Chapter 2

That night I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

My spirit beast and I had been soul-bound for a thousand years. The moment it died, my soul felt as if it were being torn apart, flesh from flesh.

I could barely hold back the pain. Bracing myself against the wall, I made my way outside, meaning to go to the Apothecary Hall and ask Senior Sister to help steady my pulse.

The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Rufina stood in the doorway. She hadn't knocked, and her steps were bold and self-righteous.

Draven stood a step behind her.

Rufina swept a glance at me, her eyes arrogant. "Didn't Senior Brother tell you to refine the pills for me? Why are you dragging your feet?"

I couldn't be bothered to answer and turned to shut the door.

"Senior Sister!" Rufina suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud and clung tight to the hem of my robe.

"I know you blame me for being ungrateful, and that's why you're taking your revenge like this. I understand you feel wronged, but I really only want to live!"

As she spoke, the tears began to fall, and her body tilted to one side, as if she might faint at any moment.

Draven finally spoke, his brows drawn tight. "Seraphina, I'm the one who made the decision. Why are you taking your anger out on Junior Sister Rufina?"

He walked over, his tone domineering. "Where are the pills?"

"My spirit beast," I said, looking into his eyes, spelling out each word, "has already been buried in the Back Mountain. I will never let anyone defile its body!"

Draven's face darkened.

But before he could speak, the fury and grief surged up in me, and I spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

Rufina screamed in fright.

Draven froze.

He rushed over to hold me up, his arm circling my back, lifting me.

In that instant his palm pressed against my shoulder, and it suddenly overlapped with some far-off scene in my memory.

Long ago, when I was hurt, this was how he used to hold me too.

Back then we hadn't yet come to loathe the sight of each other.

Before my consciousness blurred, I faintly felt a trace of peace.

But when I opened my eyes, everything around me was pitch black.

Wind poured in from every direction, carrying the stench of rot.

I stirred and found myself lying on a cold stone slab, with talisman-wrapped iron chains above my head.

Suddenly—

A wild ghost shrieked as it shot out of the shadows and lunged straight at my face.