Page 31 of Autumn Ritual

I cleared my throat and delivered a winning comeback. “You’re not so bad yourself—whoever you are.”

Yep. Not my finest bit of dialogue.

But the monster chuckled. “Goodnight, little wordsmith. Happy writing.”

Every instinct screamed to drag him with me, to find the bed, to go again and again as he tugged my wrist and gently pushed me through the front door. The warmth of the house enveloped me in a welcome embrace. But I would rather take the chill of the autumn wind if it meant staying in the dark with the monster.

Chapter 12 – Sara

“These are adorable!” Mamma lifted the clay pot and admired her work. “What a great idea, carina.”

I’d used the same glue she had, but somehow the leaf stuck to my pot looked sad.

“Oh, shoot, this one tore,” I muttered.

“Quit picking at them,” Mamma scolded playfully. “Perfectionism destroys the outcome.”

I pursed my lips. Easy for her to say! Mine simply did not look good.

With a huff, I picked up my phone and scrolled through the notifications. The social media teaser had been a hit! I would have to make another, but right now, my writing brain was stuck.

Huh. There weren’t any missed calls.

What did that make it now? Four? Five days without my ex contacting me? Rob had finally taken the hint and moved on. Relief flooded my veins, and I swiped away the social media notifications. I hadn’t realized how tight that knot of anxiety had been until it started to loosen.

“So, you were telling me about the sagging middle?” Mamma prompted.

I’ve been trying to tell you for the last hour. “Yeah, it feels flat.”

“Why doesn’t she meet with the Sovereign Emperor?” Mamma took a sip of tea and then started cleaning up our craft mess.

I sat back in my chair, considering the idea. “She hasn’t done anything to catch his attention.”

“When she wasn’t supposed to survive the first day in the arena, let alone multiple monsters, challenges, and combats, yet somehow she’s winning them all—don’t you think that would be a reason?”

“Maybe.” That didn’t make sense. “The Emperor doesn’t have an active hand in the game. The Game Master does.”

Laughing, my mother ruffled my hair as she glided past me. “Again. Stop with the perfectionism.”

I ducked out of her reach and groaned, “Mamma.”

“The Emperor is fascinated with the fights. What did you say? He likes to drink, fuck, and watch bloodshed. He’s never been part of a war campaign. So, a warrior, a female one, would pique his attention—oh!” Mamma clapped her hands. “Maybe he tries to sleep with her! Like sex sleep, not sleeping sleep.”

I groaned again. Talking to her was awkward sometimes. “That’s too easy.”

“But it’s believable.” Mamma’s pause was filled with a dramatic grin. “And how would your Shadow Daddy respond to that?”

He would freaking kill the Emperor.

Which was another problem. But that was tied up in the plot twist.

“That makes the politics too messy,” I protested.

Before my mother could interject, a shout rang out from my father’s office.

We turned as one toward the open arch from the kitchen.

“Is someone here?” I gasped as Papà’s voice boomed in response.