By the time she woke, Ushil’s Watch had ended. The moon hung in full, with a perfect view from the bedroom window.

  As if Nia were taunting her.

  Showing herself in a proud glory, pretending she had never heard Serene’s pleas the night before. There was nothing divine in that light anymore, arrogance and hubris shining in its place.

  She stood on stiff legs and dragged herself into the dining room. Rubbing her swollen eyes, a voice surprised her.

  “Thought you’d sleep through the entire night.”

  A single candlelight softened the man’s face, his black hair swaying before his bark-colored eyes.

  “Leave me be,” she said.

  He straightened, pulling something off of his belt, and offered it to her.

  “First rule you need to learn: survive by any means. Nothing else matters if you die.”

  Serene’s face tightened, puzzled, as she grasped a long, sheathed knife from his hand.

  “You mean… You’ll teach me?”

  “If you pass the first test. Make sure you keep that knife hidden at all times.”

  The corner of her lips twinged, and she gave a small, but brief, smile.

  “Thank you.”

  He opened the door leading down to the cellar, and said, “Don’t be thanking me yet.”

  Serene tucked the knife into her waistline, lifted her shirt over it, and followed him. Each stair creaked under her weight, her anxiety rising with every step. She rounded the corner and froze.

  Alphon sat in the middle of the cellar, tied to one of the dining room chairs. His terrified eyes stared into hers, pleading for help. Alphon’s mouth was gagged with some loose cloth, but he tried to scream through it, only muffled distress escaping.

  “What is this?” Serene asked, her hands shaking.

  “This is your test,” the man responded. He walked behind Alphon, and started to cut the ropes. “Only one of you leaves this cellar alive, but who that one is, is up to you two.”

  He nudged Alphon up straight, moving the chair back and taking a seat himself.

  “You want me to kill Sir Alphon?” she gasped. Alphon’s eyes darted between the two, wide and uncertain.

  “I don’t care who kills who, as long as it’s done.”

  “But why must it be someone I know?” she yelled, panic filling her bones.

  “You vowed to burn this world down. Did you think that only strangers would get caught in the fire?” he asked.

  Serene opened her mouth, but words failed to come.

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  “You said you’d kill the gods themselves. Yet one frightened neighbor stops you?”

  She swallowed hard, remembering her rage that spat her vows. Her hand drifted toward the knife at her waist, slow not to give away her advantage.

  “There is one rule. No weapons. If either of you uses one, I will be their next opponent.”

  Serene’s head shot up, her readied hand dropped fast to her side.

  “If you don’t want to die,” the man said, calm as still water, “fight for it.”

  Alphon shook his head in disbelief, tears swelling in the candlelight, as he staggered forward. He stood at least a foot taller than her, feeling small beneath his figure.

  He gave one last glance into her eyes, an apology he hoped would reach her. He lurched toward her with a desperate, trembling swing.

  Serene stumbled back to avoid it, his attack slowed with hesitation. She wanted to swing back, but wasn’t sure how. She recalled her soft blows on the head guard and how little it impeded him.

  He punched again, quicker than the first, but missed her face, striking her shoulder instead.

  Serene stumbled back, wincing from the pain. It shocked her how much a weak punch could hurt. She had never been hit by anyone in her life.

  Alphon gained momentum, staying close to her and attacking again.

  She ducked his attempt and lunged forward, latching onto him tight, not knowing what else to do.

  His breaths were all that could be heard as he rained punches down onto her head. Serene’s grip on him weakening with each connection. His height against her proved to be a strong advantage.

  She became disoriented for a moment, a hard hit staggering her. She lost her grip and fell to her knees.

  She quickened herself to stand, but felt him grab a handful of her hair, yanking it tight. Serene let out a scream, her eyes now streaming with tears.

  She tried to pry his hands open, her breaths rapid and scared. Before she could realize what happened, her face bounced off the cold, concrete floor. Then again.

  Warm blood spilled from her nose, pooling beneath her cheek. Then, her hair was released, and she was forced over onto her back.

  Shaking hands wrapped around her throat, squeezing tighter and tighter, like a snake constricting its prey.

  Her thoughts raced as her breath ceased. She punched with desperate fury, unable to reach his face with her short arms.

  Serene’s hand fell to her side, bumping against her hidden knife.

  Alpon’s tears fell onto her purple-tinted face, her view of him blurring.

  She fumbled for the hilt, pulling the knife, unsure what she was doing. She gripped the collar of his shirt, wound it up in her fist, and pulled him forward, the last of her strength surfacing.

  She didn’t think—she just moved. The knife plunged into his neck, blood squirted out, painting across the floor in splashing lines.

  Serene drank the air in gulps, like a drunkard’s first ale of the day. She rolled over on her side and steadied herself.

  Alphon lay next to her, his hands pushed into his neck as blood leaked out between his fingers. He couldn’t give any screams or cries, the gag denying him any last words, as his frantic shaking came to a slow stop.

  She looked over, his face softened; the pain had left him. Serene heaved and lost what little was in her stomach, the adrenaline overcoming her body.

  The man walked over to her, bent down and waited for her to calm down.

  “I had to,” Serene said, shaking between her breaths. “I had to use it.”

  He didn’t respond.

  “Are you… going to kill me now?”

  “You did good,” he said.

  Her brow furrowed and eyes squinted. She wiped her nose with a blood-stained hand. “But I broke your rule?”

  “The only rule you should ever follow is ‘survive by any means.’ No consequence matters if you’re dead.”

  Serene sighed, the weight of boulders being lifted off her chest.

  “If you still intend to burn the world, I’ll teach you.”

  Peering deep into his haunting eyes, she nodded. “Nothing’s changed.”

  He offered his hand to her, and helped her to her feet. “My name is Ashkin.”

  “I’m Serene.”

  “But if you mean to kill a god, you’ll need someone far better than me.”