Chapter Ten

Solene stared at the flickering candle on the wooden table, its weak glow casting shadows along the walls of the small shack. She had been holding her thoughts in for too long, but now, with Kain watching her expectantly, she felt a strange urge to let it all out. Maybe it was because he had helped her. Maybe because he didn't look at her like she was a monster.

She swallowed hard and took a shaky breath. "I don't even know where to start."

Kain leaned back against the chair, arms crossed. "Start wherever you can." He said, his voice calm but firm. "I'm listening."

Solene hesitated, her fingers curling into fists on her lap. "I wasn't always like this," she murmured. "I lived a quiet life working for Lira after escaping this town. It wasn't great, but at least I was safe. And then everything changed."

Kain remained silent, his sharp eyes studying her.

She exhaled, a tremor in her voice. "One night, I was out late. I saw something I wasn't supposed to see. A high-ranking officer… he was killing a Hollow in the dark streets."

Kain's expression shifted. His jaw clenched slightly, and his fingers tapped against his knee. "You're sure?"

Solene nodded. "I saw the blood. I saw how he used magic to drain the Hollow's life away like he had done it a hundred times before." She rubbed her arms as if trying to shake off the memory. "I ran. I ran so fast because I knew if he saw me, I'd be next."

Kain cursed under his breath. "And then what? How did you end up in the arena?"

 " The officers came for me days later, dragged me out like an animal. Threw me into that nightmare of an arena where I was supposed to die." Her voice cracked. "But I didn't. I… manifested."

At that, Kain stiffened. He sat forward, his face dark with disbelief. "You… what?"

"I don't know how," she said, shaking her head. "I was just trying to survive, and suddenly… fire. Power. I don't know what happened to me, but I wasn't the same anymore." She looked up at him, desperation in her eyes. "Kain, what am I?"

Kain ran a hand over his face, exhaling through his teeth. "I've seen a lot in my life Solene. This, I've never ever heard of a Hollow manifesting powers ever."

Solene's stomach twisted. "So I really am a monster."

Kain's eyes softened, but there was a storm behind them. "No." he said firmly. " It doesn't mean that. It means you're something the kingdom is not prepared for."

She scoffed, wiping at her eyes. "And that's what makes them want to kill me more."

Kain was silent for a moment before he said, you need to stay hidden at least until we figure out what's happening to you."

Solene frowned. "And then what? What if I lose control again? What if I kill more people."

Kain held her gaze, his voice steady. "Then you learn how to control it. You're not alone in this, Solene. Whatever happens next, we'll face it together."

For a moment, she wanted to believe him. But deep down, she knew her nightmare was far from over.

Back in the kingdom. .....

The grand hall of the palace was dimly lit, the torches casting eerie shadows along the golden pillars. King Malrik Draven sat upon his throne, fingers tapping against the armrest as he waited. His piercing gaze was fixed on the doors as they swung open, revealing Lady Verya Luthien.

She walked with controlled grace, her sharp armor reflecting the candlelight. A woman of calculated brutality and unwavering loyalty, she knelt before the king.

"Rise," Malrik commanded, his voice deep and laced with impatience.

Verya obeyed, lifting her chin. "My King, the girl… she is unlike anything we've seen before."

Malrik's eyes darkened. "Explain."

Verya took a slow breath. "She stole the powers of the guards and sorcerers. Not just mimicking them, evolving them. It was as if their magic became something greater in her hands. We could not subdue her."

The king's grip on the throne's armrest tightened, the metal groaning beneath his fingers. "And yet, she escaped."

Verya nodded. "She was overwhelmed at first, but then… something changed. It was rage, pure and unfiltered. She burned through everything. If we had sent more men, we would have only fed her strength."

The hall was silent. The weight of her words settled heavily in the air.

Then, another figure entered.

The torches flickered violently as Dain Ravorel stepped into the chamber.

He was filth and shadow given form. His long, tattered coat reeked of blood and dirt, and his boots bore the dried remnants of a past hunt. His face was scarred, a grotesque tapestry of battles fought and survived. Strands of unkempt hair fell over his hollow, sunken eyes, eyes that had once belonged to a Hollow, but now gleamed with something far worse.

His presence was suffocating, like a beast that had learned to walk among men without ever shedding its primal instincts.

Dain knelt before the king, his voice gravelly. "Your Majesty."

Malrik studied him with cold approval. "Dain. You have done well in the past, proving your worth despite your… origins."

A twisted smile formed on Dain's lips, revealing a row of teeth stained from years of battle. "And I shall continue to prove it, my King."

Malrik leaned forward slightly. "Then I have another task for you. A girl, Solene. She is not an ordinary Hollow. She manifested something beyond our understanding. I want her tracked. Hunted. Brought before me, dead or alive."

Dain tilted his head, as if savoring the thought. "A Hollow… who manifests?" He let out a dry chuckle. "Well, now, that's interesting."

Verya watched him with unreadable eyes. She had fought side by side with Dain before, had seen him tear through his own kind without hesitation. If there was anyone suited for this task, it was him.

The king's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Do not fail me."

Dain grinned, his fingers flexing as if itching for the hunt to begin. "I never do."

Days passed. Solene's wounds, though deep, began to heal under Kain's care. He wasn't a healer, not in the way sorcerers were, but he knew how to keep someone alive. He cleaned her wounds with practiced hands, wrapped them in fresh cloth, and made sure she ate.

The shack was small, but for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn't running. The wooden walls barely kept the cold out, but the fire Kain built each night helped. She had slept on worse.

One evening, after another silent meal, Solene sat on the edge of the rough bed, staring into the flickering flames. Kain leaned against the wall, sharpening a dagger. The rhythmic scrape of metal against stone filled the quiet.

She hesitated before speaking. "There's… something you should see."

Kain stopped. His gaze lifted to hers.

Slowly, she turned her back to him and pulled down the loose fabric of her worn-out tunic, revealing the sigil.

Even in the dim firelight, it shimmered, intricate and pulsing with faint light, as if alive. The design was unlike anything Kain had ever seen, its lines resembling the constellations above, yet carrying a force that seemed to shift under his gaze.

He didn't speak for a long time. Then, in a voice lower than before, he asked, "What… is this?"

"I don't know," Solene admitted. "It appeared when I fought. When I burned."

Kain reached out but stopped just short of touching it. The air around it felt charged, like standing too close to a lightning storm. He clenched his fist and pulled away.

His expression hardened, but his eyes were filled with something she hadn't seen before, something close to awe. Then, without warning, he let out a breathless laugh.

"If you ever defeat the king," he said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I will worship you. Serve you. Whatever you ask of me."

Solene turned to face him, pulling her tunic back up. "You believe I can?"

Kain smirked. "I believe that if there's even the slightest chance, I want to be standing beside you when it happens." He twirled his dagger between his fingers, eyes gleaming. "Starting tomorrow, I'll train you. You need more than fire and stolen power. You need skill. A warrior's skill."

Solene exhaled, her chest tightening with something unfamiliar. For the first time, someone wasn't afraid of her power. He wasn't running or trying to kill her.

She nodded.