Page 1 of Queen of Vengeance

PROLOGUE: JAX

Jaricn Ransom made his way through the perfectly placed cobblestone streets of Theskin, keeping his head down and his hood up to avoid attracting attention. His tall stature and sharp drawing line would have been enough to attract favorable attention from women, but combined with his chosen occupation? No, if anyone got a good glimpse of him, he’d never accomplish what he set out to do today. If they knew who he was, he would be lucky to return home without an entourage of groupies—not to mention the frivolous news reports would be released the following morning. While he loved nothing more than constant press and hot ladies, wolves who dressed as if the stores ran out of fabric throwing themselves at him, now was not the time for it. Everyone wanted a piece of Jax, the Potion King. However, he was a very busy man.

He chuckled to himself, fixing his coat proudly.

The streets of Theskin bustled with merchants and coins, unlike in other parts of Carvel. Theskin was different. It was the city capital and could afford more privileges than the rest of this third-world country.

The pure white stone used to construct the towering buildings still amazed Jax.

The material was called Vermil, an expensive and hard-to-come-by commodity. Its greatest attribute was how strong the stone was. It allowed the buildings to stand so tall that they almost touched the sky.

Jax’s attention fell to the gold and silver laced accents throughout the white stone.

The rising Solare, their precious star, hit the city just right, causing an angelic glow throughout its buildings.

“Nothing beats the beauty of Theskin.” Jax gleefully thought.

“Did you hear that? The Potion King came himself and will appear today in our fair capital!”

Jax overheard one woman talking to one of the merchants.

“Oh, I hope I run into him. His looks are supposed to be the stuff of legends.” The merchant giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Handsome and a genius? No wonder he’s called the Potion King. His wife is a very lucky woman.” The other woman responded, slumping her head into her hands in defeat.

Jax smirked. “Genius, huh? They speak; therefore, I am.”

Jax basked in the recognition that he had fought so hard for.

I spent my whole life climbing out of the dirty hole I was born into. A pathetic village called Dask, where only the poorest live. From being nothing better than a rat crawling on the ground to being Potionist Royalty… Nothing beats that feeling.

Years of being noticed hadn’t gotten old, and the ring of the Potion King was still as sweet to hear as the first time.

He only had about a mile left to go down the street before he reached his destination. Despite the fine black velvet of his clock and the gold trim peeking out from underneath, he did not draw much attention. He even thought he might get away with it. He was wrong. Despite his discretion, his emerald eyes flickered to the left, meeting the eyes of a woman much younger than him.

Her eyes widened as an owl, and he realized he’d made a horrible mistake.

She opened her mouth and screamed his name, “Oh, my Solara! It’s Jax Ransom!”

He scarcely had time to look around before hoards of people accosted him.

They were grabbing his hand and shaking it while speaking to him all at once.

“I—” He tried to speak, but he was sure no one could hear him like this. “You want a show?” He chuckled as he reached for a thin glass vial filled with a swirling pink and silver liquid.

His favorite trick for dazzling the masses. Years ago, he concocted a simple potion that was just as effective today.

He smashed the vial on the ground, and the hoards of people jumped back when fireworks shot up into the air.

Splashes of pink and silver exploded in the sky as the people stood in awe.

As Jax unleashed a werewolf roar, deep and primal, the sound vibrated through the air, stirring the crowd into a frenzy of cheers. His fans, a sea of faces illuminated by Lunairlight, seemed to draw even closer, their adulation feeding the beast within. His petty self-worth swelled, a tidal wave crashing through his veins, each roar and cheer binding them tighter to his will. Every day, the adoration of his fans surged like the wild, untamed forces of nature, echoing the power he felt coursing through him under the full Lunair’s gaze. It was an intoxicating brew, far headier than the muted accolades of his school days. Now, with the wealth of the lands at his feet and his name whispered in awe from the darkened alleys of Dask to the glittering spires of far-off cities, Jax basked in a glory that was not just human but legendary. The duality of his existence, man intertwined with a beast, only magnified his allure, each facet of his being drawing the crowd ever closer into the orbit of his charismatic gravity.

Jax commended himself for distracting them so quickly, then grabbed a handful of premixed Port Powder tucked away in a special purple pouch. He took a fistful and threw it at his feet.

With a disorienting boom, the crowd backed even further away with a collective gasp. When the smoke cleared, no trace of Jax remained.

Gotta love the perks of Port Powder.

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