Into the Veil: The Siren's Angel

Autore

K.D. Peters

Letto da

208K

Capitoli

Autore

K.D. Peters

Letto da

208K

Capitoli

Reali e aristocratici Protettore Drammatico Fantasy e paranormale Pulito

Chapter 1

“This is your only chance,” he whispered in my ear as I lay on the cold, hard floor. “Either you run now, or you’re going to die here.”

My body ached as I heard him speak. Yet, from somewhere deep within me, strength pulsed through my veins.

I slowly pushed myself up, head spinning and body protesting. But my determination won, allowing me to stand up shakily.

The man remained near me, looking around and listening for any sound of my captors coming toward the small, dirty room. My vision of him was blurred, yet familiar: honey-blonde hair with dark brown eyes and a slender yet strong build. And he was dressed in dirty jeans and a loose dark shirt.

He was the only one who had tried to help me in the last few years. And now, he was trying to save me from my wretched fate.

My legs felt so shaky that I needed to hold onto the wall to keep my balance as I tried to move forward. The man put an arm under my shoulders to help me, peering out of the doorway before pulling me out with him.

The hallway we entered was as dirty as the room I’d been in. I could hear screaming in the distance; no doubt some poor soul who was suffering just as I had been.

The man ignored those screams, helping me hurry down the hall toward a dirty metal door that stood at the end. “This way, Anya,” he quietly urged me.

The outside was incredibly bright when he opened that door, so much so that I could barely see. How long had it been since I’d been in the sunlight or felt the warmth of it? The smell of pine and grass hit me full force, too, and I could almost taste the moisture of the nearby forest that hung in the air.

Freedom! This was what freedom felt like!

This serenity was shattered by the sound of shouting coming from somewhere within the dilapidated building. My heart began racing as panic filled my chest.

They knew I was gone! They knew I was trying to escape!

The man pushed me forward. “Go! Get out of here!” he ordered.

The next thing I knew, I was racing into the surrounding forest. I had no idea where I was going. All I could see was the maze of trees around me as I blindly continued forward.

The twigs and leaves snapped and cracked under my bare feet, and the burrs were painful as they poked into my skin. My lungs felt like they were ready to burst, but I couldn’t stop. If I did, then they were going to catch me, and if that happened, then I was going to die.

I could hear shouting in the distance as I tripped on a tree root. I stumbled, hitting a nearby tree and crying out as I scraped my side, but quickly pulled myself up and kept going.

I continued to stumble through the thick underbrush, finally coming to a steep embankment. I stopped and looked over the edge, my eyes trying to focus on what was in front of me. It looked like a ten-foot drop, and the sides and bottom were full of stones with a small river of water running through the middle.

It didn’t look very deep and was clear enough for me to see the bottom.

My ears strained for the sound of shouting or footsteps, but all I heard were birds singing and the water rushing below. I took a few deep breaths as my lungs continued to ache. My body was so weak that I felt like I was about to collapse if I tried to go any further.

I didn’t know what to do. This embankment seemed to stretch for miles, and there didn’t appear to be any way around it.

The sudden squawking of a bird startled me, and I jumped, my foot slipping on the side of the embankment. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling down, and the wind was knocked out of me when I hit the water.

Pain racked my body, making it so that I couldn’t move. I could only lay there, feeling the cold water rushing around my right side.

I couldn’t even cry as I lay there, thinking of how tragic my life had turned out. It wasn’t like I’d wanted this life in the first place. I couldn’t say that I’d ever experienced anything that good in it—only destruction and death.

How many others had died in that place while I continued to live despite all of the torture I’d been put through?

Far too many, I thought as I closed my eyes. Maybe I deserve this.

As awful as all of this was, being there did feel much more serene than most things I could remember. The woods were so quiet, and the gentle rush of the water was soothing. I could feel the warm sunlight beaming down on me as the birds continued singing high in the trees.

A smile crossed my face. If I was going to die, then at least I could do it in peace here.

I was pulled back to reality when I heard something hit the water near me. I tensed up, my heart beginning to race as I heard someone walking toward me.

Oh, God! Had they found me?!

No, wait. This feeling wasn’t like what I’d had with those who had held me prisoner. This felt purer and very powerful.

They stopped behind me and knelt, and there was a gentle touch of fingers on the side of my neck as they checked for my pulse.

“You’re alive,” I heard a male voice say.

