Chapter 1 Saving A Life

Beyond the city limits of Wrille, a thunderous splash erupted as something plunged into the river, breaking the spell of midnight quiet.

Kathryn Palmer lingered beside the bank, and a wave of cold water hit her without warning.

A subtle metallic scent crept through the night air.

Her instincts pricked up-she had come across this scent before.

That was the unmistakable scent of blood.

Someone had plunged into the river, and whoever it was, they were hurt.

Before long, muffled voices broke the darkness, drifting her way.

"Keep looking!"

"We can't afford to miss a single clue!"

"Don't let him make it out alive!"

A rush of hurried footsteps approached.

Kathryn shot upright, meaning to leave, but a hand clamped around her ankle in a plea for help.

"Please... anything you want, just help me..." The stranger's voice barely rose above a whisper.

His grip slackened as he slipped from consciousness.

In her mind, Kathryn decided that fate never placed a healer in someone's path by accident. If this stranger had landed at her feet, then saving him must be her task.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small vial, tipped a pill into her palm, and carefully slipped it between his lips.

Every second, the footsteps thundered nearer. Glimmers of torchlight cut through the darkness.

Holding her breath, she let herself sink into the river's embrace, pulling the stranger along.

Not long after, men dressed in black prowled along the shore, eyes sharp and searching. But the surface rippled softly, betraying nothing.

Finding nothing, the men scattered, empty-handed.

Once the riverbank was quiet again, Kathryn dragged the stranger out of the water and back onto solid ground.

Ice-cold water numbed her skin as she fought the cold, shivering and sneezing but pushing onward.

A quick check told her the man's pulse was steady-he was still hanging on.

She didn't pause for even a breath before starting CPR.

Moments seemed to slip away until, with a sudden jolt, the man convulsed, coughing up great gulps of water.

A gentle hand hovered over his nose, and when Kathryn felt the faintest breath, relief rushed out of her lungs.

As the mist drifted off, silver moonlight poured over the scene.

The stranger's face became clear: strikingly handsome, almost too perfect.

Movement caught her attention. The stranger shifted again.

His eyelids fluttered open. He saw a girl crouching beside him.

The moonlight revealed a black crescent tattoo on her collarbone.

With what little strength remained, Evan Knight struggled to look up, wishing for a better view of the girl's face.

But fatigue overwhelmed him. Eyes slipping shut, he fell unconscious once more.

Kathryn showed no sign of panic. Another pill found its way between his lips.

Moonbeams slid across his drenched form as she checked for wounds. Blood pooled at his waist-a deep gash, but not one meant to kill. Fainting was simply his body's way of coping with the loss.

She ripped open the soaked shirt, cleaned the wound, and sprinkled powder to stem the bleeding.

A smirk tugged at her lips when she finished. She couldn't resist reaching out to pinch his impossibly handsome cheek.

"Two of my rarest pills, just for you. Hope you're worth the trouble."

Certain that he'd pull through, Kathryn gathered her things and turned to go.

But something stopped her-his earlier words echoed in her mind.

Her gaze wandered back to him, pausing on the pendant draped across his chest.

Moonlight set the crimson gemstone ablaze. The piece was unique-impossible to forget.

"You said anything I want. I couldn't care less about promises. But I do enjoy unusual little treasures."

Leaning in, she closed her hand around the pendant.

"You owe me your life. I'm just collecting what's fair. Now we're even."