BEFORE THE FIRST ARROW

Chapter 28

Before the First Arrow

No one spoke as the fleet advanced.

From the cliffs of the Isle of Eternal Wolves, the sea looked endless, yet every stretch of black water was now crowded with enemy ships. Crimson banners snapped in the wind, each bearing the silver mask that had become the symbol of the Shadow Prophet's growing empire.

Kael rested both hands on the cold stone wall overlooking the harbor.

"There are more than before," he said quietly.

Orion joined him.

"They've been gathering in secret for years."

"And we never knew."

"The Shadow Prophet was patient," the Blood King replied. "He never wanted to win a battle. He wanted to make sure no one could stop the war once it began."

Ariana stood a few steps behind them, watching the approaching fleet. She expected fear to take hold of her, but instead she felt an unexpected calm.

Perhaps it was because the danger was finally in front of her.

There were no more questions about what was coming.

The choice had been made for them.

"We should prepare the island," she said.

The Guardians immediately straightened.

Orion looked at her with quiet approval.

"As you command, my Queen."

It was the first time Ariana noticed how naturally they obeyed her.

Not because of the Moon Crown.

Because they trusted her.

---

The island came alive.

Hidden gates opened beneath the cliffs as ancient ballistae rose from underground chambers that had remained untouched for centuries.

Young wolves carried arrows and supplies through narrow stone corridors while healers transformed old temples into places where the wounded could be treated.

Kael walked among his warriors, speaking to each of them by name.

He adjusted a young soldier's armor.

Checked another's sword.

Stopped to reassure an older warrior whose hands shook despite years of experience.

Ariana watched him from across the courtyard.

"You know every one of them," she said when he finally reached her.

"They're my family."

He smiled, though exhaustion showed in his eyes.

"I can't ask them to risk their lives if I don't remember who they are."

She looked around the busy fortress.

"So this is what being an Alpha really means."

Kael nodded.

"It isn't giving orders."

"It's carrying the weight when everyone else is afraid."

His words stayed with her long after he walked away.

---

Near sunset, the Blood King climbed the highest tower alone.

From there he could see both the island and the approaching fleet.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

Without turning, he said, "You should be resting."

Ariana joined him at the edge of the tower.

"I could say the same to you."

A faint smile crossed his face.

"You sound more like a queen every day."

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The wind carried the scent of rain across the sea.

Finally, Ariana broke the silence.

"Do you ever regret it?"

He looked at her.

"Regret what?"

"The centuries you spent chasing revenge."

His expression became distant.

"I regret every innocent life caught in my anger."

He rested his hands on the weathered stone.

"But the greatest regret of my life..."

His voice softened.

"...was believing I had to face my grief alone."

Ariana understood.

She had almost made the same mistake.

"If we survive this war," she said, "I don't want the world to remember you as a monster."

He gave a quiet laugh.

"That may be the kindest lie anyone has ever told me."

"It's not a lie."

She met his eyes.

"I've seen who you really are."

For the first time in centuries, the Blood King had no answer.

---

That night, the first drops of rain began to fall.

Kael found Ariana standing beneath the ancient moon tree at the center of the fortress.

She was looking toward the sea.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted.

"Neither could I."

He stood beside her.

The rain was light, barely more than a mist.

It silvered the leaves above them until the entire tree shimmered.

"My father used to say rain before a battle was a blessing," Kael said.

"Why?"

"He believed the sky was mourning the lives that hadn't been lost yet."

Ariana slipped her hand into his.

"Do you think we'll win?"

He was quiet for so long that she wondered if he would answer.

"I don't know."

It was the first time she had ever heard uncertainty in his voice.

"But I know this."

He turned toward her.

"I'll keep fighting as long as you're still standing."

She leaned her head against his shoulder.

For a few precious moments, the war disappeared.

There were no prophecies.

No ancient kings.

No monsters beneath the earth.

Only two people who had found each other in the middle of impossible circumstances.

The sound that shattered the moment came just before dawn.

A single war horn echoed across the sea.

Then another answered it.

And another.

Hundreds of horns rose together until the entire ocean seemed to vibrate with their call.

The enemy fleet had reached the shores of the island.

Orion hurried across the courtyard, rain streaming from his silver armor.

"My Queen," he called.

"They're not waiting for sunrise."

Ariana looked toward the eastern cliffs.

The first enemy ships were already crashing against the rocks.

Dark figures poured onto the beaches below, carrying ladders, shields, and flaming torches.

Far behind them, standing alone on the deck of the largest ship, was a man wearing a silver mask.

Even from that distance, Ariana felt his eyes find hers.

The Shadow Prophet slowly raised one hand.

An instant later, thousands of flaming arrows soared into the storm-dark sky.

The siege of the Isle of Eternal Wolves had begun.