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83 - Gravity of Her Past
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-09-10 00:21:08
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 84 - Truly Cares About You
ARAHA coven war was coming. The thought made her stomach churn. Witches fighting over the chance to steal her alleged power… It sounded so ridiculous. So unreal. But after watching Barky die and come back to life because of her tattooed Clover Wish, she was past rationalizing everything.Roselia then revealed that she had once been part of one of those covens. The confession caught Arah so off guard that she nearly spilled her tea. She wanted to ask more about the hooded witch, but Roselia had emphasized there was some kind of vow at play, one that could cost her life if she broke it. She couldn’t reveal anything about the other witches—not their identities, not their secrets. But they were already on the island, lurking in the shadows, waiting… stalking Arah.The very thought of it sent a shiver down her spine.“Did you leave the coven on your own?” she asked, curiosity mingling with unease. “Or did they force you to?”“You could say both,” Roselia replied with a shadow of anger fli
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-11MAD END'S DECEPTION 85 - I Betrayed Him
ARAHHer throat tightened. “But I betrayed him.” Its weight settled heavily in her chest as the memory surfaced. “I got him arrested.”“Your anger was justified,” Roselia said. “I nearly cursed My Lord when he took Filippo’s head.”Arah leaned forward, about to put her cup down on the table. “Who’s Filippo? Your pet?”“My lover.”Arah nearly dropped the cup, and her gaze narrowed. “He killed your lover?”“Yes,” Roselia said as if it were a matter of fact. “But Filippo wasn’t human to begin with.”Arah stared, her mind scrambling to catch up.“He was a vampire.”Her mouth fell open, her fingers gripping the armrest to keep herself grounded. “V-vampires are real?” she blurted out, blinking rapidly.Roselia stifled a laugh. “I think that’s enough for today. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”Arah’s mind swirled, but the question slipped out anyway. “Why did he kill your lover?” She wondered if Filippo was the one who had hurt Roselia in the past, but somehow, it didn’t feel like it.Roselia
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-11MAD END'S DECEPTION 86 - Slipped From Her Mind
ARAHAgent Durante stood by the entrance of the police station, mid-conversation with a uniformed officer. As soon as he spotted her, he tapped the officer’s arm, excused himself, and walked toward her. He hooked his thumbs into his belt as he met her halfway.“Ah, Mrs. Ayadi,” he drawled, stretching out her name as though savoring it. “Didn’t expect you to show up this soon.”Arah wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. “I want to see my husband, Agent,” she said, keeping her voice polite but firm.He pressed his lips together, hesitation flashing across his face as he glanced toward the front desk. “I’m afraid I can’t let you in just yet,” he replied, casually brushing a knuckle along his cheekbone. “We’re still holding your husband for questioning. Visitors aren’t allowed to see him at the moment.”“The evidence I sent you is fake,” Arah said with a straight face. “Gildeon and I had a fight. I was angry, and I made a mistake.”Agent Durante smirked, not unkindly, but with a knowing gl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-12MAD END'S DECEPTION 87 - Won't Leave You Alone
ARAH“Arah?” A frown appeared on Gildeon's brow, his eyes briefly dropping to the space behind her feet before settling back on her. “Why are you here? They let you in?” He glanced quickly at the door as it clicked shut behind her.He started to stand, shuffling his feet toward her, but stopped short. Something seemed to hold him back, though nothing was physically restraining him. On the table beside him, an empty coffee cup lay knocked over.Arah noticed Gildeon looking down, his jaw clenching at something she had no idea about. She moved toward him instead.“Hey, are you okay?” she asked softly, worry lacing her voice as her eyes moved around him. A crazy thought crossed her mind that he might’ve been hurt, but thank goodness—aside from the weariness in his face and the dimness in his gold-and-black eyes, he seemed fine.“You’re not supposed to be here.” Gildeon lifted his hands as if he were about to touch her face, but just like with his feet earlier, his wrists seemed restrained
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-12MAD END'S DECEPTION 88 - Fair and Square
