When the Burials arrived...

She was seven years old. She watched her mother. She had been adopted. Lizandra was urgently sorting clothes, explaining that they would leave as soon as Will arrived at the castle... She was alone. And the flames spread with alarming speed. The castle was on fire. But that wasn't what frightened the child.

She listened. Anyone could hear the heavy breathing in dry gasps as they felt the paralyzing cold that consumed all the surrounding heat. Several ICHICHOS advanced.

She also knew instinctively that what little magic she had begun to awaken in her childhood was enough to attract these creatures. Only William was close. He was going to get her.

"Not!"

A voice boomed in Cassie's head and she screamed aloud.

"This isn't real. It's just a damn memory. It's not real!"

A sharp pain shot through her head and the cabin materialized again before her astonished eyes.

It was lying on the floor. Her knee throbbed terribly as she hit the chair on the way down. There was a deep cut that healed into her body and it was poking painfully. She looked at her assailant who was rubbing his hand even though a burn mark was visible. Involuntary magic. She was defending herself and she couldn't master it.

-You're resisting and it's useless. - The man spoke calmly. - Lacks concentration.

Unfortunately, she had already fixed it. She looked at her assailant with pure contempt. She didn't like the idea that he was glimpsing thoughts and memories of her, penetrating her mind.

She took a deep breath.

"Empty your mind. Relax. Forget all emotion..."

It's not that easy!

It wasn't as easy as she wanted. Why did that have to be difficult? Her anger pulsed like poison in veins gnawing and burning. Forget emotions? Lizandra had died that day. It was easier...

"Concentrate. For the love of the Goddess!"

It was in vain that Cassie tried not to remember, not to feel anything at all. Nothing at all. She was an adult.

Lizandra was screaming in front of two ICHICHOS and the small daughter was clutching the skirt of her dress and was scared. She had never seen those creatures before.

Please, I beg you. And only one child. She does not! - Lizandra's voice echoed in her ears.

-NOOO!!!!

She was panting, her hands cupping her face. Her head was pounding so hard it felt like it might explode. Her stomach was churning.

"You're not letting me access your memories, memories you're afraid of." Where they are?

She tried to pull away. Her heart was beating wildly as if she had actually seen Lizandra face those ICHICHOS alone at that moment. She just couldn't control her emotions.

"Control the damn fear. Concentrate; you're not a child anymore. It can't penetrate your mind so easily."

No... I can't.

You're not a bloody sorceress, are you? It's a witch. A primordial one.

The child watched the inert body of the mother lying on the ground. Amidst the flames, she could hear the desperate screams of the man who was looking for her. The heat was unbearable.

There was a wolf there with her... Cassie was in front of a cave entrance. Those objects were heavy. She liked to play with her mother. Of course, she could hide them and Lizandra wouldn't find them. She was always proud of it. In fact, no one ever did.

-NOT!

This time she was absolutely convinced that her head was exploding. For the last few weeks, she had dreamed of that tower. Those dreams had started when she returned to Scarlet Castle. No… when she arrived at the border fortress. Only at that moment did she realize that the place was real. She relived that memory. What was so important hidden in that cave?

Cassie had chills and a fever. The only sound she heard was the splash of water. There was a river nearby.

"Pull yourself together. Try to clear your mind."

I can not. I can't do this, she told herself. The reality was blessedly returning to normal. She was an adult and a woman.

"Don't let him maintain eye contact. Block the mind."

I can not. What the hell! Hecate!

Damn it, Cassie!

It's not that easy!

Because it would be if I were in control!

Do you want to try it then? Hecate!

She was running again. They had arrived at dusk without any warning. The castle's residents watched with resignation as the air was consumed by total darkness. She was shaking violently with fear. It was so cold and scary...she had never seen Lizandra so terrified before. She was forbidden to do magic. Only that day... Lizandra asked. She was an old woman. She knew how to conjure the elements. She was a lady of lineage.

-You are my little guardian, child. Hide the parts so no one can find them.

-No. Her voice echoed with dread.

She desperately needed to clear her mind. The succession of images was brought to light and her last memories were mixed. She was struggling to breathe…maybe a blocking or shielding spell.

The man gripped her chin tightly as if he were ready to wring her neck.

- I don't have all day. Where are? - the man was impatient.

And she screamed again in pain. The tip of the scythe cut into her shoulder, blood trickling down her arm.

