01

In the blink of an eye, I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t escape, but in the next, blood pounded in my ears as I ran for my life, pursued by dangerous men and women.

“Don’t let the Death Bitch escape!” a man shouted.

Panic filled my lungs. My bare feet slapped against leaves, branches, and old pine needles. A tiny sharp rock lodged itself in the sole of my left foot, and it hurt like hell, but I didn’t dare slow down.

I had no idea who these people were or why they had to hunt me down with torches, bows, heavy weapons, and spells, but my instincts told me they were bad news, and if they caught me, I’d rather beg for death...

I couldn’t help but curse myself for not grabbing a pair of shoes before running. Maybe I didn’t have time?

I had no memory before this moment, but I knew I was terrified.

A gunshot rang out in the night air, so loud I winced, but no one cared about my feelings. A series of shots followed, exploding beside my ears. Bullets struck the tree trunks around me, but none hit me. I had ducked earlier and now ran in a zigzag pattern, as if my senses could predict where the next bullets would land. I didn’t understand how I knew, but I was glad for this ability—though it couldn’t foresee the direction of the exploding tree bark and flying splinters. They grazed my arms and shoulders in a barrage of shrapnel.

It hurt, but it was better than being pierced by a bullet.

My heart nearly burst out of my chest, and my blood froze as I heard the howls of a pair of dogs, thirsty for blood. Someone had brought them to hunt me.

What had I done to deserve this?

Had I stolen something from these people? I didn’t feel like a thief, though. I didn’t have time to figure it out as a fireball erupted ahead of me, between the trees, narrowly missing me and illuminating half the dark forest.

A wave of scalding heat hit my face.

My heart pounded, and my pulse raced as I darted to the side path and ran in a different direction. Another fireball ignited behind me, scorching a patch of earth.

The stench of sulfur and dark magic filled my nostrils.

The growls and galloping of the dogs closing in on me sent icy water through my veins.

I dove in panic, jumping over a broken branch and landing on a bed of sharp pine needles. I didn’t dare groan, afraid of giving away my exact location.

“Quick!” a woman shouted. “We can’t let the abomination escape!”

Oh gods, I was the abomination she referred to, and she was urging the dogs to move faster to capture me.

Once I got out of this mess, I would find a mirror to inspect myself. I couldn’t remember what I looked like, but I was sure I didn’t have two heads or three eyes.

The howls of the dogs sent a wave of dread through my bones. They were gaining on me. The rapid pounding of their powerful paws against the underbrush rattled my already frail nerves. I imagined their massive jaws clamping down on my neck and shivered.

In blind panic, I wished for something bad to happen to my pursuers to slow them down. Then I heard a loud, shrill sound followed by violent curses. It seemed at least two members of the mob had fallen flat on their faces and probably eaten a mouthful of dirt.

“Careful, Sara!” an older man growled. “I’m right behind you!”

“It’s not me, Guy,” Sara protested in a rough voice—maybe from too much smoking. “That bitch made the branches swing at us. You know she can do that.”

They knew me better than I knew myself. And if I had made those trees hit them, maybe I could do more.

Focusing hard, I imagined the wind, envisioned it blowing, and summoned it to come to me. A strong gust rose, throwing a flurry of dead leaves, dirt, and pine needles at the hunters.

They stopped to defend themselves from the elemental attack, cursing me.

“I twisted my ankle,” a younger man whined maliciously. “That bitch will pay!”

“Counterspells!” Guy barked with stern authority.

A chorus of chanting filled the night, chilling the air and making the forest even more sinister.

The wind I had conjured silenced, and the air grew stagnant, reeking of stale water.

This time, when I wished for a storm to come to my aid and sweep my enemies away, nothing happened. These hunters were clearly powerful magic users. Their combined magic and spells overpowered my will.

So far, I had only managed to slow them down a bit. They were a horde I couldn’t stop.

Terror weighed on my chest like lead as I stumbled blindly forward, unable to see what lay ahead. A thorny branch from a bush tore at the hem of my dress at knee level.

While running, I glanced down to check the damage as a throbbing pain radiated from my right thigh. For the first time, I noticed I was wearing a white nightgown. The thorns had ripped the fabric and left a faint trail of blood on my leg.

The horrifying howls of the dogs, now closer than ever, froze me in place. The scent of my blood must have driven them into a frenzy. I ran faster, wishing my strides could stretch farther. One of the dogs came so close I could feel its foul breath steaming against my neck.