I had never felt an aura from anyone like I was feeling from him, yet I couldn’t get my body to move. Even attempting it felt like I weighed hundreds of pounds.

The person stepped in front of me, and I could see black boots and pants as he knelt to me. My eyes moved upward, and I saw that he was a young man who appeared to be around nineteen or twenty. He had a handsome face, and his eyes were full of concern as he looked at me.

I blinked, trying to process what I was seeing. While he looked human in his features, it was clear that he wasn’t. He had golden irises, and his eyelashes looked like they were white. His hair was also very light, yet I swore I saw streaks of light blue in it, shining in the sunlight as he leaned over me.

“Please…help me…” I managed to whisper.

The guy looked over his shoulder as we heard the sound of running in the woods beyond the embankment.

“I see. So that’s how it is,” the guy muttered.

I felt a whoosh of air over me when he looked back at me and stared as I realized that there were now large, dark wings behind him. He gently picked me up, and even though it hurt like hell, I could only wince. “There’s no time to deal with them. Not when you’re in this bad of shape. Do you think you can hold on long enough for me to help you?”

“What…what are you…?” I breathed.

The guy caressed my face, pushing my damp hair back. “Don’t strain yourself. Save your strength and let me save you.”

His wings flapped, and before I knew it, he was flying with me down the embankment. As he did, my eyes began to grow heavy again, and I eventually passed out.

Waking up felt like a slow process. The first sound I registered was the ticking of a clock. It was gentle and rhythmic, soothing to my senses. I lay still, absorbing the warmth enveloping my body and the softness beneath me.

Was I in a bed? I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had the privilege of being in one.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking a few times to clear my vision. The first thing I saw was what appeared to be a blue canopy over the bed. Confused, I turned my head to survey my surroundings.

I wasn’t imagining it. I was indeed in a bedroom.

It seemed like a large, luxurious bedroom at that. I could see a dresser and an oak wardrobe, along with a sophisticated white vanity. The windows on the left side of the room stretched from the floor to the ceiling, wide open, allowing a warm breeze to billow through the blue satin curtains.

Where am I? I wondered. Is this supposed to be Heaven?

Gathering my strength, I slowly tried to sit up, clutching my head as a ringing echoed in my ears. I closed my eyes for a few minutes to let it subside.

When I opened them, I caught sight of myself in the vanity mirror across the room. My dark hair was messy, falling around my green eyes, but it seemed like someone had washed it for me. I was now dressed in an oversized white shirt.

Looking down, I realized that I had bandages under the shirt. That meant that someone had also treated my wounds. I reasoned that they must’ve put me in this room to recover afterward, though I had no clue how long I’d been there.

The nearby door latch suddenly clicked, and I turned my attention there as it opened. A girl stepped in. She looked like a teenager, yet I could tell that she wasn’t human. Her long, light green hair fell gracefully around her shoulders and down her back, and she had pointed ears and bright violet eyes. She wore a simple white dress with a cherry blossom pattern on the skirt and gave me a friendly smile as she saw me.

“Goodness me, you’ve finally woken up!” she exclaimed happily.

I struggled to find my voice, and my throat felt sore as I spoke. “Who are you? Where am I?”

My head was spinning with the realization that what had happened out in those woods was real. Some kind of creature had saved me and brought me to this place.

The girl, who appeared to be an Elf, sat down beside me and held my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“There’s no need to be afraid. You’re very safe here. The Master brought you after he found you hurt, and we’ve taken care of your wounds. With a little rest, you should make a full recovery very soon,” she assured me.

“Where is here?” I asked.

I tried to move to the side of the bed, but she quickly stopped me.

“Please, take it easy. You could hurt yourself if you move too quickly.”

“I’m okay. I just want to sit up more.”

The Elf seemed reluctant but helped me to sit on the side of the bed. I let my legs dangle there as she poured me a glass of water from a pitcher that had been left on the nearby table.

“Here you are. You sound a bit hoarse, so go ahead and drink this,” she offered.

“Thanks,” I said, taking a sip of the water, making sure to drink slowly so that I didn’t make myself sick. It felt good going down my dry throat and helped me speak clearer. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m being rude, aren’t I? My name is Maline. I’m a servant here under Master Lyric, and he asked me to look after you while you’re recovering,” the Elf explained.

“So you’re an Elf?”

