Chapter 40: Planning
The moon hung low above the Ghost Village, casting an eerie glow through the high windows of the palace. The soft breath of the night wind barely stirred the curtains, and silence cloaked the hallways like a shadow.
Inside Kreper’s chamber, the only sound was her gentle, rhythmic breathing as she slept, her body curled beneath the silken sheets. Her cheeks were flushed, a faint smile still lingering on her lips from their earlier union.
He stared at her large breasts but was not going to act like a slut and do anything while she was asleep. He turned away.
Dominic sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, watching her. There was a strange mix of guilt and pride swirling in his chest. She had given herself freely to him, her loyalty unquestionable now—but that wasn’t what lingered most in his mind. What consumed him was the looming threat of Coris, and the message that her betrayal had only been the beginning.
He rose slowly, careful not to wake her, and gathered his clothes. The warmth of the bed still clung to his skin, but a chill settled over him as he stepped into the hallway. The corridor was dimly lit by scattered torches. His shadow stretched long across the walls, and he moved like one of them—silent, purposeful, haunted.
His room was quiet. The familiar scent of stone and aged wood grounded him a little. He locked the door behind him and sat by the edge of his bed, resting his elbows on his knees, fingers laced tightly together. His damp hair clung to his forehead. His thoughts, however, were storming.
He had faced the Delusional Demon earlier that day—something unlike anything he’d ever battled. A creature that didn’t just strike at your body, but at your mind. It had dragged him into false realms, worlds that bent logic and warped perception. One moment he was in a field of fire, the next he stood ankle-deep in blood beneath a black sky. And each time, the demon had taunted him, whispered into his ear like a thousand echoes of fear and failure.
Dominic had won, barely. The fight had left him shaken in ways even the Lekar battle hadn’t. It wasn’t just strength he would need going forward. It was clarity. Purpose. Discipline.
Coris was gathering something—a storm. She had allied with beings he still couldn’t fully comprehend. And now, the knowledge that eventually, even Coris would be deemed disposable by her own masters. It only complicated the game.
He exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
"I can’t wait for them to strike first," he muttered to himself. "That’ll be suicide."