Chapter 1 New Beginnings
The first strike tore the skin from my back, ripping a desperate scream from my throat. The second stole my breath entirely, and by the third, I couldn't even feel my legs anymore. The crowd surrounding the square was laughing, their voices blurring into a sickening noise as they cheered to kill and tear the "freak" apart. I forced my heavy head up and saw her: Lili. She was being held back by two guards, struggling like a trapped animal with a dirty rag gagging her screams. But her blue eyes were filled with something far worse than fear—pure despair. I clenched my fists, knowing that for her, I would endure absolutely anything.
One day earlier
A voice had cut through the darkness of my sleep. "Nolan, wake up!" Lili called out, and I opened my eyes sharply, gasping for air. Her face hovered above me in the dim light, pale with worry as she noticed I had been shaking as if something was hurting me. "It was the nightmare again," I muttered, pushing myself up while my body still felt heavy, as if an unseen weight had been pressing me down. This time, however, the vision was clearer. I told her about a pale woman with silver-white hair who was smiling at me. Lili blinked, noting that it didn't sound like a nightmare, but I quietly explained that it hadn't been at first. Then, suddenly, my body had frozen, unable to move, and I saw Darius. He raised his hand, and my face started burning.
Instinctively, I reached up to touch the black growth creeping across my skin—cold, hard, and like stone. It was a curse I could never escape. Lili stayed silent for a moment before suddenly hugging me tightly, whispering that I wasn't alone. I closed my eyes, letting her warmth keep me from breaking. Every reflection reminded me of the black scales on my face, a mark proving I wasn't human, not normal, and to the rest of the world, I was just a mistake and a slave meant to be used and thrown away. I had thought about ending it more than once, but Lili's blue eyes and her smile were the only reasons I chose to survive, no matter what.
That day felt wrong from the very beginning. The forest was too quiet, the wind felt heavy, and an unnatural, slow pulse throbbed deep inside my chest, refusing to stop. When I returned to our shed, Lili was already sitting by the lamp, her hands trembling as she tried to clean her dress. She whispered that I looked terrible and asked if something happened. I denied it, though even I didn't believe my own words, blaming the unsettling quiet. She frowned, admitting I was scaring her.
Before I could say another word, the door exploded open. The Baroness stepped inside, followed closely by Tania and Darius. The air in the room seemed to freeze as the Baroness shrieked, demanding to know where "it" was. Lili froze in confusion, but Tania snapped at her to be silent, accusing Lili of stealing her golden brooch since she was the last one in her room. Lili went pale and desperately denied taking it, but a slap echoed through the shed without warning.
Something inside me snapped. I stepped forward and demanded they leave her alone, my voice sounding unnaturally deep and cold. The Baroness stared at me in disgust, mocking that the "monster" speaks, while Darius rested his hand on his sword, waiting for an excuse. The Baroness ordered a search of the place, promising to flog us both afterward. Darius didn't take long; he kicked through our meager belongings and smiled as gold glinted in his hand. He claimed he found it. My stomach dropped—it was impossible. I looked at Tania and instantly understood she had planted it, but the truth never mattered here.
"Ten lashes," the Baroness declared coldly. Lili collapsed, knowing she wouldn't survive such a punishment. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "No". As all eyes turned to me, I claimed that I took it. Tania laughed, pointing out I wasn't even allowed near the palace, but I lied effortlessly, saying I snuck in to sell it and buy Lili shoes. Lili shook her head in horror, trying to stop me, but I sharply told her to be quiet. The Baroness offered a cruel smile, calling it touching, before turning to Darius to increase the sentence: "Twenty-four lashes". Lili screamed, but I couldn't move; this was the price I had to pay.
The next morning came far too fast. They dragged me outside into the full square. Lili fought, screamed, and cried, but nothing mattered as they forced me to my knees. The people watched, waiting, enjoying the spectacle. Then, Darius leaned close to my ear, whispering that after he was done with me, he would take care of her. Something inside me broke completely. With burning eyes and a shaking voice, I swore I would kill him.
The whip cracked. Pain exploded across my back, striking again and again. By the seventh strike, I couldn't even scream anymore. The world began to fade, with Lili collapsing in the distance, and everything went dark.
"Enough." A new voice cut through the haze—sharp, cold, and important. The world shifted, and when I opened my eyes again, everything had changed.