“I am,” Maline confirmed. She leaned a bit closer to me, looking into my eyes. “But enough about me. You’re far more interesting. You’re a Nephilim, aren’t you?”

So she knew what I was. I wondered if she could sense it, or if someone had told her.

But as I processed this, I registered what she’d said before. She’d claimed that she was a servant, and her master, someone named Lyric, had asked her to take care of me. Could he have been the one who saved me?

“I am, but who is Lyric? Is he the one who brought me here?” I asked her.

“Yes. It was rather startling when he came in with you like that, but he insisted that he was going to help you. He is the one who makes all of the decisions, so of course we did what we could, and it’s not like we could ever be against it,” Maline explained.

I was slowly starting to understand the situation I was now in. Being born with the knowledge that I was half human and half Angel had also come with the privilege of being privy to the secrets kept from most humans about how the worlds were set up.

Like the Heavens and Hells, there was another world that had been created beside the mortal one that the humans called home, and it was only accessible by special vortices, which only supernatural creatures could cross; that or the unlucky human could stumble into. This world served as home to creatures that humans now mostly thought of as myths, but had always been very real.

This was the world most referred to as the Veil.

“I’m in the Veil,” I whispered as I let this sink in.

“You are,” Maline confirmed.

She stood in front of me, a pleasant smile on her face as she regarded me. Everything about her was genuinely friendly. It did help me feel a little better, but not much. I still had no idea what the intentions of this were. The more powerful creatures on this side didn’t usually come to the mortal one, let alone save someone from there, even if they weren’t exactly human.

I worked hard to organize my thoughts as I questioned her more.

“Do you know why your master helped me and brought me here?”

“I’m afraid I cannot speak for him, but I would like to think that he did so because it was the right thing to do. You are much like us in many ways,” Maline answered.

She walked over to the curtains, pulling them back to allow more air and sunlight in. It looked beautiful out there, and the warm air felt inviting as it swept over me. I wanted to see what was outside, so I slowly tried to stand up.

But that turned out to be a bad idea. My legs were still weak and immediately gave out. I let out a small cry as I caught myself on the side of the bed so that I didn’t fall to the floor.

Maline hurried over to me, slipping an arm under my shoulders to help me sit up on the side of the bed.

“Careful! You’ve just woken up, and your body needs time to recover,” she cautioned.

“Sorry,” I whispered, feeling embarrassed by my weakness. “I just wanted to see outside. I need to make sure they aren’t coming after me.”

“Trust me, no one is going to come after you here. Doing so would be inviting Master Lyric’s wrath, and that’s a fool’s endeavor,” Maline assured me.

“But…”

I was about to respond when the door opened again. My eyes widened as I saw the man entering. He was the one who had saved me. He looked much as I remembered from my half-blurred vision, now dressed casually in dark pants and a loose white shirt.

Maline bowed politely as he approached us.

“Good afternoon, Master Lyric. I apologize for not anticipating your visit so soon.”

“It doesn’t concern me,” Lyric responded, waving his hand dismissively at her before turning to me. “I see our guest is awake. Please excuse yourself so that I may speak to her in private. If you wish to be useful, then prepare her something to eat. I’m certain she needs it.”

“Right away, sire,” Maline immediately agreed. She nodded at me before leaving the room. “I’ll see you soon. Please remember to take it easy.”

I felt a bit uneasy as she left. I didn’t like the idea of being alone with this man, even if he had saved me.

Lyric stepped in front of me, studying me closely. I sat very still, taking in his golden eyes. I didn’t see his wings now. Perhaps he’d retracted them into his back. It was a talent that Nephilim had, too.

He finally spoke. “I’m glad to see that you’re awake and trying to sit up, but it seems like you’re still feeling pretty weak. You’re awfully thin too. When was the last time you ate anything?”

“I don’t remember,” I answered honestly.

“I see.” He seemed to ponder this before continuing, “You’re a Nephilim, aren’t you? It feels a bit rude just referring to you as that. What’s your name?”

“Anya.”

“Only Anya?”

“Do you need last names here?”

Lyric chuckled. “Good point. Family names within the Veil are uncommon. It’s one’s heritage that’s held in high regard.”

“Your name’s Lyric, right? Are you considered an alpha in this world?” I asked him.

It made sense, given what Maline had told me about his power and how no one dared to cross him.

“Yes, I am an alpha, but I’m also a bit beyond that. I am the current ruler of the Eastern Lands,” Lyric answered.

