Chapter 6: The Rot

The courtyard was chaos.

Lycian didn't fight like a duelist.

He fought like a natural disaster.

His storm-grey wolf form crashed into Freya.

Freya shifted mid-air.

A sleek, white wolf.

She tried to dodge.

But Lycian was faster.

He clamped his jaws onto her shoulder.

He slammed her into the frozen ground.

CRACK.

The ice beneath them shattered.

Freya yelped.

She kicked out with her hind legs.

Her claws raked across Lycian’s chest.

It didn't even slow him down.

He roared, shaking her violently.

The pack watched in stunned silence.

Their King was mauling his Second-in-Command.

"Stop!" a Beta guard shouted.

He stepped forward, confused.

"Alpha, what are you doing?"

Lycian ignored him.

He threw Freya across the yard.

She skidded across the ice, leaving a trail of blood.

She shifted back to human form.

Naked. Bleeding. shivering.

But she wasn't defeated.

She reached into a pile of snow.

She pulled out a dagger.

Not steel.

Silver.

And it was glowing with purple runes.

"Inquisition magic," Arielle whispered from the balcony.

She took another bite of chicken.

"She came prepared."

Freya stood up.

Her eyes were wild. Fanatical.

"He is blinded!" she screamed at the pack.

"He brings a monster into our home!"

"The Inquisition offers order!"

"Lycian offers chaos!"

She raised the dagger.

Purple lightning crackled around the blade.

"I challenge for the throne!"

The pack gasped.

A challenge was sacred.

But using magic in a duel? That was treason.

Lycian shifted back.

He stood tall, towering over her.

Steam rose from his bare shoulders.

He didn't look afraid of the magic dagger.

He looked disappointed.

"You sold us out, Freya."

"For what?"

"Promises of power?"

Freya sneered.

"For safety!"

"Kaelen will burn this mountain down."

"I made a deal to save the pack!"

"By cursing children?" Lycian roared.

His voice shook the walls.

"By draining Sera?"

"You are no wolf."

"You are a parasite."

Freya screamed and charged.

She thrust the silver dagger at Lycian’s heart.

The purple lightning flared.

It was fast. Deadly.

Lycian didn't move to dodge.

The pack screamed.

But the dagger never hit.

A blast of black wind hit the courtyard.

It slammed into Freya from above.

It pinned her to the ground like a giant invisible hand.

The dagger clattered across the ice.

Freya choked, clawing at her throat.

Arielle hopped over the balcony railing.

She fell fifty feet.

She didn't crash.

She landed softly, cushioned by a cloud of shadow.

Superhero landing.

The pack backed away.

They looked at Arielle with terror.

The "Stray" just used magic.

Arielle stood up and brushed snow off her dress.

Sera, the golden wolf, leaped down after her.

She landed gracefully next to Arielle.

She growled at Freya.

The pack recognized Sera.

The runt?

The Omega who cleaned floors?

She was huge now. Glowing with health.

"She speaks the truth," Arielle said loud enough for everyone to hear.

She walked toward Freya.

The invisible grip held Freya down.

"This woman has been feeding on your weak."

"She ties knots in their souls and siphons their power."

"She sends it to the South."

Arielle stopped in front of the traitor.

She looked down at Freya.

"The dagger," Arielle said.

She flicked her finger.

The silver dagger flew into her hand.

It hummed with angry energy.

"Inquisitor issue," Arielle noted.

"Standard model."

"Kaelen doesn't even respect you enough to give you the good stuff."

Freya spat at Arielle’s feet.

"Abomination!"

"You are the Glitch!"

"Kaelen knows you're here!"

"The Hunters are coming!"

Arielle smiled.

"Let them come."

She tossed the dagger to Lycian.

He caught it by the blade.

It didn't cut him. His skin was too tough.

"She is yours, Alpha," Arielle said.

Lycian looked at the dagger.

Then at Freya.

"Take her to the dungeons," he ordered the guards.

"Deep cells."

"No food. No light."

"I will interrogate her later."

Two guards rushed forward.

They grabbed Freya roughly.

They didn't look confused anymore.

They looked angry.

Their Alpha had been betrayed.

Their packmates had been used.

They dragged Freya away kicking and screaming.

Lycian turned to the pack.

Hundreds of wolves were watching.

Waiting.

"This is Arielle," Lycian announced.

His voice carried no room for argument.

"She is not a stray."

"She is my guest."

"And she is the reason we found the rot in our home."

He pointed at Sera.

"Sera was cursed by Freya."

"Arielle freed her."

"From this day on, Arielle has full clearance."

"If she wants to scan you, you let her."

"If she wants to feed, you let her."

A murmur went through the crowd.

Feed?

Feed on what?

Arielle stepped forward.

She raised her hand.

Black mist swirled around her fingers.

"I don't eat meat," she said.

"I eat magic."

"I eat curses."

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

She scanned the crowd with her black eye.

Rows of glowing souls.

Most were clean. Bright blues and oranges.

But...

There.

Near the back.

A flickering grey light.

And another to the left.

A sickly green pulse.

Freya wasn't alone.

The rot had spread.

Arielle pointed a clawed finger at a tall man in the back row.

"You."

The man flinched.

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Why does your left pocket hum with Inquisitor frequency?"

The man panicked.

He reached for his pocket.

But he didn't pull out a weapon.

He pulled out a communication crystal.

It was glowing red. Transmitting audio.

"Spy!" someone shouted.

The pack descended on him.

It was over in seconds.

Arielle pointed to the second traitor.

"Her too."

"She has a poison vial in her boot."

Guards tackled the woman.

Sure enough, a vial rolled out.

Lycian watched with grim satisfaction.

He walked over to Arielle.

"How many?" he asked quietly.

"Two more in this yard," Arielle whispered.

"Probably a dozen more in the tower."

"Your fortress is a sieve, Lycian."

Lycian’s jaw tightened.

"Then we clean it."

"Starting now."

"Can you find them all?"

"If you feed me," Arielle said.

She felt the hunger rising again.

Using gravity magic was expensive.

"I want access to the Vault."

"I need high-grade cores."

Lycian nodded.

"Done."

"Sera."

The golden wolf trotted over.

She nudged Lycian’s hand, then stood protectively by Arielle.

"Escort Arielle to the Vault."

"Guard her with your life."

"Anyone who stops her is an enemy of the crown."

Lycian turned back to his army.

"Lock down the gates!" he roared.

"No one leaves!"

"The Purge begins!"

Arielle turned to leave.

Sera walked beside her, head high.

The pack parted ways for them.

Fear mingled with respect.

They looked at Arielle's black eye.

They looked at Sera's golden coat.

The Glitch and the Runt.

Walking through the sea of predators like royalty.

Arielle felt a vibration in her chest.

It wasn't hunger.

It was excitement.

She had an army now.

Well, Lycian's army.

But she was the one pointing the gun.

She looked up at the high tower.

The Vault was up there.

Unlimited power.

"Let's go get fat, Sera," Arielle whispered.

Sera barked happily.

The hunt for traitors was fun.

But the hunt for power?

That was just beginning.