Chapter 5

Boom!

With just a wave of the man's hand, an invisible force knocked the executioner and his giant blade flat onto the ground.

The man in white slowly descended in front of me. He reached out with his long, slender fingers and gently tapped the center of my forehead. Instantly, a warm current surged through my body.

"Are you okay?"

He lowered his head, looking at me. His voice was so soft, it felt like a spring breeze brushing past my ears.

I stared blankly, then gave a small nod.

"Who the hell are you? Get out right now!" Maisie's shrill voice snapped me back to reality.

The man ignored her and turned to look at the Roffe patriarch instead. His tone was cold. "You don't deserve to know my name."

The patriarch trembled all over, his lips moving in a whisper. "He's got a white light surrounding his body, and such overwhelming power... Could he be…"

"Hmph."

With a snort, the man's aura exploded. The pressure alone crushed the patriarch to his knees.

"I saw everything that happened today. The way you twist right and wrong is absolutely unforgivable. In three days, I'll come back to settle this myself."

His voice was cold and commanding. There was no room for argument.

"I—" The patriarch tried to protest, but one sharp look from the man shut him up completely.

Without another glance at the others, the man in white bent down and gently picked me up, like I was something fragile and precious.

Resting against his chest, I could feel his warmth surrounding me. My heart was a mess of emotions.

"Let's go home," he said while looking down at me, his eyes filled with tenderness.

When I met his deep gaze, a strange sense of safety bloomed in my chest.

Seeing me rescued, Maisie nearly lost it. Jealousy twisted her face, and her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at me.

Suddenly, Justin stepped forward and drew his sword, pointing it straight at the man carrying me.

"I don't care who you are, but she's not going anywhere!"

The man didn't even flinch. With his back to Justin, he walked away like he hadn't heard a word.

Justin started to go after him, but Maisie grabbed his arm.

"Justin, I don't feel so good…" she murmured, then collapsed into his arms.

Off to the side, Blair watched us leave. His expression was tense, and there was something unreadable in his eyes.

After we left the execution grounds, exhaustion hit me hard. My head started bobbing as I tried to fight off my sleepiness.

"Get some rest," the man said gently. "I'll wake you when we get there."

For some reason, I didn't feel uneasy around this stranger at all. My gut told me he wouldn't hurt me.

With that comforting thought, I drifted off to sleep.

In my dreams, scenes from my past life flashed by—being torn apart in the Beast Den, Dusty dying in my arms…

"No!" I woke with a start, drenched in sweat.

The man came through the door and rushed to my side, holding me close and patting my back gently.

"It's okay. I'm here."

As my breathing slowed, I turned to look him in the eyes. "Who are you, really?"

"You seriously don't recognize me, Master?"

He looked so pitiful, nothing like the powerful figure who saved me earlier.

Wait, did he just call me Master? And… was that a fox tail?

Could it be…

"Dusty? Is it you?"