The Dragon’s condition was not as outrageous as Ell had expected, compared to when she had demanded that Ell entertain her. In fact, it aligned perfectly with her plans. She had placed finding Sonia on the back burner only until she had collected enough Deviation Points.

  After killing Renek—something Ell had grown not too squeamish thinking about considering that the person she had killed was a murderer herself—Ell had been planning to go after Ilai's two other ‘friends’: Nira and Avaren. Once the three were dead, the plotline pertaining to Ilai’s torture should be severed completely, and she should gain a substantial number of points.

  Perhaps, the guilt Ell could not shake off from possessing Ilai might then lessen as well.

  The carriage shook as the horse was pulled to a halt. Pushing aside the curtain at the carriage’s entrance aside, Ell agreed to the Dragon’s proposal, ‘All right.’

  Selin extended a hand to help Ell down the carriage, but Ell waved her away, hopping off lightly. Ilai was not a trained warrior, but she was not an idler either.

  Given Byrun’s position as Winged General, Ilai had grown up surrounded by blood-smithed swords and armor. Back when the relationship between the father and daughter had not been soured by the death of their beloved, Byrun used to bring Ilai along to his army camp, having her train lightly alongside his soldiers.

  Back then, Ilai had wanted to grow up to be a General. But in the end, due to Byrun’s alienation of his daughter in the few years following her mother’s death, and the trauma of eating her mother’s flesh, Ilai found the blood-soaked title distasteful, only maintaining the habit of exercising when she awoke and before she slept.

  Of course, since Ell had transmigrated, that routine had been thrown out the window.

  Relying on the system’s skills meant that she might find herself stranded if she could not supplement enough Deviation Points or her Stability fell too low. Knowing how to fight while utilizing the artifacts at hand was something Ell realized she should prioritize.

  Ell followed the marbled path to her rooms, stopping as Selin stepped onto a branching path leading to her own room. Ell loosely grabbed Selin’s arm.

  The guards lining the path had their heads lowered, digits between sixty and eighty hovering above their heads. They had to be trustworthy, but all the words Ell could muster were vague. “We continue tomorrow morning.”

  Selin’s vertical pupils were fixed on Ell’s round ones for a while. Raising her gaze to the still guards, her tail flicked the air. Eyes back on Ell’s, she nodded.

  The bedchamber was illuminated by a faint red hue from the small spherical lamps hanging from the ceiling. Beyond the thick curtains, the darkness was interrupted by bright moonlight. A soft rustle sounded as Ell stirred under the warm covers, her hand habitually groping around for stiff scales and spiky skin.

  Instead of her bearded dragon, Ell grasped a hand. Her eyes snapped open.

  Her first reflex was to fling her pillow at the unwelcome stranger and roll away. Before she could fall off the bed, an arm encircled her waist and pulled her back. Ell’s hazy vision sharpened as she prepared to activate Puppeteer, twisting her neck back to see the target she should control.

  “It’s me.” There was a shallow curve at the corners of Selin’s lips.

  Ell’s heart throbbed with the pump of adrenaline. She grabbed the pillow fallen at her feet and smashed it repeatedly—albeit harmlessly—onto Selin’s face. The latter did not flinch, smile widening.

  The smile was a naked provocation in Ell’s eyes. She abandoned the pillow and grabbed the pointed ears, pulling at their feathered edges. With a powerful tug, she plucked a bunch. Selin slapped her hands over her ears, hissing as her eyes widened in horrified surprise.

  Ell, however, was ecstatic. She flashed a venomous grin. “You’re done for,” she said excitedly as reached for Selin’s wings. The guard sprang back off the bed, landing on metal rings of the chandelier with a flutter of her wings.

  Watching the usually formidable figure cling to the suspended lights with a bitter expression, Ell burst into laughter. She leaned back on her palms, taunting, “Coward.”

  Selin’s pained expression eased. The chandelier swayed as she jumped off, landing at the bottom edge of the bed. “Go back to sleep.”

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  Ell glanced at the clock ticking on the wall. It was a little past three. “Since you know it’s too early to get up, why are you here?” Ell narrowed her eyes. “On my bed no less?”

  Something unspoken lingered in the stretching silence, Selin spelled it out before Ell could decipher it. “You’re scared.”

  Scared?

  Tugging at the messy sheets, Ell returned herself to their embrace. She closed her eyes. “You’re imagining it.”

