The revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. She did not know how to react. But she quickly regained her composure and demanded, “Where is she? Where did she… go?”

  Her arms felt weak, and she had a sinking feeling he did not have the answer. She dropped him to the ground and let her arms fall lifeless at her sides. “Do you know anything else?”

  He shook his head, still terrified of her.

  Vernisha looked at him for a while, but after a couple of seconds, she turned on her heel and walked away.

  Another man asked, “Is that all...?”

  She responded, “Go back to learning about Balash or whatever it is you do.”

  “You… you break in here, kill Loran, and threaten us! And you think you can just walk away?!” the man shouted, glaring at her like she was the devil.

  She did not blame him for thinking that way. Ignoring the mark she bore, she probably looked like the devil to them. She replied flatly, “One life for two.”

  “Two...? What? What the hell are you talking about?”

  She did not answer. Crusbull followed her as she stepped over the broken ceiling pieces and made her way through the doorway.

  It was incredibly dark, but through Crusbull’s eyes, everything was clear. Above them, Tarnisha sat on her Warbird, its wings still flapping.

  In the corner of her eye, on a naked tree void of leaves, she spotted a black cat looking at her. She ignored it.

  She touched Crusbull, turning it into black energy before absorbing it into her left hand. The dark energy blended seamlessly with the surroundings, especially in the darkness.

  The Warbird was not a monster. It was an animal, and its senses were not in sync with Tarnisha’s, so she truly could not see anything out of the ordinary.

  Vernisha called out, “Can you come get me? Please.”

  The ride back to Sundawn was quiet.

  Tarnisha broke the silence. “You didn’t kill them all.”

  “Yeah… I learned some new things. Wouldn’t have made sense to kill them.”

  “Bad decision. They’ll recognize your face. They’ll report you.”

  Vernisha shrugged. “What was I supposed to do? Kill them even if I think they’re innocent?”

  “If they’re going to get you killed later, they’re not innocent.”

  Vernisha shot her a look. Tarnisha stared at her like she was an idiot. “Next time hide your face. Or kill all the witnesses.”

  “You’ve done a lot of killing, huh?”

  “I did what I had to survive. I don’t like it. I don’t like killing other people... but my life is more important than those who want to take it. And so is yours.”

  The Warbird let out a screech of dominance before spreading its wings wide and soaring higher.

  The wind howled against them, filling the air with harsh, biting noise.

  Vernisha nodded at her words. “So, what do we do now? Turn back and kill them?”

  She hated the idea, but it was the most logical choice.

  Tarnisha shook her head. “Don’t worry about that.”

  “How? You said it’d be a problem.”

  “I dealt with it.”

  Vernisha raised an eyebrow. Back at the temple, Tarnisha had only lowered the bird for her to hop on. She had not noticed anything else, and confusion settled over her. “When? When did you do that?”

  Tarnisha did not answer. Her silence irritated Vernisha. She clenched her fist in anger and turned her gaze away.

  Abella sat on the silver silk couch, her hands resting on the arms of the chair. In front of her stood a long red wooden table, made from a Tree-Eater monster she had killed when she was thirteen. The forty-three-ton meat-eating tree had left its monster zone and invaded the city of Shinetown. It had been a town back then.

  Across from her, her mother sat on a matching silver silk couch, her legs crossed. She was rambling, as usual, her voice filling the room.

  Ferzan was paying attention, responding to her and asking questions.

  Abella wanted to listen, but she was too tired. Too tired of hearing her talk.

  Her mother glanced at her and her gaze settled on Abella’s forehead. “How long do you plan to keep infuriating me, Abella?”

  Abella looked up, confused. “What did I do?”

  Her mother tapped her own forehead in a sharp gesture. “Get rid of it. It’s disturbing.”

  Abella realized what she meant. Her hand slid through the back of her hair until she felt the metallic band. She pressed it, and there was a click. The Blending Band deactivated, becoming visible. She removed it, revealing what she had been hiding.