I stared at him as his words sunk in. He was one of the rulers in this world?

I had heard the stories about this long ago from my father. Four creatures ruled the lands within the Veil, one for each cardinal direction: north, south, east, and west. These creatures were the most powerful alphas in strength, abilities, and intellect. Most others would never dare to challenge them, except for Angels and Demons, and even then, they might be in for a formidable match.

Looking at Lyric, I slowly let it sink in that I was now looking at one of them. He may have had a human-like base form, but he was far above most others I’d ever met.

“You’re serious?” I managed to ask. “You’re one of the rulers here?”

“I am. As you probably know, there are four of us, though we typically don’t lump ourselves together. As I said, I’m the ruler of the Eastern Lands, which you’re currently in. But while you’ll hear most of the others refer to me using lord or master, I’d prefer it if you just called me by my name,” Lyric responded.

“Lyric,” I repeated. “That’s a unique name.”

“I like to say that I’m pretty unique, so I guess it fits.” He sat on the bed beside me, his demeanor turning a bit more serious as he looked at me. “But all of this aside, I am concerned about how I found you. What was happening out there that left you in such a state? I sensed that other Nephilim were searching for you when I took you. Were they the ones responsible for the injuries and scars you have?”

I shook my head, unable to meet his gaze. I didn’t want to talk about any of that. It was too painful and shameful.

“It’s a long story.”

“I have time,” Lyric responded without hesitation.

My first instinct was to tell him that this was none of his business, but that didn’t feel right. He had saved me, and he’d gone through the trouble of treating my wounds and letting me stay here to recover. I owed him at least a little bit, even if I refused to get into any details with him.

“It’s not that I’m ungrateful for your help. I just don’t like talking about it. If you really need to know, I was kidnapped by some awful Nephilim a few years ago, and I’ve been through hell ever since. If I didn’t run away when I did, then they would’ve ended up killing me, and if you hadn’t shown up there, then I probably would’ve just laid there and let myself die.”

Lyric slowly nodded his head as he looked toward the open windows.

“I see, but it seems to me that you have quite a strong will to live. That’s rather admirable given all that you’ve had to go through.”

“They’ll probably come looking for me too. No one ever gets away from them alive,” I confessed, looking down at my bare legs. They were still scraped up and bruised from when I’d run away, though it looked like they’d already started healing. Most smaller wounds never lasted that long on me.

“You needn’t worry about that. These are my lands, and only a fool would go against me,” Lyric reminded me.

“You’re making me stay here?” I guessed as he stood up.

“I’d never force you to do anything. I’m simply willing to extend an offer of sanctuary to you. You can stay with me as long as you desire, and I’ll make sure you stay safe,” Lyric offered.

It was a tempting offer. Nothing about Lyric felt threatening. Plus, if I was honest with myself, I knew for certain that no creature worth their existence would ever dare to cage a Nephilim, especially not a ruler on this side of reality. To do so would be inviting the possible wrath of either the Heavens or Hells.

I managed to smile as I nodded at him.

“Okay. I’d like to do that for now, and I promise I won’t be a burden to you. I’ll stay until I can get my strength back and find a good place to hide.”

“That’s fine if it’s what you want, but you can also consider this your home now. There’s no reason for you to feel like you need to leave after you’ve recovered, and I’d much prefer it if you stayed with me. I have this sense that we could get along quite well.”

I confess that I wasn’t crazy about the idea of all of this, but I also couldn’t afford to pass up such a good offer. At least here I could make the best of my recovery time.

Then, hopefully, I would be able to make myself disappear for good on the other side, and they’d never find me. Until that time came, I had no choice but to rely on the charity of this creature.

Besides, what could be the harm in becoming friends as he wished? Having powerful friends was a bonus in our world.

Another warm gust of air came through the windows, billowing the curtains and going through my hair. I closed my eyes, taking in the gentle feel of it. Again, I thought that this was what freedom felt like.

How I’d missed it, even if I didn’t feel like I was completely free yet.

Lyric noticed this. “I can help you if you’d like to go outside for a bit. I don’t believe I’d like being cooped up inside on a day like this either,” he offered.

“That would be nice, but I can’t walk yet. My legs are still too weak,” I confessed.

“It’s no problem. I can carry you out there.”

I stiffened unconsciously at the thought of being carried. I didn’t even like the idea of anyone touching me in any way yet.