  The mattress next sunk under Selin’s weight as she moved closer, humming an acknowledgment. Unsatisfied with the dismissive response, Ell turned her back to the guard.

  This life was not dissimilar to the previous one. In both, she was a lone fighter, trying her best to survive. She was shackled by the plot now—again—after she had broken free, but there was solace in the familiar.

  Even if the familiar was breeding grounds for her rooted insecurities. But that was not the same as fear.

  Ell had died once. She had known hatred and lived with it for over a decade. She was not allowed to be scared.

  Chaos exhausted Ell’s thoughts as they ran and tripped over one another, pulling her into a restless sleep. A little after dawn, Ell woke up from incoherent nightmares.

  Sweat dotted her skin, fine hair matted to her temples. She combed the black strands back, her hands coming away wet. Sighing, she slipped out of bed and into soft slippers. Rings echoed through the chamber as Ell pulled at a house bell.

  “What do you need?”

  Ell flinched at Selin’s voice. She had forgotten about the other’s presence entirely.

  The guard leaned too close for comfort. With a hand to Selin’s jaw, Ell pushed her away. “A bath,” she replied irritably.

  Unlike the familiar bathroom at Varoth’s—where the prefilled hot tub enabled Ell to take a leisurely soak—the General’s mansion held a more generous pool for bathing. Setting it up was a hassle handled by the servants.

  Ell missed her quick showers at the flick of a switch.

  “We’ll leave once I’m done,” Ell confirmed with Selin before a servant arrived.

  Clouds drifted across the desolate gardens of Varoth’s house. Weeds had outgrown flowers, more green than the white and red of petunias. Before making their way over, Selin confirmed that Varoth had been staying at his brother’s residence in the capital and was unlikely to run into them.

  “It’s going to be the same as last time.” Ell glanced towards Selin.

  The guard nodded, stance more relaxed than the first run.

  Ell took a deep breath.

  [Reviewer Activated]

  Hisses of monsters filled the air as they clashed with Selin. Sonia discreetly took out the timecomp, the children clinging to her knees. Ell moved closer, watching Sonia set up the first coordinate, the second—

  A hand clamped over the timecomp. Digging her thumbnail into her forefinger, Ell glanced up at the intruder who had spawned in front of Sonia. The man was clothed in plain black hooded robes, face masked with a cloth of the same color. He tilted his head slightly, meeting Ell’s eyes. And then they were gone.

  Sonia, the kids, the masked man, and a good chunk of earth where they stood. Gone.

  [Reviewer Deactivated]

  The world shifted, and Ell was back at the edge of the pit, shadow falling into the gaping hole as the sun rose behind her.

  “Your Highness?” Selin's shadow fell next to hers.

  There was a soft sigh. “Selin, I’ve been duped.”

  Fool, the Dragon provoked, her laughter burrowing into Ell’s ears.

  Ell ran her hands through her hair. She grabbed it at the roots. Pulled. Harsh enough to sting, gentle enough not to rip. Just enough to soothe her rising temper.

  “This will take a while.” With a long exhale, Ell settled into a cross-legged position atop prickly grass. Clouds rolled around her, stirring with her breath.

  [Cooldown Period | 5 minutes]

  [Reviewer Activated]

  The skies darkened.

  [Reviewer Deactivated]

  [Cooldown Period | 5 minutes]

  [Reviewer Activated]

  Sonia glanced at her husband, face melancholy, right before they disappeared.

  [Reviewer Deactivated]

  [Cooldown Period | 5 minutes]

  [Reviewer Activated]

  The masked man met Ell’s eyes. No—something else was reflected in his.

  [Reviewer Deactivated]

  [Cooldown Period | 5 minutes]

  [Reviewer Activated]

  Ell sprinted into the woods, searching for the figure in the masked man’s eyes. The ground rumbled beneath her. Something to her right shifted, but when she turned, there was nothing.

  [Reviewer Deactivated]

  [Cooldown Period | 5 minutes]

  [Reviewer Activated]

  Varoth deftly avoided the monster’s attacks as Ell and Selin battled another in the air. Sonia and the children huddled behind the shield.

  None were relevant.

  Dry branches extended from bare trees, passing through Ell as she ran through one bark after the other. Her breath came in rushed gasps, heart pounding in her ears.

  The clouds above shifted, and moonlight poured through.

  Ell halted.

  Found you.