Kanah couldn't breathe.
Her chest constricted painfully, throat closing as the figure stepped out of the fracturing silver realm.
Her father.
The man who sold her.
The man who handed her to her murderer.
The man whose signature let death walk toward her.
She staggered backward instinctively, trembling so violently her teeth chattered.
Owain's arm wrapped instantly around her waist.
"Easy," he murmured.
"I've got you."
Her father smiled — calm, cold, familiar in the worst possible way.
"Kanah."
Her knees almost buckled.
That voice.
That tone.
That false softness.
Her breathing spiked.
Owain felt her panic through every tremor in her body.
"Don't look at him," he whispered.
Kanah squeezed her eyes shut for half a second — but the moment she opened them, her father was closer.
Too close.
She stumbled back again.
Owain tightened his arm.
"Touch her again," he growled softly, "and I tear your throat out."
Her father tilted his head.
"You weren't this dramatic in her old world."
Owain stiffened.
Kanah's heart sank.
He knows.
He knows Owain has his memories back.
Her father smirked.
"Ah.
So the wolf remembers dying for her."
Owain snarled, low and dangerous.
"I didn't die."
"You begged to."
Owain lunged—
Gerrin and Yllas grabbed him.
"Not yet!" Gerrin barked.
"Hold, wolf," Yllas hissed.
Owain spat the words:
"Let. Me. Go."
But Helion stepped in front of him.
His eyes — normally cold — flickered with something feral, even protective.
"Don't fail the trial," Helion snapped.
"You kill him too fast, the vow breaks."
Owain froze.
Kanah's father chuckled.
"Look at you.
All these beasts fighting over a girl I threw out in one night."
Kanah staggered forward.
"H-How… how can you talk like that…?"
Her father shrugged smoothly.
"You were never meant to last. You weren't strong. You weren't gifted. You weren't worth the trouble."
Kanah's breath hitched.
Owain took a step toward him.
Kanah grabbed his hand.
"Owain—please—"
Her father smirked.
"Oh, look. She still begs."
Kanah flinched hard.
Owain's jaw locked.
"Don't talk to her."
Her father ignored him.
"Do you know what she did when I told her she was leaving? She cried. She said she didn't want to die."
Owain shook with fury.
Kanah whispered:
"I didn't want to leave… I didn't want to die…"
Her father smirked.
"And yet here you are. Alive. Because a stranger carried you."
Owain snapped:
"I'm not a stranger."
Her father gestured at him lazily.
"You were.
And she still clung to you like you were the only thing left in her world."
Owain froze.
Kanah swallowed painfully.
Her father's eyes narrowed with amusement.
"You want the truth?" he asked, voice dripping with cruelty.
"She didn't die because of me or your murderer."
Owain's breath stopped.
Kanah's shook.
Gerrin's magic flared.
Helion cursed.
Yllas gripped his blade tightly.
Her father stepped closer and whispered:
"She died because she hesitated."
Kanah felt punched in the chest.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Her father smiled.
"And she's about to do it again."
Kanah broke.
She stumbled backward, tears streaming.
Even with Owain's arms around her, she felt like she was falling.
"N-No—don't say that—please don't—"
Owain held her tighter.
"Do NOT listen to him."
She shook her head, sobbing.
"He's right— I hesitated— I froze— I always freeze—"
Owain cupped her face roughly, forcing her to look at him.
"Look at me."
She sobbed harder.
"Kanah. Look at me."
She lifted her watery gaze.
Owain's eyes were fierce and warm and full of stubborn devotion.
"You didn't die because you hesitated," he said firmly.
"You died because someone betrayed you."
Her breath caught.
Owain's voice dropped.
"You died because of him. Not you."
Her father laughed.
"Oh, how touching. The wolf is rewriting her story for her."
Owain roared.
"Her story was stolen. I'm giving it back."
Kanah trembled violently.
Her father stepped toward her—
Owain blocked him.
"You don't go near her."
Her father smirked.
"You don't make the rules here, beast."
Owain bared his teeth.
"No. But I do make the choice."
Silence.
Kanah looked up at him, confused.
"Owain…?"
He turned to her, voice steady.
"I promised to stay with you.
I promised to live with you."
Kanah pressed a hand to her chest, shaking.
