INTERROGATION

The council chamber feels different when they're trying to destroy you.

It's colder. Darker. The torches seem to flicker with malice instead of light. I stand in the center of the circle—the accused's circle, which is lower than all the thrones, designed to make you feel small—and try not to shake.

It's midday. The vote isn't until tomorrow night. But Rafe just couldn't wait.

"Kaia Velen," the Alpha begins, his voice formal and distant. Damien's father. The man who's always treated me like a warrior. Now he treats me like a criminal. "You've been summoned to answer questions regarding your use of prohibited magic during yesterday's training exercise."

"I didn't use any magic," I say, and I keep my voice steady. Calm. Like I actually believe this lie.

Councilor Chen leans forward.

"Multiple witnesses saw silver light emanating from your body."

"They saw a reflection. Sweat catches the sun sometimes. It looks—"

"Sweat doesn't glow," Rafe says from his position near the Alpha's throne. My heart stops. He's here. He's not supposed to be here. Only the council and accused are allowed in interrogations. "I saw it clearly. Silver flame. Moonfire."

I keep my eyes on Councilor Chen and don't look at Rafe. If I look at him, everyone will see the hate, and hate is guilt in their eyes.

"You saw a trick of the light," I say.

"I'm not the only one." Rafe stands and walks toward me. "Viktor saw it. Marcus saw it. Hell, half the pack saw it."

He's lying. Viktor and Marcus have been suspiciously unavailable all morning, which means Rafe got to them. Paid them. Threatened them. It doesn't matter. The story is already set.

"Kaia," Damien's voice comes from somewhere to my left. Cold. Official. Alpha heir. "Did you use magic during the training exercise?"

This is the moment. This is where I either tell him the truth and doom us both, or lie and doom myself.

"No," I say, looking directly at him. "I didn't."

His jaw clenches. Just barely. Just enough for me to know he sees the lie written all over my face.

"You're certain?" the Alpha asks.

"Absolutely."

Rafe laughs softly.

"May I suggest a solution?" he says, and his voice is helpful. Reasonable. Everything a loyal packmate should sound like. "There's a test. The moon temple has old texts—ways to prove if someone carries Moonfire. A binding test, they called it. If she's innocent, it won't hurt her. If she's lying..."

He trails off, and everyone understands. If I'm lying, the test will burn me.

"That's barbaric," Damien says sharply. Too sharply. Everyone looks at him, and he corrects himself. "That test is also unreliable. It hasn't been used in over a century."

"Exactly," the Alpha says. "Which is why we won't use it. Not yet. But Rafe has raised a valid concern. We need concrete proof."

He nods to one of the guards.

"Kaia, you'll remain confined to the compound pending further investigation. No training. No weapons. No contact with packmates outside of your work duties."

So I'm basically in prison. They just haven't said the word yet.

"When will the council vote?" I ask.

"Three days," Councilor Chen says. "That gives us time to gather more evidence."

"And if there is no more evidence?" I ask.

"Then you'll take the binding test," Rafe says softly. "And we'll know for certain what you are."

They dismiss me, and I walk out of the council chamber with guards flanking me. I feel Damien's eyes on my back the entire way, but he doesn't follow.

Of course he doesn't.

---

That night, I'm back in the laundry room when Damien finds me.

I don't even look up from the blood-soaked fabric I'm scrubbing—training accident from last week, or maybe someone being hurt on purpose, it doesn't matter anymore—when he closes the door.

"You lied," he says.

"Yes."

"You do have Moonfire."

"Yes."

"Jesus Christ, Kaia."

He runs his hand through his hair, and I can see the stress written in every line of his body. The impossible position I've put him in.

"If you admitted it, I could argue for exile instead of execution," he says. "I could negotiate with the council. But if you keep lying and they prove it—"

"They'll burn me," I finish. "I know."

"Then why are you lying?"

I finally look at him.

"Because if you know the truth, you have to do something about it. And anything you do will make them suspect you're protecting me. And if they suspect that, they'll execute you for treason."

He crosses the distance between us in three strides.

"I don't care—"

"I care." I stand up, and my hands are dripping soapy water. "I won't be the reason you die, Damien. I won't."

