Page 20 of Monster's Reward

“He didn’t reject her just because she’s a shadow monster,” Mikaela said. “He rejected her becausehe’sone of the Varulvka.”

“Yes,” I said, “because hisoathis more important than his mate.”

“Well, itisan important oath,” Jasmine said. “Varulvka are protectors of the realms, after all, but I still don’t understand why that would force him to reject you. You’re not a danger.”

“According to Jahrdran, I am.” I then told her the story of the rogue shadow monster and how that story had ended in genocide.

“So, let me get this straight,” Jasmine said. “There used to be a lot of shadow monsters like Kasi, but then, one of them went rogue and no one could capture him or her, so the entire species was hunted and killed? Even the babies?” Jasmine sounded as horrified as I’d been when I’d learned the fate of my people.

“Pretty much,” Mikaela said.

“Yep,” I agreed glumly.

“Although, according to my mom,” Mikaela said, “there’s the remote possibility that the rogue wasn’t a shadow monster at all.”

“Wait,what?” I exclaimed. Not a single professor had mentioned this possibility.

“It’s just a theory,” Mikaela said, “but my mom says there’s a pretty good chance it’s correct.”

“I don’t understand,” Jasmine said. “So an entire species might have been wiped out for nothing?”

“If it wasn’t a shadow monster, who was dragging people into the shadows?” I demanded.

“I don’t know,” Mikaela said.

“Honestly, as far as I’m concerned, genocide was an overreaction, regardless of who was it was,” I said. “My people were unfairly executed—most, if not all of them, innocent of any crime. So, the fact that it might not have been a shadow monster wouldn’t even matter to me, except—” I stopped because I wasn’t even sure I should want what I’d been about to say.

“It might make a difference for Jahrdran?” Jasmine asked gently.

I nodded. “Not that he deserves a second chance, but—”

“He’s your mate,” Mikaela said.

I nodded.

“So what do you want to do?” Jasmine asked.

“I need to find out the truth.”

Never mind that I’d had no luck in my search so far. In a single day, in two conversations, one with my mate and one with my friends, I’d discovered more truths than I had in more than a year, and I was determined to keep that streak going.

“That’s going to be awfully difficult,” Mikaela said, “considering there just aren’t that many reliable records from that time. Most monsters today believe the shadow monsters were a myth. I’ve read the majority of my mother’s library and only found one reference to the shadow monsters in the entire collection.”

I nodded. “I’m not surprised, considering I’ve done thousands of searches in the Academy library and have come up with nothing.”

“Have you searched the archives room?” Jasmine asked.

I shook my head. “None of the professors will give me permission.”

“But that makes no sense,” Jasmine exclaimed. “I mean, sure, we have to get special permission, and Mr. Brecken usually hovers to make sure we’re not doing anything dastardly with his books, but—”

“Mr. Brecken told me the headmistress specifically forbade him from allowing me to set foot in the archives room,” I said.

“But that’s huge, Kasi,” Mikaela said. “It means there’s probably something important inside the room.”

“I know, but the door is sealed and he won’t even crack the door if I’m in the library. Someone comes in, asking to visit the archives and he tells them to come back later or he asks me to leave. The professors all know I can use the shadows to travel, so he’s not taking a chance I might shadow-hop right into the archives.”

“Well, then, we’ll just have to work together to get you inside,” Jasmine said.

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