Cliff Edge — Moments Earlier

  Calm down, Korin.

  Think.

  There’s no going back.

  The cliff behind me dropped into darkness. One wrong step and I’d fall far enough to die. And even if I somehow survived the fall, the Hollowed would simply jump down and finish the job.

  Think.

  Wait.

  Even if he jumped down…

  I’m sure he wouldn’t be able to climb back up.

  An idea formed instantly.

  I lowered Selene carefully onto the ground.

  Her chain blade was still wrapped around her waist.

  Perfect.

  I pulled the chain loose and secured it around her waist properly. Then I recalled one of my hatchets and drove it deep into a crack between two large rocks at the edge of the cliff, anchoring the chain where the Hollowed wouldn’t notice.

  The positioning mattered.

  Angle.

  Distance.

  Line of sight.

  My mind ran calculations rapidly, adjusting Selene’s position and my own stance so that the chain remained hidden from the Hollowed’s view.

  From his perspective, it would look like I was simply holding her near the edge.

  Good.

  I stepped back into position and lifted her slightly.

  I’m sure one of their targets is Selene.

  I’m taking a gamble here.

  Luck… please be on my side.

  I activated Silent Eclipse.

  The world sharpened instantly.

  Mana ripples in the jungle trembled faintly.

  He was coming.

  Every second felt like an hour.

  My heart pounded violently in my chest.

  I couldn’t make a mistake.

  If the conversation dragged on too long, he might notice something.

  Then—

  He appeared.

  Good.

  He was angry.

  Blood still ran down his back from the hatchet wound.

  His black eyes locked onto me.

  “Give me the girl,” he said coldly. “And I’ll show you mercy.”

  He stepped closer.

  “I’ll kill you quickly. You won’t feel much pain.”

  I tightened my grip on Selene and positioned her closer to the cliff’s edge.

  “Stop there,” I said.

  “If you move even one inch, I’ll throw her off the cliff.”

  The Hollowed laughed.

  “You’re bluffing.”

  “Why don’t you try me?”

  He smirked.

  Then he deliberately stepped forward.

  “See?” he mocked. “I moved.”

  He spread his hands slightly.

  “Now throw her.”

  I nodded once.

  “Okay.”

  And I threw Selene off the cliff.

  The Hollowed reacted instantly.

  He sprinted forward and jumped after her.

  Exactly as I expected.

  Selene dropped—but only a short distance.

  The chain snapped tight.

  Her body hung in midair like a ragdoll, suspended from the hatchet anchored in the rock.

  The Hollowed fell past her.

  Down into the darkness below.

  A few seconds later—

  A heavy impact echoed from the depths.

  Then movement.

  Far below, the Hollowed began to stand.

  I didn’t waste a second.

  I grabbed the chain and started pulling Selene back up.

  From the cliff below, the Hollowed roared in rage.

  “I will kill you!”

  He began climbing upward, grabbing rocks and roots along the cliff wall.

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  Some stones broke loose and flew upward as he climbed.

  I pulled harder.

  My eyes burned.

  Sharp pain stabbed behind them.

  But I didn’t deactivate Silent Eclipse.

  Not yet.

  If I misjudged even slightly…

  I might actually throw her off the cliff.

  I kept pulling.

  The chain scraped against the cliff edge as Selene slowly rose toward me.

  Below, the Hollowed continued climbing.

  He hurled rocks upward in fury.

  One passed close enough to my head that I felt the air move.

  Finally—

  Selene reached the edge.

  I dragged her onto solid ground.

  Then I ran.

  Please…

  No more Hollowed.

  Not today.

  But a few seconds later—

  Darkness crashed into my vision.

  My body collapsed.

  I had pushed Silent Eclipse too far.

  The world went black.

  I fell to the ground with Selene beside me.

  Her chain blade scraped across the side of my leg.

  Pain exploded instantly.

  “Ahh—!”

  I clenched my teeth.

  That hurt like hell.

  I tried to sit up, but the darkness in my vision still swirled violently.

  This day couldn’t possibly get worse.

  Please…

  Instructor.

  Cadets.

  Anyone.

  Or—

  Selene.

  Please wake up.

  I crawled blindly across the ground until my hand touched something warm.

  Relief hit me immediately.

