Chapter 26: The Beasts of Ravenwood

The howl echoed through Ravenwood Forest.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds, the peaceful silence was replaced by a chorus of terrifying roars.

The ground trembled beneath the horses’ hooves.

Rowan Ashvale’s smile vanished.

“They’re here.”

Karl drew his sword.

“What are they?”

Rowan’s amber eyes remained fixed on the dark woods.

“They’re called Shadow Beasts.”

“They hunt anything that carries royal blood.”

Lyra’s heart skipped.

“They’re hunting me?”

Rowan nodded.

“I’m afraid so.”

A thick fog rolled between the ancient trees.

The air suddenly turned cold.

One by one, enormous black wolves stepped out of the mist.

They were unlike ordinary werewolves.

Their fur looked like living shadows.

Their crimson eyes glowed unnaturally.

Their bodies were covered in jagged black spikes.

Damien frowned.

“I’ve never seen wolves like these.”

Lucien’s expression darkened.

“Because they aren’t wolves.”

“They were created through forbidden Blood Magic.”

“There shouldn’t be any left.”

The largest beast stepped forward.

It stood nearly ten feet tall.

Its lips curled back, revealing rows of razor-sharp fangs.

It growled.

The sound alone made several horses run in panic.

Karl shifted instantly.

His massive black wolf landed between Lyra and the beasts.

Arnold shifted beside him.

Lucien drew his greatsword.

Rowan calmly fitted an arrow to his bow.

“Protect the Princess!” Damien shouted.

The Blackwood warriors formed a defensive circle around Lyra.

The Shadow Beasts attacked.

The first beast lunged at Karl.

He met it head-on.

BOOM!

Their collision shook the forest.

Karl’s claws slashed across its chest.

Instead of bleeding…

Dark smoke poured from the wound.

“What?”

Karl leaped back.

“They don’t bleed!”

Lucien cut another beast across its neck.

The creature staggered before its wound slowly healed.

“They regenerate.”

Arnold frowned.

“There has to be a weakness.”

Rowan released an arrow.

The silver-tipped shaft pierced one beast directly through its glowing eye.

The monster let out a deafening scream before collapsing into black ash.

Lucien turned toward him.

“The eyes!”

Rowan nodded.

“Their eyes hold the Blood Magic controlling them.”

“Destroy the eyes…”

“And they die.”

The battle erupted.

Karl tore through the forest, forcing the beasts away from Lyra.

Arnold moved like silver lightning, striking with deadly precision.

Rowan’s arrows never missed, each finding a crimson eye.

Damien and the Blackwood warriors fought together with Moonhaven’s guards, protecting the horses and supplies.

Still…

More beasts emerged from the fog.

Dozens.

Then dozens more.

Lyra stood in the center of the defensive circle.

She hated watching everyone risk their lives for her.

“I can’t keep hiding.”

The Royal Moon Mark glowed faintly beneath her sleeves.

The silver pendant around her neck became warm.

A familiar voice whispered inside her heart.

“Power without wisdom brings ruin.”

“Choose carefully.”

Lyra looked around.

She noticed something strange.

The beasts ignored everyone else whenever they caught sight of her.

They always changed direction…

Toward her.

An idea formed in her mind.

She turned to Karl.

“Karl!”

The Alpha looked at her.

“Lead them away from everyone.”

“What?”

“They only want me.”

Karl immediately understood.

“No.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“They’ll kill you.”

Lyra met his gaze fearlessly.

“Not if I trust all of you.”

Before Karl could argue…

The largest Shadow Beast roared.

It leaped over the warriors, landing directly in front of Lyra.

Everyone froze.

The beast’s crimson eyes locked onto hers.

It didn’t attack immediately.

Instead…

It sniffed the air.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, it lowered its head.

Lucien’s eyes widened.

“Impossible…”

Arnold whispered,

“It’s… bowing.”

The other Shadow Beasts suddenly stopped fighting.

One after another…

They lowered themselves before Lyra.

The entire forest fell silent.

Even the wind seemed to stop.

Lyra slowly stepped forward.

“I don’t understand.”

The largest beast looked into her glowing silver eyes.

Then a deep voice echoed—not from its mouth, but directly into her mind.

“Royal Blood…”

“At last…”

Lyra gasped.

“You can speak?”

“Not for long.”

“We were once the King’s Guardians…”

“Before Malrik cursed us.”

Lucien stared at the beasts in disbelief.

“The Royal Guardians…”

“They weren’t destroyed.”

“They were transformed.”

The great beast’s eyes began dimming.

“Beware…”

“The Shadow King already knows you are traveling north.”

“He has placed one of his own…”

The beast suddenly convulsed.

Dark crimson veins spread across its body.

It let out a cry of agony.

“No…” Lucien whispered.

“Someone is controlling it.”

The beast forced itself to look at Lyra one last time.

“Trust… no one…”

Its body exploded into black smoke.

The remaining Shadow Beasts howled in pain before collapsing into ash one after another.

Silence returned to Ravenwood Forest.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Lyra stood frozen, the guardian’s final words echoing in her mind.

Trust no one.

She slowly turned toward her companions.

Karl.

Arnold.

Lucien.

Damien.

Rowan.

Every one of them looked concerned.

Every one of them had fought to protect her.

Yet…

If the guardian was right…

One of the people traveling with her was hiding a secret.

And somewhere among them…

The Shadow King already had a pair of eyes watching her every move.