There are only fifty remaining participants after the tool invention challenge, and the spectators cheer as usual. I glance around. Lycan King Gideon is in his assigned seat. He is as handsome as ever—dark hair, onyx eyes, and tanned skin—all features that make me so infatuated with him.
He looks older now. However, that only makes him more handsome. His shoulders look broader, and he looks more muscular than before. I snort. I wonder who he is physically hurting with those arms and fists?
He sits beside Queen Marinella, who seems happy to see her son early. Just the bare minimum, and she is already this happy. She really spoiled him rotten.
And then I look at the five women seated behind him. Caius said those are the Lycan King’s current concubines whose only job is to bear him a child since the Luna seat is empty. Three of them are pregnant. He already made a couple of them pregnant, huh?
‘Such a loving husband you are, Gideon.’
Instead of wallowing in that thought, I look around. My gaze travels to the faces of other competitors, the eyes of the judges, and then the announcer. They are all watching the remaining contestants.
I look at my hands. I am calm, unlike before. Four years ago, my heart was pounding in my chest, and it took my all to steady myself.
“Welcome, competitors! We are going to have an all-out brawl!” the announcer interrupts my thoughts. “The competitors who will remain, after thirty minutes of battle, will proceed to the Final challenge, which will be held three days from now!”
Three days. It’s too long. I want this to be over as soon as possible. How about if I defeat all of them now, to the point that they won’t be able to join the challenge three days from now?
I am about to grin when I hit both my cheeks. To distract myself, I look for Caius in the audience area. Meeting his eyes, he nods at me.
‘Do it,’ I can almost hear him say.
I take a deep breath. I am ready. I will win once again, and I will take vengeance on these people.
I study the other competitors — boys and girls, muscular and thin, weak and strong, young and old — I can defeat all of them.
Chaos erupts among the competitors when the gong resounds. They instantly begin to fight. I grin as I raise an impenetrable barrier. I watch them clash with weapons, fists, and magic. The clang of metals against each other, the smell of magic as it engulfs the arena, competitors falling on the ground. It is thrilling!
And so, I close my eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. I just need one massive spell to defeat all of them. A spell that can make them fall asleep. But I need to make sure that no accidents will happen. No one should fall on the pointy end of their swords. No one should fall victim at the abrupt end of their ongoing spell. That’s what they want from their Luna, someone too soft she can’t hurt a fly, but someone they can bring to massacre other people to end the war.
Hypocrites! And I am worse!
I open my eyes. It’s time. In a split second, I place my hands together, destroy my own barrier, and deploy a mist of sleep spell. It is a potent spell that will make them sleep for at least a week.
As all the other mages realize what I’ve done, they turn all their gazes on me. I am smaller and physically weaker than most, but my magic skills are second to none.
They attempt to attack me while they are being overwhelmed by my sleep spell. I dodge and counter their blows with basic self-defense. They are falling under my spell, and it’s not hard to repel them.
Soon, everyone is falling to the ground, sound asleep. Thankfully, no one died from accidents. They fall asleep as peacefully as planned.
Finally, only one opponent is left — a robust and experienced warrior and very, very muscular. Somehow, I want her to become the Luna. I’d like to watch how she wrestles with Gideon in bed. No, it’s better if she kills him, chokes him, hits him hard — or probably bruise him enough that marks will appear on his perfect body!
The remaining warrior moves toward me. “Tricky mage,” she says.
“Tough warrior,” I retort.
“That sounded like a praise,” she smirks. “You don’t know how to insult, huh?”
“Why would I insult you? Somehow, I’d like to see you making love with the Lycan King. That would be hilarious.”
Slowly, her face darkens in anger. “That’s it! You are dead!”
She dashes towards me, but she is already woozy from my sleep spell. And so, with just a single sidestep and a kick on her side, she falls to the ground.
I didn’t waste any time. She is about to stand when I activate my wind magic. I thrust her from where she sits using a hard, powerful push. She hits the wall of the audience's area. It is so powerful that it cracks under both her weight and the potency of my magic.
And then, I become aware that everyone is silent. I swallow hard, preparing myself to be jeered at again. And suddenly, one person claps. Then a few people follow, and then a few more until the arena erupts into cheers and claps.
A wave of relief washes over me. I am halfway to becoming the Luna. The judge says something to the announcer and he retakes the arena’s center.
“Well, well. That’s pretty unexpected!”
I smile, the kind of smile that shows uncertainty.
The announcer takes my hand and says, “Congratulations, Hera of Liddicoat!”
Then he raises my arm. “We have our new Dunkerson Luna!”
I try to bask in the glory of my triumph, but it’s hard. It feels shallow, even if I won with my own ability. Maybe because I already expected this outcome.
“Should I escort you to the stage, then? So you can properly present yourself to the Lycan King?”
I glance at Caius. He nods at me again. Here comes the tricky part. Then, from the side of the arena, a couple of monks walk toward me. This time, I am a little bit anxious. I hope there is no one amongst them who is really good on shedding glamour.
“Why are the monks here?” I whisper to the announcer.
