Jungkook ran and ran and ran nonstop. By now, he couldn't tell whether he was in Anilium, but he still sprinted through the slums not caring about his crying legs, his throbbing head, his aching shoulder, or the thundering sky because he could still sense the assassin behind him—feel her breath hot on his neck. Tears stung his eyes. He didn't want to die.

Every breath scorched his throat raw, but he could barely feel the pain until he arrived at the royal garden. Until he crawled through the muddy opening under the rose bushes. Until he clawed his way through the thorns that scraped scratches on his tender skin. Until he was safe. And finally, the tears rolled down his cheeks, pain shooting through his limbs.

Everything was a blur. All Jungkook could recall was the thrill of being chased, the terror of being caught, and the horror when he realized the assassin had entered Anilium. Clutching his green pendant, he wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.

It acted up again—the pendant, his time element. He was heading back to the castle when it had suddenly flared and sent him spiraling into Anilium. When he had regained consciousness, there was a white trail leading somewhere far into the slums, and following it, he had found two assassins torturing a noble. The noble was unfamiliar, but Jungkook knew one thing: the white trail led to the assassin, to his demise.

She was a monster. After she plunged her fingers into the helpless noble's eye, she twisted it out and tossed it away like it was nothing—like she did it every day. And when she spotted him, when she prowled towards him as if in a trance, when her eyes shrouded with bloodlust. . .

Jungkook flinched. He was an imbecile, always breaking the restrictions he set for himself, and one day, he knew he would pay for his stupidity just like Snow always said he would. But under those concerns, the demon's omen still rang clear in his head. He had no time to waste. Stumbling to his feet, he focused on one objective: warning his father.

As he limped through the royal garden, something rustled in the bushes, and he froze in his tracks, sparks of fear jolting him. The rustling was too loud for an animal, too rough for the wind or rain, and terror struck him as his mind strayed to the only answer possible: a human. It was her—the assassin.

Reaching for his empty scabbard, Jungkook remembered he had lost his sword. The assassin had gripped the blade like it was a stick, yanked it out of his hands, and strangled him when he was defenseless. Heart hammering in his chest, he felt tears stinging his eyes. Entering Anilium was impossible in his debilitated state, and his light element could only buy limited time. So panic clouded his mind. He was going to die. And he could do nothing except stunt death's arrival, except run. Shoving past a body, Jungkook was about to search for the royal guards, but fingers wrapping around his wrist drew him to a halt. Lightning forked across the sky as he raised his free hand, a ball of white light engulfing his fist, but when he turned around to face who he thought was the assassin, he stopped short.

"Your Highness? Jungkook? Where the hell have you been!?"

The ball of light in Jungkook's hand dimmed. "Elias."

The rain appeared to slow as he stared at Elias, finally aware of the mud and blood coating his skin. Moonlight glowed on Jungkook's disheveled hair, scars, and bruises as Elias inspected his wounds, his ebony eyes wide behind his glasses.

"What happened to you!?" Elias whisper-shouted. "Snow and I have been searching for you after Emilia reported you missing! What if you were caught? Or worse, what if His Majesty summoned you, and you weren't in your chambers? You are fortunate Emilia was the one who found you missing because if it was anyone else, you would be dead."

Shaking his head, Elias brushed a light finger over Jungkook's wounded shoulder and grimaced. As he muttered something about how Snow was going to kill him, he peeked around the corner of a rose bush and crept into the shadows, motioning for Jungkook to follow. But Jungkook grabbed Elias's hand instead and said, "I must see my father."

Elias frowned. "What?"

"I must request an audience with my father," Jungkook repeated.

"I heard what you said. I am asking why."

Jungkook could hear the bridled irritation in Elias's voice. Holding onto the slipping reins of his courage, he told Elias everything: the mutilated Luxian guards, the demon, and the omen that haunted his thoughts. But what happened after—the assassin—remained secret. Jungkook didn't need to lose his one piece of freedom because of her.

When Jungkook finished, Elias stood with his arms crossed, his hands twitching as if he was refraining from moving. He let out an exasperated sigh. "How many times must I explain that the king is too busy to listen to your tales?"

"It is not a tale," Jungkook protested. "I heard the demon, saw it kill. Every incident detailing the guards of the night watch dying in the slums is the demon's work."

