Kai glanced at Alira as they walked through the grey maze. Become king? What did she mean? “If this Prince guy is so powerful…what makes you think you can beat him?”

  Alira met his gaze. “I will, because I must. He’s powerful, but he’s only a Saint. It’s not impossible for me to become one too.”

  Rusk’s eyes widened. “A Saint - fancy.”

  Kai shook his head. Alira wasn’t even a Darkbound, yet she already aimed to become a Saint. Most Darkbound prepared for years before attempting the advance. And after all that preparation - most died in the Third Trial.

  “Why don’t the Saints of the other Houses team up against him?” Kai asked.

  “Because they’re stupid - focused on fighting each other instead. Why care if Prince attacks their enemies? It’s like you said - the enemy of my enemy is a temporary friend.”

  “But Prince is growing his power base, assimilating the other Houses. When he shows up on their doorstep with a smile and an army of Marked - they’ll have no choice but to submit, right?”

  “If things get that far - yes.”

  “But you’re going to stop him?”

  Alira raised her chin. “Yes. I will.”

  “Why? How? Won’t you have to prepare for years to become a Saint? Will Prince patiently wait for you?”

  Alira stopped in her tracks. Kai and Rusk followed suit. They were far enough from the courtyard, and Kai was sure most of the aggressive Marked were dead by now. He couldn’t pinpoint the time, but it felt like hours had passed.

  Alira smirked. “Do you know how long it takes an army to march across regions?”

  Kai’s knowledge only covered small group encounters with the mobs. What would a thief like him know about armies?

  “Can’t say I do.”

  “Exactly. I have time to become a Saint.”

  Kai stroked his chin. What was wrong with someone ending the endless wars between Houses? Wasn’t unity a good thing?

  “What’s so bad about this Prince guy? He can’t be worse than the other nobles, right?”

  Alira’s chilling glare cut into Kai. “You’re asking a lot for someone who likes to keep secrets.”

  Kai stifled a grimace and turned to Rusk. “Know anything she won’t say?”

  Rusk shook his head. “Why would I care about politics? I have more important concerns.”

  Kai couldn’t help but ask, “Like what?”

  Rusk’s eyes lit up. “Like becoming a fashion designer!” His shoulders slumped. “But my father’s too poor to help me open a shop.” He glanced at Alira with a frown.

  Her icy demeanour didn’t crack. “Our House pays your father well, Rusk.”

  He raised a hand to his forehead. “Not enough to fund my clothing brand. Who cares about having enough to survive? What about my dreams?” He turned away from Alira with a huff. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “What do you mean I wouldn’t understand?”

  Kai caught the message between the lines - she had no fashion sense. How could she understand his fashion dreams?

  And Rusk was fearless enough to answer her question honestly. Kai had to stop the madman.

  He plastered an amiable smile on his face and lied before Rusk could reveal the truth. “Alira, which of my secrets do you wanna know? I’ll answer what I can.” Kai would answer some questions - but he’d dodge anything sharp enough to hurt him.

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  Rusk gazed at both of them, happy to hoard their secrets without sharing his own. Kai had bought his silence at a steep price.

  Avoiding a fight between his bodyguards was worth it - he wouldn’t be able to stop them.

  Alira glanced at her arm, then back at Kai, her glare intensifying.

  “How did you heal my arm? That’s not something a Gift from Space God can do.”

  “My suit did it. I think…it’s sentient. Maybe. I asked it to heal you, and it did. I think it used the blood it absorbed from the Drakmar and mimicked its ability.” Kai’s eyebrows furrowed. “How would you know what a Gift from Space God can do?”

  “This is about your secrets, not mine. What is your suit? How can it be sentient?”

  Kai sighed. Who was she to talk about secrets? She had a mountain of them. Probably not comparable to being heir to a god…and a Demon. But those were reasonable secrets to keep.

  Kai wouldn’t kill her if she told him why these nobles kept calling her ‘Princess’. But if she found out he was a Demon - there would be blood.

  “I don’t know. My brother gave it to me. Said it was better than plate armour. That’s all.”

  Alira’s eyes narrowed. “Your brother gave you a sentient suit that drinks blood - but didn’t tell you how it works or what it is?”

