Chapter 41: Blood in the Shadows

The wind carried whispers of war as Serena stood before the gathered Nightfangs. Hundreds now knelt or stood in a loose half-circle around her, their eyes reflecting flames from the bonfire they’d built in the canyon’s heart. The scent of burning sage and ancient earth filled the air, mingling with tension.

But through it all, Serena remained calm.

Steady.

“I will not force loyalty,” she said, her voice rising above the crackle of fire. “But I will lead those who believe in more than survival. If you want a future not defined by fear—stand with me.”

A few heads dipped in agreement.

More followed.

Then, one by one, fists pounded against chests, the low rhythm of unity rising like a war drum. Serena felt it in her bones.

Beside her, Elias didn’t say anything. But she felt his quiet pride, like a steady fire at her back.

The elder woman who had challenged her earlier stepped forward, her silver hair glinting like threads of lightning. “You’ll need more than fire and words to take back the throne, girl. You’ll need allies. Blood. Magic. And warcraft.”

“Then teach me,” Serena said, without hesitation. “I don’t expect to do this alone.”

A slow smile curled the woman’s lips. “You remind me of Talia.”

Serena’s throat tightened. “Then let me finish what she started.”

The woman nodded. “My name is Nyra. I was her battle sister. If you are truly hers… I will fight for you.”

Serena didn’t respond. Instead, she held out her hand, palm up.

Nyra took it.

It was done.

A pact sealed not in ceremony, but in legacy.

Hours later, Serena sat at the edge of the canyon with Elias, the firelight casting golden patterns on his face. He was uncharacteristically quiet, his jaw tight as he toyed with the pendant he always wore.

“You’re thinking too loudly,” she murmured.

He gave a half-smile. “You’re getting good at reading me.”

“I’ve had practice.”

He was quiet for a long beat before he said, “The Council isn’t going to fight fair. They’ll use every tool—every lie. They’ll paint you as a rebel, a traitor. Maybe even worse.”

“I know.”

“And yet, you still want to do this.”

“I have to.”

Elias leaned back on his hands. “Then we’ll need to get ahead of them. We’ll have to reach the smaller packs—the outliers. If we can get even half to turn, they’ll fracture.”

Serena glanced at him, something unspoken flickering between them. “You’re already thinking like my second-in-command.”

“I’m just trying to keep you alive.”

She smiled. “Same thing.”

He laughed softly, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Serena… if this goes sideways, I want you to promise me something.”

“No,” she said firmly. “Whatever it is, no.”

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“I don’t need to. If it starts with ‘If something happens to me,’ or ‘Promise you’ll run’—I’m not listening.”

Elias turned toward her. “It’s not weakness to survive.”

“It is when survival means abandoning the people who believed in me. Who need me.”

He stared at her for a long moment before sighing. “You really are your mother’s daughter.”

Serena leaned in slightly, the closeness between them electric. “And you really need to stop looking at me like that if you want to keep pretending this is just business.”

His eyes darkened.

“I’m not pretending,” he said huskily.

She blinked. “Oh.”

Elias moved closer, their faces just inches apart. “If I kiss you right now, it won’t be because I’m caught in the moment. It’ll be because I want to.”

“Then do it,” she whispered.

He didn’t hesitate.

His lips met hers with a fierceness that melted the air around them. Not rushed. Not desperate. Just real—grounded in everything they hadn’t said, everything they’d endured together. His hand slid behind her neck, pulling her closer, and Serena responded with equal hunger.

But just as quickly, they broke apart—breathless.

“We can’t afford distractions,” she murmured.

“Too late,” Elias replied.

They both laughed softly, a shared truth settling between them.

This wasn’t a fairytale.

This was war.

But even in war, hearts still beat.

And maybe—just maybe—they could beat together.

That night, Serena dreamed of fire.

She stood on a battlefield, cloaked in blood and moonlight, her enemies falling like shadows around her. In the distance, a throne of obsidian rose above the dead, waiting.

When she reached it, she turned—and found Elias at her side.

Not as her protector.

But as her equal.