  A golden monster seal marked her forehead, dark purple veins spreading around it like ugly roots.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  She placed the Blending Band on the couch and rested her hands on her thighs.

  Her mother stared at the seal, her face tight with frustration. “I don’t get why you feel ashamed. You’re a Vlandos. A [Hero]. The mother of Ferzan. Wife of a Demi Mortal God. Daughter in law of a literal Mortal God.” She shook her head. “People would die to be in your place.”

  Abella did not respond, but inside she felt the words daring to slip out. People? Are those ‘people’ you?

  She did not say it. Her mother would not be offended, but she would question why it had been said in such an offensive manner.

  Ferzan turned to look at the second floor, confused. Her mother noted it. “Those two are back. Perfect timing.”

  She pushed herself off the chair and stood tall. “Call them down. I want to see how strong the Vlandos in your care are.”

  Abella’s heart raced. She stood up too quickly. Her body punished her with sharp muscle aches, as though she were being stabbed. She groaned in pain but ignored it.

  “Not Tarnisha,” she said. “She doesn’t like fighting. You know that. I told you.”

  Her mother waved away the comment. “It’s not up for debate.” Then she called for a servant to fetch the children.

  Abella frowned and threw herself onto the couch, pushing it back by an inch. Her mother did what she wanted. Like always.

  The servant, a Punchio man with green eyes named Zec'op, looked at her for confirmation. It seemed he remembered Golbon’s instructions about obeying her mother’s orders.

  Abella gave him a lazy nod. He bowed deeply and headed up the stairs.

  Her mother stared after him. “I don’t like that boy... ill-mannered little money goblin.”

  “Please, don’t call them that.”

  “What next? Don’t call a Star a Star? Hmmm?” She rolled her eyes.

  Abella sighed deeply and rested a hand on her forehead. A headache threatened to split her skull.

  Ferzan’s eyebrows furrowed. “Dad always said if humans are rude to other beings, we shouldn’t be surprised when they are rude to us.”

  Her mother responded, “Your father is na?ve. You’ve done well in history, haven’t you? Then you already know why he’s unrealistic.”

  “My father is far from na?ve,” Ferzan said, stressing on the last words.

  She eyed him.

  Katie excitedly said , hoping to impress her grandmother, “Dad always says that treaties and the like are only ever temporary. Fostering a tight relationship between the people of different nations puts pressure on the ruling parties, which results in less conflict between the two. Emermyne is a prime example of that. Before they waged war against us, against all humans, Falsker had spent many years uniting all of Emermyne's regions, and you know how different they were, how much they hated their own people, how many generations of civil war they ha—”

  “Enough.” Emill clicked her tongue. “I don't care.”

  Katie’s confidence broke. She slowly nodded before leaning back into the couch she shared with her brother.

  Vernisha and Tarsha came downstairs with Zec'op. Abella whispered a thank-you, trying to conserve energy. He bowed and was dismissed.

  “My, the child has grown stronger. I like it. I love to see it,” Emill said, smiling genuinely. Katie’s eyes widened in surprise, as though she could not believe what she was witnessing.

  That smile.

  Her gaze shifted to Vernisha, and Abella saw contempt flicker in her eyes, as though Vernisha was a thief who had stolen emeralds from her.

  Abella dreaded this. She had accepted by now that she was a terrible mother. It was hard to be a decent one when thinking hurt so much, when she just wanted to shut everything out to ease the pain, even if only a little.

  Just a bit less.

  She longed for Goldbon. He made life so much easier.

  Emill approached Vernisha. “From level seventeen to nineteen, with a full monster set. Who did you kill?”

  Vernisha blinked, confused. “Who? I-It was just monsters we came across.”

  She was quick with her words, but it did not matter. They were not fools.

  Emill’s smile deepened into a knowing smile. “Is that so? Keep your secrets. I don’t mind it. Sometimes, I like it.”

  Vernisha reached for her own hair, then stopped as if realizing it was an automatic response.

