Holy shit. Holy shit!
Selena's pulse quickened, an unruly rhythm drumming in her chest. 'This guy's already married. The two of you aren't meant to be,' she reminded herself, as if it would help.
'Stop beating like crazy, my damn heart...' So this was what Leora had meant when she'd said her husband had a "natural rizz." At the time, Selena had thought she was exaggerating. But damn, Reynard was just… smooth.
Reynard's thick arm was wrapped protectively around her as the chaos of the exam erupted in front of them. Blows were exchanged, and weapons clashed while mundanes fought to out-muscle each other. But despite the madness, Selena held their camouflage in place, keeping them hidden. She focused her energy, maintaining their near-invisibility, while the others brawled openly.
For a moment, she glanced at Reynard's face. He was calm, eyes darting over the room, assessing every movement with a sharpness that made her heart skip again. 'Get a grip, Selena,' she thought, refocusing on the task at hand.
Selena was supposed to be bodyguarding Reynard, but first, she had to guard her own heart. How crazy was that?! When the counter finally hit 150, the room returned to a tense calm. Selena released her aura illusion, allowing them both to become visible again.
Reynard looked down at her with a slightly exasperated expression. "You can let go now…"
Only then did Selena realize she was clinging to his waist.
"Please?" Reynard added with a faint smile and a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'm okay; no need to be overzealous with your bodyguarding."
"My bad…" Selena muttered, reluctantly releasing him. She couldn't help but think how much of a waste Reynard's handsome face was, yet she knew Leora had truly lucked out in finding such a good husband.
Selena had always been envious of Leora. Not that she'd ever admit it out loud—especially not to Leora herself, who would just laugh and ruffle her hair, completely missing the subtle pang Selena felt. It wasn't even just Reynard, though the more time Selena spent around him, the more she understood why Leora had been so quick to snatch him up.
It was the whole package: the unshakable trust, the easy laughter, the way they fit so naturally together, as if their lives had been intertwined from the start. Selena knew, because she have watched them from the shadows, envious and wishful at the same time for the life that Leora managed to create for herself after quiting the hunter scene.
Reynard wasn't just a partner in the practical sense; he was someone who made Leora glow.
That kind of bond was rare, and Selena couldn't help but admire it—and, if she was honest, feel a touch of jealousy.
Watching Reynard now, a quiet confidence in his stance, Selena let out a sigh she didn't realize she was holding. He wasn't paying her any mind, already studying the room with his usual sharpness, likely assessing every face, every exit, and every remaining threat.
Selena shook her head, willing herself to stay focused. This isn't the time for daydreaming, she reminded herself. But as she followed Reynard's gaze, she couldn't help but feel a pang, wishing she'd find someone like him someday—someone to stand beside her with the same quiet strength.
A soulmate.
Gunshots rang out—rapid, relentless fire, aimed directly at them. Selena's instincts kicked in instantly. She saw Reynard hesitate for a split second, his focus split as he tracked the shooters.
"I got you!" she shouted, lunging forward. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close as her aura flared. Tapping into her light and disguise attributes, she created a scattering of afterimages, each one a ghostly replica of them sprinting in different directions.
In the confusion, she guided them back against the wall, blending their forms into the steel plates behind them. The shots hit nothing but flickering illusions. Breathing heavily, Selena tightened her grip around Reynard, keeping them pressed flat as more bullets ricocheted off the walls nearby.
She felt Reynard's surprised gaze on her, but she kept her focus on the attackers, scanning the chaos for any sign of movement. Her heart pounded, not only from the thrill of the danger but from the closeness between them. It was all she could do to stay level-headed.
Frankly, it was a secret she'd kept even from Leora… that she was in fact shy around guys…
As the gunfire finally ceased, she slowly relaxed her grip, keeping them camouflaged just in case. "You okay?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Reynard nodded with a glint of gratitude in his eyes. "Yeah… Thanks to you."
'Oh stop looking at me like that!'
Selena let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
She smiled, trying to play it off. "Just doing my job."
The attacker sneered as he reloaded, his gaze fixed on Reynard. He was one of the mundanes who had somehow survived the brutal elimination round. With a black bandana covering half his face and chapped, cracked lips, he looked both wild and desperate. His eyes burned with rage as he spat, "I saw it was you who pulled that stupid trick. You're dead. I'll kill you, motherfucker!"
Selena's eyes narrowed. 'So, he's recently awakened an aura,' she realized, feeling a faint shift in his energy. He seemed to be a Seeker type, his aura honing in on Reynard even through their disguise. But the bigger question was—how had he managed to get a gun past the initial checks?
The tension in the air sharpened as the announcer's voice suddenly boomed through the room, chillingly stern. "Guns are prohibited in this exam." His tone was dangerously calm, carrying a weight that silenced even the lingering skirmishes around them. "No guns. That rule is in place to respect the spirit of hunter combat and the practice of aura itself."
