Shadow Slave

Sunny remained silent for a few moments. Finally, it became clear that Nephis wasn't going to continue. Feeling a slight sense of exasperation, he asked:

"Why would Caster want to kill you?"

Despite the calm appearance, there was a tempest raging in his mind. The revelation of Caster's true intention had shaken Sunny. Yes, he disliked the proud Legacy, and yes, their dynamic with Changing Star had always been a bit strange, but he never expected to hear something like this.

In his mind, Caster was more of an opportunist with distasteful ambitions, most likely having to do with the purity of his clan's bloodline, than a cold-blooded killer.

In what world did him wishing to kill Nephis made any sense? He was her number one fan. The only logical explanation Sunny could find was that the proud scion had been secretly working for Gunlaug all along. But then, that theory also didn't hold when subjected to a close inspection — the Bright Lord was determined to kill Changing Star with his own two hands and in front of hundreds of people.

What would he need Caster for?

Nephis lingered for a bit, then shrugged.

"People have been trying to kill me for as long as I can remember. Have you forgotten?"

Sunny slowly shook his head.

"No… no, I did not. But what does that have to do with Caster?"

She smiled.

"They were not going to stop just because I came of age, survived my First Nightmare, and was sent into the Dream Realm. If anything, that would have been the perfect opportunity to finally make me disappear forever. Sleepers enter this cursed world alone, away from the protections of society and whatever allies they might have in the real one. Do you see?"

He gave her a nod, his expression growing dark.

as vulnerable as young Sleepers entering

and

enrolled into the Academy, I knew that someone among our classmates had to have received orders to make sure that I never return from the Dream Realm. I just

glanced at him. The corner of

long time, I thought that

and stared

you think that I'm an agent of some secret Legacy cabal? Do I look like

looked him in

were too many things about you that

He frowned.

"Do tell."

slowly raised her hand, then began counting on

the outskirts, but somehow managed to survive both the First Nightmare and the arrival on the Forgotten Shore. You didn't consume any soul shards, but kept growing more powerful. You said that you had never held a sword in your hand, but absorbed my lessons with

out of fingers on one hand, she made a fist and pointed

"Need I continue?"

Sunny cleared his throat.

when you put it

her hand, then lowered

could have just left me on the Ashen Barrow. Back then, I was as good as dead. But you didn't. In

smile slowly disappeared

appeared, insinuating his way into my inner circle, I knew pretty much instantly that it

Sunny frowned.

get me wrong, I'm the last person in this world who would want to defend that pompous bastard, but there were hundreds of Sleepers in our crop, and out of those, only seven were sent to the Forgotten Shore. And only four lived long enough

Star slowly shook her