The figure vanished as quickly as he had appeared.
Aria stood frozen on the balcony, her breath caught in her throat. The courtyard below was empty once more, bathed only in silver moonlight and silence. But the echo of that pointed gesture lingered, etched into her bones like a brand.
She turned quickly, rushing back into the chamber.
"Kael," she whispered, shaking his shoulder. "Kael, wake up!"
He stirred with a low growl, golden eyes snapping open. "What is it?"
"There was someone in the courtyard. He looked up at me… and then disappeared."
Kael was on his feet instantly, reaching for the blade beneath his bed and striding to the balcony. He scanned the grounds below with keen eyes, nostrils flaring.
"I don't see anyone," he muttered, tense. "And there's no scent."
"That's what scares me," Aria said. "There's never a scent. Just… silence. Like he's not even real."
Kael turned back to her. "What did he look like?"
"He wore a cloak. I couldn't see his face, but I felt something—like he was inside my head. Like he knew me."
Kael pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "They're watching us now. That means we're close to something… or they're preparing to strike."
Aria leaned into his warmth, her voice barely audible. "Do you think it's because of the bond?"
Kael hesitated. "I think it's more than that. You didn't just bond with me, Aria. You unlocked something ancient. They're afraid of you—or they want to use you."
She closed her eyes against his chest. "I don't want to be used. I want to understand."
"You will," he promised, his voice low and dangerous. "But not alone."
His hands moved along her back, slow and reverent. Her breath caught as he tilted her face up to his, golden eyes locked on hers.
"Every time you touch me," he whispered, "I feel it deeper. This bond. It's not just power or prophecy. It's us."
Then he kissed her, and the tension of the past hours melted into something molten. His lips were fierce and claiming, a promise of protection, a vow of passion. She returned the kiss with equal fervor, grasping at him, grounding herself in the only thing that felt real in a world of shadows.
Their bodies met in a tangle of limbs and need, and the bond between them flared, wild and unrelenting.
Clothes were shed, hearts bared, and in the heat of their union, Aria felt the hum of ancient magic spark beneath her skin again. Not threatening this time—just alive. A heartbeat echoing in rhythm with her own.
Kael's voice broke through her thoughts. "You're not just mine, Aria. You're something more. And we're going to find out what that means. Together."
---
Morning came with golden light and a sense of foreboding. Aria stood at the window, wrapped in a silk robe, watching the forest sway gently in the breeze. The world looked peaceful. But peace was a lie.
Kael approached from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You didn't sleep much."
"No," she admitted. "I kept thinking about that man… and what he meant by pointing at me."
"He was warning us," Kael said. "Or threatening."
Aria sighed. "How do we fight something we don't understand?"
"We learn. We prepare."
There was a knock on the door.
Riven entered, expression grim. "We have another problem."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "What now?"
"The northern border," Riven said. "A patrol is missing. Five wolves. Vanished. No sign of a fight, no blood. Just... gone."
Kael cursed. "Shadow-born again."
"I think so. And worse—there's something happening with the pack."
Aria turned. "What do you mean?"
"Some of them are... afraid," Riven said carefully. "Of her."
Kael's jaw tensed. "She saved the pack."
"I know that," Riven said quickly. "But they don't understand the power she's carrying now. Some think she's cursed."
Aria looked down, biting her lip. "They're not wrong to be afraid. I don't even know what's happening to me."
"You're changing," Kael said, stepping forward. "But you're not cursed. You're evolving."
"Into what?"
Kael didn't answer. Instead, he turned to Riven. "We need to go to the seer."
Riven blinked. "You're serious?"
"She's the only one who may have answers. And she lives close to the ancient shrine. Aria's blood may unlock the truth there."
Aria looked between them. "Then let's go."
They left before midday, traveling by horse into the shadow of the Northern Peaks. The path twisted through dense forest, old and quiet. Birds didn't sing here. Even the wind seemed cautious.
By nightfall, they reached the edge of a cliff where the forest broke, revealing a stone path lit by blue fireflies. At the end stood a small cottage carved into the side of the mountain.
"She lives here?" Aria asked.
Kael nodded. "Alira. A moonborn seer. She's not of any pack. She follows the path of the goddess."
As they approached, the door creaked open before they could knock.
A woman stood in the doorway. Her silver hair fell in waves, and her eyes were clouded white, yet she turned directly to Aria.
"Daughter of flame," the seer whispered. "You have finally come."
Aria stepped back instinctively. "You know me?"
"I've seen you in the water and in the stars. You bring the storm... and the light."
Kael placed a hand on Aria's lower back. "We need answers."
Alira stepped aside. "Then come in. But be warned—truth carries a price."
---
Inside, the cottage was warm and fragrant with herbs. Crystals lined the walls, and a small cauldron simmered in the corner.
Alira motioned for Aria to sit. "Give me your hand, child."
Aria hesitated, then extended it. Alira took it in both of hers and closed her eyes.
She murmured in an ancient tongue, her voice rising and falling like wind through trees.
Then suddenly, Alira gasped.
Her eyes flew open, now glowing silver.
Kael stepped forward. "What is it?"
Alira looked at Aria in awe. "She's more than a Luna. She's a vessel."
Aria blinked. "A vessel?"
"For an ancient spirit. The last of the Moonfire Line. A bloodline lost to time… until now."
Kael stiffened. "What does that mean?"
Alira looked grave. "It means she can open the gate. Or close it. She can summon what sleeps beyond the veil… or destroy it."
Silence fell.
Then the seer looked at Aria directly. "But be warned. If they find the vessel before she chooses a path, they will take her body. And use her to destroy everything."
Aria felt the room spin. "How do I stop it?"
Alira reached into a carved box and pulled out a pendant. "This will suppress your aura—hide your presence from the Shadow-born. But it won't last long. And when it breaks, they'll come. All of them."
She placed it in Aria's hand. The crystal was black as obsidian, pulsing faintly.
Kael took her hand. "Then we prepare."
Alira's lips curved faintly. "You will have little time. The veil is already thinning. And there is a traitor among your pack."
Kael's expression hardened. "Who?"
Alira shook her head. "I cannot see their face. Only this—he wears your crest."
Kael's blood ran cold.
Riven stepped forward. "That could be anyone in the upper ranks."
Aria looked up. "Then we need to find them. Before they find me."
Outside, the wind howled.
And somewhere far off, the first star blinked out.