8 months later

“Dismiss Madam Elara for today," I commanded without looking at the maid. "The soldiers are going out on an expedition today. I am to join them." The maid, Dectra, scoffed quietly and muttered something under her breath. I turned a sharp gaze on her as I buttoned up the dark red Silverwater Knight outfit I’d commandeered for the trip. It was too big, but I didn’t care.

Finally. Finally I was going out and leaving this Ashwash forsaken building.

Dectra mumbled an apology. “Did the knight captain ever officially accept your application?”

“He authorized it. Now stop bothering me with these questions and fetch my boots.”

That was sort of true. Technically, the Knight Captain had never rejected my request to join the expedition even if he still had yet to explicitly authorize it. Either way, it was none of the servant's business.

I hefted the sheathed steel blade off my bed and clasped its entwined belt around me so the heaviness bounced gently against my upper thigh. So far my understanding of the outside world was dangerously limited outside of basic textbooks and theory. Although the Baron had allowed me limited access to the Family’s library, there weren’t many useful books in the collection.

That was disappointing but not entirely unsurprising.

Unfortunately, my plan to hinder Morgana while obtaining Lady Ballenci’s favor had backfired in terms of my general freedom. Over the past eight months, the Baron had persistently refused to allow me any communication with other noble ladies, including Lady Ballenci, putting a rather irritating pin in my information collecting through the Ballenci family. Still, I’d carried out my side of the agreement and kept my mouth shut. And, from what little I’d been able to gather, Morgana had been raging about her failing relationship with Lady Ballenci due to her burning. That was a good sign, for me at least.

On the bright side, a complete blockade of interaction between myself and the other Baron’s children had been put into place. I’d been moved to the mansion's south wing and they had not been allowed near it, much less inside.

On the downside, I hadn’t been allowed to leave other than for the training field.

While I would eventually need to get a better handle on this nation’s political and military landscape, the information would just distract me right now. I needed more general details. After digging through the small library, I’d confirmed that this Kingdom, the Kingdom of Lysoria, operated similarly to any other nation in terms of hierarchy. Royalty, aristocracy, merchant class, and then everyone else. One archduke, a handful of dukes, a dozen or so Earls, and then a smattering of lower aristocracy I didn't care to memorize beyond the necessities and those from Morgana’s tea party the previous year.

When Shael had notified me that the knights and soldiers were heading out on the knight’s yearly expedition against some monsters in a relatively nearby border forest, I had initially been hesitant.

But over the months my energy gains had stagnated and I was ready to raise them, live or die. Physically, my body was still a lot weaker than I would have liked but it would be enough. It had to be enough. If the monsters of this world had cores like Ordite, I might be able to expedite my recovery and growth by absorbing the latent energies and purifying them.

I ignored Dectra’s nagging and complaints, leaving the room behind after slipping my boots on and making my way to the manse's entrance where Lucid, Shael, and the other Knights and mercenaries already waited. Some other mercenaries that were lagging behind the main group also trickled in after me. Pavement extended from the doorway to a heavy-looking iron gate that connected to thick stone walls that curved around the mansion. A grown man could likely climb over the wall, but not before he was stuck with a spear or arrow.

The knights and Lucid all sat atop black war horses. The soldiers and mercenaries would walk. Next to Lucid was a small, gray horse. It stood out among the black war horses the same way a mouse might stand out among bears. The disparity was almost funny.

I offhandedly wondered if the gaunt animal could even walk the necessary distance on its own. The thought was overshadowed by the excitement I felt as I approached the horse. It had been so long since I'd ridden. I shoved down those memories of my youth as swiftly as they had surfaced. Now was not the time for nostalgia.

Especially not for those memories.

With a confident stride, anticipation coursing through me, I gently laid my hand on its neck and offered the beast a reassuring pat. It neighed at me. My eyebrows raised slightly but I continued to stroke its rough, unkempt mane. Despite its bony appearance, the horse did not strike me as an animal on the edge of death. I immediately changed my evaluation of the horse. I rather liked its spirit. If it lived through the expedition, I would give it a name fit for a royal steed.

I took a step closer to its side and adjusted my stance to ensure a solid footing. With a deep breath, I grasped the reins, the cool and taut leather chaffing against my palms. Placing my left foot in the stirrup, I pushed down and swung my right leg smoothly over the horse's back, settling into the saddle with practiced ease. The leather creaked slightly under my weight as I adjusted my position and felt the familiar contours of a saddle stabilizing me.

I looked at the Silverwater soldiers, knights, and mercenaries as if they were my entourage. I'm sure none of them liked me enough to actually be a part of my personal force, but that was irrelevant. I was technically the highest ranked among those in the expedition so they were considered temporarily absorbed into it even if it went generally unacknowledged. Lately, the extra attention the Baron had been paying to me was causing more and more of the mansion staff to show me some level of deference. It was an unintended benefit of being the Baron's new money-maker.

So, although most of them hated me, they tolerated it. If I could, I would change their minds on this expedition. The weak follow the strong. I just had to show them I was the strength they should follow.

