"Every wound was caused by someone else's sin"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09mKpc3ImD
Chapter 1 – Found Beneath the Rain
Jayden
The rain poured down relentlessly as I took another step. I pulled my cloak’s hood tighter over my head. I was too exhausted from just finishing a demanding task to spare any extra energy on drying my hair. I did my best not to soak my sweater.
As I kept walking, something entered my line of sight besides the wild plants and trees of the forest — a struggling figure: a child.
I quickly approached. In that moment, I noticed a shadowy presence around him, but I chose to ignore it and knelt down beside the child — my mind liked to play tricks on me from time to time; I assumed this was one of those moments.
As I knelt down, the first things I noticed were the severe beating he had endured… and that he wasn’t human. He was either a demon or a hybrid. Since he hadn’t healed himself, he was likely a hybrid — maybe even a weak variant. But I didn’t have the luxury to ponder that. The child was on the verge of losing consciousness. I immediately checked for fatal wounds — there were none — so I undid the ties of my cloak, slipped off my sweater, and carefully dressed him in it. I lifted him gently, doing my best not to cause him any pain, and walked quickly toward home.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMl6qC9tr5g
I didn’t run — I didn’t want to hurt him more or worsen whatever damage had already been done to his tiny body.
When I arrived, the first thing I did was clean his wounds. The cuts on his body weren’t deep enough to need stitching, but there were so many bruises and contusions. Whoever had done this...11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHgGfanuh8
In that moment, I wanted to rip them apart.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyDxI6cYRd
Why would anyone do this to a child?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4wSqZsTkd
What could he possibly have done?
As I examined the bruises around his neck and shoulders, I realized something I hadn’t at first — they weren’t normal bruises. They looked more like... bite marks.
Disgusting creatures. How? Why?
My blood boiled. I realized I’d been holding my breath out of rage and forced myself to take a few deep breaths. I needed to stay calm — for the child’s sake.
I gently bandaged the cuts, trying to be as soft and careful as possible. I didn’t want to scare him more or push him into shock. Lastly, I placed a small bandage on the cut on his forehead. His snow-white hair hid it from view. I dried his hair slightly and brushed it so it wouldn’t fall over his eyes. Then I took a dark navy sweater from my closet and gently pulled it over him.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhEN5yidXG
It was far too big, of course, but I folded it at the waist and sleeves so it wouldn’t restrict his movements.
Then I took a dagger, moved behind him, and carefully cut slits in the back of the sweater at shoulder height. His wings emerged. They, along with his horns and tail, were black.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyTPpnxC5v
His eyes were completely black as well, the irises empty and hollow — not like a child’s, but like a being forced to keep living.
I sat him on the couch and gently wrapped a blanket around him. The house might be cold — I was used to it and didn’t feel it anymore — but the child was already shivering. I couldn’t risk him falling ill; he needed warmth.
Now what?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqwWTuO0qn
Food!11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnuTeeRPVl
He had to be hungry. He was clearly exhausted.
I headed to the kitchen and opened the wooden cupboard. As expected, there wasn’t much — despite three of us living here. Just a few pastries and some fruit Luke had gathered, though I had no idea when he found the time.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5OIHoQtq2
Speaking of the three of us... how was I supposed to explain this?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNFgWSbpeo
Bringing the child here hadn’t exactly come with a plan.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHk9OMO49j
How would they react?
Zane, despite his intimidating appearance, had a kind heart — most of the time. My real concern was Luke.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsdxRiJTfs
He wasn’t cruel enough to suggest throwing the child out, but he might not want him here either. And understandably so — this child couldn’t even take care of himself. He would be a burden.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfA2skzbvW
Worse yet, Luke hated demons. Hated them to the bone.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvB4b1id3yf
And we still didn’t even know if the boy was a hybrid or a full demon…
For now, I pushed the thoughts aside, grabbed a plate, and returned to the room.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8E4sahMZft
The boy hadn’t moved. He looked exactly the same — frozen in place.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7TlX2zMcF
Either he was terrified, or he was too exhausted to react. Probably both.
I placed the plate gently on his lap and spoke softly, trying not to sound cold or intimidating:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauYerI5HmL
— “You must be hungry. I brought these for you. If you need anything, just say the word, okay? There’s no need to be afraid.”
At that moment, I heard the door open.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwgkmO7acO
They were back.
