I couldn’t stop myself from looking around, curls flying wildly, which made the woman opposite me wrinkle her brow.

  I must look crazy.

  Hell. Recent events had me half-convinced I was losing it, spots dancing, a ringing in my ear, and the voice.

  It was that voice again. I didn’t have the right words to describe it. It had no personality and cked the fluctuations a living person would have. The distortion was familiar, like speaking through a communication orb, but was less grounded. It had no texture. It said every word at the same pace and tone.

  I looked at the viscountess, but she didn’t react. I was the only one hearing it.

  Fear spiked through me.

  What price would it demand for its boon? I already knew there was a hidden cost waiting for me. My days were too idyllic. Anything that seemed too good to be true was never to be trusted.

  Rebirth had to be costly, and I had nothing to offer.

  Would a soul satisfy it?

  Some people lived without their souls, but it was questionable if you could call their existence living. It all depended on how you lost it, but every religion frowned on it, souls being a gift from the gods, though they could never agree on which one.

  “When will our lessons start?” The words were sharp as I tried to calm my racing heart. I wiped wet palms against my dress. “We usually only meet once a week, and that doesn’t seem to be enough time.” My foot bounced.

  “Tomorrow, I will speak to Meine about increasing the frequency of your lessons. I will say it is for appearance's sake because of your engagement. Your behavior won’t improve, and their scorn for you will increase. If anything other than that happens, I assure you the information you are lording over me will become useless and Meine will destroy us both.”

  I agreed. I’d never seen or heard of the duchess targeting anyone, yet terrible things magically happened to the people who crossed her.

  “How will you deal with your maid?” Rintour asked.

  I didn’t want to have this conversation now. A soft ticking sound sounded in my head, and I didn’t know what it meant. I was vibrating, and there was no way she didn’t notice.

  Was I going to die again?

  That terrified me. I ughed. The words about not caring whether I lived or died were bullshit.

  I wanted to live.

  Enough. Finish this first and then deal with that.

  “I’ll handle her,” I said with confidence that I didn’t feel. Catherine would sit in on some of my lessons with the viscountess, but she didn’t attend all of them. If I threw enough things at her, the frequency of her attending csses would also drop.

  “You do that,” she said, disbelief thick in her voice. Viscountess Rintour stood, doing a half bow, every bone in her body screaming arrogance. “It seems your mind is elsewhere. I will send you a calling card with the updated lesson times. Good day to you.” With a steady pace, she left the room, and I was never more gd to see the back of her.

  The second the door closed, I called out, “Hello?”

  There was no reply.

  Had I imagined it again?

  It was the second time I’d heard that cold, lifeless voice.

  It didn’t sound like the choir of a thousand angels you should hear when the Goddess Avea spoke to her daughters. Nor the wail of the damned from the voice of Lankas, the God of Death.

  Could it be the voice of the god whose temple I died in?

  “Speak to me. Your servant listens.” I kneeled, something in me breaking at my subservience to preserve my life. Back bent, always cowering to the person stronger than me. My forehead burned as it pressed against the floor and I couldn't help curling my fingers until they dug into my palms.

  It didn't answer.

  I stayed there, sweat beading on my forehead, my knees aching against the cold stone floor. I bit my lip till blood flooded my mouth and trickled down my chin.

  Were they watching and ughing as the toy they gave life struggled to escape its cursed fate?

  “Answer me!” I screamed. I looked up. The ceiling hid no mysteries. My eyes fell and I saw my reflection in the mirror, crimson eyes, blood-soaked saliva dripping down my chin, positively demonic. I stood, something heavy pressing on my back, trying to keep me on my knees.

  I staggered under its weight. No. No. I tried standing. My knees buckled, and I was thrown back in time to that dingy cave that stunk of piss. The sound of thunder and metal cnking rang in my ears. I watched the door, certain they'd storm through and kill me.

  My reflection in the gss showed jerky movements, a puppet without free will, all the strings attached.

  Suddenly, I wanted it to be a demon calling out to me. Anything it offered, I would accept. I’d step out of the hold of fate, and no god’s voice or blessing would ever reach me again. No ascending to Sylva to be comforted by angels, and to live in the garden or Astine to pay for past sins.

  There would be powers that would corrupt me until I was nothing more than a wandering wraith constantly trying to steal life. However, while I still held on to my consciousness, I could imagine how much chaos and suffering I could cause.

  Ding. Registering user 555462.

  Yes. Anything it offered, I would accept.

  Demons didn’t need you to bow. Deference meant nothing to them. I returned to my seat, waiting.

  Minutes passed, and there was no sign of Catherine or that voice.

  I was about to return to my room when I heard it again.

  User 555462, please confirm your identity is Skyler Ross.