"Okay," I shouted, gesturing forward away from the mansion grounds. "Let's depart." With a gentle nudge of my heels, I signaled readiness to the steed and it took off at a steady trot. After a moment I could hear the jangle of steel armor move as the soldiers began their march.

Lucid, atop a young war horse, nimbly pulled up to my side with his signature goofy grin. "Since when were you so imperious? Let's depart!" He mimicked jokingly, pitching his voice to be somewhat reminiscent of mine.

I shrugged. "Though many of the Family and household may view me as a rat, I should still try to present myself with pride." Not a lie.

Not exactly the truth either.

Lucid nodded thoughtfully. "I wouldn't say we think of you as a rat." He glanced at me and squinted. "More of a stray cat, if I'm being honest."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I laughed. "I suppose that is better than a rat."

"Speak for yourself, squire," Beatrice said from behind me. I didn't turn around to look at her. She'd made it abundantly clear that she thought of me more as cat shit than a cat. I heard her sniff. "I believe the lady is more similar to a rodent than a feline." I just ignored her. Knights born from nobility with their noses stuck too high in the air were a dime a dozen.

"Do you know where we're heading?" Lucid asked.

I nodded. "The Misty Veils Forest."

"The center of it," he said, grin slipping. "My brother was telling me about a group of knights he knew ventured too deep into the center of the mist and were never seen again. No one even heard them disappear. The group just vanished from their squad." Lucid shivered. "I bet there's a beast king in there."

"A beast king?" That was new.

"A beast king is the first of its kind," Shael answered.

I let out a gasp. "A progenitor?"

"I've never heard beast kings called that before, but the two may be the same."

If that was true I needed to put as much distance between myself and this kingdom as I could the moment my core awakened. Progenitors were powerful enough to level entire kingdoms on a whim. If the progenitors of this world were as powerful as those in Ordite, considering the suboptimal heart energy prowess of this world, the progenitors would be unstoppable.

"Has a.. beast king attacked a Kingdom before?" I asked, hoping the answer was no.

Shael laughed. "Of course not. No beast can get through the Kingdom's wards. Not even a beast king." I doubted that very much but didn't say anything.

"Regardless, the Kingdom Knights would stop the beast king before it reached the main city. Usually, a beast king can be deterred with a handful of warriors and mages with over thirty heart rings."

I doubted that even more. Maybe if the creature was a princeling it could be deterred. But if a full-out original progenitor intended to destroy a city and all that was between it and its prey were a handful of unawakened cores, the Kingdom had no chance of stopping it.

Perhaps, like the energy level of the world, the Progenitors were also comparatively weakened. I felt like that was a bit overly optimistic and pushed the thought away.

______________________

It took a few days to reach the edge of the Misty Veil Forest. It wasn’t until we were a few miles from the forest that the Knight Captain ordered everyone to set up base camp on the final day. The party would venture forward in the morning.

The forest itself was one never ending canopy of twisted branches and gnarled roots. The closer we approached, the thicker the air smelled of damp earth and decay, and the only sound that ever broke the silence during the nights of our approach was the whispers of rustling leaves and the howl of a lonely wind.

Even at our distance, the trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their twisted limbs reaching out toward us like skeletal fingers wanting to ensnare the wary traveler. Thick, green moss clung to their bark, obscuring the trees' true age and lending them an eerie, otherworldly beauty. If it helped, I would have honestly preferred not to go into that obvious death trap. Still, the real combat experience would be invaluable in better understanding my new body's limits and capabilities.

As I had the previous nights, I set up my own, small tent near the center of the encampment. I'd attempted to set up on the outskirts, but Shael had protested. Since she was the only knight who seemed not to want me dead, I listened. All around me knights, soldiers, and mercenaries began to set up their tents as well, some faster and slower but all moving with a purpose. A couple of men I guess were mercenaries even broke out into a mock fight using their tent stands as pretend swords and were shouting strings of playful curse words at each other.

One of the men hit the other and everyone watching broke out into an easy chorus of laughter.

That calm complacency was broken like a dry twig, snapping under the weight of a thunderous roar that echoed deep within the forest. The trees around, behind, and in front of us all shook as if the hand of a God had come down to wrangle them. Even as far out as we were the dirt trembled as animals scrambled desperately in the opposite direction.

The encampment sank into a heavy silence, whatever cheerfulness or calm existed was extinguished by the reality of what we faced. I had no idea what had made that roar but by the way all the soldiers had gone dead silent and their faces paled to the color of snow, I figured they probably had some clue and it was not something any of them wanted to fight. I glanced toward the Knight Captain's tent to see if he was going to come out and say something to return the soldiers' spirits. When his tent flap didn't budge even as the seconds flew by, I dropped my eyes to the bowl of... sludge in my hands. There was a soft clanking of metal as others also resumed eating or putting together their tents.