Fear gripping me, I glanced over my shoulder to see how close the beast truly was, hoping I’d imagined its proximity. My foot struck a fallen branch, and I tripped. The momentum sent me flying headfirst into a clearing.

It could have been a quiet and pleasant night in the dark forest if this hunting scene weren’t unfolding. And right now, even the large animals didn’t dare make a sound as they crouched beneath the thick underbrush. The owls had stopped hooting some time ago.

Only the hunters, their hounds, and I disturbed the night as I hit the ground with my nose in the dirt, tears streaming down my filthy face.

Before I could get back up, a hunting dog lunged at me. Its yellow eyes gleamed in the dark, locking onto me with hunger, its jaws wide open, serrated fangs glistening in the moonlight and dripping saliva.

“The dog’s got her!” Sara screamed in excitement.

A few men shouted with fervent thrill.

Howling with anger and fear, I leapt to my feet and extended my hand toward the airborne dog. Right before my eyes, my hand transformed into claws with five razor-sharp blades in the blink of an eye. The blades sank into the beast’s belly, slicing through to its heart. The dog let out a hideous screech, and I rolled away just before it could land on me. I wasn’t quick enough.

Its front paw struck my shoulder. Viscera and blood splattered across my face and half my body.

I stood and dove into a row of trees ahead to find better cover. An idea struck me—maybe I should stay and fight since I wasn’t as helpless or powerless as I’d thought. I had claws like blades. I looked at them. My gods, I was a freak.

Perhaps I could hide behind the trees, darting here and there, picking off the hunters one by one. I would keep the last one alive and get answers about who I was and why they were hunting me.

Before I could turn back to face them, my claws retracted. I willed them to emerge again, but they refused. I thrust my hands forward forcefully, but my blades still didn’t appear.

It was as if I had imagined having them, yet the dead dog bore witness to the contrary.

“That abominable bitch killed my dog!” Sara wailed behind me as if she had lost a child.

Beams of light and fire shot toward me like a rain of meteors. None of them hit me, but only because my senses told me where they would land, giving me just enough time to dodge their magical attacks a split second before impact.

Still, I didn’t emerge entirely unscathed from their magical assault. A few strands of my long hair were singed as they flew behind me. The smell of burning filled my nostrils.

I needed no further incentive to abandon my plan to fight. Instead, I ran.

Another volley of fire beams passed close to my ears, vanishing into the darkness. A barrage of spells pursued me, leaving my ears ringing. Just as I wondered if they would ever stop, one spell struck my chest.

The pain was sharp but bearable. I didn’t dare slow down. Low branches ahead lashed at my face, but I kept running.

Fatigue began to overtake me, making my limbs feel heavier. At some point, I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted to curl up and sleep.

Only a rush of adrenaline and fear kept my bloodied feet pounding against the forest floor and zigzagging between trees to avoid the bullets and spells still being hurled my way.

As my rapid heartbeat and labored breathing filled my ears, I caught the sound of water not far away.

A spark of hope ignited within me. I could lose my pursuers if there was a river nearby. I picked up the pace, swinging my arms back and forth as I sprinted toward what I hoped would be my salvation.

The shouting behind me grew louder. It was followed by a flurry of arrows attempting to block my path, but I didn’t stop. One arrow sank into my thigh. I cried out in pain, nearly stumbling, but managed to continue in a lopsided, limping run. The sound of water grew louder—perhaps less than 800 meters away.

Moonlight shone through a clearing about 15 meters ahead. I inhaled a large gulp of air that tasted like earth, spices, and burnt sugar.

It must be autumn.

A wave of sorrow washed over me. How many seasons had I missed?

I burst into the clearing. Without the trees blocking my view, I could see ahead—not a river, but a cliff, and the thunderous sound came from a waterfall.

I didn’t stop.

I ran toward the cliff with every ounce of strength I had left. The hunters and their dog burst out of the forest behind me, screaming in anger and desperation.

A barrage of arrows flew toward me, and I dodged them as best I could, which was difficult considering I had no cover.

When I reached the edge of the cliff, a bullet struck me, though it wasn’t too bad—it grazed just below my right shoulder. The wound wouldn’t be fatal.

I turned toward the hunters, grinning savagely as I flipped them the middle finger.

“Fuck you!” I roared and leapt backward into the roaring waterfall.