Lara's eyes fluttered open, a sudden wave of dizziness hitting her hard. Her head felt like a brick, heavy and throbbing at her temples with every beat. She tried to sit up when she realized she was lying on a bed.However, the moment she did, her vision went blurry, and the room started spinning, making her headache even worse."Where… am I?" She muttered when she saw that the ceiling above her was unfamiliar.She clutched her head, breathing unevenly as flashes from earlier returned.And the moment the memory pieced itself together, her eyes widened slightly.She had been driving home when she saw a woman lying in the middle of the road.Out of panic, she stopped the car.Stepping out, she rushed over, afraid the person might’ve been hit by a car or worse.But just as she crouched to inspect her, a hand had wrapped around her neck.She barely had time to react before a sharp sting pricked her skin.Her heart had pounded as she tried to figure out what was going on.But before she

Lara couldn’t see outside—no windows in the room, no sense of time—but the way her stomach twisted in tight knots, as if her insides would tear, and the way her limbs twitched involuntarily were enough to tell her dawn was near.Her throat burned as if she’d swallowed fire, and her skin prickled like needles dancing just beneath the surface. The pain was no longer something she could wrestle with—it was devouring her from the inside.For the past few minutes, she had done nothing but roll helplessly on the cold floor, clutching her belly, sweat soaking her shirt, her fingernails scraping weakly at the tiles. Her screams had long faded into hoarse whispers, her voice nearly gone. That was when she did the only thing she could—call for Viktor.After stepping inside, he stood there like a statue. His expression was stone-cold and hard as he scanned her miserable state, as if he were bored watching her die.“So…” he said quietly, voice low and detached. “Are you finally admitting that

A soft breeze fluttered the curtain’s edge, scattering golden sunlight across the ivory sheets.From somewhere outside, the faint call of a bird drifted in, stirring Lara awake as her eyelids slowly fluttered open.For a few seconds, she just lay there, her mind struggling to process the warm sunlight soaking into her skin.The last thing she remembered was the metallic taste of blood in her mouth and the sharp, tearing pain in her stomach before everything went black.Her breath caught in her throat as the thought hit her—had she actually survived? Was she alive? Or was this just a dream?Panicked, her fingers moved before anything else—shaky and slow—as she lifted her right hand to look at it. Her arm felt strangely light.Her chest, instead of aching, rose and fell without resistance. Then, she drew her knees upward under the blanket, flexing her toes and legs. Still nothing. No pain. No burning. Not even the soreness one would expect after having death sit on your chest.Her lip

The chamber was a cavernous hall.High above, iron chandeliers hung like skeletal hands, their flickering candles casting shadows across the walls. The air was thick with the scent of burning wax.Nearly three hundred figures filled the room. The outer rings consisted of newer members—mostly young adults in their twenties.The middle tier was made up of seasoned members, maybe fifty or sixty people who had earned their stripes through years of loyalty. They dressed more deliberately, wearing small silver pins or patches that marked their rank.At the very center of the room was a round stone platform slightly elevated above the rest.That was where the Seven, the high council of The Shadow, sat in a tight semicircle on thrones carved from polished wood—each throne different, designed to reflect its occupant’s influence.The Grand Chair, placed at the front and center, was the most intricate. It belonged to Viktor, known as The Phantom General. He wore a robe darker than death, and h

The underground hall looked just the same as the last time Ethan, Magnus, and the five ex-members of The Order had gathered there.The air still held the tension from their last encounter.Now, those five familiar faces were seated around the long table once again.They all looked up as Magnus and Ethan entered, their footsteps echoing softly across the stone floor.“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Magnus said as they approached. "We had to deal with something… important.”Clara Mendez, her red nails rhythmically tapping the table, let out a scoff. "I’m guessing it was something really important to keep us hanging this long?”Magnus didn’t respond. He just took his seat in silence.Ethan followed and sat beside him. He looked relaxed, like none of this bothered him.There was a short silence, then Ethan leaned back slightly and smiled. “I have some news.”Duke Cavill chuckled dryly and raised a brow. "What is it this time? Another one of your pranks to make us believe you’re the King of