I was about to brave a mouthful of the sludge when the forest roared again. I dropped the bowl and jumped to my feet, eyes wide. That roar had been a lot closer. I ran toward Shael's tent and threw open the flap. The Knight Captain probably wouldn't listen to me, but there was a chance Shael would.

"Shael," I shouted, bursting into the room-like tent ready to warn her. There was no one in the tent. I checked Lucid's tent. Empty. When I went over to check the Knight Captain's quarters, it was also empty.

My heart pounded in my ears as I realized something was wrong. Very wrong. I sprinted from the tent toward the nearest group of soldiers but stopped immediately in my tracks as screams of utter agony filled the air from every direction, causing the small hairs along the back of my neck to stick straight up. Many of the soldiers who'd just a second ago been eating, chatting, or putting up their tents had gone still, their mouths wide open as blood poured from their eyes, ears, and nose. Their eyes were empty even if they still breathed, glazed and lifeless. In my daze I didn't realize a soldier or mercenary, I couldn't tell which, had run up to me and was shaking my soldiers.

"What have you done?" He screamed, some of his spittle landing on my cheek. "You bi-" he didn't get a chance to finish. His body suddenly locked and straightened, mouth dropping agape as blood began to pour from his orifices like the others. Fortunately, the shock of a man dying right in front of me pulled me out of whatever frozen state I'd been in. One of my hands dropped to the sword sheathed at my waist and I looked around, taking in the chaos.

I need to get out of here, I thought. But where would I go? Back to the Silverwater Estate? That felt like a bad idea. I shook my head. Never mind that, Lilith. Focus on getting the fuck out of here first.

Screams and shouts reverberated through the camp as some of the soldiers and mercenaries fled loudly while the more brave ones scrambled to help their comrades who were in that odd, freely bleeding stasis. One soldier seemed to try pulling his friend down from where he stood stock still, but all that happened was the man trying to help fell under the same affliction.

"Okay, don't touch them," I muttered, scrambling away from the man who'd been grabbing my shoulders. What the fuck was going on? And where were the knights? No matter how much I looked around, I couldn't find a single one of them. Not even that one bitch who'd clearly wanted me dead. Only mercenaries and soldiers remained.

Are all the soldiers even here though? I wondered. I didn't know all the soldiers though, so it was impossible to know.

I heard footsteps behind me and whirled on it, sword flying from its scabbard in preparation for whoever was coming for me. Instead of an enraged soldier or monster, I found myself facing off against a panicked Lucid, his eyes full of wild fear. Before I could register what was happening his eyes rolled back into his head and a high-pitched voice squeaked from beyond Lucid's opened mouth.

"Hello, Lilliana." When I didn't answer the voice repeated, "Hello? Can she hear me?" the voice seemed to ask getting temporarily further away. "Oh, okay. She can." The voice became louder. "I was told not to speak to you Lilliana, but I don't see why it makes a difference. You're going to die soon anyway. I just wanted to tell you - this is what happens when you mess with my brother and kill my… when you kill a noble lady like Lady Tremmor. I hope you die painfully, whorespawn."

Despite the chaos that surrounded me and the wild, fearful eyes that stared at the puppeteered Lucid, I found myself hyper-focusing on the voice. I didn't have time to deal with the fleeing survivors or the unlucky majority of soldiers who were being bled dry. If this was a calculated trap, I doubted any of them were going to survive in the end.

For one reason or another, those here were either expendable or deserving of death. At least from the perspective of whoever laid the trap.

The gears of my brain spun as I pieced together who the voice belonged to. I hadn't killed anyone since arriving, so this massive murder attempt was rather over the top. Whoever it was must have had some underlying hatred for Lilliana before I arrived in Graedon.

Then, is it even about me? Or am I just part of something else? A bonus to a plan already in motion?

The voice, however, did sound rather familiar. And her words... where had I heard those words before? Then it clicked. Brian had also called Lilliana's mother a whore. And he only had one sister. I supposed it could have been the Baroness, but the voice sounded too young.

"Morgana?" I asked, tentatively.

"Wow, that didn't take her long did it?" the voice said, sounding surprised. "I did think since you lost your memory and were acting differently that you’d been undergoing some advanced education. Or were you hiding your real self until now or something? Never mind, it hardly matters now.”

So the expedition had been a trap for me. That would explain why all the knights were gone.

"Why did you kill all the soldiers?" I asked. "Did they annoy you as well? Where are all the knights?"

"The soldiers?" The voice was dismissive. "Sacrifices for the beast king, of course. You don't think it can be summoned that easily, do you? Gods, you are so ignorant." Morgana's voice cut off again for a moment. "Oh, but I'm having fu- fine. Fine! I hope you die in pain. Goodbye, Lilliana. This is for Lady Tremmor, Brian, and the dishonor you have forced upon the entire family.”

Lucid's mouth shut and the young squire fell to the ground at the same moment a towering mass of gnarled wood and tangled vines erupted from the forest. The creature's immense form reached a height that seemed to brush against the very sky.

"Holy Ashwash," I swore, disbelief etching its way across my face. "I'm going to be killed by a giant fucking tree."