He smiles. “No need to worry, dear. They are here to ensure that the winner is not using any glamour.”
“G-glamour?” I stutter.
“Yes. Don’t be nervous unless you are hiding something.”
I look at Gideon and his mother. They are unaffected. And so, before the monks completely shed my glamour, I withdraw from the announcer’s hold and run towards the arena’s exit.
“Catch her,” comes the voice of Gideon, deep, almost lazy. “Don’t let her leave.”
I look at him. The first time I hear his voice again and it’s filled with irritation.
A barrier is activated, and warriors come toward me. One warrior, in particular, lifts and throws me onto the ground, on the Lycan King’s feet. I look up, and Gideon is looking down at me. He kneels before me and raises my chin. His fingers feel rough now, and yet, all I can think of is how much I want to pay him back for all the hurt I suffered from him!
“You have a pretty face. Seeing your fear of the monks, I guess this is not your actual face?”
Two warriors lift my arms and force me up. The audience is quiet now, as if this scene is something to enjoy in such silence.
The monk stands beside Gideon. “Should I start, Lycan King Gideon?”
Gideon looks at me, and I shake my head. “No... please... don’t...” I beg. My voice is trembling in anger, and I am so glad for it. At least it will appear as if I am really afraid.
However, as before, he didn’t look at me with pity. No love, either. Just like when I was his wife. The warriors tighten their hold on my arms, and I struggle against them.
As expected, these warriors have their nullifying tools ready — the same magic tool I created for the Dunkerson, and now, they are all benefiting from it!
I bow my head, forcing my tears to come. I think of all the things I suffered from them, the things I’ve done for them, and the realization that I’ve been utterly used and thrown right after.
Tears flow down my cheeks, and I look at Gideon, so he will know that I am crying now. However, these are tears of hatred. I will make him suffer! I promise!
And then, the monk blocks my view of him. I can feel my magic being siphoned. There is a lot, so it took a while. And when the monk thinks they have drained me of magic, they take a step back from me.
“Release her,” Gideon orders.
I fall to the ground, and I lay my head low, my hands on my face. Tears fall on the ground and in between my fingers. I might be doing such an excellent job of pretending.
No, I want to laugh at the absurdity of this all. The best warriors, the best monks, and all they’ve done is shave off my first layer of glamour! But then again, I am the one who created the nullifying tool, so I know how to get past it. I hide a smirk. The fools! The stupids! I will be your death, your downfall!
“Get her up and show her to the people,” Gideon orders. “And this Luna selection is null and void. I won’t take a liar.”
The same unfeeling bastard is acting as if he is disgusted to touch another woman when I know that he will fuck just about anyone! Our nights have been always filled with him using my body for his pleasure, and I give and give until he got bored of me!
When the two warriors touch my arm, I whisper, “I can’t believe that you are still the same cold man, Gideon,” I say. Even if I vomit with disgust, I will lie through my teeth.
“Wait.”
The warriors take a step back, and Gideon kneels before me. I watch his hands tremble as he reaches for my chin and makes me look up again.
“I heard you are searching for your previous Luna, so I returned.”
Taking in my face, that is, my previous face before it gets destroyed by acid magic — utter shock appears on his face, and in a soft voice, he whispers, “Serra…”
-- Gideon Dunkerson’s POV -- “Serra, my Luna…” I whisper with such heavy feelings. I have been searching for her for over a year. When I lost her, I lost it too. I didn’t know then that losing her would spiral me into an acute grief that would render me invalid. It was not until an old monk suggested traveling and getting away from the place we’d been together that I was able to stand up on my feet again. No, not stand up, but crawl and try to survive. However, it teaches me sympathy, and I gain the courage to search for her. “I didn’t want to be the same average-looking Luna,” she starts, her voice soft. She is what I remembered her to be. “Yet you deny that to me as well.” “I am sorry,” I whisper, and I can’t help but reach up to her cheeks. I caress them, not quite believing that she’s back. Every time I dream, it’s her face that I see. “You really are back….” “Can you still take me as your Luna? Even if I lied? Even if I used glamour to hide myself?” “Oh, Serra,” I whisper. S
My dreams have always been about the pain of my years of training. I spent an entire year in the Liddicoat’s family house. It is where their family library stands, underneath that big, old house. And there, I scour ancient tomes and scrolls, learning more spells that might come in handy when my quest for revenge starts. In my dream, my fingers will dance over different parchments, tracing the arcane symbols and incantations of long-lost spells. Caius also provided me with seers, monks and alchemists. And because they are being blackmailed by the vampire prince, they are forced to share their techniques with me — all poultices, elixirs and enchantments. But handy techniques and skills are not the only things I peruse. I also worked on my skills of using powerful and potent spells, like that powerful sleeping spell. ‘Revenge is worth any price,’ I will say to motivate myself, when things have become so hard. And then, my dream will transport to an island, where I spent another year o
