Chapter 14 Dinner wrapped up , and the trio split at the restaurant door . Winnie and Balk headed off to practice their Equestrian Arts , while Lorrayne had plans to meet Troy outside the academy . She'd barely made it a few steps when Veyna swooped in like a hawk , blocking her path . 10 vouchers " Well , look at you , strutting around like you own the place , " Veyna spat , her eyes blazing . " You're good at faking it , I'll give you that . " But it doesn't change the fact you're just a filthy lowborn ! " Lorrayne arched a brow . " Who peed in your porridge today ? " Veyna's face twisted , practically snarling . " Don't play innocent . I know you're just scared I'll blow your cover . " She leaned in , voice dripping with venom . " I've already sent word to the Holy Curia's paladins . When they show up , they'll see right through your little charade ! " Lorrayne smirked , unfazed . " Sweet . I'll be waiting . Now , move it , princess . Good dogs don't block the path . " In her head , she was turning it over . " Veyna has bought my highborn act before - why this sudden tantrum ? Someone has to have riled her up . ' Only one person fit the bill : Athina . Athina , too lofty to get her hands dirty , always got others to do her bidding . Lorrayne could picture her lurking nearby , watching the drama unfold . Sure enough , she glanced up at the restaurant's second - floor window and spotted her . Athina stood there , unfazed at being caught . A coy smile played on her lips , but her eyes were ice - cold , dripping with disdain , hatred , and a flicker of fear . It was like she wanted to tear Lorrayne apart , scatter her ashes , and erase her from the world . Lorrayne's gut twisted with suspicion . ' All this over a stupid bedroom ? No way she hates me this much for that . There's something else . ' Did her lackeys dig up dirt on me ? Nah , no way they're that quick ! A trip from Syrria to the northern coast and back would take at least half a month , even on the fastest steed . " So what's eating her ? Why's Athina gunning for me when she doesn't even know if I'm Lowborn or not ? ' Lorrayne's brow furrowed , her mind racing . She felt like she was one puzzle piece away from cracking it but couldn't quite place it .. Meanwhile , Veyna was still ranting , hurling insults she'd clearly spent days cooking up - her most vicious yet . But when she saw Lorrayne zoning out , her face turned red as a beet . " You little bitch ! I'm gonna wipe that smug look off your face ! " Veyna screeched , raising her hand for a slap . Lorrayne snapped back , grabbing her wrist mid - swing . " Enough , you moron , " she hissed , stepping in close . Her grip tightened , her eyes . flashing dangerously . Those hands of hers ? They'd seen blood - lots of it . " Veyna , I'm not in the mood And trust me , I'm not above getting my hands bloody . " Her voice dropped to a chilling whisper . " You , some count's kid , think you can mess with me ? " she added . " How many heads you got for me to lop off ? " She squeezed harder , making Veyna's wrist creak . I'm ignoring you because I feel like it , not because I'm scared . Squashing you ? Easier than crusting a bug " The old Lorraine hailed from a fishing village , with hands hardened by years of hauling nets - way tougher than any pampered noble Veyna's face went from purple to ghostly white as the whimpered in pain . JAG P Chapter 14 Only then did Lorrayne let go . 7 " Grow a brain and stop being someone's pawn , " Lorrayne said coldly . Lorrayne gave her one last chilling glance before turning and striding toward the school gates . Veyna , trembling , glanced up at the second - floor window . She was hot - headed and easily played back home , but she wasn't completely clueless . Lorrayne's words sank in , and it hit her like a ton of bricks . ' Athina's been playing me .' 10 vouchers As Lorrayne strolled out of the school gates , Troy slunk out from some dark alley like a cat that'd been prowling for hours . Clearly , he'd been camped out , waiting for her . She raised an eyebrow , ready to tease his punctuality , when he stuck out his hand . " Gold coin , " he said , deadpan . Lorrayne's grin vanished . " Whoa , hold up . You were worth one silver yesterday , and now you're hiking the price ? " Troy scowled . " You said one gold a day ." She gave him a sly side - eye . " Yeah , well , I'm reconsidering . You're more of a silver coin kinda guy ." Troy scratched his jaw , hesitated , then thrust his hand out again . " Fine , silver it is . Cough it up . " Lorrayne crossed her arms . " Broke . Got nothing ." Troy's eyes flicked to the bulging pouch at her waist . " Then what's in there ? " She clutched it , chuckling nervously. No way she'd let him find out it was full of rocks . " Hang on , I've got something else . " She dug into