Lyric knelt in front of me. “I think I know what’s going through your mind, but I promise you that I’d never do anything to hurt you. All I’ll do is carry you, and I won’t touch you unless you permit me, okay?”

That did make me feel a little better, and I tried to push the fears away. I could do this. If I gave in to a fear of such a small thing, then there was no way I could move on with my life.

“Okay, as long as you keep your promise,” I reluctantly agreed.

“Of course.” Lyric stood in front of me, leaning down so that I could put my arms around his shoulders.

He carefully hoisted me up with an arm under my knees and the other around my back. I swallowed my nervousness as much as I could, trying to focus on the idea of going outside. I had to admit that I was impressed too. His build may have been lean, but he certainly had a nice, strong tone to him.

Lyric carried me to the window, stepping onto the sill. Bright sunlight beamed on us, feeling nice and warm with the breeze. I felt a soft whoosh of air as his wings emerged.

He used them to glide us to the ground, and for the first time, I realized that my room had been on the third floor.

I was looking at the place I’d been in as Lyric carried me into the courtyard. It was huge, reminding me of a palace that would’ve been built in medieval times in the human world. There appeared to be four floors, with very large windows and turrets at both ends.

The courtyard we were in held a beautiful garden, with paths that led to a forest about a quarter of a mile away.

Lyric took me to a large gazebo among the rose bushes. Inside, there was a marble table and five plush chairs. He gently set me down in one of the chairs, then sat in the one beside me.

“Now this is more like it. I do enjoy when springtime finally sets in,” he commented.

“It’s beautiful here. You have amazing gardens, and that palace is incredible,” I told him.

Lyric smiled. “I thank you for the compliment. We do try hard to make it as nice as possible.”

I sat back, trying to relax. This did feel nice, and more importantly, it felt safe. The only thing I would’ve changed was being in just this large shirt. I needed to talk to Lyric about this, but I wasn’t quite ready yet.

It felt like I was already asking a lot of him.

I could sense Lyric watching me as we sat there but tried not to acknowledge it, paying more attention to my surroundings. I was still fascinated by all of this. I hadn’t imagined that the Veil was this beautiful.

It made me wonder if the other areas were like this, or if it was reserved for royalty.

Maline came out after about five minutes carrying a tray that had drinks on it, and there was a large platter in the middle of the tray that was covered by a silver dome. I was guessing that it was the food that Lyric had asked her to fix for me.

“Good afternoon. I’ve brought some refreshments and food for our guest,” she said as she set the tray on the table. She took the lid off of the platter, revealing a plate on there that had greens, rice, and what looked like a grilled fish filet.

She looked at Lyric as she put the plate in front of me. “May I bring you anything, sire?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you, Maline,” Lyric responded.

Maline gave him and me a polite bow. “Of course, Master. Please pardon me while I change out our lady’s bedding so that it may be fresh for her.”

I waited until she was gone to speak. “Is she one of your main servants here?”

“She is. I do believe that I will be asking her to look after you while you are here too. She seems well suited to you,” Lyric answered.

“I don’t need any personal servants. I know how to take care of myself,” I reminded him.

“I’m aware of that, but it’s always good to have someone you can call on if you need help. Of course, you can always call on me as well. I’d like us to get to know each other while you choose to be here. Friendship wouldn’t hurt anything, don’t you agree?” Lyric suggested.

“I guess not,” I agreed, trying a bite of the food that had been brought to me. It tasted good, but I reminded myself not to eat fast. It wouldn’t help at all if I got sick.

Lyric took a sip of his drink. “Since we’re on the subject, I’m also thinking that I’d like to call in Jewel to make you some clothing. It’s quite obvious that you need proper clothing now that you’re here,” he went on.

“You’re making it sound like I’m going to be here for a long time.”

“Hard to tell, but you can’t keep running around in only that shirt, and what little you had on out in those woods certainly wasn’t worth saving.”

I was still skeptical. “I’m not going to be in debt to you because of all of this, am I?”

Lyric chuckled, resting his elbow on the table with his cheek against his hand. “Not at all. Just because I choose to do something for you doesn’t mean I’m expecting anything in return, except for your company as you wish to give it. I like to think that I’m a nice guy at heart.”