  I stared in fascination as a blue, transparent film appeared. It was like looking into a clear ke. The words [Yes/No] hovered in front of me.

  My fingers touched the edge and found it to be solid but soft. I pushed, and my finger passed through the jelly-like substance. It had the chill of water, but my skin was dry as I pulled it through.

  Steeling myself, I pressed no.

  A row of dots started circling. It reminded me of a painting I’d seen in the capital of the giant snake god, Dusaime, swallowing its tail. It was fitting. Dusaime represented the flow of time and the bance between renewal and destruction in equal measures.

  Please reconfirm. [Yes/No]

  I pressed no again.

  To verify you are not a bot, select all squares with flowers.

  I blinked.

  Bot?

  Why did I need to confirm I wasn’t fly rva?

  Also, what were the strange objects in some images? I’d never seen magic like this, and if demons ran around granting this type of power, the war would have looked very different in my st life.

  Was this a higher demon that needed a sacrifice of millions of lives to summon?

  I don’t think such a being would come to me.

  Please speak your name out loud.

  “Jal,” I said, hesitating before adding, “Amber. My name is Jal Amber.” I didn’t like either name, but they were mine.

  Jal Amber appeared on the screen. Confirm. [Yes/No]

  With my hand raised, the door burst open. I jumped up to see a haggard Catherine running into the room, three books clutched in her hands.

  Not Now! I wanted to scream, to tell her to get out. I watched the dots circling, knowing in my gut that whatever happened next would change everything.

  “What?” I asked, harsher than I should.

  “Did something happen while you were with the Viscountess?” She put the three thick books on the table. The concern on her face was real, and I wondered how I looked.

  I gnced in the mirror before swiping my sleeve against my mouth, clearing the drying blood and spit.

  I scoffed, not wanting to py this game with her. I closed my eyes. Patience. I molded my ire, forming it until I was the picture of a wronged child.

  That was comforting…

  Not at all.

  “Leave.” I picked up the biggest book from the pile it took Catherine an hour to get and threw it at the wall. My palm itched to sp her—to have her on the ground cowering. She left me here knowing Rintour liked to use the switch on me. Everyone knew.

  Catherine dodged with a squeak. “My dy?” Her eyes were clear, and she wasn't hunched over in fear, but that made me angrier.

  I couldn't hit her. I couldn't—I shouldn't “Get out.” One after the other, I threw the books on the floor and then moved to the pillows from the chair I was sitting on. "Get out--" before I lose my mind and reason. Before I abandon my pns of living a decent life—in a crafty and cunning manner.

  She dashed out of the room.

  I looked down, sighing. It was still there. Pale and ethereal, I touched it.

  Now that I was alone, I hesitated.

  I always hesitated until I was trapped and left, with no way out. I stroked the blue jelly-like thing, feeling the coolness against my skin.

  No matter what I did, this would be another rash action on a long list. I hated that. I hated not having enough information—that I didn't have enough choices.

  This was a choice.

  I didn't know if it was bad or good, but it was my decision. Yes or No.

  I lifted my hands and pressed, my hand shaking so badly I had to use the other to steady it.

  Legs giving out, I flopped into the chair.

  Welcome, User 555462, Jal Amber. System 621 of the Revenge Series is online.

  I knew all the words separately, but together they made no sense.

  Scanning User.

  The System emitted a blue light that swept over my body. My skin tingled as it passed leaving a faint heat beneath the surface. It didn’t feel bad, but it was strange.

  Health Report:

  Minor concussionMinor subdural hematomaContusion on the right cheek Malnutrition Infertility We advise the user to seek immediate medical assistance.

  I didn’t understand the words except for the st two on the list.

  Infertility? Impossible, I'd had a child, or it could be because of the other word. Malnutrition. I knew I wasn’t healthy, but it wasn't life-threatening, but it had affected my cycle. I lived the st time, so it could wait until I left the castle to visit the apothecary. If I tried to get medicine in the keep, I'd be waving a red fg that said pay attention to me; something has changed and I'm up to no good.

  If this system were a demon, it wouldn’t do to visit the temple on the castle grounds. Also, Father Micheal was more for show than a priest of any skill. Despite being years after the Divine Wars, many nobles hesitated to trust the church. Those that didn't were the smart ones.

  Even I knew about the wars. Sargos was one of the many countries to appear at that time, though only a few remained. In forty years, there'd be even fewer.

  That wasn't my concern now. My priority was getting power so I could live during those conflicts. “I will do that ter,” I said, trying to communicate with it again. This time it worked.

  Understood, continuing the scan. Estimating martial talent.

  Dual Ice and water rootSuperior Skeletal StructureSuperior MeridiansTraces of Qi in Dantian. User 555462 is suitable for practicing martial arts.