"The Seven Legends sealed the demons in Infernum centuries ago. You already know this. Demons no longer exist in Kartas."

"But I saw—"

Elias raised a hand. "We can speak of this with Snow once we reach your chambers."

Under the weight of Elias's resolution, Jungkook capitulated. Silently, he followed Elias through the maze-like gardens, pausing at every corner, where Elias checked for wandering guards. Light glimmered on Jungkook's skin as leaves crinkled under his boots, Elias scowling at every sound. Rose bushes encompassed them, the shadows of their thorns and leaves twisting and sprouting over the grass. Those shadows grew, pulling themselves off the ground to surround Jungkook, but he knew it was Elias's shadow element—knew it was the only way to evade attention. When they escaped from the confines of the garden, Elias tugged Jungkook's hood over his head, pointing at two sentinels guarding the castle's entrance.

The first sentinel was a young man no older than Jungkook himself. Short, black bangs hung over his narrow forehead, and his dreary eyes closed now and then, fighting the boredom. When he dozed to sleep, his partner woke him with a violent nudge to his head, restarting the cycle.

The second sentinel had long, brown hair tied in a messy tail to reveal a chiseled face. His beady eyes betrayed the bitterness seeping from his very being, and his broad shoulders were pulled back, confident. Unlike the first sentinel, there was an edge to his looks, and his eyes. . . Jungkook pictured the assassin's eyes, those ruby diamonds contrasting with the darkness engulfing them. They mirrored each other—the assassin's and the sentinel's eyes—but shockingly, there was more resentment in the sentinel's, a soldier of Lux's.

"Do not utter a single word," Elias said, and Jungkook nodded, lowering his hood as he walked towards the entrance. The rain was losing momentum, and weak droplets landed on his back. When the castle doors were inches away, the sentinels saluted. Jungkook made eye contact with the second sentinel just as fingers wrapped tightly around his wrist. This time, they weren't Elias's.

"Brigadier General Novire," the second sentinel said, his voice a guttural threat, "to allow outsiders into the castle is against His Majesty's wishes. If the Captain of the Guard hears of your treachery, he would be greatly displeased."

Elias faced the sentinel and flicked his gaze to his shoulder marks. "Sergeant Pascal, yes? You will be more displeased when I inform General Tiberius Faelaux of your defiance. You have no power here. Release your hold."

Pascal's grip only tightened. "I heard the servants and healers whispering about the crown prince's disappearance. If this has any connection to that, I am obligated to inform General Faelaux and Captain Novire."

The other sentinel visibly tensed, but he remained as still as stone, his right fist still resting on his chest. That sentinel knew what was good for him, but Pascal didn't seem to understand. Or perhaps his integrity outweighed his common sense.

After forcing Pascal's grip loose, Elias shielded Jungkook with his arm. "Since this boy has nothing to do with the crown prince, there is no need to inform Tiberius or the Captain," he said. "Return to your duties, and stop sticking your nose into other people's business. If you mess with the wrong person, you may find yourself repositioned to the south."

Jungkook shuffled uncomfortably. As he passed the arches into the castle, he saw Pascal grit his teeth.

"This is not the first time you bent the rules to your needs, Brigadier General," Pascal said. "Just because your father is the Captain, that does not grant you the privilege to disobey His Majesty."

Pausing, Elias rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and turned. "Expect to be repositioned to Lumina by the following month."

Hot, red anger flared in Pascal's cheeks. "Captain Novire will—"

"Ruscao by the following month."

Jungkook tugged on the ends of Elias's uniform, but his gesture went unnoticed. Pascal shut his mouth only for a second before saying, "There are rumors about how the king sits upon his throne, watching us fellow guards of the night watch die day by day. I hear that a new dawn is rising and that Lux will burn in its light, so I have a question for you, Brigadier General: on which side do you stand?"

Jungkook didn't catch the implications, but he heard Elias's breath hitch and saw the blood drain from his face. Elias clenched the hilt of his sword, his knuckles blanching from the sheer strength of his grip, and said, "My affairs are none of your concern. As for your reposition, consider it permanent."

When Elias walked away, Jungkook followed in silence, looking back at Pascal, who was clenching his fists. The quiet halls were void of any life save for the sconces that crackled with fire, painting indistinguishable shadows that danced on the walls. Firelight tinged the polished marble floors with warm hues, and blurred reflections snaked over the latticed windows.