  Emill looked at the three of them and said, “Rather than just testing Ferzan, I think it’s better to test all of you. Since we’re all Vlandos.” Her smile faltered slightly. “Even if we don’t all have Stars in our blood.”

  She then turned toward the front doors, which opened as the Julioes man entered. She waved her hand in his direction. “My slave, Com-mera-kuk, will be your challenger.”

  Vernisha raised an eyebrow. “I thought slavery was banned here, at least of other species.”

  Emill shrugged. “Everything is legal when you have enough power, child.”

  “I get that, but why not a human slave, a legal slave?”

  “I didn’t feel like it.”

  Vernisha studied her, trying to read her mind. “I see. Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Do you hate Terrafall and its rules?”

  Emill smiled and crouched down to be eye level with Vernisha. “Can I ask why you’re asking me that?”

  Vernisha said nothing, but the meaning was clear.

  “Indeed, I do,” Emill said after a pause, looking deeply into her eyes. “I like you. I like smart children. Would you prefer me using a human slave?”

  "I would prefer no slaves."

  At the back of the mansion was a battle yard, the ground layered with black stone and shaped into a rectangle. It was about the size of three dumper trucks stuck end to end.

  Vernisha also learned the grandmother’s name was Emill Starlight. Her daughter, Abella, was better known by the family name.

  Emill stood at the far end of the battle yard, the Julioes and Abella at her side.

  Tarnisha stood beside Ferzan and Vernisha, but she looked like she was about to blow a fuse.

  Emill spoke. “Tar, come forth. Send your monster out.”

  Tarnisha did not answer.

  Emill repeated herself, but got the same response, silence.

  Emill’s monster seal glowed white.

  Abella placed a hand in front of her mother. “She doesn’t like violence.”

  “You’re aware that child has no issues with violence, so don’t try to fool me,” Emill snapped, turning back to Tarnisha. “You disgrace all proud Vlandos.”

  Ferzan’s fists clenched.

  Abella sighed. “Move on already. You’re giving me a headache.”

  “You’re letting this behavior fester in your house, Abella. Soon, she’ll be calling you a Valuzaa to your face.”

  Abella’s patience snapped. “Move on, Mother.”

  Tarnisha wandered over to Abella and leaned against her, clearly seeking comfort.

  Emill, clearly upset but trying to control her temper, nodded forward, directing the slave with a flick of her chin. “Fight the girl.”

  The Julioes man’s eyes drifted from the stars above to Vernisha. His movements were sluggish as he stepped forward, his steps dragging with exhaustion. He came to a halt in front of a white line on his side.

  His dead eyes and lifeless movements were unnerving. There was not a single ember of life in them.

  Vernisha moved forward to stand on the white line on her side, trying to shake off the unease. Emill’s voice rang out, cold and commanding. “Fight. Don’t disappoint me, child.”

  Ferzan’s lips twisted, his hands opening and closing in tight, restless motions. Then he leaned in and whispered, his voice low. “Try not to get your neck broken.”

  Vernisha turned to him in surprise.

  “It hurts a lot,” he added.

  It dawned on her just how serious this was. Another reason Emill had chosen a Julioes.

  They were known for not having permanent scars and healing faster than humans. Among all super-sentient species, species capable of high levels of communication, they were the least likely to suffer permanent physical injuries.

  Vernisha set her eyes back on the Julioes, who lazily moved forward, as though walking through snow.

  She pulled out her dagger and black knife.

  [+4% strength]

  [+7% strength]

  She tried to Inspect.

  She could not. His level was above thirty eight. That was horrible news.

  Emill and Abella’s eyes narrowed as they noticed her weapons.

  Then, without warning, the Julioes kicked forward, sending a bolt of white light that soon took the form of a metallic bird, with wings clamped tightly to its side, as long as a double-cab van.

  Cold sweat ran down Vernisha’s back, and she barely managed to step back in time.

  The handles of her weapons slid into her mouth, freeing both her hands.

  She clasped her hands in front of her face.

  The creature’s beak was inches from her.

  Then there was a flash of black concealed in her hands.