  She was still there.

  I grabbed whatever I could reach and started shaking her.

  “Selene… wake up.”

  No response.

  I shook her harder.

  “Selene, wake up.”

  Still nothing.

  My voice dropped to a whisper.

  “Please wake up…”

  I shook her again.

  Then suddenly—

  “Wh—what’s happening…?”

  Relief flooded through me.

  “Yes. Selene, you’re awake.”

  Without thinking, I kept shaking her.

  “Wake up, wake up—”

  SMACK.

  A sharp slap exploded across my face.

  My head snapped sideways so hard my jaw rattled.

  I froze.

  Maybe…

  This day actually could get worse.

  Selene’s Dream

  Selene was at an amusement park.

  Bright lights stretched across the sky like strings of stars. Music drifted through the air, cheerful and distant. People laughed somewhere beyond the rides.

  She didn’t remember arriving.

  But that didn’t matter.

  The place felt warm. Comfortable.

  She walked between attractions, watching the spinning rides and glowing machines as if she had been there many times before.

  Further ahead, a massive wheel rotated lazily against the sky.

  Selene watched it for a moment, then moved on.

  Another ride caught her attention.

  A pendulum swing.

  The kind that lifted riders high into the air before dropping them again in long sweeping arcs.

  Interesting.

  She stepped onto the platform without hesitation.

  The ride began.

  Slowly at first.

  Then higher.

  Higher.

  Wind rushed past her as the seat carried her upward.

  Her stomach felt light.

  Weightless.

  Then gravity pulled again as the swing dropped.

  Back and forth.

  Back and forth.

  The motion was oddly enjoyable.

  Selene closed her eyes for a moment, letting the wind brush past her face.

  This ride is surprisingly well balanced.

  Then something changed.

  The swing lifted higher than before.

  Too high.

  The motion became irregular.

  The seat jerked sharply.

  That wasn’t part of the ride.

  Selene opened her eyes.

  A massive monkey stood beside the structure.

  It was enormous.

  Ridiculously large.

  The creature reached up and grabbed the entire ride, lifting it easily into the air.

  Selene frowned.

  That seems… unsafe.

  The monkey leaned closer, staring directly at her.

  Then it reached down and grabbed her.

  By the leg.

  And started shaking her violently.

  Selene’s eyes snapped open.

  Someone was shaking her.

  Hard.

  “Selene… wake up.”

  Her vision was blurry.

  Shapes slowly came into focus.

  Then she saw a face hovering above her.

  Korin.

  He was shaking her.

  “Wh-what’s happening…?”

  Her mind struggled to catch up.

  Why is he waking me up? Where am I?

  Wasn’t I at an amusement park…?

  “Yes. Selene, you’re awake.”

  Relief filled his voice.

  Then Selene noticed something.

  His hand.

  Where it was.

  Her brain took a moment to register it.

  Then another.

  Then—

  Her eyes widened.

  Her face turned red instantly.

  Her hand moved before her thoughts did.

  SMACK.

  The slap echoed sharply.

  Korin’s head snapped sideways.

  “Would you stop?!”

  He stared at her, stunned.

  “What the hell?! Why did you slap me?!”

  Selene sat up, glaring at him.

  “How dare you touch me!”

  “It was an emergency!” Korin snapped back. “I was trying to wake you up! Do you know how dangerous the situation is right now?”

  Selene crossed her arms.

  “So your idea of waking someone up is grabbing that part of their body?”

  Korin blinked.

  “…Which part?”

  Selene’s eye twitched.

  “Forget it.”

  She stood up immediately.

  “I’m leaving this place.”

  “Wait.”

  She turned slowly.

  “What.”

  Korin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

  “Can you help me?”

  Selene narrowed her eyes.

  “You see… my leg got scraped with something,” he said. “So could you support me?”

  Selene glanced down briefly.

  The injury looked painful.

  But not fatal.

  “Yeah,” she said flatly. “But it’s not life-threatening. Use one leg and go.”

  “Wait.”

  Selene’s patience snapped a little more.

  “Now what.”

  Korin spoke quietly.

  “I can’t see.”

  Selene frowned.

  “Pardon?”

  He raised his voice.

  “I can’t see!”

  Her irritation faded slightly.

