NARRATOR

As long as she remained his hostage, Zarek wouldn’t attack.

After all, all these tricks to control the castle were the only thing he could actually do—he was still imprisoned in the most hidden and dangerous dungeon.

Out of nowhere, Dante's sensitive ears picked up the whistle of air and the murderous magic heading straight for him.

Every instinct screamed at him to drop to the ground, and he obeyed.

He threw himself onto the cold iron floor of the bridge, holding Celine tightly in his arms as she trembled, her teeth chattering, her eyes shut tight and brimming with moisture.

“If you keep pushing her like this, you'll turn her into an idiot before you can even use her to blackmail Zarek,” he said, standing up and leaving Celine leaning against a corner of the bridge, away from the dark shadows and close to him.

“I’d rather fry her brain than let you be the one to benefit from her,” Merkall spat blood to the side, the scent of it thick in the air.

A lot of his people had to sa