Chapter 1
“Under the city lights”






The streets of Kald’azar were alive with restless energy, bathed in the soft golden glow of lanterns that flickered like fireflies in the smoky air. My cloak was wrapped tightly around me, the hood drawn low to shadow my face. The sky above stretched endlessly, an ink-black abyss punctuated by distant stars, their light barely piercing the haze that lingered over the city. The air smelled of burning wood, roasted meat, and damp stone—a scent I had grown used to over the years.

This is where I lived for years now.The cracked cobblestone roads, the narrow alleys teeming with whispers, the constant hum of merchants peddling their wares under dimly lit stalls—this chaotic city had become my sanctuary. And yet, I could never let my guard down.

I slipped through the crowd like a wraith, careful not to draw attention. Why? Because nymphs were rare in the city of mortals. And if anyone discovered what I was, I’d have more than just a minor inconvenience on my hands. My face if recognized for my beauty would only spell trouble. So I kept my hood up, let the fabric of my cloak swallow me whole, and let the shadows be my refuge.

It wasn’t always this way. I once belonged to the Seluna Forest, a place brimming with the peace of nature, where the air itself sang in harmony. But that was nine years ago. The past was dead, burned into nothing but embers and bitter memories.

Eclipsa the nation I had wandered into was supposed to be a new beginning. Instead, it had turned into something else entirely. This city had a way of swallowing people whole, breaking them down until they were nothing but echoes of who they used to be. I refused to become one of them. So, I did what I had to: I trained. I fought. I survived. I learned the art of battle, the deadly dance between blade and bow. I had no mentor, no guide only my own determination and the relentless, unforgiving streets to shape me. And in the end, I won.

My skill became my weapon, my shield. I wasn’t just another lost soul in the crowd. I was a ranger, a hunter when the situation called for it. And I was good.

The memory of one particular night surfaced in my mind. The forest had been silent, the air thick with the scent of pine. A pair of children, laughing as they played, were oblivious to the massive bear that had crept too close. They never saw it. But I did. One arrow to the open mouth. Another through the heart. The beast never had a chance. They never knew who saved them. And that was fine. I preferred it that way.

I wandered past a wall littered with wanted posters, my eyes skimming over the face of a man.

“They didn’t even get the nose right I bet” I muttered under my breath. Whoever sketched this had clearly never seen the man properly. I could’ve done ten times better.

The bazaar was still alive despite the late hour, voices rising over one another as merchants haggled and peddlers waved their goods in the air. The scent of spices and roasted meat curled in the night breeze, mixing with the ever-present stench of sweat and damp stone.

I let my fingers slip into a basket as I passed, swiping an apple with practiced ease. Hunger gnawed at me, but I barely paid it any mind as I bit into the fruit. Sweet. A little bitter. Just like this city.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed them—guards, pushing through the throng of people, their gazes scanning the faces around them. I pulled my hood lower, slipping into a narrow alleyway,I wondered who they were looking for but no reason for me to get involved.

The alley was damp, the air thick with mildew. Chains clinked somewhere nearby, followed by a man’s muffled curses. The weight of my dagger against my thigh was a comfort, my fingers grazing the hilt as an unease settled in my gut.

Something felt off.

Footsteps. Light, but purposeful. Someone was following me.

I kept walking, muscles coiled, heart steady. Then, without warning, I stopped.

“Care to explain why you’re following me?” My voice cut through the silence like steel against stone.

No response.

I didn’t turn.

“I suppose you’re not a guard,” I continued, my tone edged with mock amusement. “Maybe one of the wanted men on that wall?”

Still nothing. Only the wind rustling the tattered banners overhead.

My hand brushed over my dagger. “If you’ve got nothing to say, then don’t waste my time. Otherwise, I might start thinking you’re a threat.”

Finally, a voice. Smooth, melodic, laced with something unreadable. “You seem quite the capable woman.”

I rolled my eyes. “I am.”

He stepped closer, just enough for the faint glow of a lantern to catch the sharp glint of his eyes beneath his hood. Too sharp. Predatory.

“You know,” he murmured, “I could use someone like you.”

I arched a brow. “If you think I’m going to help you, you’re an idiot.”

He chuckled. “Ah, but I’m not offering you a partnership. I’m offering you a choice.”

I tensed. “What do you want?”

“Consider it an invitation,” he said. “Or a warning.”

I frowned, shifting slightly. “I don’t like games, stranger. Who are you?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter,” he replied, voice softer now. “But what does matter is that we have something in common.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what would that be?”

His voice dropped, his tone cold. “Grief.”

I froze.

He took a step closer, his next words sending a chill down my spine. “The people who slaughtered your kind… Didn’t it break you?”

A shudder ran through me. My breath hitched, the memory slamming into me like a blade to the chest.

“How do you know that?” I demanded.

He held up an object—a necklace. A simple pendant carved from the sacred wood of the Seluna Forest.

My necklace.

My heart pounded. I reached instinctively to my neck—empty.

“How did you—?”

Before he could answer, shouts rang out from the main street. The guards. They were coming and they were close.

“Your choice, Sarah.” His voice was calm, almost gentle. He held the pendant out to me. “Come with me, and you’ll find something worth fighting for.”

I glanced over my shoulder. The guards were closing in, their armor glinting under the lantern light. If they caught sight of us here, lurking in the shadows like fugitives, there’d be no questions asked—just accusations and shackles. The guards of Kald’azar were notorious for their incompetence, but that didn’t make them any less dangerous. Stupid men with weapons could still kill.

Damn it.

With a frustrated sigh, I snatched the necklace from his hand, my fingers tightening around the familiar weight of it. The cool wood pressed against my palm, grounding me in something real—something mine. My last tie to home.

I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. “Fine. But if you try to trick me, you’ll have an arrow in your back.”

His smirk widened, slow and deliberate, like he knew something I didn’t. The dim light caught in his eyes, revealing a glint of amusement—or maybe something more dangerous. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare.”He paused before he continue his sentence”Follow me then”

Then, before I could say another word, he turned and vanished into the shadows. One second he was there, the next he wasn’t—like smoke dissolving into the night.

My pulse quickened. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, to disappear into the crowd, to pretend this never happened. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust anyone.

And yet…

Cursing under my breath, I followed.

The city swallowed us whole, its alleyways twisting and winding like a beast with endless, open jaws. The air grew thick with the scent of damp stone and lingering smoke from the marketplace fires. Footsteps echoed somewhere in the distance—too many to count. The guards were still searching, their voices sharp as they barked orders.

I kept my hood low, my steps light. One wrong move, and I’d regret this decision for the rest of my life—however short that might be.

What the hell had I just gotten myself into?