With Elias present, the night watch paid them little heed and resumed their duties after saluting with their right fists against their chests. Passing the colonnade leading to the castle's west wing, Jungkook noted the frown creasing Elias's brow and thought of the exchange with Sergeant Pascal. As he fiddled with the gold casing of his pendant, Jungkook carefully considered his words and asked, "What was the sergeant talking about?"

Elias kept his face blank, revealing nothing. "Rumors in the ranks. It is not something to bother yourself with."

When the quiet stretched long enough for Jungkook to assume Elias wasn't going to talk, he switched tactics and tried again. "You always say my father is preoccupied, so I was wondering if that had anything to do with what the sergeant spoke of. Is there anything I should know?"

Elias grunted, noncommittal. "King Aethyrias is occupied with the new diplomatic arrangement with King Leonis of Umbra. He doesn't have time to spare."

"I know that much," Jungkook said, clamping down on his frustrations. "But does the new navy pertain to the issue the sergeant voiced earlier?"

"Yes, it does," Elias replied quickly, quietly, peering at Jungkook with an inscrutable gaze. "Now that you know, stop prying. Worry about yourself for once. The guards and your little excursions shouldn't be at the forefront of your concerns."

Hearing those words made Jungkook's heart twinge. He opened his mouth to retort, to glean more information while he had the chance, but a passing servant caught Elias's attention and effectively put an end to Jungkook's probing.

The servant was young. Her charcoal hair was tied into a pretty braid hanging over her shoulders and hid a scar that peeked above her collar. Freckles dotted her lean cheeks, and the firelight that tinged her light brown complexion with gold made them shine like glittering stars. She kept her hands hidden under her dress, and when Elias called her, she started and went rigid.

"Inform Lady Quintess that the crown prince is in his chambers," Elias said. "And send word to Emilia in the healer's ward, as well."

The servant's bronze eyes found Jungkook's, and they looked contemplatively at him before she bowed low and left. The moment she turned the corner, Jungkook forgot she even existed.

Since Elias deflected all of Jungkook's attempts at conversation, the rest of their walk resumed in silence. Their hollow steps echoed off the stone walls as they ascended the spiral staircase to Jungkook's tower. At the top, Elias threatened the guards to never voice a single word of this incident. Wincing apologetically, Jungkook entered his room, and Elias quietly shut the door behind them with a soft click. For a second, they stood awkwardly before Jungkook sat on his bed, and Elias found his usual spot by the glass door to the balcony.

It wasn't long before the bedroom door creaked open and two women entered: Emilia and Snowalaine Quintess, an ambassador of Umbra and another of Jungkook's close friends. Snow strode towards Jungkook, her silver braid and sapphire dress whirling behind her. As her slender fingers gently raised his chin, her sea-green eyes examined his shoulder and neck.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Heat rushed to his ears as Jungkook gulped, his voice dying in his throat. The words that managed to reach his tongue were unintelligible murmurs of apologies. Snow released his chin with a sigh, her heels clacking against the floor as she moved away.

"Emilia, heal Jungkook's wounds, and—"

"And don't speak a word about it. Yes, I know, Lady Quintess," said Emilia as she crouched before Jungkook and gently removed his muddy cloak. Being Jungkook's healer for nearly all her life, Emilia was accustomed to treating Jungkook's wounds and teasing him about it the following morning. And since Jungkook always found himself stuck in the middle of trouble, he was familiar with the routine. Emilia opened her hand as yellow sparks glimmered in the air, and Jungkook lifted his head so her fingers could brush his bruised neck.

"What happened?" Snow repeated, and Jungkook unconsciously gripped his pendant, his thumb circling the emerald stone. He turned to Elias for help, but Elias pretended not to notice, finding interest in a random spot on the wall.

Clearing his throat, Jungkook said, "I saw a demon slaughter a group of royal guards in the slums."

Snow raised a brow at Elias. "Is this true?"

Elias shrugged.

When Emilia moved to Jungkook's shoulder, pain surged through his arm, but he continued. "I found an alley where a massacre had taken place and entered the memories of one of the fallen guards. In those memories, I saw a demon slaughter the men."

