’s soldiers closed ranks tightly around her, forming a fortress by the fountain to shield her from the shockwave.Vehicles skidded off course. Parked cars rocked, triggering alarms in a shrill, chaotic chorus. Windows in nearby shops and houses shattered outward, raining glass onto the street in a glittering cascade. Stray dogs and cats bolted in a blind panic. Civilians caught in the blast’s furious path outside the plaza crumpled where they stood—some lay still
ARAHShe felt everyone’s attention on her, confusion and silence swallowing up the crowd. Even her friends whispered her name in surprise. Her fingers pressed hard against her collarbone, the heel of her palm catching the strong vibration of her amulet.What was she supposed to do now?“Whatever happens, Miss Arah, don’t dare step outside this circle,” Roselia warned.Arah let out a tense breath and whispered, “But if she actually kills someone else—”“Oh, I absolutely will, sylph,” Mayor Velazquez interrupted, catching Arah’s words even from a distance. Had she overheard more from her talk with Roselia earlier?“Don’t listen to her.” Roselia’s fingers dug into Arah’s arm. “We can’t let them capture you, no matter what. Please, tell me you understand.”Every fiber of her being wanted to protest, but with Roselia’s intense gaze reminding her of what was at stake, Arah could only bite back her words.Roselia and
ARAHBefore she could locate the source of the voice, Mayor Velazquez snapped her attention back.“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the mayor said, clapping her hands before glancing at Mabel and leaning in slightly. In a feigned whisper, she told her, “You’ve been extremely helpful, dear. But this is the part where you run.”Mabel whimpered, casting Arah one last, terrified glance before hurrying back to the others. Arah swallowed, unable to bring herself to meet her friends’ eyes.“Isn’t it amusing, Miss Arah?” the mayor said. “Your friends seem more frightened of you than of us.” She tilted her head. “That’s the thing about keeping company with ordinary humans—they always end up disappointing you. And you, them.”Arah’s breaths shook with anger as she clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. “Let them go,
GILDEONHis fire blade clashed violently against Vergilius’s cane, each strike lighting up the foggy churchyard. The scent of burning foliage filled the air as they crashed through twisted shrubs, igniting a nearby holy statue. Vergilius blocked and countered each hit, his strikes growing heavier, more forceful.Gildeon’s eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Every clash sent a strange pulse up his blade, as if its energy was being siphoned. Vergilius’s strikes were gaining strength. His flames flickered, dimming as the cane sapped their intensity.“Already exhausted, salamander?” Vergilius taunted, dodging Gildeon’s last strike with ease. “What a shame. I expected more from you.”Vergilius attacked again, and Gildeon parried just in time. The elder vampire’s cane absorbed more of his fiery blade’s power, channeling it into himself.If this continued, Gildeon would be vulner
GILDEONHe panted, surprised at the effort to land that punch on Drusden. Being trapped in the witch’s domain clearly had its disadvantages. Still, watching the bastard skid across the ground, his boots kicking up dirt and his body crashing against a jagged rock, was satisfying as hell.Drusden let out a grunt and propped himself up. Blood trickled from his split lip, and a dark bruise was already forming along his jawline where Gildeon’s clawed fist had connected.“You don’t have a fucking clue what she went through,” Gildeon growled low, the urge to end the bastard clawing at him. But he couldn’t ignore the possibility of more traps lurking around. Drusden wasn’t the type to leave himself defenseless. A reckless attack could backfire, and Gildeon wasn’t about to let it blow up in his face tenfold.“I’ve got to hand it to my ex-wife,” Drusden said with a small chuckle, sitting up and swiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “She managed to wrap a higher mortal arou
GILDEONHis mind raged with questions. Kana wasn’t special—just a pure human. But what truly gnawed at him was Zylas’s father. He had to be a higher mortal. A salamander.Gildeon couldn’t begin to wrap his thoughts around the idea of a salamander coming down to Earthland and mating with a human. There had been stories of deserters—salamanders who had gone rogue and vanished. Copulating with a lower mortal was plausible. But to conceive a hybrid offspring? That was something else entirely.The shamans led Kana into a cave not far from the village. They moved through a narrow, twisting passage before emerging into a wider chamber. At its center lay a shallow pool of water, its surface rippling faintly. Sunlight streamed through holes in the ceiling, casting shifting light patterns across the water and the rough cave walls. It gave the space an almost otherworldly glow—reminding him of the caves in Shamibar.But what seized Gildeon’s attention the most was the limestone formation shaped
GILDEONHe followed Drusden’s gaze upward. They watched Dragon Zylas as it roared and thrashed against the fog restraints. Each movement of the beast was a futile clash against the binding force.“You know,” Drusden said, breaking the silence, “I couldn’t figure out what you were at first. Had my suspicions, of course.” He shrugged. “But it wasn’t until I saw you like this that I knew for certain.” He leaned forward in his seat, clasped hands dangling loosely between his knees. “I thought Zylas was the only one.”Gildeon had wondered the same, but there was no way he’d share that with the bastard. “Where did you find him?” he asked, crossing his arms. Deep down, he burned to know. Uncovering Zylas’s origin might shed light on his own existence.Drusden tilted his head, his cryptic smile widening. “If I show you, will you answer a question of mine?”Gildeon’s brow furrowed, instincts kicking in as he studied the Headwitch. That smile, the gleam of curiosity in his eyes—it all felt like
