"You’ve been through a lot."
"If only you knew."
Naomi sighed again.
Isolde’s mouth twitched at their reaction, but before she could say anything, Lucian asked another question.
"And what did she mean when she called you the candidate with the highest chance of clearing the Trial?"
"Tha—"
Before Naomi could answer, Isolde quickly jumped in.
"That’s because she is! Aevrienne favours her!"
Naomi facepalmed.
The last thing she wanted was to say this out loud. She didn’t want Lucian to call her delusional.
But...
"Is this related to you visiting Aevrienne’s Shrine since you were a child?"
Lucian guessed it instantly and—
"Exactly!"
Isolde nodded.
"She has a strong sense in here, she instinctively knows which path is safe and which is not, there is no other way to know that unless Aevrienne herself favours you."
"So that’s why you didn’t surrender."
Lucian understood.
"Yes..."
Naomi lowered her head.
"That’s good."
Lucian nodded, his eyes shining with a strong light.
"If you become Aevrienne’s contractor, you will become much stronger as well. Plus, with her ability, I won’t have to worry about you being attacked."
He spoke with a big smile and Naomi, who had been hesitating to tell the truth all this while, instantly let go of her walls.
"So even you can use that head of yours, huh? That’s surprising."
"Says the one who unknowingly entered a potentially dangerous Trial."
"I didn’t enter anywhere. The whole thing started when I was already inside."
"It’s the same thing."
"It is nowhere near the same."
"Of course you would say that."
The two started bickering again. Isolde stared at the two, she did not like being ignored like that, so she—
"Naomi!"
She grabbed Naomi’s hand and pulled her closer.
"So who is he?"
"He’s my childhood friend."
Naomi gave the introduction she was now used to giving.
"Your... childhood friend?"
"Yes."
Naomi nodded.
Isolde stared at her.
Then she looked at Lucian again.
"A Blood-Altered Human carrying demonic blood..."
She then narrowed her eyes even further as if she could sense something different.
"And not ordinary demonic blood either."
"You can tell?"
Lucian raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
Isolde, however, only laughed at that.
"Of course."
She placed one hand against her chest, her coat shifting around her as she raised her chin.
"The eyes of Isolde Verraine have stared into forbidden dimensions, witnessed the hidden rivers of magic flowing beneath creation, and survived sights that would shatter lesser minds."
She began.
Lucian only stared at her with a flat look on his face.
Isolde continued.
"Do not mistake this mortal form for weakness."
She slowly raised one trembling hand.
"Within me sleeps a power so terrible that even I must constantly restrain it."
Lord Whiskers, sitting on her shoulder, yawned.
Isolde ignored it.
"If these seals were ever broken..."
She closed her fingers into a fist.
"...entire nations could disappear."
"...right."
Lucian nodded.
"Lucian Cross, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Mother of Dragons, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm."
He introduced himself and, because he didn’t wish to feel left out, he gave himself a few titles he knew as well.
Naomi stared at him with a deadpan look on her face.
"Leave everything aside, how in the hell are you the ’Mother’ of Dragons?"
"I am getting in touch with my feminine side."
Naomi wanted to facepalm.
Isolde, on the other hand, found it completely normal. She, in fact, nodded at that introduction, very satisfied.
However...
"You truly are strange."
She spoke with a frown.
Lucian smiled innocently.
"You feel human."
"I am human."
"No, you are not... a normal Blood-Altered Human.
Something’s different about you..."
Isolde stepped closer, wanting to inspect him more closely but—
Naomi immediately moved between them and—
"You can examine him from there."
Lucian smiled at that. Isolde stared at Naomi with an amused grin.
"So protective."
"I am not."
Naomi answered quickly. Lucian’s smile widened and Isolde noticed it that very instant.
"Oh."
Naomi’s expression tightened.
"There is no ’oh.’"
She defended herself.
"There was definitely an ’oh.’"
Lucian couldn’t possibly miss this chance.
Naomi glared at him, then at Isolde. The two grinned, then Isolde once again turned to Lucian.
"What Court?"
"Desire."
"An Incubus?"
She now seemed even more interested.
"Yes, so don’t blame yourself if you feel attracted to me, it’s very normal."
Lucian nodded.
Isolde only covered her face with her hand and laughed.
"It is amusing that you think your meagre energy can influence me. Then again, you do not realise the existence that stands before you, your perception must have been fooled by my mortal form."
She took a small pause to take another sip of wine, then she raised her hand again.
"But that is fine!"
The cards around her spread out again.
"I, Isolde Verraine, granddaughter of Matriarch Maelis Verraine, heir to the Blackthorn Circle, Keeper of the Seventeen Seals, and Bearer of the Forbidden Star, acknowledge your unusual existence."
This time, however, Lucian narrowed his eyes.
"You are... the heir to the Blackthorn Circle...?"
Naomi noticed the change in Lucian’s tone and frowned.
"What’s the Blackthorn Circle?"
She asked with a curious look on her face.
"It’s one of the strongest Witch Covens in the world."
"One of?"
Isolde grinned dramatically.
Lucian ignored her.
"Witches don’t have a single kingdom or ruler like some of the other races."
That was one of the first things he had learned while studying the Supernatural World.
Witches lived among ordinary humans.
They attended human schools, owned businesses, worked normal jobs, and lived inside ordinary cities.
However, almost every serious Witch belonged to some form of magical group.
There were independent Covens formed by Witches with similar beliefs.
Old Witch families that passed down spells and rituals through their bloodlines.
Magical schools that trained young Witches.
Market Circles that controlled the trade of ingredients, potions, and enchanted materials.
Artifact Guilds that created and studied magical tools.
Curse Houses that specialised in curses, hexes, and darker rituals.
Healer Circles that focused on medicine, spiritual damage, and supernatural diseases.
Some groups worked closely with the Enclave.
Some served Vampire Houses.
Some traded with Werewolf Packs.
A few even worked with Demons.
Others remained completely neutral and sold their services to anyone capable of paying.
There was no Witch Queen controlling them all.
No single law every Witch followed.
Witch society was made up of countless families, Covens, schools, and organisations, each protecting its own knowledge and interests.
And among all of them—
The Blackthorn Circle stood near the top.
Lucian explained it all to Naomi and her expression changed.
"So your family is important?"
She asked as she glanced at Isolde.