GILDEONDeep down, he was glad. Glad that he’d seen Arah’s face, heard her voice, and kissed her lips—even though it pissed him off that he couldn’t even touch her. The invisible restraints around his wrists and ankles confined his movements to a small radius. They also stopped him from initiating any physical contact with another person.‘Durante, you cunning asshole,’ he cursed inwardly.“Is Master okay?” Ghulik crawled on all fours across the table. His tiny hands gripped the edge as he peered down at Gildeon’s bound hands and feet. “Does Master want Ghulik to take them apart?”‘Don’t bother,’ Gildeon replied mentally. ‘This is a powerful enchantment. You’ll only hurt yourself.’He glanced at the coffee cup on the table, anger rising as he replayed the events from earlier. He had underestimated the magic it held. When he’d shifted his hand into its dragon form, the black coffee had suddenly snaked into the air before he could strike at Durante. It had formed a silent, dark chain th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-13MAD END'S DECEPTION 89 - I Trust Gildeon
ARAHShe relayed to Roselia what needed to happen tonight. The witch sank heavily onto the couch.Roselia’s hands came up, fingers pressing together as she dragged them across her nose and mouth. “Did My Lord say anything more?” she asked. “What will you do if you find the other coven’s already here? Do I need to come with you?”“You don’t need to. Gildeon said...” Arah lowered her gaze, hesitating to continue. “He said he made a deal with your old coven.”Roselia went stiff, her hands freezing midair near her chin.Arah explained how they’d have to work with the old coven, at least for now, to eliminate the greater threat posed by the other one. Roselia didn’t speak, her face tight with deep, quiet anger. It was understandable.She sat beside Roselia. “I don’t have all the details, and honestly, I’m not completely on board with it either,” she said softly.Roselia stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on the white box still sitting on the coffee table.“They’ve killed innocent people,” Arah a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-14MAD END'S DECEPTION 90 - I'm Your Fan
ARAHThe place was packed, far more crowded than Arah had anticipated, though she shouldn’t have been surprised. Mabel was the kind of person who could fill a room without even trying. She’d probably invited half the island.Above the bar, a large banner proudly hung with bold letters that read, ‘CONGRATULATIONS, NICK AND MABEL.’Arah took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves creeping up her spine. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her. How would she know if it was an ally or an enemy? Gildeon and Roselia hadn’t exactly given her instructions on how to spot a witch.Her eyes swept the room, searching for... anyone suspicious.“Arah!” She heard her name and spotted Cora waving her over from a table in the corner, where a three-tiered cake sat with the words ‘Just Got Engaged’ piped across it.Cora raised an eyebrow as they met halfway through the crowd. “Husband bailed again, huh?”Arah’s stomach churned, remembering how Gildeon was still locked up with
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-14MAD END'S DECEPTION 91 - Cold and Distant
ARAH“Oh, she’s talking about your work, sis,” Mabel butted in, gesturing over her shoulder. “I showed her my tats. Told her to drop by your studio if she wants to get inked, too.”“Oh.” Arah nodded, awkwardly rubbing the side of her neck. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the compliment or Vienna’s enthusiasm, but it felt weird when all she’d done for Mabel was a simple butterfly tattoo.But something about how Vienna looked at her—wide-eyed and almost awestruck—told Arah this wasn’t just about the tattoo. She just couldn’t figure out what it was.A voice rose from the stage, pulling everyone’s attention. Mabel’s sister—the maid-of-honor—stood with a champagne glass in hand, ready to give a speech. Mabel excused herself to join Nick at the front, and the room fell into a hush as the guests settled in to listen.Arah, though, had her focus elsewhere. From the entrance, she spotted a guy—early twenties, maybe—slightly hunched ove
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-09-15
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 201 - Let Everything Sink In
