Chapter 19: A Fox in the Dark

The room was silent and still, the only movement coming from soft breathing and dust drifting through the air. Laverna positioned herself carefully, ready for an ambush.

She knew they would come through those doors, but when? Exhaustion threatened to take hold, her body aching, but she refused to give in.

No! She had to act before it was too late.

Her fingers tightened around the glass shard, its jagged edges biting into her palm. She crouched deeper into the shadows, her tail swaying slightly, ears straining for any sound beyond the door.

The magic sealing the room was potent, allowing the door to open only from the outside or at a precise moment. She needed to calm her racing heart.

Inhaling deeply, she counted to ten, then exhaled just as slowly. She repeated the process, her muscles coiling, ready to strike.

Her eyes narrowed as the moonlight filtered through a blanket draped over the window. Shadows stretched across the room, shifting like silent ghosts.

A strange warmth cascaded over her, wrapping around her like a familiar presence. Something was changing, though she couldn't tell what.

She focused on the door, nails digging into the cot to brace herself for a springing attack. If they sent one person, she could take them out quickly, but if it was more, she would have to be strategic.

Fear and anger intertwined, twisting inside her like a living thing. Her grip on the shard tightened, warm blood trickling between her fingers, soaking into the fabric beneath her.

Her scent mixed with the stale air, a silent warning to anyone who entered. Her hair stood on end, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Something was very, very wrong. The screams outside had grown distant, the violence fading into an eerie stillness.

The kind that came before another wave of brutality. Laverna tensed as the doorknob jiggled slightly.

This was it. Her muscles coiled, ready to strike.

Her breaths were slow, controlled. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to attack, to survive.

Shin slowly pushed the door open, scanning the dimly lit room. At first glance, it seemed empty, but then he spotted movement near the corner of the bed.

As the drape shifted, revealing the moon's reflection, he saw her. A woman crouched low, gripping a jagged shard of glass that gleamed in the faint light.

The stench of blood and bodily fluids filled her nose as the door swung open. Distant screams, laughter, and the grotesque sounds of flesh being torn apart drifted through the air.

The contrast was unsettling. Inside, a silent predator lay in wait, while outside, the world burned.

Without hesitation, she lunged at him, the glass shard aimed for his throat. He dodged swiftly, realizing she would fight to the death if necessary.

Raising his hands, he stepped back, showing her he was unarmed. "I'm not going to hurt you! Take it easy!" he said, his voice firm but calm.

She didn't listen. Her attacks came relentlessly, driven by instinct rather than strategy.

She wanted to kill him. She needed to kill him.

Shin quickly assessed her movements. They were predictable to a trained eye.

He dodged each wild slash, using the walls to maneuver around her. He didn't want to hurt her, so he waited for her to tire out.

After several more frantic strikes, she began to slow. Her breaths came in heavy gasps.

She backed away, retreating into the corner, her tail bristling as she kept her guard up. Sliding along the wall, she watched him warily.

"You claim you won't hurt me, yet death lingers behind you!" she growled. Her ears twitched, listening to the distant echoes of the manor.

She knew there were more like him, but were they friend or foe? From her spot on the cot, she studied him carefully.

He remained still, his hands raised in a submissive stance. Confusion flickered across her face as she took in his appearance.

"The new guard?" she asked, doubt lacing her voice. He nodded.

"Yes. I was assigned as a bodyguard until someone orchestrated this uprising with a group of quick-witted rebels. I've met Salene Crow. She's a guard, but also... an impromptu accomplice. Maybe you've spoken to her?" His words were measured, offering her a thread of familiarity.

Truthfully, he didn't care about the people in this manor. His priority was completing the mission, resupplying, regrouping, rebuilding, and reaching his ultimate goal.

He had no intention of admitting that he had sparked this insurrection himself. For now, he shifted the blame to Salene.

Despite her retreat, he kept his hands raised, showing he was unarmed. He could see the distrust in her eyes.

She wouldn't believe him unless he told her the full truth. With a sigh, he spoke.

"I'm here under orders from the Hunter's Guild on a critical mission. I want to help. Please, put the glass shard down."

His tone was gentle, his voice low and steady. He studied her, noting the scars on her body, silent proof of the suffering she had endured.

She was malnourished and weak, but fierce. He met her gaze, hoping she would see the sincerity in his words.

As he spoke, realization dawned in her eyes. Someone had finally placed a bounty on the Lichtensteins' heads.

The list of people who wanted them dead was endless, but no one had dared to make a move until now. Whoever orchestrated this had power.

Enough power that there would be no repercussions. Slowly, she began to calm, her breathing evening out.

Then, a sudden shift in the air made her tense. A suffocating presence crept into the room.

She nearly gagged, her gaze darting to the door. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

Were they being invaded? Was she about to be forced into another game of survival?

Shin saw it too—the way her body stiffened, the way her eyes darted toward the entrance. His senses sharpened, his focus narrowing.

They were alone in the servants' quarters for now. Outside, chaos reigned.

But here, in this room, it was just the two of them. He studied her features more closely.

She was a fox-kin, but unlike any he had seen before. In his homeland, fox-kin—Kitsune in his native tongue—were rare, forced into hiding for generations.

Superstition surrounded them. Some believed light-furred Kitsune brought fortune and divine power, their blood rumored to grant unimaginable strength.

Others, with darker fur, were seen as harbingers of misfortune. Those who feared them sought to slaughter and burn them as offerings to the gods.

To Shin, it was all cruelty. Fox-kin were just like any other beings. They deserved to live.

He was relieved that this one had survived. But what surprised him most was finding a Kitsune here, in the West.

The more he observed her, the more questions surfaced.

Outside that door, death waited for them both, patient and ever looming.