The door slammed open.Steel-toed boots pounded against stone, war cries echoing as Victor’s soldiers flooded the corridor. At the center, a warlock raised his staff, the air pulsing with magic.But Lily was ready.She stood in front of Callum like a shield, her hair wild, eyes glowing with untamed power. Her hands burned with silver-blue energy, veins pulsing with the awakening of something ancient and dangerous.The warlock snarled. “Stand down!”Instead, Lily raised her hands.A blast of energy erupted from her palms, sending a shockwave that threw the front line of soldiers off their feet. The walls cracked, the ground trembled. The torchlight flickered violently, casting chaotic shadows.Callum, now alert, stood shakily. “What… what was that?”Lily didn’t take her eyes off the corridor.“I don’t know exactly. But I think I just found out what I am.”Callum stepped beside her, his hand brushing hers.“We’ll figure it out. Together.”Another round of soldiers surged forward. Callum
Lily awoke in darkness.Her body ached, and the scent of her blood and others’ was thick in the air. For a moment, she couldn’t tell if she was alive or dreaming. But then she felt the cold, wet floor beneath her bare arms, the metallic tang on her tongue, and the sharp pain in her ribs. She was definitely alive.Barely.She sat up, her head spinning.The room was damp, the walls made of stone. No windows. Only a single flickering torch cast dancing shadows along the walls. Chains clinked faintly somewhere behind her.“Callum?”Her voice came out hoarse.No answer.“Callum!” she called again, louder.Still nothing.Panic began to set in, but Dora’s voice steadied her.“We’re not dead. That means there’s still time.”Lily pushed herself to her feet, swaying slightly. Her shoulder was bruised, her dress torn, but she was whole. She took a tentative step forward, following the torchlight deeper into the corridor.She didn’t know how long she walked. The tunnels seemed to stretch endlessl
The rain fell in a steady rhythm that night, blanketing the palace grounds in a gray hush. Lily stood at the window of her temporary quarters in the healer's wing, staring out at the mist-shrouded forest. Her reflection on the glass was pale, troubled, and still.Behind her, Callum shifted in the bed, wincing slightly. Though his wounds had started to heal, the silver had sunk deep, and the pain lingered like a curse.“You should rest,” she whispered, not turning.“I will. After you stop pretending everything’s fine.”Lily pressed her forehead to the glass. “He ordered them to kill me.”Callum’s silence confirmed it.Victor’s message had reached them hours ago. It was delivered by a trembling palace guard who was too afraid to lie. The King's command was clear: Find Callum. Kill the Luna.Callum sat up slowly. “We need to leave. Tonight.”Lily finally turned to face him, her eyes hard. “No.”His brows rose. “No?”“We’ve run enough,” she said, moving toward him. “I’m done hiding in tun
The palace was unusually quiet that evening.Lily paced her chambers like a caged animal. The soft rustle of her gown trailed her footsteps, but she barely noticed it. Her thoughts were louder, chaotic and flooded with panic and dread.Callum had been arrested.And it was because of her.If he hadn’t risked his cover to warn her, to protect her, he’d still be free. Probably still playing double agent. Still safe.But he had chosen her.And now he was likely rotting in the darkest corners of the Nightshade dungeon.Dora was pacing too, clawing at the insides of her mind.“We have to get to him. Now.”“I know,” Lily murmured.Her door creaked open, and Queen Celine slipped inside, closing it behind her swiftly.“He’s being held in the lower cell block beneath the west wing,” she whispered. “No trial. No announcement. It’s all being kept quiet. Which means it’s worse than we thought.”Lily's fists clenched. “How do we get him out?”“I’ve sent Avery to distract the dungeon warden. She’s f
The room was silent........ Oppressively so.Lily sat curled in the corner, her mind reeling, her heartbeat loud in her ears. The echo of Callum’s betrayal played over and over, every word like a knife in her gut.“He’s destined to lead... My loyalties were never to the Blood moon…”She wanted to scream.But even more than that, she wanted answers.How long has he known? How deep did this conspiracy run? Was everything....... Every stolen glance, every brush of his lips against hers...... just a setup?“No,” Dora murmured weakly. “I don’t believe it. He was lying… but not to us.”Lily blinked. “What do you mean?”“I felt it… when he kissed us. When he touched us. His soul wasn’t betraying us. His heart was breaking.”Lily clutched her knees. Her wolf’s words gave her a strange sort of hope..... But it was fragile, hanging by a thread.A soft clink broke the silence.Her head jerked toward the door.Footsteps.But lighter than Victor’s.The lock clicked, and the door creaked open.Call
Pain floods Lily’s skull like a crashing wave as she stirs from unconsciousness. Her limbs felt heavy, like lead. Her vision was blurred, and the acrid smell of smoke filled her nostrils.For a few seconds, she was disoriented, unsure where she was or what had happened. Then it all came rushing back. Victor’s voice, his smug smile, the chaos at the palace gates.She bolted upright.She was in a dimly lit chamber. Not her bedroom. Not anywhere familiar. The walls were stone, cold and damp. A single torch flickered on the wall across from her, casting long, jagged shadows.Chains.She looked down.Her ankle was shackled.Panic clawed at her throat.Dora stirred sluggishly in her mind, like a wolf waking from a drug-induced sleep.“Lily… what happened? I feel… weak.”“I don’t know,” Lily whispered back, her voice hoarse.She tried to shift, to summon her wolf, but her body didn’t respond. Her energy was drained.“Something’s blocking me,” Dora muttered, growling weakly. “Wolfsbane. I can