Suddenly, a mist rose near the table as he spoke. I watched as it swirled around, forming into a man. He was dressed in loose dark pants and a black shirt that had a larger robe-like shirt draped over it. His complexion was a dark tan, and he had vibrant blue eyes surrounded by long bangs of shaggy dark brown hair. Black horns curved around on the sides of his head from that thick hair.

Lyric spoke as if he’d been expecting him. “There you are, Soliel. I trust everything went well.”

“It did,” the man confirmed. He stepped up to the table, bowing his head to both of us. “I see your young lady is awake. I trust you are recovering decently, miss.”

I managed to nod. “I think so, but I haven’t been awake that long.”

“This is my Mage, Soliel,” Lyric introduced me. “I consider him my right-hand man, and he takes care of smaller issues for me. As with Maline, you can feel free to ask him for anything you need here.”

“So you’re a Mage?” I asked.

“I am,” Soliel answered. He held my hand, bowing his head to me in a polite gesture. “I look forward to serving you, my lady.”

Oh, I was never going to get used to this. I was certain of that. But I pushed it back. He was just trying to be nice.

“Thank you.”

“Moving on, is Namak still insistent on that meeting this afternoon?” Lyric inquired.

“I am afraid so. I did speak to him earlier in an effort to change his mind, but he claims that he does not wish to go through me. He must speak with you in person,” Soliel explained.

“Of course,” Lyric sighed. He looked a bit put out. “I suppose I have no choice, but he will have to wait until I deem that I’m free for it. I have been waiting for Anya to awaken, and it’s only right that I spend time with her. She is my guest.”

“I understand, sire, and I will make sure he is fully aware of such. I will also take my leave as of now so that I may not interrupt anymore,” Soliel concurred.

“Thank you, Soliel. We appreciate it.”

In an instant, the Mage had vanished again. I looked at Lyric when he did. “Is it really okay for you to put off a meeting like this?”

“It’s fine. This meeting is just formalities, and Soliel could’ve handled it. This town leader tends to be picky about speaking only to me. If he insists on it, then it will be on my terms,” Lyric responded.

“I guess I get that. You are the one who calls the shots here,” I conceded, finishing my food. It did feel good to have a full stomach. It felt like years since I’d gotten to experience that.

The spring air was soothing as I sat back in the chair, taking in the sunlight and the beautiful flowers of the garden around us. It was so calm there, so peaceful. It felt like I was in some beautiful dream. As much as I hated admitting it, I was starting to feel sleepy. The food had gotten to me.

Lyric noticed this too. “You’ve been awake for a while now. Perhaps you should get some more rest,” he suggested.

“Sorry. You said you wanted to spend time with me, but I don’t think I’m that great company right now,” I apologized.

“There’s no need to concern yourself over that. You’ve been through a lot, and your body needs time to heal,” Lyric reminded me. He got up and let me wrap my arms around his shoulders, picking me up again. “Let’s get you inside. Maline should have your bedding changed out, so you’ll be able to sleep comfortably.”

I nodded, holding onto him as he carried me out of the gazebo and flew back to the open window of the bedroom I’d been given. As he stepped over to the bed, I waited to let him go and spoke. “For what it’s worth, thank you for all of this.”

There was a gentle smile on his face as he laid me down. “There’s no need to thank me. I would’ve helped you regardless,” he assured me. He gently ran his hand over my cheek and forehead, pushing back my long bangs. “Rest now. You need to allow yourself time to heal.”

“It’s really safe here, right?” I confirmed, reaching up and holding onto his hand. The skin on his palm was rough, attesting that he more than likely was well versed with a sword.

“It is, but I’ll make double sure of it for you,” Lyric promised. He squeezed my hand and stood up straight. “Maline will be in to check on you, and so will I, so try to relax and rest.”

I nodded, watching him leave before closing my eyes and turning to my side to snuggle against my plush pillow. The sheets smelled like lavender, which relaxed me. As I drifted off, I let everything I’d just experienced run through my mind.

No, this certainly was nothing like I would’ve ever expected. I never could’ve imagined ending up in the Veil or under the care of one of their rulers. It had to be the oddest twist of fate ever.

Yet this twist of fate felt like rays of sunshine beaming down on me. I felt like I could learn to trust Lyric and those under him, and maybe even call this place my home. Home. The thought of that made me smile for the first time in years, and I felt the fire returning to my soul. Yes, I could keep moving forward, and this time, I prayed I no longer had to do it alone.