The world turned violet.
Not purple.
Not shadow-blue.
Alive violet—electric, ancient, pulsing like a heartbeat beneath the world itself.
The cavern shook around us.
Roots tore from stone.
Snow fell from the ceiling like drifting ash.
Owain held me as if his body alone could shield me from everything—
the serpent attack
the mark
the prophecy
the power waking in my chest.
"Owain…" I whispered, gripping his shirt. "Something's—wrong—"
He pressed his forehead to mine, breath trembling.
"I know. I know. Stay with me. Don't look away—don't fade—Kanah, look at me."
The violet pulse hit again.
BOOM.
Yllas staggered, wings flaring to brace himself.
Gerrin fell to one knee, staff glowing uncontrollably.
Helion cursed as golden spots flickered along his skin like sparks.
Owain's fingers curled desperately around my waist.
"Kanah—focus on my voice—"
But the violet light flared again—
and I wasn't fully in the cavern anymore.
I Saw Her
A woman.
Standing in a vast violet-lit hall.
Tall.
Hair like a river of ink.
Eyes glowing silver-blue.
Robes embroidered with runes older than any beast language.
Her presence was overwhelming—
not violent, not chaotic.
Immense.
The First Queen.
Her gaze found mine immediately.
You have awakened the fourth color.
"I—didn't mean to—"
The Seal responds to need, not desire.
You were dying.
It protected you.
Her voice wasn't loud.
It simply existed inside my mind, weighty and resonant.
My breath hitched.
"Why me?"
Because you are my blood.
Daughter of my line.
Bearer of my throne.
My chest tightened painfully.
"No—no, I'm not—"
You are.
Born across worlds.
Hidden from the Beast King, until now.
Your humanity was the only shield that kept you safe.
I shook my head.
"I don't want this power."
You will want it soon enough.
Her tone softened.
He will come for you again.
He will not stop.
Your choices will determine survival.
"I can't choose—"
You must.
Her eyes darkened.
His claim deepens.
Your rune fractures.
Your path narrows.
The hall trembled.
The Queen lifted a hand—
and the violet seal glowed between us.
Awaken, Kanah.
Before he takes what is mine.
The vision shattered.
Back in the Cavern
I gasped violently, choking on air.
Owain caught me before I fell, arms banding around my body.
"Kanah! Kanah—!"
I clutched his shirt. "Owain—"
He hugged me so tightly my ribs ached.
"You're back. You're back, gods—don't do that again—"
Yllas approached slowly, expression sharp.
"What did you see?"
I hesitated.
Owain snarled softly. "She doesn't have to answer you."
"Actually, she does," Helion cut in. "Unless you'd like more basilisks dropping in for dinner."
Gerrin wiped blood from his lip, markings still glowing.
"Kanah," he said gently, "the fourth color only awakens through direct Queen contact. Did she speak to you?"
I nodded.
Everyone stiffened.
"What did she say?" Gerrin asked quietly.
My breath shook.
"She called me… blood of her blood."
Silence.
Owain's hand spasmed against my back. "No…"
Yllas exhaled slowly, wings retracting.
Helion whispered, "She's really a Queen descendant."
Gerrin closed his eyes. "This changes everything."
Owain swallowed hard. "Kanah… you're not—no—this isn't real—"
I trembled in his arms.
"I didn't want this."
Owain rested his forehead on my shoulder, voice cracking.
"I know."
Yllas stepped forward, tone controlled but not cold.
"Kanah. You need to leave Fenr Vale."
Owain's head snapped up. "NO."
Yllas' eyes sharpened. "If the Basilisk envoy found her here, the Beast King is close."
"He won't touch her again."
"He WILL," Yllas snapped back. "Because she's not protected by the Spire's magic here."
Owain growled low and dangerous. "She's protected by ME."
"And that wasn't enough today."
Owain lunged.
Yllas stepped into him, aura igniting.
Gerrin slammed his staff between them, magic sparking.
"STOP. Both of you. We don't have time."
Helion cracked his neck. "He's right. We need to move."
"Move where?" I whispered.
Gerrin met my gaze.
"There's only one place strong enough to suppress all four manifestations of your magic."
"Where?" Owain demanded.
"The Sanctuary of the Forgotten."
Owain froze.
"No. Absolutely not. That place is—"
"Protected," Gerrin said firmly. "By ancient magic. By Queen seals."
"And abandoned," Owain shot back. "For good reason!"
"Exactly," Yllas murmured. "Nothing alive dares go near it."
Helion added, "Which means no Basilisk, no Beast King rift, no dragon hunters, no wolf politics—perfect, really."
Owain grabbed my wrist, pulling me close.
"No," he growled. "She stays with me."
Yllas' wings flared. "You cannot hide her in wolf territory. She will die."
Owain snarled, "I'd rather die with her than send her into that place."
"Owain—" I whispered.
He turned to me, cupping my face with trembling hands.
"Kanah… the Sanctuary is a death trap. Wolves who entered never returned. Dragons avoid it. Even elves don't step inside."
Gerrin winced.
"Half-true."
"Half TRUE is enough!" Owain barked.
Yllas lowered his voice.
"She is a Queen descendant. The Sanctuary will not reject her."
Owain's breath hitched.
"Don't do this," he whispered, voice breaking. "Don't take her from me."
Gerrin stepped forward.
"Owain… do you want her to survive?"
Owain's entire body trembled.
"More than anything."
"Then she needs the Sanctuary."
I touched Owain's cheek gently.
"Owain… I'm scared."
He shut his eyes, pain twisting his entire expression.
"I know."
"But I trust you."
His breath caught violently.
"And I trust them."
He opened his eyes slowly—red-rimmed, defeated, desperate.
"Kanah…"
His voice broke.
"I can't lose you."
"You won't."
He hugged me, burying his face in my hair.
"You promise?" he whispered.
His voice shook like the words physically hurt him.
I nodded.
"I promise."
For a long moment, he only held me.
Then he exhaled shakily and pulled back.
"Fine," he murmured.
"We go to the Sanctuary."
But the moment he said it—
The mark burned.
Hard.
A silver spike tore through my chest.
I screamed.
Owain caught me instantly. "KANAH!"
Yllas grabbed my arm. "The Beast King is reaching again."
Gerrin muttered a spell, pressing glowing runes against the mark.
Helion cursed. "He's getting stronger."
My vision warped.
Silver filled my eyes.
Little seal.
You run from me again.
"No—no—get out—"
Owain roared, aura flaring violently.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER!"
The Beast King chuckled in my mind.
Wolf.
You will break first.
The mark pulsed harder.
Pain exploded through my ribs—
and the world started to disappear again.
Yllas shouted, "MOVE! Get her OUT—NOW—"
Owain picked me up, sprinting.
Gerrin ran behind, casting warding spells.
Helion cleared the path.
The Beast King whispered one last thing before the world dimmed:
Soon.
My mate.
Soon.
Everything went black.
Again.