Finally, Moraena regained her composure.

  She slowly exhaled and closed her eyes.

  Her thoughts were still circling in her mind like ravens over a battlefield.

  He sees me.

  The real me.

  The thought echoed in her mind far too loudly.

  She clenched her fingers into a fist, gathered her will, and forced herself to calm down.

  After a few seconds, Moraena stood up and opened the door.

  The same handsome young man stood before her.

  Tall.

  Strong.

  Dangerously attractive.

  But she knew the truth.

  Inside that body was still a child.

  And now she had to help him.

  Moraena snapped her fingers, and the magical restraints disappeared.

  “How old are you?” she asked calmly.

  Drake hesitated for a moment.

  “I’m… fourteen.”

  She let out a heavy sigh.

  And shrugged.

  “Put on a shirt. Then we’ll talk.”

  The boy silently walked toward his clothes.

  Every movement he made was smooth.

  Graceful.

  Too graceful.

  He moved as if his entire body had been created to be watched.

  Moraena frowned slightly.

  That’s the power of an incubus…

  And apparently not an ordinary one.

  Pheromones were literally radiating from him.

  A subtle wave of seductive influence that he didn’t even notice himself.

  Possibly a primordial one…

  She crossed her arms.

  We will have to work on that.

  When he finished dressing, she pointed to a chair.

  “Sit.”

  He sat down.

  Somewhat cautiously.

  “Tell me your story,” Moraena said. “I will listen. Then we will decide what to do next.”

  “But…”

  Drake tried to protest.

  However, her stern gaze immediately silenced him.

  He sighed.

  And began to speak.

  At first hesitantly.

  Then faster.

  He told her about his vilge.

  About the demons.

  About how his family died.

  About how Kane took him into the squad.

  About the training.

  The battles.

  The five years of war.

  And about what had happened recently.

  With every passing minute Moraena’s expression changed.

  First — sadness.

  Then anger.

  Then confusion.

  And finally…

  A deep, heavy sorrow.

  When he finished, the witch suddenly stood up.

  “That sick bastard Kane!” she shouted. “What has he done to your life?!”

  Drake looked at her in confusion.

  “I asked him myself,” he said calmly. “It was my choice.”

  Moraena sighed heavily.

  “Can you read?”

  He shook his head.

  “Write?”

  Another shake of the head.

  She slowly covered her face with her hands.

  “Do you know what good and evil are?”

  Drake thought for a moment.

  “Demons are evil.

  People are good.

  Bandits are evil too…

  And convicts.”

  Moraena groaned quietly.

  “Do you even know which kingdom you live in?”

  “Umm…” he scratched his head. “I know we are near the border with demon nds…”

  She lowered her hands.

  And looked at him as if she had just witnessed a natural disaster.

  “Boy…” she said slowly.

  “This is a catastrophe.”

  She pointed a finger at him.

  “You are an uneducated fool.”

  Drake frowned.

  “To hell with all that!” he said irritably. “Those things won’t help me kill demons!”

  Moraena looked at him.

  Very.

  Very angrily.

  He immediately shrank a little.

  She slowly stepped closer.

  “Listen,” she said calmly. “If you become educated and rise to command the knights…”

  She raised a finger.

  “You will have at least a thousand soldiers under your command.”

  She leaned slightly toward him.

  “Imagine… how many demons you could kill.”

  Drake froze.

  Then his eyes suddenly lit up.

  He jumped up from the bed.

  “Aunt Moraena! Teach me how to read and write!”

  She instantly bared her teeth.

  And stepped hard on his foot.

  “DON’T CALL ME AUNT!” she hissed. “I AM NOT OLD!”

  “Ahhh!” he hissed in pain. “Au— I mean Moraena! I understand!”

  She removed her foot.

  And smiled slightly.

  “Well then,” she said.

  “Let’s begin your education.”

  She snapped her fingers.

  Glowing symbols appeared in the air.

  “We will start with letters. Then writing. And many other things.”

  Drake looked at them suspiciously.

  “And how long will it take to learn all these… things?”

  Moraena shrugged.

  “Two to five years.”

  A pause followed.

  “No,” he said.

  “Too long.”

  “Goodbye.”

  He tried to stand up.

  CRUNCH.

  She stepped on his foot again.

  “Are you an idiot?” she said calmly. “I just expined how demons should be fought.”

  She leaned closer.

  “Your single sword will change nothing.”

  Drake looked at the strict witch.

  And sighed heavily.

  It seemed…

  The greatest trial of his life had finally arrived.

  Studying.