All Chapters of Jade: The Hybrid Mage: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

I ignored Bryon completely, focusing on the bleeding boy before me. His wound needed tending—not the attention of a bully.But Bryon wasn’t one to be dismissed so easily."You think you're a hero?" he sneered, stepping closer. His hand curled into a tight fist, and I braced myself, knowing he was about to strike."Bryon, stop."Petrusia's voice cut through the air, cold and sharp as glass.Bryon froze, his jaw clenching as she approached. She stepped between us, her silver hair catching the light like a crown of ice."She thinks she's bold because the commander has some interest in her," Petrusia said, her tone filled with mockery. "Let her play the hero she craves. There are other ways to deal with her."Bryon's lips twisted into a snarl, but he dropped his hand. Instead, he turned to the boy still trembling on the floor, and then spat at him before walking away.I felt a wave of revulsion hit my chest. Disgust wasn't a strong enough word for what I felt—for Bryon, for Petrusia, and

I was thrown into an empty cell, the heavy door slamming shut behind me, making me jerk in fright. Darkness swallowed the room, save for the faint glow of enchanted light tracing the edges of the ceiling. My mind raced, a whirlwind of questions and confusion.What could I have possibly done to deserve this?‘Bainer,’ Naila whispered in my mind, her tone cautious. ‘This might have to do with her.’I spoke aloud, comforted by the solitude of the cell. “Could the bracelet have broken? Did her magic fail?”‘No,’ Naila replied. ‘I watched her carefully. She fainted from exertion, but the markings on her arm were fine. It’s her inexperience with divine energy that caused the strain.’“Then was I framed for something I don’t even know about?”‘It’s highly possible,’ Naila admitted. ‘Although . . . there was a page missing from that spellbook we used for the ritual. It came after the instructions, so I thought it wasn’t important.’“Guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I muttered.:~*~:The cou

I don’t know how long I stayed in the darkness. Hours? Days? Time lost all meaning. The only certainty was the annoying sound of my bare feet against the damp, fleshy ground as I limped aimlessly.Squish . . . squish . . . squish . . .Every step grated against my nerves. Every stumble reminded me how fragile my strength had become. When I wasn’t moving, I was crying—letting out broken sobs that disappeared into the void around me.My wounds burned with every movement, the dripping residue from the goo above searing my flesh. But I kept going. I had to.Eventually, just as the last thread of hope in me was about to snap, I heard it—a low humming sound floating through the darkness.I tried moving toward the sound, painfully quickening my pace. But then, I froze, my feet stuck as they sank slightly into a patch of sticky ground. Slowly, I felt myself being pulled under, the thick goo devouring me, biting into my already raw wounds with a fresh sting of pain. I screamed, thrashing again

“That explains the feeling perfectly,” I said, my voice trembling. “And knowing that doesn’t help. If anything, it makes it worse.”The darkness pressed against me like a living thing. The faint glow of worms scattered across the fleshy ground offered little solace. I could still feel it—the presence of unseen watchers, their oppressive gaze prickling my skin. Were they demons, or was my fear simply feeding my imagination?Klaus shifted beside me, his breaths shallow and strained. “Memories of my wife and daughter came to me not long ago,” he murmured. “Ever since then, the demons have used them to torment me. I can hardly think of my daughter’s innocent face without seeing a dark fog hanging over it. I hear her laugh, calling out to me . . . and then I hear her cry, asking why I abandoned her and her mother.”His voice cracked, and a shudder ran through his frail body. “Izogie, my darling wife. Does she still hope I’m alive? Or has she given up and found someone new? I can’t . . . I

Klaus withdrew his hand, and I told myself it had been a mistake. He couldn't see me in the darkness any more than I could see him. Maybe he hadn't realized where his hand had wandered.I wanted to believe that. I needed to believe it, for my own sanity.'I may be weak and wounded, but my dignity isn't damaged.'"If you ever escape Jodeicasca," Klaus said, his voice low and rough, "I doubt you'd ever find it in you to commit another sin you'd regret. But that's only if you get out."His hand came back, resting on my chest again, firmer this time. My breath hitched, and a slight sound escaped my lips. He paused, then slid his hand back to my shoulder, stroking it as though nothing had happened.Anger erupted in me like fire. I grabbed his wrist, squeezing his knuckles together until I heard a crack. Then I flung his hand away, my chest heaving.He didn't make a sound, not even a grunt of pain.For a moment, I considered punching him, maybe clawing his face if I could find it in the dar