  “Yes - annoying and inconsiderate, isn’t he? But then again, the suit saved our lives, so I’ll forgive his minor flaws.”

  “Do you know how unusual your suit is? It makes no sense.”

  “Isn’t everything unusual? What makes sense in this crazy world of gods, Gifts, and Curses?”

  Alira scoffed. “How did you cut through my armour? That sword has no enchantments. Did you cut through space?”

  Kai’s eyes widened. “Is that possible?”

  Cutting through space would be an all-powerful cheat ability. Who could dodge or survive an attack that cut through space? Could he even kill a god with a space-cutting strike?

  Kai bit down on a smile threatening to break free - another thing he had to research later.

  “You’re the one with the Gift from Space God - you tell me.”

  Kai shook his head. “I didn’t cut through space - I cut through the gap in your armour.”

  Alira’s eyes widened. “That gap was small enough to repel the best swordmasters. How could you slice through it in a situation like that?”

  Kai shrugged. “Focus - and an intense desire to help.”

  Alira’s jaw tightened. “How did you get a Gift from Space God?”

  “How does anyone get their Gift? By chance.”

  “I know that. But…” Her brows furrowed. “What did you do before you got your Gift?”

  “If I told you all that - wouldn’t I be useless to you? Didn’t you say you’re protecting me because of my incredible usefulness?” Kai groaned. “I’ve answered enough questions, haven’t I? Shouldn’t you start answering mine?”

  Kai couldn’t confess that someone had sacrificed him in a profane ritual, which led to him waking up undead - then ‘inheriting’ a ring his father, Death God, had stolen.

  Alira shifted her gaze to a grey wall. “Hmph. I’ll tell you mine when you tell me yours.”

  How childish.

  But Kai couldn’t complain. He wasn’t willing to share his important secrets - so he couldn’t expect her to give up hers. He’d probably never see her again anyway.

  Kai turned to Rusk.

  “Shouldn’t we get back to watch the courtyard?”

  Rusk scratched his cheek. “You wanna hunt Targets?”

  Alira’s gaze returned to Kai.

  “No,” Kai answered, “but Alira will become a Target before the trial ends. We should stay in the area until that happens.”

  Alira raised her chin. “Do you think anyone here can hunt me?”

  Kai let out a breath. “I think it’s unlikely. There probably aren’t any hunters left - but I’d rather be safe than sorry. What if someone with a Gift that counters yours shows up again?”

  Alira shook her head. “I don’t have a problem with your plan, but it’s unnecessary.” Kai gestured at Alira’s grey arm.

  “Don’t you understand? You’re not immortal. Prepare for the worst so we can all survive this.”

  Alira stared at the floor in defeat, then grunted her assent.

  Before they returned to the courtyard, they checked their points.

  - Kai = 107 points

  - Rusk = 69 points

  - Alira = 37 points

  Kai’s eyes widened. One hundred and seven points was more than he expected. That meant Gideon had forty-five points. Kai had saved as many Targets as Gideon had killed.

  Where was Memory Man right now?

  What was his name - Bill? Hopefully he found a good hiding place. He’d be useful against the Mobs.

  Kai shared the points with his companions. They had all worked together to kill Gideon and keep Kai alive, after all.

  But Rusk refused his share of fifteen points.

  “You take more - you’ll pay me back when you make me rich!” Kai couldn’t tell if the man was crazy, sincere, or playing some deeper game. But it made little sense to turn him down.

  Winning first place would net him the best rewards the system had to offer.

  Their points after the transfers:

  - Kai = 81 points

  - Rusk = 80 points

  - Alira = 52 points

  Rusk’s puffed chest almost burst from his pristine white shirt. “Do you think we’re in the top three?”

  “I’d be surprised if we weren’t,” Kai answered.

  Alira smirked. “Who could defeat us?”

  Kai agreed.

  Gideon had to be one of the strongest Marked here, and he only had forty-five points when they turned him into a corpse.

  Who could beat them?

  Their journey toward the courtyard was uneventful. Alira soon became a target - but nobody dared hunt her. The trial ended after that, and a message appeared in Kai’s mind.

  [You have passed your First Trial. You ranked 1st. Calculating rewards…You may choose your rewards shortly.]

  After reading the message, the world dissolved - and Kai fell into darkness.

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