Chapter 3

Zane sat on the edge of his cot, fingers drumming absently against his knee. Three days. Three days in this strange world, and he had spent most of it locked up, shuffled between this cell and the interrogation room where they grilled him about his origins.

Oddly enough, the idea of him coming from another Earth hadn't shocked them. Apparently, dimensional travel wasn't unheard of. This was a world of magic—things that were impossible back home were just everyday occurrences here.

But what had disturbed them was his stated goal: to kill a Royal Demon.

That, apparently, was suicide.

The door creaked open, and he didn't bother looking up. Another Shadow Hunter. He had learned a lot about them in the last few days—how they were stronger, faster, enhanced by the runes inked into their skin. And, most importantly, how he had the potential to become one.

That little revelation had changed things. The interrogators had been ruthless at first, but when they realized he wasn't just some random idiot with a death wish, they eased up. Still strict, but no longer outright hostile.

"You've been released," the young Hunter said flatly. "But you are to remain in the base until told otherwise."

Zane raised an eyebrow. "And what happens if I leave?"

The Hunter didn't answer, just turned on his heel and left.

Well, that was friendly.

Now that he was allowed to explore, why waste the opportunity?

He wandered the halls, quickly realizing something—this place was underground. The enclosed air, the way the walls absorbed sound… He had been in bunkers before. Shadow Hunters clearly valued their privacy.

Then, he heard it.

Fighting.

Following the sounds, he found himself in what looked like a training hall, filled with young Hunters. His first thought? They weren't training. They were preparing for war.

Some were casually bench-pressing 2,000kg like it was nothing. Others were sprinting on advanced treadmills, their legs a blur. The raw inhumanity of it all was staggering.

And he had the potential to be like them.

Zane barely had time to process that before someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned—and promptly forgot how to breathe.

She was beautiful.

Golden blonde hair tied into a high ponytail. The same black leather armor as the others, but somehow, it looked like it was made for her. Her features were softer than Lilith's, more human, but still just as breathtaking. And her eyes—piercing blue, sharp as a blade, brimming with a willpower he had never seen before.

And he had been a soldier.

"You're staring," she said flatly.

Zane blinked. "I was just—" He cleared his throat. "Looking for someone to spar with."

She studied him for a long moment, as if deciding whether he was worth her time. Then, finally, she nodded toward a pair of training gloves.

Zane took that as permission.

The moment the fight started, he realized just how outmatched he was.

She was brutal. Every movement, every strike, was calculated and efficient. Zane wasn't weak—he knew that—but she moved like she had already predicted his attacks before he even thought of them.

Minutes later, he was flat on his back, gasping for breath.

She didn't even look winded.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he muttered.

She tilted her head slightly. "Not particularly. You're barely sufficient for a warm-up."

Zane let out a breathless laugh. "Brutal honesty. Gotta love it."

She walked over to a bench, grabbed a water bottle, and took a slow, deliberate sip before finally speaking again.

"You're not bad."

Zane barely registered her words because he was way too distracted by her perfectly sculpted—Nope. Not going there.

He cleared his throat. "I'm literally on the floor right now."

She shrugged. "And I'm a Shadow Hunter. That's natural. But still, you have potential. If you stop being so… rigid with your style."

"That's just a nice way of saying I suck but could suck less."

She didn't confirm or deny it. Which, he supposed, was her version of mercy.

As he sat up, rubbing his sore shoulder, he decided to push his luck. "So, I'm kind of new here. What's the deal with the tattoos?"

"Runes," she corrected. "They give us our abilities."

"Magic tattoos?"

She gave him a look. "Not exactly."

"Well, you can't expect me to just instantly understand everything."

She sighed, taking another sip of water before finally explaining. "Shadow Hunters aren't born with abilities—except for our Sight. That's why we can see the supernatural realm. We train for years, and when we're ready, we go through a ritual. After that, we can use runes. Some are permanent, some temporary. All of them painful. They enhance our strength, speed, endurance, and grant us abilities normal humans could never dream of."

Zane considered that. "And you became one because…?"

A flicker of hesitation. "I was an orphan. Most of us are. If you're not born into it, you're recruited if you have the Sight. They took us in. Trained us. Fed us. Gave us purpose."

"Gave you weapons and sent you to kill things," he mused.

She didn't respond. Maybe she didn't need to.

"So," he leaned forward. "What do you know about Royal Demons?"

She raised an eyebrow. "A Royal Demon?"

"Yup."

She let out a short, humorless laugh. "You're serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because Royal Demons aren't just 'enemies to hunt.' They're forces of destruction. It would take thousands of elite Shadow Hunters to stand a chance. Thankfully, they stay in their own realm. Unless they're summoned. And even then, they have problems of their own."

Zane's stomach sank. Great. No wonder no one ever solved a World Trial.

"But…"

His ears perked up. "But?"

Her expression hardened. "Every 100 years, our realm and the demon realm merge for an instant. A portal forms. That's why we were after Lilith."

Zane frowned. "What's her part in all this?"

Mia exhaled slowly. "Lilith is a Royal Warlock—one of the highest-ranked of her kind. Only warlocks of her level can predict where the portal will appear. We spent weeks tracking her, gathering artifacts to either restrain her or negotiate a deal. And then… you dropped into the middle of it and ruined everything."

Zane winced. "Yeah, sorry about that. But I don't remember seeing you on the team."

She didn't seem interested in his apology. "Alaric didn't send me because he thought I was too emotionally involved."

She didn't elaborate, and Zane didn't ask. They weren't close, and she definitely wasn't some damsel in distress.

He could see it in her eyes. She wasn't looking for saving.

She was looking for revenge.

For some reason, that made him feel kind of sorry for her.

Mia studied him for a moment before standing. "Don't look at me like that. We'll still find her and get her to help. Just try not to mess anything else up."

Zane watched her walk away. She was pissed at him, and rightfully so. But she also seemed to believe things would work out in the end.

And he was looking for ways to make it up to her.

…Then make out with her, naturally.

Dammit, you just met her, you perv. Get it together.

He slapped himself before his mind could go any deeper into that very alluring rabbit hole.

"Wait!" he called after her.

She paused, tilting her head.

"How long until the demon invasion?"

She smiled. "It's not quite a stable prediction, but we have about a month."

Zane exhaled slowly. A month.

Time was running out.

She walked away, but Zane had already gotten what he needed, a way to reach a demon royalty, a time period he could work with albeit a very short one. Even extra goals to strive towards, namely, Mia.

She saw that he was weak now so it was only natural she wouldn't give him the time of the day.

He felt her holding back a lot even when they sparred just now, like he was a glass vase.

And yes he was weak, for now. But that had never stopped him before.

And it sure as hell wasn't going to stop him from achieving his goals now.

Now how does one become a Shadowhunter around these parts?