The Shadow Revealed

Chapter 2

14 Years Later

Hi. My name is Eva, and I am the first female of my kind.

I’m not human. Not entirely wolf, either. But together—one heart, one mind—I am something else. Something that has never existed before.

I was created by the Moon Goddess herself, not born like the others. She made me to bring balance to a world that had tilted too far into darkness. Until seventeen years ago, our kind—the Executioners—were only men. Fourteen of them in total. A pair stationed on each continent.

They were more than feared. They were legends. Shadows with silver eyes and unshakable power. Some believed them invincible.

And in a way… they were. Because only the Goddess could destroy them.

But even gods can be disappointed.

One of them—Joshua—broke sacred law. He killed an innocent man, not out of duty, but out of greed. He wanted the man’s mate. Took her by force and left the body to rot.

The people were terrified. They cried out, begged for justice, prayed for a sign. And the Moon Goddess heard them.

When she looked into Joshua’s heart, she saw the truth. His soul had darkened beyond redemption.

So she summoned all of them and declared:

“My children, I see some of you have lost your way. From now on, none of you shall speak falsehoods. Only the truth may pass your lips.

I will create for each of you a council—elders blessed by me—so they may guide you when your judgment falters.

If you harm or kill someone who is innocent, you will feel their pain as your own. And if that innocent dies, so will you.

To help you, I will send visions through dreams. If you see someone or something in a dream, take it as a sign. If you dream nothing, take no action.

And to make justice unavoidable, when you touch an accused, their memories will become yours.

I will also bind you to a mate—chosen by your elders and raised with the purpose of grounding your spirit. You are not meant to carry this alone.

No longer shall you be called Decapitare. You are Executioners now.

And your mates shall be known as the Ladies of Peace—orphans trained from childhood to walk beside you in strength and wisdom.

As for you, Joshua… You took a life in cold blood. You have become the very thing you were meant to destroy. For that, you must suffer the same fate.”

And with that, everything changed.

Executioners were no longer feared beasts hiding in legend. They became the hand of justice. Guardians. Warriors with a divine purpose. Feared, yes—but now for a different reason.

And me?

No one knows why I was born. Not even the elders.

But when a council formed for me—a girl barely three years old—people started whispering. I had dream-visions before I could even write my name. And they were always right.

Children usually aren’t identified as potential Executioners until age ten. Visions don’t come until at least seventeen.

But I was different.

I was trained early. Taught to read emotions I didn’t feel, to wield weapons I wasn’t allowed to use yet, and to keep secrets even from myself.

By fourteen, I was assigned a temporary mate—Mary. She’s strong and soft-spoken, and she keeps me grounded. She’ll stay with me until I turn eighteen.

Then… I’ll receive my fated mate.

No one knows who he is.

No one knows why I’m even getting one.

Executioners don’t get fated mates. Their matches are selected, trained, and approved by the council. Mine will come from the Moon Goddess herself.

Which makes people uneasy.

And maybe it should.

Because I’m Eva. The fifteenth Executioner. The only girl. The outlier. The mistake. The miracle.

The ghost on the battlefield.

The shadow soon to be revealed.