Chapter 5: The Voice in the Dark
Nobody moved.
The chamber was completely dark.
I could hear breathing.
Weapons being drawn.
Kael’s heartbeat.
And another sound.
A slow whisper.
Elara.
My blood turned cold.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
Then a pair of red eyes appeared in the darkness.
Not human.
Not wolf.
Something else.
Kael stepped in front of me.
“Show yourself.”
The eyes disappeared.
A laugh echoed around us.
“You still protect her, Kael.”
Kael froze.
“You know me?”
“I knew your father.”
The red eyes returned.
“And I knew hers.”
My heart stopped.
“My mother?”
The creature laughed.
“She begged for your life.”
I stepped forward.
“What did you do to her?”
Kael grabbed my arm.
“Don’t.”
I pulled away.
“What did you do to my mother?”
The shadow finally emerged.
It wasn’t a wolf.
It wasn’t human.
It looked like smoke shaped into a man.
Its body constantly changed.
Its eyes were completely black.
“You will find her.”
“When?”
“When you’re ready.”
I clenched my fists.
“Tell me now.”
The creature smiled.
“No.”
My flames erupted.
The chamber filled with silver fire.
The shadow screamed.
For one moment, I saw its real face.
An ancient wolf.
Covered in scars.
Then it vanished.
Silence returned.
Kael stared at me.
“You shouldn’t have used that power.”
“Why?”
“Because now it knows exactly how strong you are.”
I looked at the empty doorway.
“Then let it come.”
Kael’s expression changed.
I realized something.
He wasn’t afraid of the shadow.
He was afraid of what I would become if I kept awakening.
“Kael.”
“What?”
“Tell me the truth.”
He looked at me.
“About my mother.”
His silence was answer enough.
“You know where she is.”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
My heart shattered.
“Where?”
“The northern fortress.”
“Is she alive?”
Kael opened his eyes.
“I don’t know.”
I stared at him.
“Then we’re going.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
“The northern fortress belongs to the Alpha King.”
My blood ran cold.
“And?”
Kael stepped closer.
“No one who enters that fortress comes back.”
I looked at the mark on my wrist.
“Then we’ll be the first.”
Kael stared at me.
For the first time…
He smiled.
“That’s my Luna.”
I froze.
“Luna?”
He realized what he’d said.
Neither of us spoke.
Then the council doors opened.
Mira entered.
She looked at us.
Then at the burning torches.
“What happened?”
Kael looked at me.
I answered.
“We’re going north.”
Mira’s face went pale.
“Why?”
I took a breath.
“To find my mother.”
And somewhere in the darkness beyond the mountains…
A wolf began to howl.
