Chapter 40

Hans.

"Don't worry Astri, now you know more than you knew yesterday. You shouldn't be feeling down about it," Emilia tells me when we're in the taxi, heading back to her shop. "You'll get to the truth in your own time."

I nod, knowing Emilia's trying to make me feel better. My aunt was right about the fire, but I still can't believe everything that ever belonged to my parents has been destroyed. During one of the tasks, I had to trade my mother's necklace for protective crystals. I, along with the other contestants entered the Shadow Cave occupied by trolls, hunting for special crystals. One of the trolls, Poppius brought me in front of his boss, who was ready to cut my limbs off. I gave up my mother's precious necklace in order to live, but on my way back, Sebastian, one of the contestants, stole my red crystal while my foot was trapped between a pile of rocks.