her sleeve and pulled out three black peppercorns . In this world , pepper was pure gold - a status symbol . Carrying even a pinch was a total power move , proof one was somebody . Back in the day , merchants got locked up for mixing silver dust into pepper to scam folks . That was how pricey it was . Her Potioncraft Class had given her five peppercorns . Handing over three was no small thing . " Here , " she said , tossing them over . " Pepper Troy's eyes lit up , his whole vibe softening . " Why didn't you say so sooner ? " He sniffed the peppercorns like a connoisseur , then shot her a scolding look . She can't just carry something this valuable so carelessly , he thought . ' What if she dropped it ? ' He tucked them into his flat little coin purse with exaggerated care . Lorrayne rolled her eyes . Oh , come on . She couldn't shake the question of how pepper even existed here . This world didn't have the Azure Realms , the spice continent . Mark in Eldoria , pepper came from far off Teshkar But Westvale's climate , like Eldoria's , wasn't spice - friendly Lorrayne was betting there was another continent out there , maybe one like the Azure Realms Problem was , shend never found a map to prove it Maps were rarer than a phoenix feather in this world - locked away by kings and generals as top - secret war tools . Even du richest royals didn't have a full map of the continents . PD Chapter 14 C 10 vouchers Cartography was a nightmare ; it took generations to draw anything halfway decent , and a good map was basically a family heirloom . Lorrayne had combed through a dozen books just to piece together that Galland , their planet , had three known continents : Westvale in the northwest , all soggy and green , and Wastvale in the south , dry as a desert . " Hey , Troy , " she said , tilting her head . " You got a map of the continents lying around ? " Troy snorted . " What , me ? With a map ? Why do you even need one ? " " Just curious , " Lorrayne said with a shrug . " Wanna know if there's anything out there besides Westvale and Wastvale . " Troy's voice dropped , like he was spilling some ancient tavern tale . " There's this old legend , been around forever . Says there's a third Continent called Mistvale , bigger than Westvale and Wastvale put together . " Loads of bounty hunters and adventurers have tried tracking it down . All of them came up empty . " " He leaned in a bit . " When I was a kid , I met this one adventurer . Said the seas were crawling with man - eating sirens and storms that'd rip a ship apart . His whole crew went down - only he made it back . Swore he'd never set foot on a boat again ." That lined up with what Lorrayne had read . Her brain started scheming . Maybe she could pass herself off as a highborn from Mistvale . Her original home was a tiny fishing village Westvale's northern coast , right by the Veil of Mists where the legends placed Mistvale . It was a solid cover . on " What's that look for ? " Troy asked , squinting at her . " Nothing , " Lorrayne said , brushing it off . " Just wondering why you're out here playing sellsword instead of , like , a bounty hunter . " Sellswords had been around since the Ancient Hellenor days , scraping by on wars and odd jobs . When things got peaceful , they were usually eating dirt . Bounty hunters , though? They'd been chasing fugitives since the first kingdoms popped up , raking in way better cash . Plus , they didn't have to dodge border guards . Seemed like a better fit for a guy like Troy , who was clearly no slouch with a blade . Troy tensed , his gaze dropping to the dirt . " No reason ," he mumbled , voice sharp . " Just like being a sellsword , is all . " Lorrayne let out a soft " hm , " sensing a story he wasn't ready to spill . This sword - slinger's got some secrets , she thought . " Let's drop it , " she said , digging into her lantern sleeve and pulling out a small wooden jar . " Can you tell me if this thing's poisonous ? " Troy took the jar , popped the lid , and his face turned dead serious . " This is a baby Hellweaver Spider . Where the hell did you get this ? " Lorrayne shrugged . " No clue . Woke up a couple nights ago , and it was just chilling on my blanket ." " Come on . is it poisonous or not ? " she pressed . Troy snapped the lid shut . " It's deadly . Like , really deadly ." " Ugh , Lorrayne groaned , slumping . " So I'm stuck keeping it in this jar ? Can't even pet it ? " Troy's temple twitched like he was about to pop a vein . " I said it's deadly . " " Yeah , I got that , " she said , giving the jar a little poke . " But it's kinda cute , right ? Those big , shiny eyes ? " She cupped her cheeks , practically melting . Troy's face twisted like he'd swallowed a bad potion . Cute ? A Hellweaver Spider ? Are Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.