  “What do you mean you can’t see?”

  Korin sighed.

  “If I overuse my ability… I become temporarily blind.”

  Selene studied him carefully.

  Is he lying?

  His eyes were unfocused.

  His movements uncertain.

  He didn’t look like someone pretending.

  “You want me to believe that?” she said cautiously.

  “Believe me or not,” Korin replied tiredly, “help me get out of this damn jungle.”

  He paused.

  “And also… I’m in this situation because of you.”

  Selene’s eyes widened.

  “What? Because of me? Ho—”

  “Because of your damn questions!” Korin interrupted.

  He even mimicked her voice.

  “‘I know Varek and Varek doesn’t ask for help.’”

  Selene’s jaw tightened.

  He is absolutely insufferable.

  “I was just—”

  “Tell me your excuse later,” Korin cut in. “Right now I’m exhausted, injured, and blind.”

  He gestured vaguely ahead.

  “Let’s get out of the jungle before another Hollowed shows up.”

  Selene sighed.

  She moved beside him and supported his arm over her shoulder.

  “Fine,” she muttered.

  They began walking toward the outer jungle.

  After a few seconds, Selene spoke again.

  “Mm.”

  “What.”

  “What do you mean ‘Hollowed’?”

  Korin answered while limping forward.

  “You met a stranger, remember?”

  “Yes.”

  “He was a Hollowed in disguise.”

  Selene’s mind immediately replayed the earlier scene.

  The stranger.

  The attack.

  Her teammates collapsing.

  Her expression darkened.

  “We met one too,” Korin continued. “They’re trying to kidnap cadets.”

  Selene frowned.

  “How do you know they were trying to kidnap?”

  “Because they didn’t attack first,” Korin said. “They kept guiding us deeper into the jungle.”

  He paused.

  “And it felt like specific cadets were their targets.”

  Selene raised an eyebrow.

  “Like you.”

  She stopped walking for a second.

  “How did you come up with that?”

  Korin sighed.

  “Would you stop interrogating me?”

  He sounded completely exhausted.

  “I’ll answer everything later.”

  A few seconds passed.

  Selene glanced sideways at Korin as they walked.

  His arm rested heavily over her shoulder, most of his weight leaning against her as they moved through the uneven ground.

  Up close, he looked worse than she had realized earlier.

  Sweat soaked his hair. His breathing was uneven. And his movements carried the unsteady hesitation of someone navigating without sight.

  But something else caught her attention.

  His glasses.

  The thin dark lenses hid his eyes completely.

  Selene frowned slightly.

  She remembered clearly that he hadn’t worn them before.

  Not in class.

  Not in combat training.

  Not during the incident at the auction house.

  And now he wore them constantly.

  Her gaze lingered on them for a moment longer.

  Korin Kai…

  What exactly are you hiding?

  He shifted slightly beside her.

  “Why are you staring at me?” Korin muttered tiredly.

  Selene immediately looked away.

  “I’m making sure you don’t collapse and drag me down with you.”

  “Hm.”

  They walked a few more steps in silence.

  Then Selene glanced at him again.

  The glasses still concealed his eyes completely.

  If he’s blind…

  why is he still wearing them?

  Her suspicion deepened slightly.

  But for now, she said nothing.

  Ahead, movement appeared between the trees.

  Aric Vayne emerged from the jungle.

  Relief flickered across his face when he saw them.

  “Selene.”

  “Korin.”

  “Good,” Aric said calmly. “You’re both ok.”

  Behind him, several instructors emerged from the jungle.

  Instructor Thorn.

  Professor Voss.

  Other academy staff.

  Selene glanced sideways.

  Korin stood quietly beside her.

  Unusually quiet.

  His eyes remained unfocused.

  So he really is blind right now…

  The instructors quickly began issuing orders.

  Hunting activities were cancelled immediately.

  Injured cadets were escorted toward the academy hospital.

  The rest of the students were gathered and sent back toward the dormitories.

  The jungle fell quiet again as the academy regained control of the situation.

  Selene glanced once more at Korin.

  He still looked exhausted.

  Annoying.

  Argumentative.

  Blind.

  And apparently reckless enough to chase a Hollowed alone.

  How exactly had he gotten me out of that situation?

  Selene sighed quietly.