I stood up, glanced one last time at the boy, and headed to the entrance. Zane was there, his boots caked in mud. He stepped onto some old papers to avoid dirtying the floor, hung up his cloak, and straightened his clothes.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoROUl8yo9w
Though the black streaks in his white hair stuck to his face, his light blue eyes still sparkled. With his usual smile, he turned to me and shrugged:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDSYB3zmKn
— “Don’t even ask about Luke, Jay. He disappeared last minute again — probably off picking fruit or something.”
He was walking inside as he spoke. I needed to stop him and explain, but he kept going:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcClVh9KeJZ
— “Zane—”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNPOLTa8YM
— “And, and, and I swear—”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aBACp5Kkg
— “Zane!-”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0FqfieP87
— “And I promise that this week I’ll—”
Right then, he entered the room where the child was. I was still trying to explain when he saw the boy and froze.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeJoyhZZYw
His expression shifted to curiosity, and he turned back to me:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3am0yjUbi
— “Uhm... Who’s this little guy?”
I let out a deep sigh, pinched the bridge of my nose, and gently pulled him back out of the room. He tensed — odd for him, since he usually loved physical affection — but that wasn’t my concern right now.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUJJEfltVL
I took another deep breath and started explaining.
After I finished, Zane’s face had taken on a more thoughtful look. He rubbed his chin for a few seconds while I stood with arms crossed, waiting.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQImJ2u6ISz
Then he looked at me, his expression softening, and gave a small nod:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7bgMzyYrP
— “He can stay. No way we’re tossing him out. I’ll help you take care of him. And don’t worry about Luke — he’s not heartless. I’ll talk to him.”
That eased me, even if just a little. If anyone could talk to Luke, it was Zane. They were childhood friends — they had a bond I never quite understood.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbpkhFg4om
Noticing my relief, Zane smiled, glanced at the boy, and patted my shoulder. Normally I wouldn’t have allowed it, but this time I let it slide. He grinned in satisfaction and headed to his room to change clothes.
I returned to the child. He had eaten most of the food on the plate — only a few pieces of fruit remained. He’d placed the empty dish beside him. I picked it up and asked:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1ASFPHZjy
— “Do you want anything else?”
He didn’t answer. He just looked at me with those empty, hollow eyes.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3mALQ6DOG
My heart sank for a moment, but I composed myself.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33JrpPnLvT
I adjusted the blanket that had slipped from his shoulder, then went back to the kitchen and put the plate away.
When I returned, Zane was sitting next to the boy, seemingly trying to talk to him. The child was facing him — not entirely vacant anymore.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqmBGyoqgm
He seemed to understand Zane, but for some unknown reason, he still didn’t respond or change expression.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKoZ36gjym
Zane was speaking in a big-brotherly tone, warm and playful. I could tell he had already started to feel for the boy — it was just in his nature.
Standing in the doorway, I watched them for a while, lost in thought. I didn’t even notice how much time had passed.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUpDyXJvqm
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavOkwImMoZ
Luke had arrived.
I could hear him removing his cloak and boots. I took a deep breath. Zane must have heard it too — he stood up and headed to greet him. I followed close behind.
The first thing I noticed was that Luke was limping.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNikduweQj1
His expression, as usual, was hard to read — the black cloth mask covering his mouth, the dark navy and teal-streaked hair tied into a low ponytail, the strands falling over his left eye…11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0WuGK1RCL
I knew his right eye was amber. Zane once told me that the way Luke dressed and hid himself was his own choice — and that I shouldn’t pry. I hadn’t.
As Luke entered, Zane asked:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9AY0d7eaP
— “Luke, what happened?”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eOUg6qPiF
— “It’s nothing. I just tripped while walking. Nothing serious.”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClDOcr8eqy
— “But you’re limping—”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrKEgsgwJ0
— “I said it’s nothing, Zane. Drop it.”
Despite his limp, Luke moved quickly into the room. When he saw the child, he froze for a moment.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtM4iJTmDyf
He looked at Zane, then at me, and then back at the child.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSn6jpGupY
His gaze lingered for several seconds longer than expected.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxH3fxTrEE
Then he turned back to us:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2E78wh0nKp
— “The hybrid is your responsibility. Don’t drag me into it.”
As if we’d already told him everything and he was just giving his verdict.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGESuHPnsTa
It was odd.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOUJJWcUkK
But I was grateful nonetheless — at least he wasn’t stopping us.