ARAHRoselia hadn’t been able to remove the bullet, but she managed to stop the bleeding, prevent further damage, and numb the pain. Mabel’s friend would still need to be taken to a hospital for proper treatment. Roselia explained that if she tried to heal her using supernatural methods and alter her memory at the same time, it could cause unpredictable side effects.Mabel’s friend had fallen unconscious. They bandaged her wound and gently moved her to the couch. Cora brought over a blanket and draped it over her.“W-What are we going to do with them?” Mabel’s sister asked, staring at the three corpses lying across the living room.Arah handed her a glass of water. “I think it’s better to leave them as they are. The police will take care of it.” She figured the authorities would arrive soon, especially if they believed Sharko’s gang had already finished whatever they came here to do.Thug Number Two would be a problem. He’d definitely run back to Sharko and report what happened. Then
MAD END'S DECEPTION 200 - Alter Your Memory
ARAHShe had a narrow window before any sudden movement might make one of the thugs pull the trigger out of pure reflex.Or panic.Before she even realized it was possible, her wind tattoo split into two. One lash coiled tightly around the ankle of the thug who was about to assault Mabel’s sister, dragging him down. He hit the floor face-first with a grunt, arms flailing to catch himself. The other streaked across the room and smacked the gun from the hand of the man holding Cora.Arah bolted down the stairs, snatching the fallen gun mid-run, and aimed the gun at Thug Number One. She’d never held one before and had no real idea how to use it. But she’d seen enough movies to get the general idea.Still, she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. To her, manmade weapons felt far more volatile than anything supernatural.She saw Cora grab a coat rack from the corner and swing it hard at the back of Thug Number One’s head. The man let out a stunned grunt, stumbling forward from the blow. He turn
MAD END'S DECEPTION 199 - Would She Kill Him?
ARAHThug Leader motioned to his men to let the girls go, but then pointed at Mabel, her sister, and the girl who’d offered Arah a cocktail earlier.“Those three, and of course, Cora—they all stay.”He turned back to Arah, sneering, probably waiting for her to object. But she stayed silent. He seemed like the egotistical maniac type. If she pushed him too far, he’d only make things worse.Arah settled for glancing at the girls as they whimpered, shuddered, and ran out of the house.“Don’t you dare snitch, or we’ll come after you,” one of the thugs growled, stepping aside and pointing his gun at each of them as they passed.Arah hated how calm they all looked. Like they weren’t worried at all that the girls might bring help. It said even more about the kind of power Sharko’s gang held over the island.“Now…” Thug Leader lifted her chin with the muzzle of his gun. “You said you’d give me a night I’d never forget?”“I need assurance they won’t be harmed,” she said carefully, nodding towa
MAD END'S DECEPTION 198 - Night You'll Never Forget
ARAHShe stared at the lifeless body of the male stripper, sprawled out across the unfurled cardboard box. Blood seeped from the bullet wound in his back. He’d tried to run after the thug leader warned him not to.And they killed him. Just like that.To scare the hell out of them even more, the thugs had dragged his corpse back into the house—for everyone to see. It looked eerie under the strobe lights.The room was tense. The music was still playing, but one of the thugs had turned the volume down. All the girls were huddled together in the living room, clutching at each other like their lives depended on it. Some were curled up on the couch, the others slumped on the floor with their knees drawn to their chests. Everyone was shaking and crying. No one said a word.Their phones had been taken, so there was no way to call for help—unless, of course, Mabel’s call to the police had gone through.One of the thugs paced behind them, gun in one hand, a slice of strawberry cake in the other
MAD END'S DECEPTION 197 - Why Zephyr
ARAHShe leaned against the chair, staring out at the dark stretch of sea. The waves lapped softly at the shore. Their rhythm tangled with the thump of club music and the high-pitched laughter of girls still partying inside the house.It all felt far away now.After that embarrassing moment in the living room, Cora had pulled her out. She was grateful for the breather.Mate. Bride. Little Rabbit—these words looped in her head like some bad joke.Had she imagined the whole thing? Maybe there was something weird in the cocktail she drank. Or maybe it was Barky’s bite, twisting her thoughts most strangely.Why Zephyr, though? Had she personally known him before? Back in Shamibar?Arah slid her hands down her face and let out a heavy exhale. She couldn’t picture herself ever being close to someone like him. Zephyr was dangerous—she knew that much. And whatever his game was, it didn’t involve good intentions. He wanted to raise an army for goodness sake.Behind her, the back door creaked o