When the yellow sparks faded, Emilia bowed, shadows veiling her face. Suddenly, the assassin's shrouded visage flashed before Jungkook's eyes. Tremors quaked through his limbs, and his heart pounded against his ribcage as he recalled the bloodbath, the skirmish, the assassin. When Emilia left, the door clicking behind her, Jungkook covered his face with his hands. "The demon looked right at me while I was in Anilium. . . But that matter is not important because it said that the Demon Days are approaching."

"Are you certain it was a demon?" Snow asked.

"Yes, the royal guards called it a demon."

"Did you see its blood? Was it black?"

Jungkook nibbled on his lower lip. "I didn't, but it had miasma—"

"I have miasma, and I am a shadow elemental," Elias said. "Are you sure it wasn't an assassin of the Dark Lotus? I am getting daily reports that they are on the rise again."

Jungkook inhaled a deep breath and repressed the urge to raise his voice. "It wasn't human. It was a demon, so we—"

"Dark Lotus assassins come in all shapes and sizes. These days I even hear that some of them go mad and wander the streets as vagabonds. Are you certain it wasn't a human?"

"Yes!" Jungkook shouted. "Yes, it wasn't a human. It claimed that the Demon Days are approaching, and that coincides with the prophecy Oracle Elkii foretold. We must warn my father."

Elias shook his head, while Snow was quiet for a long moment—no doubt deciding how she would reprimand Jungkook. "Perhaps we should investigate this matter further," she said at long last, catching Jungkook off guard.

Elias swirled on his heels, his face wrinkling into an ugly glower. "And let him believe the fantasy of seeing a demon? The next thing we will hear will be a wild tale about him escaping the clutches of the Dark Lotus!"

Snow maintained her composure, her true thoughts lost behind her emotionless mask. "The demon said that the Demon Days are approaching, and Oracle Elkii did have a similar premonition years before."

Elias gaped at Snow as if she had turned into a talking tree. "Did you forget how, three months ago, Jungkook similarly came to us, claiming that a feral tigerfish was eating people in Lake Lucidius?"

"I meant well," Jungkook complained.

"But you almost cost me my rank and the respect of my men," Elias said, growling. "The tigerfish does not even scratch the surface of all your missteps. Do you need me to remind you about the time you claimed that a manic Daelic was kidnapping and hiding elementals in the abandoned catacombs? Again and again, I have tolerated your errors, but spreading mass panic about the Demon Days approaching is one line I refuse to cross."

Snow tapped her fingers against her chin. "Our investigation will not spread wide panic if we keep it a secret."

"No, I refuse to keep this a secret," Jungkook said. "I am going to warn my father."

He stood, but Elias pushed his shoulder down. When Jungkook opened his mouth to protest, Elias stopped him with a raised hand.

"I will send some of my men to investigate as long as you keep this to yourself until we have substantial evidence that a demon is killing the guards of the night watch." Despite the need to tell his father gnawing at his heart, Jungkook didn't argue. Elias removed his glasses and cleaned the lenses with a handkerchief procured from his inner pocket. "Not a single whisper about this supposed demon will leave this room. If my men find evidence that there is a demon roaming Clarica, then we will inform the king, but as of now, not a single word." He replaced his glasses on his nose. "Understand?"

The question was most definitely directed at Jungkook, and his cheeks flared. Keeping his head up, he nodded. If this was what it took, then he wouldn't say anything.

Not a single word.

* * *

Raos awoke to the sound of chirping birds and rushing water. The blue sky stretched above him, pure clouds swimming slowly across the vast sea. As he stared at the blue, the white, the nothing, he recalled the flapping of wings, black feathers, and intolerable pain.

The moment he hoisted himself to his feet, the world tilted as rays of sunlight blinded him, and as pain seared his spine, as he felt dry blood crack under his touch, as he fingered the deep gashes marring his back, he remembered everything: Jungkook, the girl, the crow—

That repulsive crow! Where was it? How dare it even lay a talon on his elegant fur? Raos was going to slaughter that hideous bird, pluck every feather off its wings, and—

A small egg smacked against his stubby legs when he turned around. Whiskers twitching, he stared at the egg and prodded it with his fingers. Oh, Gods. Scurrying around the egg, he scampered to the edge of the nest and looked down to see that the ground was realms away. Dizzy, he stumbled and glued his back against the egg.

