Anna frowns at the child. She cannot recognize her but the voice sounds familiar as if they have met before. Cassie, on the other hand, is delighted to meet Anna once again. “Anna, you came!” Cassie gleefully says. “I knew it!” “Who are you?” Anna frowns. The girl is in the cell opposite to her but she does not look scared at all. “I am Cassie!” Cassie exclaims. “Cassandra.” Cassandra…It hits Anna. “You are the girl from the market in Faika!” She gasps. “But how did you end up here?” “I’m where I should be,” Cassie simply says. She sits cross legged, studying Anna with interest. “It seems that the Dark One has chosen you for the sacrifice,” she goes on. “Makes sense. You are the threat to his rule, after all.” “Sacrifice?” “Mhmm,” Cassie nods. “To awaken the Gods, the Dark One has to pay a tribute to the gatekeeper of Veneer. Otherwise, the Gods will not awaken. If the Gods rise, the Dragon will die.” Anna is alarmed. “The Dragon will die?” She echoes. “What do you mean?”
*One day ago in Soloma*Lavi and Anna blink at each other in surprise. Nine is sitting in front of the fire, her eyes unfocused as she shares everything she knows about the Black Jacks. They are sitting in the middle of the forest, resting. “Moira’s body?” Lavi questions her. “Her real body? How is that possible?”“It is,” Nine says. “Moira is a witch and a very powerful one at that. She conducted a body switching spell. The day she entered the castle, she realized that Phillippe’s real mate was one of her own maids. The maid sensed it and so did the Emperor but before he could meet her, she ran away. Phillippe was betrothed to the heir of the Morales family. A mere maid can’t be his Empress!”“So she went to tell her mistress,” she goes on. “Before Phillippe could find her, Moira cast a spell and switched her body with that of the maid and put the latter into a deep sleep.”“Where is her body?” Lavi demands.“With Two,” Nine reveals. “He’s hiding her real body.”“How come I do not k
*Meanwhile in Pir*Damien and his pack arrive at the forest of Pir with Nine in tow. She stares at the darkness ahead, wondering if she can do this.“Lead the way, fae!” Damien snarls at her. Nine gives him a hard look.“You’re saying that word as if my kind is filthy,” she says in a cold tone. “I’m a fae, not a piece of trash!”“I will address you however I please!” Damien snaps at her but her look of grief and sadness is tormenting him. He wants to hurt her, make her wish for death so that he can reject her. But his own heart is being crushed under the burden of the insults. She is strong, very strong. Even though his words are hurting her, she keeps up with it in dignity. Damien cannot help but be attracted to her and he hates himself for it. She has taken over his mind in only a few days and he is trying to push her away from him. Nine knows his dilemma very well but she takes a deep breath.“Call me Nine,” she says. “Not a ‘fae’. I’m Nine. That’s my identity now.”She raises he
*In Faikan Castle*Phillippe and Moira are stunned by Lavi’s appearance. Lavi is glaring at Moira with hatred, wanting to rip her apart to pieces. Phillippe turns to his guards and shouts, “GET HIM!”The guards run towards Lavi but he raises his hands and bright flames erupt from it. He blasts the incoming guards with his fiery powers. Leo puts Roseanne down and unsheathes his sword.“Stop them from harming the Crown Prince!” He orders. His men charge forward, much to Phillippe’s shock, and attack the Faikan guards. The guards are temporarily confused as their allies take them by surprise and Leo’s men quickly disarm them. Lavi’s flames knock out several of them and several more Ezealyran men barge through the gates to surround the castle. Lavi shoots more flames at incoming guards.“AHHHHH!” The guards scream as the fire hits them, rendering them unconscious. Lavi raises his hands and aims at his mortal enemy. The flames burst towards Moira but Phillippe pushes her out of the way. H
Cassandra looks outside her cell. A large moon is looming in the sky, not quite yet full but very daunting. Only a few more days and it will be full. Once the full moon appears, Veneer will become a battlefield. Several premonitions have been flashing in her mind all throughout the day but she keeps them at bay.“What are you thinking?” Anna’s voice breaks her reverie.“I am thinking about the impending sacrifice,” Cassandra sighs. “The Gatekeeper is becoming restless.”“Gatekeeper?” Anna frowns. “Mhmm.”Cassandra turns towards her cell. “The Gods aren’t just sealed, ya know,” she explains. “There’s a gatekeeper who’s keeping them at bay. The Gatekeeper is a God himself, cursed with the duty to keep his kins at bay. He was once the God of Dimensions, the one who traveled all throughout the world to seek out enemies using his parallel paths. He can open several dimensions and sneak up on people to kill them. When the Gods were defeated, the Moon Goddess bound him to Veneer to protect
The snowy mountains are twinkling under the afternoon sunlight, silent and deadly. Ras’ thin figure is standing on top of a circular peak which is blanketed with layers of thick snow. He is staring at the ground, his eyes blank.A flash of lightning appears and another figure comes into view. She is panting hard, her dark hair in disarray. Moira is back in her real body but she is still very weak. Her magic is weak because she used up her energy on the explosion. By killing off Phillippe’s mate, she ensured his death but did not anticipate her own weakness. Her real body is weak and frail, her magic limited until she recuperates. “You fool!” Ras growls and slaps her. Moira groans and staggers back. She is ashamed of failing her mentor and instantly falls to his knees.“I am sorry, Dark One!” She pleads. “I failed to take over the throne! I tried but Lavi exposed me-”Ras lets out a curse. Lavi has upturned his plans and is now hunting for him. News of Phillippe’s death and Lavi’s dec
Moira’s face is contorted in fury and vengeance against the girl in front of her. She is using her magic to beat Anna up, trying to ruin her face. The latter’s face is bashed up but healing slowly. As soon as it heals, Moira beats her up again.Anna does not scream but a smug grin is on her lips. It pains her to think that Lavi is also being tortured but she knows that once he arrives, he will kill Moira with his own hands. The thought of Moira’s death is giving Anna satisfaction. WHACK!Moira hits her again but Anna only laughs.“You are in serious trouble, Empress!” Anna spits at her. “Oh wait…your so-called mate is dead. You are not the Empress anymore-”“SHUT UP!” Moira growls and hits Anna again. Anna falls to the ground, spitting out blood.“I have taken your throne!” Anna taunts her. “I am the Empress now. Lavi is the Emperor. Our children will sit on the throne-”“NOT IF I KILL YOU FIRST!” Moira roars and is about to use her magic to strangle Anna. Cassandra stirs and slowly
Ras…Anna is staring at the man standing above them. Her eyes are filled with hatred and disgust, her hands wanting to kill him. For how many years has she been planning her revenge? How long was it?The screams of her family members are still haunting her. Their pain, their suffering, and their deaths are like a plague to her, never ending. She can still hear her mother’s cries as she was burned down by the mob. The image of her father’s lifeless body torments her every night, the man who gave up his life to protect her.And Harietta…Her screams will never leave Anna. Her dear sister who suffered a fate worse than death.All because of this man.“Princess Anna Visserion,” Ras greets her with mock politeness. “Welcome to Veneer!”He stretches his hands wide, his lips curved into a smile. Anna growls at him but the Skelewolves are holding her with surprising strength. The lava below her is bubbling and she can hear whispers coming from the ground.“Kill…bleed…kill…”Cassandra is calmly