Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My eyes widened as I continued to clutch the invitation Roberto had handed to me, the owner of the bakery where I regularly delivered the bread my mother and I baked. I kept reading the same lines over and over, as if hoping the words would somehow change.

“Exclusive Gala for Selected Young Ladies. Compensation: 350 USD for a night.”

For others, that amount might seem small. But for me, it meant more than a week’s worth of food, milk for Zarek, and medicine in case he got sick. It meant a bit of comfort in our small hut that always felt short of air and light. It meant something special for my baby’s birthday.

I took a deep breath and placed the paper on the table. My hands were trembling.

“I can’t,” I whispered to myself.

They were only looking for young, unmarried women, a maiden, and I was no longer one.

I sat on the old wooden stool, trying to push away the heaviness in my chest. But the exhaustion crept back in, not just in my body but in my mind, which was constantly worrying about how we would survive.

Around me, the other girls were buzzing with excitement, jumping and chattering as they held their invitations. It was rare for a place like ours, located at the foot of what people called the most dangerous area in the city to ever be noticed.

When I got home, the familiar smell of wood and rusted tin greeted me. No matter how hard life was, this was still my home.

“Nessa, you’re late,” Mama called out as she washed dishes in a sink made from an old oil container.

I forced a smile, “It’s okay, Mama. I’m just tired.”

She looked at me closely, studying my face, “You don’t look tired. You look sad.”

I didn’t answer right away. I avoided her gaze and scratched my head.

“Did something happen?” she asked again, her voice softer this time.

I shook my head, “Nothing. I just feel like luck never comes our way.”

She paused, wiped her hands on her worn apron, and walked toward me.

I stared at my hands resting on my lap.

“My child,” she said gently, “don’t lose hope. Sooner or later, luck will find you.”

I gave a small smile. “I hope so, Mama.”

We sat in silence for a moment.

“Where’s Zarek, Mama?” I asked, wanting to change the subject.

“He’s in the room, watching TV,” she replied.

I nodded, but something tightened in my chest at the mention of him.

“My child,” she said suddenly, “don’t let Zarek carry the bitterness of your past.”

I looked at her, my hands turning cold.

“No matter what Zarek is,” she continued, “he is still your child. He came from you.”

“I know,” I answered softly. “But I’m scared, Mama. What if other people find out? What if they hurt him or worse—”

“Shh,” she cut me off gently, holding my hand, “Don’t think like that.”

“It’s not easy, Mama,” I whispered, “He’s not a normal child.”

She didn’t reply immediately. She simply looked at me, as if trying to calm me with her gaze alone.

“Leave it to God,” she said at last, “We can’t control everything, Nessa but someone is watching over us.”

I nodded, though the heaviness in my heart remained. It wasn’t that I couldn’t accept my child, it was that I feared losing Mama and being left alone in this world, leaving him behind.

After a moment, I stood up, “I’ll go check on Zarek.”

She nodded, understanding that I needed a moment.

I slowly walked toward the small bedroom. As I opened the door, I immediately saw him.

He was lying on his stomach on the old bed, focused on the small TV in front of him as if nothing else in the world mattered. I smiled.

He was watching cartoons again.

At a glance, he looked like a normal child, innocent, calm, peaceful in his own little world but he wasn’t normal. He wasn’t like other children.

He wasn’t human.

Zarek was an extra-large puppy, golden in color. His fur shimmered in a way that felt almost unreal, as if no other creature like him existed. It was as though he had been bathed in liquid gold even before he was born.

Yes, this was what he looked like when he was a relaxed, large, furry, unmistakably animal but to me, he was still my son.

“Zarek,” I called softly.

His ears twitched, and he turned to look at me. His eyes seemed to smile, shifting into a deep amethyst color. They were breathtaking, like magic. If I didn’t believe in magic before, I did now.

He made a soft puppy sound.

I smiled and walked closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. I kissed him gently, and he rested his chin on my lap.

“Are you happy there?” I asked.

He nodded.

“It’s just a cartoon,” I said, stroking his head. His fur was warm, soft, and smooth under my fingers.

For a moment, I closed my eyes. Sometimes, I wondered what my life would have been like if he weren’t here. If everything had been normal. But as I looked at him now, all those “what ifs” disappeared.

“Zarek,” I said softly, “do you know that I love you very much?”

He paused and turned toward me.

“Love means… you’re important to me. You’re my child, so I love you more than anything.”

He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he bounced slightly on the bed and rolled over playfully.

I felt his warmth, his weight.

“Don’t be afraid,” I whispered, “I won’t abandon you.”

After a while, I gently moved away and fixed his blanket.

“Go to sleep early later, okay?” I said, “Mama has to work early tomorrow. We need money.”

He nodded, as if he understood, even though he couldn’t speak. Did I hope he would speak someday?

He was a dog, not a human. I didn’t even know how he had ended up in my womb. Maybe I had been bewitched. Maybe I had angered forest spirits or playful dwarves when I gathered Moonleaf six years ago.

I kissed him one last time before walking toward the door. I stepped outside the room but didn’t leave immediately. I paused by the doorway. The invitation came back to my mind.

The gala.

Registration was required soon for those who wanted to be picked up.

I thought about the 350 USD—and the word “young lady.”

I bit my lip.

If I didn’t have a child, I would go without hesitation.

I closed my eyes for a second. No one knew that I had a child. I saw Mama still sitting at the table.

“How is he?” she asked.

“He’s okay, Mama. He’s happy,” I replied.

I sat across from her.

We were silent for a moment before I looked again at the envelope on the table.

“Mama,” I said slowly, “what if… I had a chance to earn a lot of money, but the cost is something I’m not sure I can handle?”

She looked at me immediately, “What kind of cost?”

I hesitated. I wasn’t even sure myself what decision I wanted to make.

“They’re looking for unmarried servers for a wealthy gala. I was thinking of trying.”

She looked at me carefully. “A gala? Like a party?”

“Yes. But they want unmarried women. The pay is 350 USD.”

Her eyes widened.

“It falls exactly on Zarek’s birthday. If I earn that, I can come home the next day, prepare something simple for him, buy groceries, and maybe even invest in our bread business.”

“If it’s just one night and you think you can handle it, why not?” she said gently, “Try it, Nessa. You have nothing to lose. Whether you succeed or not, we’ll be here—your child and I.”

She smiled and nodded.

And just like that, her confidence became mine.

By tomorrow, I would sign up.

I would try.