Chapter 8 The Hidden Circle Auction Symbol
Evra's POV
The man, Seran Thorne, bowed his head slightly. He moved like an aristocrat tired of dealing with lesser beings.
“Lord Magnus,” he greeted. His voice smooth, courteous… and sharp. “We are not here without permission. You purchased an item from the House of Crescent Auction. By Hidden Circle protocol, an inspection must be done within twenty-four hours.”
Item.
He called me an item.
Magnus stepped halfway in front of me, blocking their view. “Evra is not an item.”
Seran lifted a brow. “Legally, until the auction seal is removed, she is still registered as property of the House of Crescent.”
My blood boiled.
But Magnus spoke before I could.
“Do it quickly. And none of you will touch her more than necessary.”
Seran flicked his fingers.
Lyris Vaelle, the blood witch, stepped closer. She opened a small scroll filled with red ink like liquid glass. From another pouch, she pulled out a thin black needle.
“I only need to confirm the specimen is stable,” she said coldly.
I shuddered.
Magnus held my arm. “No one touches her without my permission.”
“Of course,” Seran replied. “We mean no offence. This is simply to ensure the buyer, you, don’t receive a damaged specimen that reflects poorly on our auction.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to scream. “I’m not a specimen.”
Lyris smiled faintly. “Every human… wolf… hybrid… is a specimen to the forces that want to map you, dear.”
Her words cut deeper than her needle ever could.
Magnus leaned close to my ear, voice quiet. “I won’t let them hurt you. Trust me.”
A warmth spread through my chest.
Fear—yes.
But also safety.
A strange, impossible sense of safety.
Lyris stepped closer.
“Show me your wrist.”
I swallowed, then lifted my arm. Beneath my skin, a faded symbol glowed—the auction mark. A small circle with branching lines, dim like old ink. I had no idea how long it’d been there.
Maybe since I passed out.
Lyris touched the mark.
And the world snapped open.
Something jolted inside my chest—like a current of electricity ripping through my bones, forcing something awake.
Something hot.
Something red.
Something ancient.
My eyes flew open.
My body trembled.
Lyris stumbled back, going pale. “This… this isn’t a normal resonance.” She backed up again. “There’s… a second layer? No, third?”
Seran finally looked startled.
Magnus was instantly beside me, gripping my shoulder. “Evra. Focus on me. Ignore everything else.”
But it was too late.
The voice was awake.
“…you are being called…”
I clenched my teeth. “No… no… go away…”
Lyris suddenly lifted her hand, drawing symbols in the air. The red ink dripped from the needle, forming a magic circle.
“The seal… it’s reacting to her internal energy!” Lyris said shakily. “If I remove it, that energy—”
“Do it,” Seran cut in calmly. “We cannot leave an auction mark on someone who has been purchased. That violates protocol.”
“If the mark is restraining dangerous energy—”
“Protocol is protocol.”
Lyris swallowed hard. She looked at me.
“I’m going to touch you again,” she whispered—maybe to me, maybe to herself.
The black needle touched my skin.
I held my breath.
The world exploded.
Something inside me lurched alive—like thousands of burning red threads being ripped out from deep within me. I screamed without sound.
Magnus barked at her, “Stop if she’s in pain!”
“She’s not in pain,” Lyris said, panicked. “She’s… waking.”
Waking?
Who?
What?
The voice returned, right against my ear.
“…I will return…”
Lyris’ eyes widened. The mark suddenly blazed red, then popped in a burst of energy.
And the auction seal vanished.
Lyris dropped to her knees, gasping.
Seran watched, eyes sharp. “Fascinating.”
Magnus pulled me into his arms, shielding me with his body. “Evra. I’m here. Look at me.”
I forced my eyes open.
Magnus.
Only Magnus.
His gaze full of fire and worry. His hand on the back of my neck grounding me, pulling me back to reality.
“My gods,” Lyris whispered. “That energy… it’s going to cause problems.”
Magnus snapped his head toward them. “You’re done. Leave.”
Seran adjusted his gloves. “Of course. We have what we came for.”
“No one can know about this,” Magnus warned.
Seran smiled politely—dangerously. “Lord Magnus, you know the rules. If an anomaly is found in a specimen—”
“Evra,” Magnus corrected.
“—in Evra,” Seran repeated calmly, “it must be reported.”
Magnus nearly growled. “If anyone else tries to come for her—”
“Relax. We aren’t your enemies,” Seran replied, though his tone made the room colder. “The Hidden Circle merely maintains order.”
His pale grey eyes turned to me.
Cold as glass.
Analytical.
Measuring.
Judging.
“Take care of her, Lord Magnus. But… do not be too quick to believe she’s just a normal human.” Seran closed his coat. “Blood like that does not wake without reason.”
He turned.
Lyris followed, still shaking.
The door closed.
Silence fell.
Magnus exhaled slowly, lowering his head as if restraining his anger had cost him too much. Then he turned back to me, coming close, cupping my face in both hands.
“Evra,” he said softly, voice rough. “Are you alright?”
I tried speaking. “I… I heard the voice again.”
Magnus shut his eyes briefly. “I know.”
“What is it… who is it… Magnus?”
He opened his eyes, and what looked back at me was darker than fear. Older. More dangerous.
“Not who,” he said. He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath warming my lungs. “But what.”
Before I could ask, the voice whispered again in the darkness of my mind.
Clearer.
Closer.
More… claiming.
“…we are not done, Evra…”
I swayed, and Magnus caught me instantly.
I trembled.
Because this time, the voice didn’t sound like a threat.
Or a call.
It sounded like a promise.
And that was far more terrifying.
'What’s happening to me? Why did I become like this after the kidnapping? I… I feel like I’m not myself anymore.'