“Are you okay?”

“I’m scared.”

On the lake shore, Dolorma wrapped her enormous and fluffy body around Fei. She even let the little girl wipe her tears and snot on her fur. The night felt unusually cold, like the nights between fall and winter. At this time, Moonless was already sleeping inside his mother’s fur.

“All will be fine,” Dolorma reassured. “I believe in the prince’s choices, and you should too.”

“I didn’t know Moonless was a prince,” Fei said through sobs. “I thought Silverwolves couldn’t speak either until now...”

Dolorma laughed. “There are some. I have been blessed by the Tree of Inanis.”

“My sister Lei-Lei was blessed by the Tree of Inanis, too!” Fei blew snot on the Dolorma’s fur and sneezed. “She’s really good at using her ether, because she was given four spirits. She’s the best!”

“To be gifted with four spirits speaks volume about your sister. Silverwolves don’t know how to use their ether, but I was blessed and learned how to turn mine into ice. Prince Erde— sorry, I mean Moonless, was also blessed by the Tree of Inanis. The boy is very compassionate unlike his brothers.”

Fei wiped the last of her tears. “I don’t know what that means.”

“I don’t either. I only know that he has performed wonders, albeit only on rare occassions.”

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Parting Dolorma’s fur, Fei ventured and hid within it, snuggling beside Moonless. “It’s warm in here.”

“It’s best for winters,” Dolorma said, “but I’ll allow it for this chilly night.”

Despite her fears, Fei managed to fall asleep inside Dolorma’s fur. Tonight was bound to be exceptionally long with everything going on, but having a beast by her side calmed her.

The moon had barely moved, though it felt like an eternity had already passed. Suddenly, Dolorma’s ears perked to the sound of low grunting in her fur. “Fei? Is something the matter?”

The young Jiuli girl left the Silverwolf’s fur. She stared outward blankly before stretching her arms. She looked at her hands, clenching and unclenching them, and smiled.

Yushia sprinted out from the forest and onto the lake’s shore, yelling from afar. “Dolorma! Get Fei away from there!”

Immediately, she rolled on her back as Fei tried climbing on her. She tried to run but she felt Fei’s hands hold on strong to her leg. As she slammed her leg against the ground, black liquid oozed from the girl and covered her paw, making her fall on her side. Soon, her body was slowly enveloped in the black liquid.

Yushia stopped. His eyes met Dolorma’s as she met her end. Fei stood in her absence, legs wobbling as her fingers dripped black.

“What a disgusting body,” Fei said, unable to adjust to herself as she clenched and unclenched her hands repeatedly. “I never liked the feeling of possession.”

This can’t be real. Though Fei appeared normal on the outside, the demon’s beast stood behind her, bowing its head.

Fei walked toward the Cerulean. “I held back because I wanted you to willingly come with me. I’m afraid you no longer have a choice.”

Yushia couldn’t bring himself to attack Fei. What if she was still alive and he accidentally killed her? Lei-Lei had seen enough of her people die. What excuse would he have?

Passing by the frozen Cerulean, Fei swiped her hand and released a black curtain over him.