-We'll do it the old-fashioned, harder way then.

The man covered Cassie's nose and mouth with his hand, preventing her from breathing, looking her hard in the eyes.

There were so many ICHICHOS!

She had never seen so many. Women screamed and ran. Men fought. None of those weapons seemed to have any effect. Their attack had begun unprecedented carnage. That night over two hundred sorcerers had been drained. The orders were clear. There were supposed to be no survivors…she listened in dread to the furious snarls before the agonized screams.

"Empty your goddamn mind now! This isn't real!"

Cassie could hear the woman's furious orders clearly. That voice echoed in her ears. No strength to obey. She couldn't move. The slightest movement and that monstrous beast would sniff her out.

"It's not real, Cassie!"

It couldn't be. The voice now sounded imperious in her mind. She should be dying. Did she hear voices? Was it the spirits that welcomed the souls of the dead?

"Now! CASSIE!"

Prompted by the furious voice, she forced a knee into the man's groin, ignoring the excruciating pain. She pushed her attacker away and the cool air that seeped into her lungs was precious. She tried to run. She stumbled dizzily and panted. How many days had she been in that bed? An absurd weakness dominated her.

A trembling hand held the light stone at her neck. It was the first time that she realized with relief the vibration that she emanated.

-Block! - she shouted victoriously. She breathed between slugs

Suddenly the vision of those beasts became blurred and unreal. The man in front of her, however quite clear, backed away, staggering.

She didn't expect it. Without any explanation her mind was filled with faces she didn't know. Several men were gathered around the fire. Memories that weren't hers flooded out of her. She was on his mind.

"The woman's blood was useless, not even with the venom of the wolves running through her veins did she have the necessary power..." - one of them spoke. "Diluted blood. Human blood. I need pristine pure blood. The magic intact in your blood."

Their leader was smiling with genuine satisfaction and a chill enveloped her.

Was it... Was it James? The unfortunate contemplated his people, remembering the glory of a past marked by deaths and defeats.

That man's gaze was fixed on the crowd gathered there.

"Make sure she's still under control. Maybe a dominance spell..."

"The spell, my lord... She's getting stronger. She's managing to resist the enchantments."

She gasped again at the sensation of the strong push away from her. She staggered several steps, bumping into chairs and a table trying to keep her feet. Several objects fell to the ground.

Her body was damp with cold sweat from exertion. She said nothing. She was sure she had just witnessed real scenes. It was frightening to imagine Faith under the spell. A new tremor ran through her. He was definitely going to kill her for what she had just witnessed.

The man rose again, this time wielding a knife, the fierce look promising a tragic end to his life. She tried to back away and fell to the floor, bracing herself in the tub full of water. And she screamed again when her wrist was violently grabbed.

At the same moment, the door was broken open with a bang. Richard Morgan threw his sword against the chest of that angry and furious man when he saw his wife lying on the ground. He had found Giles' replacement dead in the hallway.

He also noticed the black clothes of the dead figure cursing in utter disbelief. He was without a doubt a member of the Black Crescent Moon. He was starting to hate those mercenaries.

-Are you okay? he asked as he lifted a stunned Cassie into his arms. This time everyone had listened. The screams had caused an uproar. It was simply incredible and unlucky.

"Try to stay calm, Morgan."

-You'll be quiet here, Cassie. - Richard asked while his hand ran through her hair. - I'll get back as fast as I can. I need to get this piece of shit out of here and...

Morgan. Rick? Was she in bed with that man? Richard was recovering from a serious wound...he had almost died from the attack when he was walking alone at night...

How had it happened? In fact, what had happened? Nothing covered his body other than that shirt. The days had passed... He had taken off his clothes while doing the dressing and he had certainly seen her completely naked. The idea was too disconcerting. She moaned. Boy's clothes. Damn it. The band that bound his breasts. It was just bad luck. Curse! It must have been a depressing sight in his eyes. It was the end of it. She could fall there hard and dead. She wanted to cry.

He was almost dead. She had met Richard by chance. She never imagined seeing him again.

The wound... It was infected. I needed care. The Armada was no longer safe after Philip's betrayal. The ambush... his wound... the broken ribs... A stubborn man who never knew how to sit still. He needed rest. Lili had asked for help. Friends had brought news.

It was hell. She needed to tell him. And he didn't quite know how. He arrived, carried by friends from the Armada and wounded.

-Rick! RICK!