MAD END'S DECEPTION 196 - Little Rabbit
ARAHShe barely recognized Cora’s house. Penis-shaped balloons were scattered everywhere, and strobe lights flashed so intensely they nearly blinded her. The music was so loud it made her ears ring. Good thing Cora lived far enough from the neighbors that no one would care, even if the guests started screaming at each other in the middle of the night.There were probably over a dozen ladies here—her, Mabel, Cora, and a handful of others Arah vaguely remembered from the engagement party.Mabel was dancing near a giant pink gift box wrapped in ribbon, right in the middle of the living room. When she spotted Arah, her eyes lit up.“Arah!” Mabel shouted, turning toward the other side of the room. “Sissy Cora, she’s here!” Then she pranced over, cocktail in hand, wobbling just slightly. Her tiara was crooked, and she adjusted it before leaning in to give Arah a double-cheek kiss.“Hey, quite a party you’ve got going on,” Arah said with a smile, handing over her gift. She glanced at the pin
MAD END'S DECEPTION 195 - Are You Magical Too?
ARAHShe checked herself in the mirror, smoothing down the pink dress covered in little floral prints—it matched the theme for tonight. It was her first time going to a bachelorette party, and everything she knew about them came from movies.And in those movies, there were usually male strippers.She’d asked Mabel if there’d be any. Mabel had just giggled and said “no” over the phone, but in that coy way that didn’t really feel like a no.That made her a little nervous.Arah wondered how Gildeon would take it if he found out she went to a party where half-naked men were out there flaunting their abs and grinding to some sexy music. Would he be annoyed? Jealous? Pissed?The thought made her smile as she stepped out of her room and passed by the study. She paused at the door, resting her hand against it, picturing Gildeon inside—still in his cocoon, still asleep.The first time he’d finally let her in, she hadn’t known what to expect. The study room had felt weird. Empty, no furniture,
MAD END'S DECEPTION II: CAYLAO FESTIVAL ARC. 194 - It's Just A Dream
ARAHShe slipped the cardstock with her printed Clover Wish design out of the binder, tore it into pieces, and dropped them into the bin. Then she pulled out a few more flash sheets—ones with patterns that looked a little too much like real sigils—and tossed those out too.She couldn’t risk setting something off again and starting another coven war.A month had passed since the incident. Life on Caylao Island had returned to normal, as if nothing strange had ever happened. The townspeople had been spared that horrific memory thanks to Roselia’s bewitching fog. If it hadn’t been for that, Arah likely would’ve lost her friends too after they found out she wasn’t human.She looked up at her friends gathered in the waiting area, swapping theories about what really happened at Baccayo Prison that night.“I heard Sharko’s gang was involved,” Mabel said, swirling her straw in her milk tea. “Maybe they tried to break out some of their old members.”Tonio grimaced, mid-chew on a massive bite o
MAD END'S DECEPTION 193 - Let It All Go
GILDEONThey brought Arah to Roselia’s farmhouse. She was still out cold, and it would likely take her a few days to recover. Roselia had set up the back room, lit herbs that filled the air with sharp smoke, and circled Arah with crystals humming with healing energy.Gildeon switched on his dragon sight. Arah’s aura flickered, blue-green, faint. But something else swam through it—streaks of deep, electric blue that came and went like a second heartbeat.Gildeon hadn’t seen that on her before, but maybe they were remnants of some buried power. Something that had awakened when her life hung by a thread—something she’d used to wipe out both Zylas and Drusden.The aftermath of that fight still gnawed at him in strange ways, but none of it mattered for now. Answers could wait. He’d talk to Arah when she woke up.Gildeon pulled the blanket over her shoulders, then glanced at Ghulik, who was curled on a cushion near the bed, snoring like an old man, his belly swollen.Before leaving the Bacc
