Chapter Seven: The Wolf Queen’s Riddle

The air in the narrow passage was cold and damp. Ash and Liora had just stepped through a door, and for a moment, everything was silent and still.

Their boots scraped against old stone floors wet with moisture. The only light came from glowing purple symbols on the walls that seemed to beat in time with Liora’s heart. She held onto Ash’s hand tightly as the magical marks burned on her wrist, a constant dizzying reminder of the old, powerful magic she'd awakened.

A cold wind blew through the tunnel, carrying the sound of distant wolf howls. But these low howls were strange, and they had a rhythm that sounded almost like words. “A WARNING.”

Ash stayed alert, his golden eyes scanning every corner. “Stay close to me,” he said. “This place is different. It is not like a maze.”

Liora nodded, eyes skimming every shadow, while gripping her grandmother’s journal. She could feel something moving, though she couldn’t tell if it was behind the walls or deep inside her blood.

A sudden echo made her tense. Ash pulled out his dagger, his body half-shielding Liora. “Show yourself!” he shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the oppressive silence.

Footsteps approached. A figure emerged out of the haze. It was Kael, the man who had both helped and betrayed them. He was calm but strange, his violet eyes almost kind.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said softly. “The door only opens for those the Wolf Queen has chosen. And she wants to meet Serelai's heir herself. You’re both important.”

“Why should we trust you, Kael?” Liora asked, her voice shaking only a little.

He gave a wicked smile. “Because I haven’t killed you yet. Also, nobody survives the Wolf Queen’s den alone.”

He led them down a twisting corridor that felt both hot and cold at once, until they entered a huge cave. Symbols on the walls danced, glowing and fading, as if they could sense the three of them walking by.

The tunnel opened into a huge cave lit by pale moonlight streaming through cracks high above. In the centre was a throne made of bones, antlers, and shining stones. Sitting on it was the Wolf Queen.

She was both terrifying and beautiful, her hair wild as midnight, her eyes burning silver. A regal crown of twisted silver and bone sat atop her head. When she spoke, her voice was like honey mixed with steel sweet but sharp.

“You come with blood and old magic. You come seeking answers,” she said, never moving from her throne.

Liora felt her knees weaken under the weight of those words. Ash tightened his grip on her hand.

Kael bowed with elaborate grace. “We seek your permission to leave this place. Alive.”

The Queen laughed, a sound that raised goosebumps. “You come here by fire, promise, and by betrayal. Why should I let you go?”

Ash stepped forward. “We mean no harm. We only want to protect Serelai’s heir.”

The Queen looked at Liora. “Do you?” she asked softly. “Do you know what it means to be hunted? To carry the power and curse of Moonblood?”

Liora swallowed. “I know you want something. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have called me.”

The Queen’s smile was a wolfish expression. “A clever girl, bold and stubborn.” She gestured. Moonlight gathered near Liora's feet. “Many have died for less, Serelai. But you have a choice.”

The cave rumbled, and shadows flowed into the chamber, forming images around them, showing flashes of Liora’s own memories.

“I'll ask you a riddle. Answer correctly, and you can claim your legacy. Fail, and you'll lose more than your life,” the Queen spoke softly.

Ash moved closer, tense. Kael's hands shook slightly.

“What is the riddle?” Liora asked.

The Queen leaned forward. “What burns but is never consumed? What is broken yet never lost? What is hunted but never tamed?”

The cave fell completely silent. Liora’s mind raced through possibilities: fire, magic, hope, legacy, love. Ash squeezed her fingers, murmuring, “Don’t rush. Take your time, Liora.”

Kael said nothing, but his eyes watched her intently.

Liora closed her eyes and thought about the memories the Queen had shown her. She thought of her magic burning inside her, the scars of betrayal, the wild hope that had never left her, even in the darkest time.

She opened her eyes. “The answer is the heart,” she said. “Love burns but grows stronger. A heart can be broken, and a heart is always haunted by love or loss, but it can never be truly tamed.”

