Tale of the Deceived

Copyright © 2023 by Ariana Cane All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in book reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author at the contact form @arianacane.com ASIN ‏ : B0BNTK4TN5‎ ISBN: 9798372424623 Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination. Book cover design: Jaqueline Kropmanns. Editor: Anna Noel. First printed edition January 2023. To those who secretly loved Edward. To those who wanted a happy ending for Sephiroth (you know what I mean, wink-wink). To those who love slow-burn with tons of tension before they get to business. To those who wanted Gerald to be a vampire and to suck really well. To those who believe that “not all those who wander are lost”. This book is for you. Contents Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Afterword Also by Ariana Cane Social links Prologue Welcome to the New World—the place where everyone is just trying to survive. I still have memories from before the fall of the Gates, the monumental shift when the veil separating our world from the rest of them was ripped apart, and we were introduced to everything… other. Even though my memory fades more and more every day, I can still picture the building I worked at and the little coffee shop on the first floor. But I can’t quite remember the color of the door or the exact neon words screaming at every passerby in the windows. The images are just vague. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not. Fond stories from the past keep you running, but they also keep you wondering, what if? That’s the real danger. Letting yourself think that. When you can’t get your mind off the life you’ll never lead again, the engine that keeps you running on pure stubbornness eventually dies. And along with it, your desire to live. Because no matter how hard you try, you can’t relive those memories. Some people didn't accept the creatures that came to light in the New World. Not everyone can understand the rules and adjust accordingly. It’s hard when your life is being ripped apart over and over again. When you were Chapter One Sadie “Sadie! Sadie!” I turn toward the voice. My little neighbor is running at me with flowers in her tiny hands. Her blonde hair can’t keep up with her pace and flows behind her like a veil. I keep polishing my knife but acknowledge her presence with a nod, trying to keep my excitement about seeing her at bay. No need to encourage the kid when I’m not planning on staying longer than necessary; after all, I have a mystery to solve out there. “Hey, Lily,” I say, as emotionless as possible. It’s hard—the kid is super cute, and my stone-cold heart wants nothing more but to latch onto her warmth. She stretches her pale hand and offers me three half-dead, browning dandelions. “Look, look! I picked them myself. Aren’t they pretty?” “Indeed, they are.” I can’t fight the smile anymore—she's so full of sunshine and rainbows that I can’t resist her. She sits on the stairs next to me and puts the unsightly flowers on her bony knees. “Is that yours?” she nods to my hunting knife. I wipe it one more time with an oil-covered cloth, and it sparkles in the sunlight. “It is. My father gave it to me when I was a kid myself. Not much older than you are now.” It wasn’t your typical