All Chapters of To Become The Monster: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

POV LioraI wiped down the counter for the third time that minute, though the glass never really looked clean. The streaks reflected the warm, amber glow of the hanging lanterns above, making the corners of The Iron Lantern look cozy instead of cramped. The smell of fried onions mingled with roasted meat and the faint tang of beer, clinging to the wood-paneled walls like the memories of every diner that had come before us.Mae leaned against the counter across from me, arms folded, her bright red hair catching the light like fire. Freckles danced across her nose and cheeks, little constellations that made her face almost impossible to look away from. Her green eyes were sharp, sparkling with mischief as she nudged a plate of fries toward me.“You’re staring again,” she said. Her grin widened, and I could see the dimple in her cheek.“Am I?” I asked, twirling the rag in my hands. “I’m just… taking in the scenery. For my memoir, maybe. How Kraithan Eats Its Soul in Fry Grease and Ale.”

POV Liora The sky outside my window had turned a soft, bruised shade of orange and purple by the time I woke, the sun hanging low above Kraithan’s rooftops. The city was still alive, but the streets had begun to take on the slower, golden haze of early evening. Lanterns flickered faintly along the cobblestones, competing with the last of the daylight, and the distant hum of merchants finishing up for the day drifted through the air.Today was a rare gift—a day off. And for once, Mae had the same luxury. I stretched, letting the muscles in my back creak and pop, and rubbed my eyes. The apartment felt cozy, almost peaceful, though the faint smell of herbs Mae had left behind mingled with the lingering aroma of coffee from the morning.A soft knock at the door made me start.“Coffee delivery!” Mae called cheerfully before I even had a chance to answer.I laughed, shuffling to the door. She stood there with her bright red hair catching the fading sun, green eyes gleaming, freckles sprink

POV Liora I woke to breathing that wasn’t mine.It was slow. Too slow. Each inhale sounded like a decision rather than instinct, like his body had to be reminded to keep going.For a moment, I didn’t move. I stared at the cracked ceiling while early night pressed against the windows, the city’s glow bleeding faintly through the curtains. My apartment smelled like iron and ash and something old—magic that didn’t belong to me.Then I heard it again.A shallow breath. A pause. Another.He was awake.I sat up quietly and crossed the room, my heart pounding so hard I was sure it would give me away. The cot creaked as he shifted, iron chains whispering softly against the frame.His head turned.One eye opened.Not bright. Not furious.Dim.That terrified me more than anger ever could.His skin had gone ashen, the sharp planes of his face hollowed, as if something vital had been carved out from the inside. The wound in his abdomen no longer smoked, but the bandages were soaked through with

POV LioraRowan lay on the cot, pale and bruised, shadows deepening the hollows of his face. His chest rose and fell slowly, deliberately, as if each breath was a careful calculation. The dim light from the streetlamps outside the window cut across the room in thin, flickering bands, tracing the sharp angles of his face. Almost peaceful. Almost human.Mae and I sank onto the couch, letting the silence fill the apartment. The faint hum of Kraithan outside was a distant, almost mocking reminder that life carried on, oblivious to the three of us crammed into a small, cramped space that smelled faintly of old smoke and cleaning solution. My hands clenched my knees as memories clawed at me like fire licked over bare skin—the fire, the screams, the heat that seared through my body that night in Rallen. Ten years, and it still felt as real as the morning I had woken to ash.“I still see them sometimes,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the hum of the city. “My family… my sisters… Mo

POV LioraThe streets of Kraithan were quiet, almost eerily so, as we slipped past the last of the sleeping city. Dawn was a pale smear across the horizon, gold pressing into gray, and the buildings leaned in like spectators waiting to see us fail. I kept my scarf high around my neck and my eyes on the shadows. Every corner, every alley could hide someone—or something.Mae jogged ahead, her red curls bouncing like fire. “Race you to the city edge!”I shook my head, tugging at my own boots. “You’re insane. You’ll get us killed before we even see a tree.”“Only if the city wakes before I do,” she called back, grinning over her shoulder.Rowan walked beside me, slow and deliberate, chains rattling faintly with each step. He didn’t look fast, but every step seemed measured, careful, like he was calculating the ground itself. I felt it, the quiet intensity he carried, the way his presence pressed against my chest without touching me.“Do you always move like this?” I asked, trying to keep