Chapter 23

The Seer’s Trial

The mountain path steepened as Aria and Caden led their group higher, the air thinning with each step. The mist from the valley had dissipated, but the chill of the altitude seeped into their bones. Rollan stirred in his sling, his tiny hands clutching at Aria’s cloak as if sensing the tension. The warriors trailed close, their eyes scanning the jagged cliffs for signs of Victor’s loyalists. The ritual’s interruption had scattered the enemy, but the threat lingered like a shadow, unseen yet palpable.

Caden rode beside Aria, his face etched with determination, though she caught the flicker of doubt in his eyes. The loss of his wolf weighed on him, a silent burden that grew heavier with each passing hour. She reached out, brushing her fingers against his arm. “We’ll find the seer,” she said softly. “She’ll have answers.”

He nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. “I hope so. For all our sakes.”

The trail narrowed, forcing them to dismount and lead the horses by hand. The warriors’ boots crunched on loose gravel, the only sound in the eerie stillness. As they rounded a bend, a stone archway came into view, its surface carved with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Beyond it, a cavern yawned open, its entrance framed by twisted roots and creeping vines.

Aria’s pulse quickened. “This must be it.”

Caden signaled the warriors to stand guard outside. “We don’t know what’s in there. Aria and I will go alone.”

One of the warriors—a grizzled veteran named Torren—stepped forward, his brow furrowed. “Alpha, with respect, it could be a trap.”

Caden’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained steady. “If it is, we’ll handle it. Protect the entrance. No one gets in or out.”

Torren nodded, though his eyes lingered on Aria with a mix of concern and suspicion. She met his gaze, her chin lifting defiantly. I’m not the enemy. But she knew the pack’s trust was fragile, fractured by Caden’s condition and her role in it.

With Rollan cradled against her chest, Aria followed Caden through the archway. The cavern’s air was cool and damp, the walls slick with moisture. Torches flickered to life as they entered, casting wavering shadows that danced across the stone. At the far end, a figure sat on a raised dais, cloaked in tattered robes, her face obscured by a hood.

The seer’s voice was a whisper, yet it carried with unnerving clarity. “You seek answers, but they come at a price.”

Caden stepped forward, his hand resting on his sword hilt. “We’re prepared to pay it.”

The seer’s hood shifted, revealing eyes like polished obsidian. “The prophecy binds you all—the mother, the father, the child. But to understand its path, you must face your truths.”

Aria’s heart raced. “What truths?”

The seer raised a gnarled hand, and the cavern shimmered. The walls dissolved into mist, revealing three archways, each glowing with a different hue—red, blue, and gold. “Choose a path,” the seer intoned. “One for each of you. The mother’s fear, the father’s loss, the child’s fate.”

Caden’s eyes narrowed. “A trial.”

“Indeed,” the seer replied. “Pass, and the way forward will be revealed. Fail, and the prophecy will claim you.”

Aria swallowed hard, glancing at Rollan. “What do we do?”

Caden’s gaze softened as he looked at her. “We face it together, but we each have our own demons. I’ll take the blue path—my loss. You take the red—your fear. And Rollan…” He hesitated, his voice thick. “We’ll protect him, whatever comes.”

The seer’s voice cut through. “The child’s path is his own. He must face it, as must you.”

Aria’s chest tightened, but she nodded. “Then let’s begin.”

They approached the archways, the air humming with energy. Caden squeezed Aria’s hand before stepping through the blue arch, vanishing into the mist. She took a deep breath and entered the red, Rollan clutched tightly against her.

The world shifted, and she found herself in a vast, empty hall, its walls lined with mirrors. In each reflection, she saw herself—broken, defeated, Rollan torn from her arms. Whispers filled the air, taunting her. “You’re weak. You’ll fail him. You already have.”

Her throat constricted, the weight of her guilt crashing down. But then Rollan cooed, his tiny hand grasping her finger. She looked down at him, his innocent eyes grounding her. “I won’t fail you,” she whispered, steeling herself. “I’ll fight for you, always.”

The mirrors cracked, shattering into dust, and the hall dissolved. She stood in a small, tranquil glade, the red archway behind her. Relief flooded her, but it was short-lived. Caden and Rollan still face their trials.

Meanwhile, Caden walked a path of ice and shadow, the blue archway’s mist clinging to his skin. The air was frigid, each breath a sharp ache in his lungs. Ahead, a figure materialized—himself, but with glowing eyes and a wolf’s snarl. “You’re nothing without me,” the apparition growled. “A shell of an alpha.”

Caden’s fists clenched. “I’m still standing. I lead my pack.”

The wolf-self sneered. “They doubt you. They see your weakness.”

Caden’s resolve wavered, the truth stinging. But he thought of Aria, of Rollan, of the pack’s loyalty despite their fears. “I don’t need my wolf to protect them. I’ll find another way.”

The apparition lunged, but Caden stood firm. It passed through him like smoke, dissolving into the mist. The path cleared, revealing a stone door. He pushed it open, stepping into the glade where Aria waited, her face pale but resolute.

“You made it,” she breathed, relief flooding her voice.

He nodded, his gaze flicking to Rollan. “Where’s his path?”

As if in answer, the golden arch shimmered into view. But before they could move, a sharp cry echoed from the trees. Torren burst into the glade, his face ashen. “Alpha, we’ve been betrayed! One of the warriors—Lena—she’s working with Victor’s loyalists. She’s taken the horses and signaled the enemy!”

Caden’s blood ran cold. “Where is she now?”

“Fled into the mountains,” Torren said. “But she left this.” He held out a scrap of parchment, the words scrawled in haste: “The seer’s power will be ours. The child’s fate is sealed.”

Aria’s eyes widened. “They’re coming for Rollan.”

Caden’s face hardened. “Then we finish this now.”

They turned to the golden archway, the final trial. But as they stepped toward it, the seer’s voice rang out. “The child’s path is not for you to walk. He must face it alone.”

Aria’s heart seized. “He’s just a baby!”

“Yet the prophecy demands it,” the seer replied. “Trust in his strength, as he trusts in yours.”

Caden’s hand found Aria’s, his grip steady. “We have to believe in him.”

With a trembling breath, Aria set Rollan before the archway. His tiny hand reached out, touching the golden light, and in a flash, he vanished into the mist.