If Gideon is really serious about treating me well, sending his concubines away is the bare minimum. I know that now, but if I were the same Serra as before, this piece of news would have made me very happy. But now, it did nothing to quell my need for revenge. “Children, huh...” I whisper. “We don’t have one...” “We can have one, if you like.” He kneels before me and takes my hands in his again. “When I lost you, I needed to sire heirs, but now that you’re back, we can try again.” It was not so long ago that I was desperate for a child, but now, every thought of it fills me with hatred, remembering how the child in my belly died due to all the stress and pain of being his wife. “I can’t, right now,” I answer in a small voice. “I don’t want my child to get embroiled in an inheritance war, especially with all your other concubines...” He squeezes my hand. “They won’t be!” ‘They?’ Don’t tell me he plans to have more than one child with me?! The thought alone repulses me! “Only you
Gideon’s voice breaks me out of my trance and I glance up at him with a small smile. “Thank you, Gideon,” I say. Queen Marinella looks between the two of us with a doubtful expression on her face. “It seems like there is more to your story than meets the eye.” Gideon chuckles lightly and reaches for his glass of wine. “There’s nothing more to say, mother,” he says smoothly. But Queen Marinella doesn’t look convinced. “Well then, how about we play a little game?” she suggests. I feel a knot form in my stomach as I turn to look at her. What kind of game is she talking about? And why does it sound so ominous? “What kind of game?” Gideon asks. “A truth or dare game,” Queen Marinella declares, her eyes still fixed on mine. The thought of the childish game almost makes my heart leap — that is, in its stupidity. Was I really this gullible that she thinks I will reveal all my secrets in such a foolish game? “Okay…” I answer, as soft as possible. Queen Marinella claps her hands togethe
I roam the once-familiar corridors and grand halls of the palace. Gideon has sent me an assistant named Claire. She is mid-thirties and is supposed to help me acclimatize to the castle’s inner workings. This castle, the same place where I felt both unimaginable happiness and pain, will be mine soon — or sold, or destroyed. Anything. As long as in the end, Gideon and his family will live like slaves amidst every piece of rock and stone of this castle. As I pass through the different offices and rooms, Gideon’s closest kin watch me as if I am some kind of apparition. Their glances are a mix of curiosity and disdain. Claire then leads me into a room filled with luxurious furniture and paintings adorning the walls. “This is where the King and his Council members hold important meetings and negotiations,” she explains, gesturing towards a large mahogany table in the center of the room. I nod, taking it all in. “These paintings weren’t here before,” I say, pointing at one depicting a ster
-- Gideon Dunkerson’s POV -- The great dining hall of Dunkerson castle was ablaze with the warmth of firelight. I sit at the head of the oaken table, while both Queen Marinella, my mother, and Serra sit on both my side. My mother is telling tales about the valor of knights and cunning dragons. She looks bright as she continues to speak, but I know my mother. When Serra returned, she had already raised her worries to me. She fears that Serra might have another agenda. I pushed it aside. Serra is nothing like that. She’s the type to get tired of politics. Petty schemes are not really her forte. Serra is bright, but the type of straightforward smart who works diligently and focuses on the things they excel at. For her, it’s her master-level skills in magic. Some call it genius-level though. “Gideon, isn’t that right?” My mother’s voice pulls me back into the conversation. “Hmmm?” I answer my mother. I have been gazing for far too long at Serra, but I still didn’t shift my attention.
-- Back To Serra’s POV — With Marinella around, I’m careful about using my magic to fake the blush on my cheeks. I also make sure that I don’t use too much glamour or else she will notice all the magic that I am using constantly, and even when I am unconscious. I tiptoe towards Gideon while my eyes are still closed. Earlier, I saw the delight in the way he looks at me, as if he is living in his past. And in this past, he is not an asshole-cheating-jerk-of-a-husband. Gideon presses forward, and I place my palm against his chest. His body is still rock-hard, nice to look at, but never good at cuddling. Nothing is lost, though. For me, cuddling is never his utility. Besides, even before, he had never been the one to cuddle. After our copulation, he will never snuggle next to me. He would even evade my touch and so I learned not to pester him with it. “Gideon...” I whisper. “Can I kiss you?” he asks. I nod faintly. “Yes,” I respond. “Please...” I feel him shudder under my palm. He l
Before I can ask what he means, Gideon is kissing me again, drowning out all thoughts and filling me up with a whirlwind of pleasurable sensations. His hands are everywhere, tugging at the fabric of my clothing, exploring the expanse of my skin. Each touch is calculated and precise, as if he’s memorizing every inch of me again. Soon, I realize that I am naked underneath him and he is nibbling on the skin between my breasts. I gasp when he suddenly sucks on one of my peaks while he plays with his finger with another. A soft moan escapes from my lips as I arch my back, inviting him deeper into my territory. He groans in response, a low sound that vibrates through me, making my core throb with anticipation. But he never stops, alternating between my peaks, as if enjoying it. Then I feel his fingers going between my legs and cupping my throbbing heat. “Gideon!” I scream, twisting away. The sensation is electric, sending my nerves into a frenzy. “Shhh, it’s okay...” he whispers, and I