The Apprentice (The Lost Realm Series #3)

Prologue

The light crunch of gravel was the only sound in the darkness as a lone, mysterious hooded figure purposefully made their way toward the single ramshackle house on the edge of the foreboding forest.

Had anyone been present to see this strange figure, they might have questioned the peculiar scene. But out in the very middle of nowhere, there was no one else around to question the motives of the hooded figure; no one to notice if the figure didn't return.

The person beneath the hood felt a nervous twisting in their stomach as they raised a hand to give a series of ordered knocks on the rotted, wooden door.

After a long, suspenseful moment, the door finally swung open, where another hooded figure—this one not even human by the looks of its long, twisted fingers—stood on the other side.

"He is waiting for you," it said in an awful, ear-splitting voice. The person beneath the hood nodded before following in the direction the creature gesticulated.

The room at the end of the hall was dark and empty, save for the tall, broad figure that stood on the other side, their muscular arms crossed as they expectantly waited for the hooded visitor's news.

"I had better like what I hear," the person at the end of the room warned the visitor in a cold, threatening voice.

The person stopped just in front of the powerful Dracon, noticing his eyes had turned a luminous golden color, his pupils thin black slits that resembled a reptile. The sight caused the person to give a nervous gulp.

Caine Fletcher was no laughing matter.

"Everything went according to plan," the hooded person informed him. "The Guardians don't suspect that you were involved with the Venators."

Caine's blond head bobbed in a short, pleased nod. "Very good. I was worried you would screw this up like the last one."

The person gave an inward shudder at the thought of Lucas Wright. After being disgracefully exiled from the Council, the Summoner boy had teamed up with a prestigious group of rigorously trained Stiffs—Venators—under Caine's second-hand order, where the group had captured the two Guardians of the Realms, with orders to restrain and weaken the Guardians until Caine was able to get his hands on them.

Unfortunately for Lucas, the mission hadn't gone at all as planned, with the Guardians' companions showing up and thwarting his plans before they could go any further.

Fortunately for Lucas, he had been accidentally killed by Evin LeFay, one of the Guardians, before Caine could do it himself. It was fortunate because the Summoner boy's death had been sudden and quick, whereas Caine, livid by Lucas' incompetence, had had slow, painful torture in mind for Lucas, keeping him alive until the very last minute.

"Tell me..." Caine started in a thoughtful voice.

The person beneath the hood fixed their eyes curiously on the intimidating man before them, wondering what could have possibly provoked Caine's sudden change of tone.

"What would you say about another assignment?"

"Already, sir?" the person asked in disbelief.

Caine's golden eyes narrowed. "Are you insinuating it is too soon?"

"N—no, sir," the person stuttered. "I'm just surprised you think I'm finally ready."

Caine's face split into a menacing smile as he deviously replied, "I would say you've finally proven your worth."

"Thank you, sir."

Caine waved his visitor's appreciative comment off, and in a warning voice replied, "Don't make me regret choosing you."