“Watch it!” Lavi scolds Anna when she nearly stumbles on a branch.“I cannot ‘watch it’!” She sneers. “I am blind, remember?”“You manage to walk around my castle just fine!” He snaps back.Anna takes a deep breath. “That is because I have the place memorized,” she says in a way as if explaining to a child. “This oasis is new to me. It will take me some time to memorize.”“Quite bold of you to trust me in this place,” Lavi mutters.“Trust? Absolutely not! I just happen to know that if I am hurt, you will also be hurt. Which means you have to keep me safe.”Lavi scowls but An

“Oi, wake up!”Lavi’s voice breaks Anna’s sleep and she slowly stirs. She opens her eyes to the eternal darkness and sighs.“It is morning and the storm has passed,” Lavi tells her. “We need to go.”Grumbling a little, Anna yawns and stands up. She stretches her body while Lavi is preparing to push the boulder away. The sun is shining brightly, illuminating the vast desert in front of them. Lavi peers his eyes to see if anyone is around but there is no sight of life. The sandstorm has brushed a lot of the sand in their direction and it will be even harder for them to walk under the hot sun.“I have managed to stock up on some of my magic,” he murmurs. “Bu

They enter the Den which is buzzing with people. Anna can smell the familiar stench of stale beer and onions in the air and hear the chatter of people all around her. Occasionally, she can catch the scent of human slaves who are forced to do the bidding of werewolves who treat them with disdain. Lavi scans the dark bar for anyone who might recognize him.The bar is notorious as a brothel as well with patrons frequenting the human slaves who are captured and imprisoned there. Several of the humans have accepted their fates and are entertaining the guests as they gamble and drink. A large bar is placed in the middle while several dancers in skimpy clothes dance to entertain the guests. They move their bellies in a sensuous manner, sometimes even dancing intimately on the laps of the men. One of the dancers comes up to Lavi but to his surprise, he feels noth

Damien is walking over the remnants of the Den, stones crunching under his shoes at every step. The entire town is shaken by the sudden combustion of the building which killed nearly all the rogues and sent the remaining ones into lifelong torment. Headless bodies are scattered all over the town, some falling as far as the outskirts. Blood and soot color the town walls and the soldiers are digging up more bodies from the debris.“What in the world happened here?”Damien turns around to find the Prime Minister of the country, Charles Rubert. Even though Charles is well into his seventies, he is still tall and active. With snowy white hair and goatee, he is still one of the most powerful faes in the country. His popularity is so high that he has been the Prime Minister for nearly three decades.Charles is

Lavi barges into the study to find Charles sitting there. The old man stands up and bows to him but Lavi walks past him towards his desk.“Why are you here?” he demands, not looking at Charles.“I am here to see you, kid,” Charles says in an affectionate way but Lavi snorts.“Are you here to see me or are you here to confirm whether or not I have turned into the monster you all fear I will become?”Charles sighs and shakes his head. “Not everyone is like Phillippe,” he bemoans. “I know you have suffered a lot.”He pauses before adding, “I know she suffered a lot too.”Lavi goes still but does not react. The pa