"You think this is noble?" His voice is sharp. "You think lying to me protects me? All it does is make sure I'm standing next to you when everything burns."

"Then don't stand next to me."

"Too late."

He reaches out and grabs my wet hands, pulling me close. There's blood under the soap—mine or someone else's, I can't tell anymore—and he doesn't even notice.

"The escape plan still stands," he says. "After the vote tomorrow night. We run."

"What if they vote to execute me immediately?"

"Then we run tonight."

"Damien—"

"Stop." His fingers tighten around mine. "Stop trying to save me by sacrificing yourself. That's not how this works. That's not how we works."

"There is no we. There can't be—"

"There is." He steps closer, and his voice drops. "There's been an us since the day you walked into training with that scar on your collarbone and fought like you had nothing to lose. There's been an us since you rejected Rafe and didn't apologize for it. There's been a we since I watched you break under the weight of guilt that wasn't even yours to carry."

He reaches up and wipes a tear off my face that I didn't know I was crying.

"So stop talking like you're alone in this," he says quietly. "You're not alone. You've never been alone."

"What about Lyra?" I ask, and the question breaks something inside me. "What about the fact that she's dead because of me?"

"She's dead because of Rafe. Because he made a choice to hurt you by hurting her."

"I rejected him. I did that. I made that happen—"

"Stop." Damien pulls me into him, and his arms wrap around me so tightly I can barely breathe. "Listen to me. Lyra's death is not your fault. And even if it was, even if you had somehow caused it directly, I would still choose you. I would still stand here and tell you that you matter more to me than anything else in this entire pack."

I'm shaking now. Full-body tremors that I can't control.

"He's going to tell the council about us," I whisper. "About the training. About everything."

"Let him."

"He'll—"

"I don't care what he'll do." Damien pulls back enough to look at me. "I'm done hiding. I'm done pretending I don't want you. And I'm done letting fear make my decisions."

There's a knock on the door, and we both freeze.

"Kaia?" It's Marcus's voice. "I need you to come with me. The council wants to see you again."

Damien and I exchange a look.

"Responding," I call out, trying to sound normal.

He releases me slowly, like he's physically unable to let go. Like the moment he does, something catastrophic will happen.

Maybe it will.

I open the door to find Marcus and two guards, but no Damien. He's already disappeared into the shadows, leaving no trace that he was ever here at all.

The council chamber is fully assembled this time. All seven members. And something has changed. They're not just suspicious anymore. They're certain.

"We have new information," the Alpha says, and he looks disappointed. Like I've personally betrayed him. "A witness came forward this afternoon."

My stomach drops.

"He claims to have seen you in the forest with Damien Blackwood. Early morning. Before anyone was awake. And that during this time, you used Moonfire to save his life from a rogue attack."

I don't respond. I can't.

"Is this true?" Councilor Chen asks.

"No," I say, but the word sounds hollow even to me.

"The witness is very reliable," the Alpha continues. "In fact, I'm inclined to believe him over your denial."

Rafe steps out from behind one of the stone pillars, and I realize he's been here the entire time. Watching. Listening.

"I'm sorry," he says to me, and his smile is gentle. Regretful. "But I can't stay silent anymore. Not when the future Alpha is compromised."

Damien is on his feet.

"Rafe, I'm warning you—"

"You're warning me what?" Rafe's voice turns sharp. "That you'll hurt me? That you'll challenge me? Go ahead. Try. Because the moment you do, the entire pack will know you chose her over your father. Your title. Your duty."

The Alpha stands slowly.

"Is this true, Damien? Have you been secretly training this girl? Have you been hiding evidence of her magic use?"

The moment stretches.

I watch Damien's face. Watch him war with himself. Watch him realize that no matter what he says now, it's over.

"Yes," he says finally. "It's true."

The council erupts.

The Alpha's face goes absolutely blank.

And Rafe's smile is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, because it's the smile of someone who just won.

"Then by the laws of Blackmoon Pack," the Alpha says, his voice carved from ice, "you are stripped of your heir status, effective immediately. And you are hereby charged with treason for aiding an accused practitioner of forbidden magic."

Damien looks at me.

"Run," he mouths.

But it's too late.

The guards are moving toward us.