A nest. He was trapped in a nest. Surveying his surroundings, he spotted more eggs and counted five—five blueish-gray soon-to-be crows that were as tall and wide as him. Glaring at the eggs as if they were the sole cause of his predicament, Raos circled the nest and pondered how to escape. After a long moment, an idea flickered to life in his head. He rolled the eggs to the side to make space for himself at the center. Dusting the twigs with his tail, he sat. There was only one way to escape this embarrassment: he had to shift.

Five months had passed since he last shifted, but he knew he was capable of doing it. He had nearly succeeded yesterday, but the crow snatched him away and broke his concentration. All he had to do was concentrate, but that was easier said than done since everything was distracting: the eggs, the fact that he was in a nest, the rushing water from a faraway stream, the whistling wind, and. . . everything.

But for the safety that awaited him below, he pushed through and let heat surge through his body. His bones stretched, and his skin bubbled as he scuttled towards the end of the nest and jumped. This time, talons did not seize him.

The air rushed against his fur, splayed-out arms, and suspended body as his small appendages stretched into human arms and legs. The ground was racing towards his face, and he reached out and broke his fall, landing on all fours. Rising on two feet, he studied his hands, turning and clenching them. His human body's functions were unfamiliar after staying in his zari form for so long, so he needed some practice. And patience. How hard could it be?

Trees towered over him as he stumbled through the brush, yelping when his bare feet landed on pine cones. Everything around him was green and brown and more green, and the incessant buzz of insects clamored in his ears, drowning out the rushing water. He wandered through the tall trees, avoiding hanging vines and tiptoeing around the flowers that he was willing to wager were poisonous to the touch. Tiny shrubs and mushrooms dotted the forest floor, and lichen thrived on enormous boulders that stuck out like a sore thumb. There was no path, but if he was fortunate, a merchant could pass and offer him passage to Clarica. If not, he was lost in this insect-infested hell.

By the time the sun peaked overhead, Raos's legs burned with the fires of fatigue, but glancing at the dirt, at the worms and insects and disease that dwelled there, he refused to rest. There were only brown tree trunks and green leaves in sight, but he could still hear the rushing water in the distance. So he trudged through the brush, forcing his way through the branches and leaves that obstructed his path until he tumbled into a vast, green field void of trees.

A bridge stretched over a clear river and led to foothills that faded into the distance. Beside the river, a dirt road curled and curved over the bridge to the other side. Migrating birds flew north in flocks that clouded the skies, and gales of wind lifted handfuls of fallen leaves.

Breathing in the fresh air, Raos chuckled. Down the path, he heard the neighs of a horse, the lashes of a whip. Wooden wheels cracked on pebbles, and clopping hooves crescendoed. Wandering, he spotted a bearded man perched on a wagon. The bearded man screamed at Raos to get out of the way and abruptly pulled the reins of his horse, bringing the wagon to a creaking stop inches away from Raos's face. The horse's hot breath brushed his cheek.

"What're ya doin' out here without company, sir?" the bearded man said, staring skeptically at Raos.

Raos eyed the tattered clothes and worn-out boots the man wore before looking at his own bare body. Clenching and unclenching his hands, he cleared his throat. "I am a nomad from the south traveling to the capital in search of refuge."

The bearded man squinted his eyes, wrinkling his nose as his eyes traveled over Raos's naked body. "And wher' ya rags? Ya mad?"

Heat crept up Raos's neck. "I-I was robbed."

The bearded man shook his head with a sigh. "Ya say ya headin' to the capital?"

Raos nodded.

"Well, sir, I'm headin' towards Clarica for the season markets and am willin' to take ya ther' if ya please."

"I appreciate your generosity."

"I have some rags ya can wear in the back."

As Raos ambled towards the wagon, a shiver zapped down his spine. He turned to the bearded man, whose wide eyes were trained on Raos, on his back, on his blood.

"What's ya name, sir?" the bearded man said as if in a daze, his eyes transfixed on Raos's dark, black blood.

Raos licked his quickly drying lips, laughing awkwardly as he reached for his back. "You need not worry. It is not what you think. It is ink, not blood."

The bearded man didn't look convinced. "I am Micael Hannik of Ruscao. What's ya name?"

Raos feared Hannik saw through his cheap lies, but he forced himself to maintain his composure. Bowing, he strained his lips into a grin. "I am Raos. Raos Loirvin. It is an honor to be at your service."