“What the hell were you thinking?” Bow’s voice disrupted the silence in the long hall as the servants led the group to their designated chambers. “You do not come here to this city to address the Lord of the land just like that. Are you out of your mind? Good thing His Lordship owed you big time … if not, he’d have your tongue pulled out of your mouth and that could include ours for not having to discipline you.”
Tristan stopped walking and turned around to meet Bow’s eyes. “No one owns me, Bow. I will never agree to that kind of foolish offer. I came here for my father. You will bring me to him right after you’re done with your business here.”
“And I will not consider that if you do not apologize to the Lord. Have you got any respect? You may be a bold young man … but it goes too far out of bounds when you talk with nobles.”
“I know
“You’re insane,” Kael said as he galloped along with Lucas and Robert, following the current of Riverchill towards the east. His legs, hips, and back hurt from their long ride. They had made no stop. Kael agreed they had to keep moving, or else the knights from the capital might catch up with them.“Is that a compliment?” Lucas replied, the northern wind sending his trimmed hair flailing.“You mean to get us captured again,” Kael said. “I dislike this idea, Lucas.”“Do you, now? Or is it only that you don’t trust me with this idea of mine?”“Obviously.”Lucas turned his head to look at Kael. He got a confident look as if he knew exactly how it would end. “It was not wrong to not trust me, brother. But when matters of emergency and high stakes arise, you can set aside your suspicions of me … just for this tim
Arth froze at the tremendous demonic aura radiating from the two enemies ahead of him, more so from the tall demon. He had black and blue waves of alar, piercing Arth’s brain with pulsating pain. What is this … immense power? His right hand was still extended to the side, waiting for his sword to arrive after calling for it many times. Elicantris must’ve taken Frostcalibur far out of his reach. It would take some time before the blade could travel back to him.“Frostcalibur … I need you now,” Arth shouted inside his thoughts. He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, his chest pounding harder and faster.“This one’s weak, Lord Ander,” the demon named Shadowhunter said, raising his chin as he looked down at Arth. “You want me to finish him?”They spoke using human language, Arth noticed. They must be … Ka’erns … demon-turned humans. And
A sharp pain plunged through Tristan’s head again and again, deep through his skull. He opened his eyes at the morning sunlight, kissing his face. Warmth embraced his body, then he noticed he’d changed into white sleeping garments, not remembering changing his coat. Someone must’ve done it for him. His head ached; strong pulses that made him groan and roll on the soft bed. What happened last night? The only thing he remembered was Lewis and him drinking in the alehouse. And after that …Oh, right …Lewis took Tristan back to the Keep after their drink, then into this chamber. After that … Lewis left.“What the hell … is going on with this head?” Tristan grunted, massaging his temples as the pain worsened after sitting up. Suddenly, his dry throat needed water. His eyes scanned the chamber … white painted walls with bright ceilings and floor, with a brown door t
Kael kept his eyes forward, waiting for the corruption magic to become in sight ahead of them. But it had been half an hour of riding through the depths of the forest without catching a single sense of the dark magic spreading. Something was not right. They should’ve seen it already several minutes ago.“Are you certain it’s accurately taking us to the source?” Kael said as they trotted through the woods. “It appears we are not heading towards the center of the forest.”“The compass is not taking us towards the source,” Lucas replied. “It’s taking us to Janshai. He may have been taken in a different location … far from the corruption.”Kael muttered a curse. That would take a longer time for them to locate the source of the dark magic. They had to find Janshai the soonest as possible.The White Forest was the largest in Glacia, making it the home for high-class beasts. But Kael had not found a single beast on their way. They must’ve fled from the forest, or perhaps died from the corru
The stone surface was cold and smooth when Arth moved. He opened his eyes. The dark skies thundered in orange, and the thick wind dried up his nose down to his throat. Then he heard a splashing of water. Arth faced left, finding a fountain of yellow waters. Where had he been taken?Arth found himself lying on the stone floor. He sat up and looked around. His eyes climbed as an enormous castle rose—it soared so high that dark red clouds had covered its peak. Its walls were made of black glass, like obsidian. Arth swallowed hard in his throat as he sensed powerful auras coming from the castle. Darkness hid inside the large arch windows and everywhere around him. No light illuminated his vision but the yellow waterfall behind him.The hot, intoxicating wind breezed and brushed on Arth’s face that he had to cover his nose to keep himself from inhaling all of it. He tried to remember what happened the previous time he was awake. Lord Ander … he had killed all the men inside that cave. A ti
Clear blue skies flashed as Tristan opened his eyes, gasping as if he had lost air, but he could now breathe the cool, fresh breeze that brushed against his face. No clouds hid the heavens. Tristan had no clue of why he was panting, his lungs thirsting for air. Had he been dead? This must be heaven, or so it seemed. Memories from that night flashed back in his mind. He recalled Bow shoving him out of the edge of the ship, with a heavy anchor chained to his ankles. He remembered falling until he hit the waters, descending into the depths of the ocean, helpless. It was as if hell pulling him. Air slowly escaped his lungs out of his screaming mouth, then replaced by the ocean waters. Tristan was drowning … and drowning … but what happened after he could not remember.Tristan held his chest, his heartbeat pounding fast. What the hell happened to him? How did he arrive in this … empty but serene place? He looked around, finding nothing but the vast horizon where the skies touched the calm
“You’ve got to be joking,” Lucas cursed as he stared at the ball of the compass, glowing wildly as it pointed in the direction ahead of them. “No wonder I have not felt the demon curse in this blood … I thought it was only the freezing cold.” Kael swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, then he breathed out of his mouth, releasing all the tension in his chest. Seeing Luna stepping out of the darkness brought life to his empty heart. Her messy golden hair, bright-green eyes, and sharp face, everything about her was just … beautiful. A smile of relief was drawn on her wounded lips. But before Kael could take a step forward, Robert rushed past him towards the woman. “You’re alive!” the young man embraced her tightly. “I thought you were … killed by the demon …” “It’d be a shame if I died,” Luna replied, hugging Robert back while her eyes locked on Kael. “I always knew you’d come.” Robert pulled himself and looked up at the eyes of the tall woman. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Luna.” L
“You are my ancestor?” Arth said with his eyes wide open. No wonder he had found the cold aura of the demon somewhat familiar. His ancestor … Lord Ander … was the first Aragon who defeated a Demon Lord. He could never believe what he was hearing. But … how the hell did it happen? How did the first of their blood become a demon?“My eyes had once been like yours,” Lord Ander replied. “Once bright-ocean blue, but now darkness had devoured its color.”Arth hesitated, lowering his eyes before he asked, “What happened after you defeated the Demon Lord?”“Hmm …” Lord Ander mumbled. “It was a sacrifice I had to make to save our people. I was wise enough to submit myself to becoming a demon, just so they wouldn’t harm my family … and my kingdom. Because I’ve known that if I refused, then there would be grave consequences.”“What consequences?”“Eternal chaos …” Lord Ander’s dark eyes turned to Arth. “I had to seal them all into the Underworld. I used my blood to close the portal before I was