GILDEONHe could still feel Zylas’s dragon spirit, but Drusden had clearly disrupted his connection to the beast. The Headwitch had likely managed it while Gildeon focused on freeing himself and Roselia and keeping track of Arah.When Zylas had been about to attack Arah, Gildeon had been on the verge of shifting into his full beast form, consequences be damned. But Alaunus had beaten him to it. Unexpected, but favorable. Arah had been safe, and another of Drusden’s witches had fallen.Fortunately, Roselia had escaped the moment they broke free from the fog restraints. Gildeon was deeply worried about Arah, but he trusted Roselia to keep her safe.Gildeon glanced around the fog enclosure Drusden had trapped him in. He stood in the heart of it, a space eerily calm—like the eye of a storm. Dense mist coiled around him, lit by flashes of lightning cracking through the shrouded skies above. The air reeked of sulfur, every breath a sharp sting that burned his throat. Beneath his feet, the gr
ARAHShe rolled hard to the side, her movement barely outpacing Tiger Lokius’s crushing pounce. His claws swiped through empty air as she scrambled to her feet, snapping into a defensive stance. She put as much distance as she could between them, her breath tight in her chest.The striped beast skidded to a halt beside Vienna’s lifeless body. His growl vibrated through the air before he began to shift. In a blur, his massive form condensed, fur melting into skin, until Lokius stood in his human form—tall and lean.His green eyes softened as they fell on Vienna. He knelt beside her, his fingers brushing tenderly over her blood-soaked blonde hair. “You rest well now, my darling Vienna,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Then he lifted his gaze to Arah, one arm resting loosely across his bent knee. He appeared relaxed, but his eyes remained guarded.He didn’t look like he’d attack her outright—but his calm was unnerving. Her instincts screamed for her to stay ready.
ARAHShe didn’t know how this was supposed to work. Obviously, there hadn’t been time for Alaunus to spell it out for her. But she trusted her instincts to kick in.At the end of the hallway, Vienna stood—a shadow of the person she used to be. Her eyes locked onto Arah’s, cold and final, like someone who had already lost everything worth fighting for.Arah’s pulse hammered in her ears. The sweet Vienna she used to know was gone—she had died with Alaunus. This version had let the darkness in.“Was it worth it…” Arah broke the silence, buying precious seconds as her thumb traced the jagged edge of the mirror shard hidden behind her back. Vienna didn’t seem lucid enough to notice. “Whatever you sacrificed to gain power... to join Drusden’s coven?”No response.Arah pressed, “You wanted to avenge your parents?”Vienna’s gaze flickered. “The hunters,” she finally muttered, bitterness dripping from every syllable. “They’re cruel. They think they’re saving the world, protecting mankind.” She
ARAHShe couldn’t move—not just because Alaunus’s lifeless, still-warm body was resting heavily on top of her, but because of shock. It was one thing to imagine killing enemies, to picture the justice they deserved for the horrors they’d inflicted on innocent people. But to witness their deaths in such unexpected ways was something she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.She was a soldier. She had torn lives apart with her own hands more times than she could remember. Yet here she was, pinned under the weight of a moment she couldn’t comprehend, her chest tightening with questions she didn’t want to ask. How had her past self survived this much violence without crumbling? Was she really that unbreakable back then, or had her time away on Earthland softened her too much?A sharp sob snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, disoriented, only now noticing the weight on her chest was gone. Alaunus’s body had been moved. She saw Vienna cradling him from the corner of her eye, his head resti
ARAHShe was still reeling. The winged beast towering before her—the one Gildeon had called out to—was Zylas. Her mind flashed back to their conversation in the kitchen, his cryptic mention of flying. Now it made sense, and yet, it didn’t.This creature definitely didn’t belong to Earthland. What kind of shifter was he?Everything had moved too fast for her to process. One moment, she’d been sure the beast would crush her; the next, Vienna had dragged her along, the other collar now clasped tightly around the witch’s neck. Whatever spell Vienna had cast had left Arah paralyzed, her body refusing to obey even the simplest command. Her feet were frozen in place, and frustration clawed at her chest.Then came the sharp, insistent pain in her temple, like tiny bolts of electricity surging through her skull. It wasn’t just pain—there was something else. A flood of emotions and thoughts poured into her mind, and they weren’t hers. Panic rippled through her. Was she connected to Vienna’s min
GILDEONHe stepped back. His claws dug into the ground, shattering the concrete beneath his feet to anchor himself, bracing against the impact. Where had Zylas come from? Even with the thick fog, Gildeon should have sensed the dragon’s approach—but his attention had been drawn to Arah.Nothing else mattered to him in that moment but her.His gaze darted back to her. She had been pushed back, slamming into a concrete wall. Arah regained her footing, but she was clearly in shock.Gildeon’s pulse raced as Dragon Zylas turned its head toward her. His body burned with readiness, poised to strike the beast at any moment. Then it hit him—this was the perfect chance to test his theory. If he was right—fuck, he had to be right—this might be their only way to win.Claws launched into the air.“Zylas!” Gildeon growled, the power of his voice rattling his bones. A bolt of lightning seared through his mind as he felt a connection to Zylas’s dragon, just like the first time he had commanded Raudr.