"And I promised—
to keep you alive too," Owain finished, softer.
Kanah blinked.
He lifted her hand to his heartbeat.
"This doesn't beat for him," he said quietly.
"It beats for you."
Kanah's tears fell harder.
Her father sneered.
"So you hide behind your beasts again?"
Kanah's sob stopped abruptly.
Owain frowned.
Gerrin's eyes widened.
"That's it," Gerrin whispered.
"The test."
Helion nodded slowly.
"Of course.
It's not about Owain's vow."
Kanah froze.
Gerrin completed the thought:
"It's about hers."
Kanah's pulse spiked.
"Mine…?"
Yllas stepped toward her.
"Kanah.
He's testing you.
Not him."
Kanah's breath shook violently.
Her father smiled.
"So.
What will you do this time? Freeze? Hide? Wait for a wolf to die for you again?"
Owain's hand tightened around hers.
"Kanah."
She looked at him, terrified.
"I'm here," he whispered.
"Whatever you choose, I'm here."
Kanah stared between them —
Owain, holding her hand
and her father
the man who destroyed her life.
Her father sneered.
"Go on.
Say it.
Say you're weak."
Kanah trembled.
Owain squeezed her hand.
"You are NOT weak."
Her father hissed.
"You're nothing."
Kanah flinched.
Owain growled:
"SAY IT AGAIN—"
"No," Kanah whispered.
Both men froze.
Kanah lifted her chin, voice cracking:
"No. I'm not nothing."
Her father narrowed his eyes.
"Really. Then show me."
Kanah inhaled sharply.
Then she stepped out of Owain's hold.
"Owain—wait—"
She shook her head.
"I have to do this."
Her father smirked.
"Oh good. Let's see how far you make it—"
Kanah stepped closer.
Her voice trembled.
"You're right about one thing."
Owain stiffened.
"You betrayed me," Kanah whispered.
Her father blinked.
"And you made me believe I was worthless."
Owain took a step forward, ready to catch her if she faltered.
"But you were wrong," Kanah said, voice rising.
"You were WRONG."
The realm trembled.
Her father's face twisted.
"Kanah—"
"I'm not weak," she cried.
"I'm not disposable."
Owain's breath caught.
Kanah stepped closer still.
"I survived because someone cared.
Not because of you."
Her father snarled.
Kanah's voice broke:
"And I'm not afraid of you anymore."
The world went still.
Her father lunged.
Owain lunged faster—
But Kanah raised her hand.
"STOP!"
A blast of raw emotional energy — her human magic — flared outward in a violent wave.
Her father was thrown backward.
Hard.
He slammed into the silver ground, skidding across the realm.
Owain froze.
Helion's eyes widened.
Yllas whispered, stunned:
"Her magic… came back."
Gerrin breathed:
"That's the Restoration."
Kanah stood shaking, tears streaming —
but she stood.
Her father hissed, struggling to rise.
Kanah whispered:
"You don't control me anymore."
Owain stepped behind her.
Putting a hand over her heart.
"You never will again," he murmured.
The First King's voice spread like thunder:
"The Promise Trial is complete."
"The heir has confronted the past."
"The bond strengthens."
Owain pressed his forehead to the back of Kanah's head.
"You did it," he whispered.
"You didn't run."
Kanah sobbed softly.
"You didn't either."
Owain smiled against her hair.
"I didn't have to."
She turned in his arms —
and he caught her
held her
wrapped her in his warmth.
The vow shimmered through the air, sealing itself deeper between them.
But then—
The silver realm cracked.
Again.
Kanah stiffened.
Owain pulled her close.
"What now—?"
Gerrin's face drained of color.
"Oh no. No no no— not yet—"
Kanah looked around wildly.
"What—what's happening—?"
Yllas whispered:
"The final trial of Restoration…"
Helion took a step back.
"…it's not over."
Owain tightened his hold on her.
"What more could he possibly—"
The sky split open.
Light poured down.
Too bright.
Too violent.
Kanah screamed.
Owain shielded her with his entire body.
The First King's voice echoed, cold and absolute:
"One trial remains."
Owain looked up, snarling.
"WHAT TRIAL!?"
The voice responded:
"The Trial of Choice."