The gunman froze, his sneer melting into horror as he clutched his head. A scream tore from his throat as he began to cry out, "It hurts! My head—"
Blood trickled from his nose and eyes as his cries grew more frantic, his hands clawing at his temples. Then, in one horrifying instant, his head exploded, splattering blood and fragments across the floor. The room fell silent, the grisly reminder of the Association's authority sending a wave of dread through everyone present.
Selena felt her stomach twist, but she didn't let it show. She glanced at Reynard, who remained steady, his expression unreadable. She knew that he, too, had seen things like this before. It was a brutal reminder of the stakes they faced in the Association's trials—where even the smallest rule violation could have fatal consequences.
Reynard looked down at her, his gaze steady. "We'd better keep moving. There'll be more like him," he murmured.
Selena nodded, steeling herself. "Right. Let's go."
A memory flashed in Selena's mind as they moved through the quieted chaos—the days of her childhood, when her father had forced her into the brutal Hunting Dogs Program. She remembered the rigid drills, the unforgiving terrain, and the endless aura training. It was there, in that cold, relentless environment, that she had met Leora. Recently orphaned, Leora had been just as lost and bitter as Selena, and through shared hardship, they had bonded like sisters.
But Selena hadn't finished her training. One night, she had escaped, breaking free from the training camp and the Association's grasp. In exchange, she had lived a life of crime, far from the Association's influence. She had kept her distance from anything that might lead her back to that controlled, merciless world—until now.
The walls behind them slid open soundlessly, the steel plates retracting to reveal an unmarked door. Selena's concentration wavered, and her camouflage dissolved. Startled, she stiffened, her instincts kicking in, but Reynard's firm hand caught her shoulder.
"I got your back," he said, his voice steady and anchoring her.
Selena relaxed slightly, meeting his gaze. "And I've got yours, too."
They exchanged a brief, understanding look before turning their attention to the open doorway. This was no ordinary passage; she could feel a surge of intense aura emanating from beyond it, a signal that this was the next stage of the exam—and likely more treacherous than anything they'd encountered so far.
"Proceed forward," commanded the now mysteriously disembodied voice.
Selena and Reynard moved ahead in tandem with the other contestants, the darkness pressing in from all sides. The path was narrow and felt shorter than expected, a brief and tense walk that left Selena on edge. She felt Reynard's hand find hers, his grip reassuring.
"I've got sharper senses in the dark," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I can map out where the others are."
Trusting his guidance, Selena followed his lead. She was grateful for the subtle direction he provided as they navigated the crowded, shadowed passage. Soon, they emerged into a brightly lit room, the sudden flood of light momentarily blinding her. She blinked, adjusting, and then realized with a jolt how few people remained around them.
The crowd had thinned considerably.
The voice from before returned, cold and mocking. "Congratulations on surviving the second stage! And don't worry—they aren't dead!"
Selena glanced at Reynard, who looked equally unsettled. The ominous message echoed in her mind, sending a chill down her spine. She scanned the faces of the remaining contestants, each one a mix of weariness and uncertainty.
"Just how many didn't make it?" she murmured.
Reynard's gaze sharpened, but he kept his expression neutral. "Enough to show us this is no ordinary test. But we will be fine… everything had been manageable and within expectations."
The announcer's voice echoed throughout the room, still tinged with that casual, mocking tone. "You just passed the Trickster Stage! Now, wait for a bit until the next stage… The others are a bit slow. So loosen up, people, make friends, or something!"
Selena exchanged a wary glance with Reynard, who merely raised an eyebrow in response. The remaining contestants looked around, most of them still tense, some visibly exhausted. A few tried to follow the announcer's suggestion, engaging in cautious, murmured conversations, while others kept to themselves, sizing up the competition.
Selena leaned closer to Reynard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Trickster Stage… huh? I knew the Association's exams were intense, but this is something else."
He nodded, his gaze sweeping the room. "They're testing more than our skills. They want to see how we handle uncertainty and trust—who we align ourselves with and how we read the game." His eyes lingered on a group huddling near the wall, speaking in hushed tones. "Everyone's making mental calculations. Allies, threats... This respite is important. We can't be overconfident."
Selena crossed her arms, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Friends or foes, doesn't make a difference. No one here's going to be as reliable as you."
Reynard smirked. "That makes two of us." His expression softened just slightly, almost imperceptible to anyone else. "But we'll still need to make friends."
The lights dimmed briefly, and a flicker of movement caught Selena's attention. She turned to see a young woman approach, her stance non-threatening yet purposeful. "I'm Kara," the woman introduced, nodding to them both. "Mind if I join you?"
Selena glanced at Reynard, then back at the woman. She forced a polite smile. Allies… perhaps, she thought. But trust was another story.