Page 22 of Summoned
In an instant, the air thickens with a dark, electric friction that makes my skin prickle. I swivel on my heel and see his shadowed figure leaning against the door. The space around him shimmers and distorts. Darkness recedes, unveiling his sharp features carved with icy precision, radiating both arrogance and threat.
My heart leaps into my throat.
“To avoid confusion about our contract, let’s get one thing clear—I’m not a ghost. I’m a witcher.” The low vibrations of his words resonate through my core.
A witcher. The Black Joker.
So, I didn’t dream last night after all.
Channeling a shred of fake confidence, I step toward him. “What’s this contract you keep going on about?”
He arches an eyebrow in a gesture of disdain. “The one you and I signed,Baroness.”
The contempt in his voice when he says the nickname doesn’t escape me. Rather than disturbing me, it’s like a slap, jolting me out of my startled, rabbit-like daze. I’ve spent years earning the title my father gave me, and I’ve learned not to flinch in the face of trouble, but to crush it.
“I demand to read it.”
The corners of his lips twitch into a smile, though hisexpression remains ice cold. “Very well.”
He waves a hand through the air and, defying the laws of reality, that same scroll appears before me. The old parchment unfurls slowly. Golden ink spells out handwritten letters across it, flickering between hues of silver and deep purple—like magic.
Because itismagic.
I ignore the fresh spike in my pulse and focus on the words.
CONTRACT FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF A WISH IN EXCHANGE FOR THREE TRIALS
By this act, concluded beyond the bounds of written time and sealed under the authority of the Higher Powers, I, Gaetano Neri (hereinafter “the Summoned”), agree to render my services to Nicole Vrancheva (hereinafter “the Summoner”), on the condition that such services shall commence upon the Summoner’s twenty-first birthday, wherein the contract is activated.
The Summoner acknowledges and accepts the following:
1. Every act arising from this contract occurs by their own will, regardless of any ambiguity in its consequences.
2. No force, magical or otherwise, may annul this contract once sealed with the Summoner’s personal sigil.
3. The stake is the Summoner’s freedom, including their soul.
The Summoned agrees to:
1. Present three trials to the Summoner, at his sole discretion, while guaranteeing their physical safety throughout the process.
2. Grant the Summoner a reasonable period to complete the trials, which shall not exceed three weeks from the moment the contract is activated.
3. Upon successfulcompletion of all three trials, grant the Summoner a single wish—whether strength, knowledge, or another resource in alignment with the Summoner’s desires, within the bounds permitted by the Higher Powers.
This contract remains in effect until the stated condition is fulfilled or the Summoner fails, whichever occurs first. Should the contract’s time limit expire before either outcome is achieved, it shall be deemed a failure on the part of the Summoner.
Any breach of this contract by either party shall result in immediate and unconditional banishment to Hell for an unspecified duration, enforceable upon both parties.
The Summoned bears no responsibility for any emotional or psychological damage incurred by the Summoner.
Summoner:Summoned:
Beneath the final lines of the contract, reddish stains mark the parchment. On closer inspection, they resemble drops of blood that have seeped into the very threads of the document.
I read and reread the words, while the fabric flutters like a bird hovering in place. “I never signed this!”
“On the contrary.” The Black Joker’s motionless figure reminds me of a dark statue by the door. He pushes away from it and strides over to me. That bittersweet scent becomes overpowering as he stops beside the parchment and gestures to the red blotch beneath the wordSummoner. “This is your bloo?, offered freely and with full awareness.”