The Queen's face froze. For a moment, the cave was completely silent.

Then she smiled, showing her teeth. “Very clever, child. The heart is the fire and the hunter, the broken and the eternal.”

A beam of moonlight wrapped around Liora, filling her with a warm, powerful energy. The marks on her wrist glowed, and the journal in her hand vibrated with power. She felt a new connection click into place, a promise made and sealed.

But the light also shot toward Ash and Kael. The Queen’s face grew serious again. “Every answer has a price. One of you must pay for it.”

Ash stepped in front of Liora without hesitation. "Take me.”

Kael’s mouth opened in protest, but the Queen silenced him with a look. “Not you. Not yet.”

"Why?" Liora demanded, her voice rough.

The Queen descended from her throne. “Ash carries an old promise. He is the fire bearer; he carries Serelai’s promise. His magic must be tested. The heart must be proven.”

Ash didn’t hesitate. He knelt. The Queen pressed a clawed hand to his forehead. Energy crackled; silver and blue energy flashed, and Ash gasped as a flood of memories flashed, the battles, oaths, and love overwhelmed him. Then he collapsed to the ground.

Liora screamed and ran to him. He was breathing, but his eyes were empty and staring at nothing.

“He’s alive,” Kael said, kneeling beside her. “But he’s changed. The Queen’s test isn’t about death; it’s about revealing the truth.”

The Queen returned to her throne, distant and royal. "You are marked now, Ashiel. You'll remember things you forgot, power you buried. But be warned: sometimes memory is the worst curse."

Liora held Ash’s head in her lap, tears in her eyes. “Why does it have to be like this?”

“Because true power is built on suffering and choice,” the Queen whispered. “Without loss, how would you know what you’re willing to fight for?”

The walls of the cavern trembled. The Queen’s voice turned cold. “You have earned the right to leave for now. But know this: the fire you’ve started burns in more than one heart.”

Suddenly, a hidden door slid open, lit with new light, revealing a way out but also an omen.

Kael slipped his arms under Ash, helping Liora carry him. For a moment, the three moved as one, past enemies, uncertain allies, tangled by fate.

They walked through winding halls, every corner shadowed by the Queen's remaining power. The journal glowed brighter, guiding them, and the marks on Liora’s wrist tingled every time Ash whispered her name in his unconscious state.

They finally stumbled out of the tunnel into a cold, snowy night. The wind was so strong it nearly knocked Liora over. Kael caught her. “Don’t look back,” he warned.

But as they stepped into the night, Ash’s voice sounded thicker, darker. “Liora… I see them. Old ghosts, old wars. Someone's waiting ahead. She's not the only queen. Someone knows we're coming.”

Before Liora could process his words, a figure appeared in the snow ahead of them. It was a person wrapped in a dark red cloak, their face hidden, magic swirling at their fingertips.

Kael’s breath caught. “That’s not Drysana.”

The figure raised a hand, and the wind stopped completely. For a heartbeat, the world hung frozen. Then, cold laughter cut through the air.

“You’ve played the Wolf Queen’s game,” the stranger called. “But I hold the real key. Would you dare to bargain with me?”

Liora reached for Ash, who was struggling to stand but was too weak. Her heart was pounding, but she felt a surge of courage. She stepped forward.

“What do you want?” she demanded.

The stranger smiled, a flash of white in the darkness. “I want everything your bloodline has ever touched. And I always collect what I’m owed.”

A violent storm erupted above them. Snow whirled violently; the ground shook with new danger. The marks on Liora's wrist burned as if giving her a warning.

A storm broke overhead, the snow whirling in violent spirals, the ground rumbling with new danger. The marks on Liora’s wrist burned as if warning her. The next game had begun.

The night closed in around them, and one truth was clear: from here on out, every secret would be revealed, and every one of them would be tested. And every secret will demand its due.