Jyanna had a dark energy coursing through her. It leaked, like a black haze, from her wounds that had yet to fully close. I recognized it as the same mist that sapped energy from the wolves. The haze was still filled with the frost wolves stubborn strength. It was more powerful, more potent than the meager boost I got from Chasity’s goons.

Her eyes met mine with a coldness that chilled me to the core. Then her gaze blinked to Chasity.

“Who the fuck are you?” Chasity snarled, her voice full of irritation.

Jyanna took her time, looking up and down at the leather clad woman with disdain before replying. “Leave now, or die.”

Chasity raised a brow and stepped forward. She chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement, then she burst into a full fit of laughter. Her goons followed with a collective, hysterical cackle.

Chasity waved Jyanna off as if she were no more a threat than an irritating bug.

I didn’t know if Jyanna was here to help or nor, but her presence gave me an opening to approach Chasity.

My fists were still tight. The desire to pummel Chasity and free my tome, my best friend, burned fiercely through me. My heart was hammering in my chest and I had to suppress a growl that was growing in my throat.

“I’m glad you decided to stay, I still need more energy to heal.” Jyanna burst into motion, moving across the clearing with impossible speed.

Chasity, turned her attention from me back to Jyanna, lashing with her whip.

Jyanna took the blows in stride without slowing. Her eyes narrowed as she closed a hand around Chasity’s neck.

Jyanna’s spell tome personified behind Chastity. He looked strange. His skin was mostly pale white except for red circles around his eyes. He was sickly thin, so thin he hardly looked human.

The man placed both hands on her shoulders and closed his eyes. A smile tugged at his lips as a black smoke spread over Chastity.

Chasity trembled, then screamed out a shriek like the sound of a wounded animal screaming its last breath.

The charmed goons went silent, their heads jerked and their mouths moved in an incoherent jumble of nonsense.

Chasity twitched violently as her body decayed and her screams came to a stop. The whole process was over in an instant. The spell tome behind Chasity gave a satisfied smile. Then he reverted to book form and drifted into the pouch on Jyanna’s hip.

The cruel girl let go of Chasity’s body, letting it fall in a heap.

Her charmed magisters returned to their original forms then fell. Each of them was teleported out of the arena before they hit the ground.

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The black smoke that consumed Chasity’s vitality swirled around Jyanna. She bathed in the mist with a pleasant, almost joyful, smile as her wounds stitched themselves together.

Jyanna glanced over to me with her fiery red eyes, her gaze roaming over my body appraisingly.

Finally meeting my eyes, she smiled softly and nodded past me to where Val was.

I turned, my thoughts zipping through my head so fast I couldn’t make sense of them.

“Val!” I gasped, as my chest tightened at the sight of her.

She was on her hands and knees shaking, or shivering, and her breath came in ragged pants.

Her hair, normally silky and beautiful, was a disheveled mess and her skin was so pale that the red marks where the man had grabbed her looked like they might burst and bleed.

I scooped her up in my arms, holding her tightly against my chest. She trembled then I felt a hot liquid seeping through my shirt. I didn’t dare to look down for fear it would break my heart to see her tears.

“Dexter,” she sobbed gently, grabbing my shirt. “I was—they were—“ Valentina shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing into my chest. “No… that was her, not me. It was just—”

“It’s okay, Val. You’re okay now. I won't let that happen again.” I said, fighting against the tears burning the corners of my eyes.

My cheeks were damp by the time I lifted my eyes back to Jyanna.

She didn’t look at me directly, but I could tell by her expression that she wasn’t done with whatever she came here for.

I didn’t care what she wanted, it would have to wait.

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Donovan’s POV

Raesia frowned as she turned away from the screen. She made only a small effort to hide her disappointment as her eyes met mine.

Forcing her frown into a slight smile, she said, “Sorry, I don’t see what’s so special about the kid. He could be great, sure…but he’s too meek and gentle.”

Zyden nodded in agreement. “I’ll still give a referral, since it’s you asking.” He took a sip from his glass, letting the liquid linger in his mouth before he swallowed and added, “I thought you didn’t like watching them die, what’ve you got planned for this kid anyway?”

I let a smirk spread across my lips. They were wrong, I was certain, but I wasn't about to enlighten them. I was glad to know Raesia was at least interested in the kid, even if she couldn’t see his full value.

Unfortunately without her vote, I might have to depend on Gaia for the final vote. That could draw more attention than I’d like, but if there wasn’t another—

A special chime interrupted my thoughts. It was the alert that sounded whenever a researcher gave their referral. Raesia and Zyden both pulled out their phones to check.

“Why would someone make a referral so early? There’s still several hours before the event is done,” Zyden questioned.

Raesia gasped. “Founder’s mercy! What do you have on Azim that he’d be willing to go along with this?”

“Azim! Nothing, obviously.”

Two chimes sounded one after the other.

I snatched the phone from Raesia. Both referrals were for Dexter, and both from researchers I had never spoken to.

“Well, I guess you don’t need my vote anymore,” Zyden said as I handed Raesia’s phone back.

She let out a sigh of relief, then she leaned forward, a look of curiosity on her face as she said. “If Azim is betting on the kid, then maybe…”

Another chime, it was Raseia no doubt.

This was better than relying on Gaia, at least his nomination wouldn’t be tied to me, but this was certainly not ideal.

Someone else must’ve already had their eye on Dexter and I couldn’t shake the feeling that a founder might be involved.