Chapter 2 — The Council’s Judgment

The guards rushed forward.

Lena barely had time to breathe before two of them grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet.

“Let go of me!” she snapped, struggling.

The golden line on her wrist burned hotter under the leather band.

One of the guards tightened his grip.

“Don’t fight.”

“I’m not…”

Her words died when the elders stepped into the center of the square.

The crowd parted quickly for them.

Everyone went quiet.

Lena’s stomach dropped.

Five elders.

Which meant this wasn’t just curiosity.

This was judgment.

The oldest of them, Elder Marrik, stepped forward slowly. His sharp eyes landed on Lena like a blade.

“Bring her here.”

The guards dragged Lena closer to the ritual post.

Right back to where Kai had been holding her moments ago.

Her throat still hurt from his grip.

She looked up.

Kai was standing a few steps away now, arms crossed again, face completely blank.

Like none of this mattered.

Like he hadn’t just told her to run.

Anger flared in her chest.

Traitor.

The guards forced her to her knees.

Dust scraped her palms.

Elder Marrik pointed at her wrist.

“Remove the band.”

Lena’s heart slammed against her ribs.

“No.”

The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Murmurs rippled through the watching crowd.

The elder’s eyes narrowed.

“You refuse a council order?”

“I… it’s nothing,” Lena said quickly. “Just a scratch.”

“Then show us.”

Her mouth went dry.

The mark pulsed again.

Even through the leather.

The elder turned slightly.

“Commander.”

Kai stepped forward.

Slow. Controlled. Calm.

Lena felt the shift in the crowd immediately.

People respected him.

Feared him.

Which meant what he did next mattered.

Kai stopped in front of her.

His eyes met hers for one brief second.

Cold.

Empty.

Like she meant nothing to him.

Good, she thought bitterly. That’s the Kai everyone knows.

“Remove it,” Elder Marrik ordered.

Kai crouched.

His hand closed around Lena’s wrist.

The moment his fingers touched her skin…

The world tilted again.

Emotion slammed into her mind.

Not as strong as before.

But enough.

Anger and fear.

A sharp flash of something protective.

Lena sucked in a breath.

Kai’s fingers tightened slightly.

A warning.

His voice dropped low enough that only she could hear.

“Don’t react,” he murmured.

Her heart skipped.

Then he ripped the leather band off.

The golden mark was visible immediately.

A thin glowing line beneath Lena’s skin.

The crowd gasped.

Someone shouted from the back.

“Echo!”

Panic spread through the square like fire.

“That’s impossible!”

“They’re extinct!”

“They’re monsters!”

Lena’s pulse thundered in her ears.

The mark burned brighter.

She tried to pull her arm back.

Kai held it firmly.

Still displaying it.

Still proving their worst fears.

Betrayer.

Elder Marrik stepped closer, staring at the glow.

His voice turned cold.

“Well.”

Silence hung over the square.

“After generations of peace,” the elder continued slowly, “it appears our clan harbors an abomination.”

The word hit Lena like a slap.

“I’m not an abomination,” she said hoarsely.

No one listened.

The elders began whispering among themselves.

Lena scanned the crowd desperately.

Faces she’d lived beside for years.

People she worked with.

Ate with.

Laughed with.

Now they looked at her like she was something diseased.

Fear twisted in her chest.

One elder spoke up.

“The old laws are clear.”

Another nodded.

“Echo bearers corrupt the balance.”

“They steal power.”

“They destroy packs.”

Lena shook her head.

“I don’t even know what it is!”

Her voice cracked.

“I didn’t ask for this!”

More whispers.

Some uncertain.

Most afraid.

Elder Marrik raised his hand.

The square fell silent again.

“The law exists to protect the clan,” he said.

His gaze hardened.

“The punishment is execution.”

The words dropped like a stone.

For a second Lena couldn’t breathe.

Execution.

Just like that.

No trial.

No chance.

Just death.

The guards tightened their grip on her arms.

The crowd didn’t protest.

They only watched.

Waiting.

Lena’s eyes flicked to Kai.

He stood a few steps away again.

Expression unreadable.

Arms crossed.

Silent.

Of course, she thought bitterly.

He’d exposed her.

Why would he defend her?

Elder Marrik turned to him.

“Commander Kai.”

Kai straightened.

“You were the one who discovered the mark.”

“Yes.”

“Do you confirm what we are seeing?”

The entire square waited.

Kai looked at Lena.

Just for a second.

Then he faced the elders again.

His voice was calm.

Cold.

“I confirm the mark.”

Lena’s chest tightened painfully.

That was it.

No hesitation.

No doubt.

Just confirmation.

The elder nodded.

“Then the sentence…”

“Should follow the law,” Kai finished.

The words sliced through her.

Of course.

She looked away quickly before anyone saw the hurt on her face.

The elder lifted his staff.

“Then by the authority of the council…”

Kai moved suddenly.

Not toward Lena.

Toward the guards.

His hand clamped down on Lena’s shoulder.

Hard.

His mouth lowered close to her ear again.

His voice barely a breath.

“Listen carefully,” he murmured.

Her heart jumped.

“They will kill you in the next ten minutes.”

Her pulse exploded.

“But if you want to live,” he continued quietly, “you’re going to do exactly what I say.”

Her throat went dry.

“Why?” she whispered.

Kai didn’t answer.

Instead he suddenly shoved her forward.

Hard.

“Run!”

The shout cut across the square like thunder.

For a split second no one moved.

Then chaos exploded.

“Stop her!”

“Grab the girl!”

Lena didn’t think anymore.

She ran.

Boots pounding against the dirt.

Shouts erupted behind her.

Guards gave chase immediately.

The mark on her wrist flared violently.

Heat spread up her arm.

Something inside her chest answered.

Wild.

Uncontrolled.

Behind her, someone yelled in shock.

“What was that light?!”

Lena didn’t stop running.

But one terrifying thought hit her as she sprinted toward the forest.

Kai had just helped her escape.

Which meant only one thing.

The council wasn’t the only thing hunting her now.

And when she risked one glance back…

Kai was already running after her.