Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) V.A. Lewis (feel good books to read .TXT) 📖

know it is. It’s been a year now, and all you ever talk about anymore is that stupid book!" the girl snapped back.

"Listen to me, Elena. I am not obsessed. All I desire is to acquire the truth," Victor spoke succinctly. Then he sniffed. "And I’m not sure why you’re calling me obsessed, when you still pay tribute to the Church, knowing full well that they’re nothing more than a false institution propped up to perpetuate these false ideals."

Elena stood aghast, and replied defensively. "You don’t know that! And I’m not paying tribute to the Church, I’m paying tribute to the Goddess."

Victor laughed. "I see, you’re just in denial. After I’ve explained so thoroughly to you such a simple concept a copious number of times."

"I-I…" Elena reached for his hand, and grasped it gently. She spoke softly. "Please Victorianius. You can’t keep doing this. We’ll be going to the Xanthe Academy soon. If you keep this up over there…"

He shook his head, pulling his hand back. "I can’t just give up on this. In fact, I’m actually quite talented in magic. Without anyone to teach me— without any books or grimoires to study— I’ve learned a few spells all by myself. And I did it all in secret."

"...so that’s what this is about then. Pride?"

"No. I just told you, it’s about the truth. Why do you find it so hard to understand something so simple," Victor snorted. When Elena said nothing in response, he continued. "I’m looking to procure more books on magic and its history too. It’s not easy. But it is possible. I just have to be very discreet."

Victor turned to Elena, and his gaze met hers. He placed one hand on her shoulder and looked solemnly at her.

"You’re the only one who knows this, Elenora. Promise me you won’t tell anyone."

She hesitated. Then she sighed and took his hand.

"I promise."

 

 

 

 

"You lied."

Victor said nothing else. He looked at Elena as she hid behind his father.

"I’m sorry," she whispered.

"There’s nothing to be sorry for, Lady Elenora. My son has committed a grave sin, and you’ve done good by telling me of it," the patriarch of the Valens family spoke gently to the girl. Then he turned to his son. "Victorianius Valens. You are a disgrace to our family! We are pulling you out from Xanthe this instant, and your education shall resume under our supervision."

"You can’t do that!" the boy sputtered. But his father heard not a word of it.

"Yes I can. And I will. Your actions could have cost our household everything! Generations of hard work gone to waste because of one foolish child. Where did you even get that apocrypha from?! Word of this shall not leave this room. Do you understand me?"

"I— yes, father."

"Good." The man headed for the door, but stopped by Elena before leaving. "Lady Elenora, please don’t tell your father— the Earl about this."

"I won’t, Lord Valens."

"Thank you."

They spoke quietly at the exit, as the boy— a few years away from being a young man— glared at them. No. Not at the man.

His gaze fixated on the girl. His childhood friend. His betrayer.

And he swore revenge.

"It’s time."

The words broke Victor out of his trance. The young man got up from his knees, and faced the figure waiting at the doorway.

"Ah, Gerritt. Is it already midnight?"

"Yes," the Orc confirmed. "Praying before the battle?"

The corners of his mouth quirked up. "Indeed. Not for aid, but to give thanks. After all, thanks to Her, Melas has decided to join us tonight."

Gerritt eyed him with some hesitation. "I am… worried for her. She is too young to fight. Even if she promised she would stay by my side."

"Fear not, Commander. I know you have seen many difficult battles, but this is not one of them. It will be a decisive victory. My presence alone should guarantee it."

"Then why must Melas fight?" Gerritt asked, frowning. "What good would having a child on the battlefield do?"

For a moment, Victor’s smile faded and his forehead creased. Then he strolled past the Dark Commander. "To prove herself, of course. So the Infernalis will see that she’s on our side."

"Hrmph. And who does that benefit?"

The Orc posed the question to the Dark Acolyte. But there was no response. They both knew the answer to it, and responding would be pointless.

***

"Why do we always get the damned night shift?"

A guard rested both arms on the stone crenellations of the wall. He gazed up at the night sky as someone next to him retorted.

"Maybe it’s because you keep running your stupid mouth off to the Captain?"

"It’s not my fault! She’s the one who let’s me do it. You know, I’d think she likes me if she weren’t such a b—"

"Can both of you shut up? We’re supposed to keep watch, not chat," a sharp voice interrupted the mundane chatter.

The third guard turned away from his two companions, and fixed his eyes on the darkness ahead. Only the dim torches mounted on the fortress’ walls lit up the night, a sliver of the moon— not even a crescent— barely visible to the naked eye.

"Why do you gotta be so stuck up, man? The Captain ain’t gonna sleep with you even if you—"

"Shut up," the second guard cut him off. "Why are you like this? You’ve only been stationed here for a few weeks and you’re acting like you’ve been stuck here for years."

"And that’s what I’m saying! Why do we even have to be here? It’s not like those Abominations— or whatever they’re calling it— are anywhere close to us."

"What about the slave revolts happening all across the Free Lands? Not worried about them?"

"Not really. It’s not like we even have that many