Chapter 5

Aurek grabbed the stone ledge. Knuckles went white. This was madness. That's what it had to be. Too many battles. Sleepless nights piling up. Years under a crown that weighed more than iron.

And now Veyra too.

He shut his eyes, thinking of her. The Queen of Silvermist glided through his court. Like a spider spinning silk. Her touch hung on. Smile cut sharply. She was beautiful, sure. But her eyes chilled him. That hunger in them he knew well. Duty said consider her offer. An alliance between kingdoms meant prosperity. Power and stability. His council shoved it at him every chance. And yet his wolf pulled back hard at the idea of her hand in his.

Mine, the beast snarled. But mine who? The mute servant. The shadow that never spoke. Impossible. And yet.

Aurek turned away from the window. Restless still. His eyes landed on the goblet sitting on the table. The spilled wine got cleaned up. But the memory lingered. A shimmer there. Some strange glint right before the shadow girl's sleeve knocked it over. He stepped closer. Looked at the glass. Spotless now. Unease prickled his neck, though. Had she saved him from something? Or caused it, maybe. Aurek's wolf growled low. Restless and pushing. Protect her. Find her.

The king let out a sharp breath. Sank into his chair. His life tied him to treaties and fights. Duty above all. And yet tonight he couldn't stop thinking of that nameless servant. Silent lips. Eyes that stuck in his head.

Who was she? Why did his wolf call her his own?

Man, the palace at night? Whole different animal. During the day, it’s all glitz: shiny marble, gold everywhere you look, nobles buzzing around like overgrown wasps, and every one of them lying through their teeth. But right after midnight? The place might as well grow fangs. Shadows crawl everywhere. The torches aren’t so much helpful as they are creepy — each flame flickers, clawing at the walls, making the halls look twice as long and mean. Every little noise? Yeah, it sounds like someone’s telling secrets straight to your spine.

Selene crept through the servant tunnels, feet bare and silent on those old, cold stones. The shawl around her shoulders didn’t do much. The chill was all nerves anyway. Earlier in the evening, Maris had left a note for her, just dumped it in her washbasin like she was leaving yesterday’s soap. Three words, all panicked: Meet me. Midnight.

She picked up the pace. Trusted Maris — or, wanted to. Old friend, childhood conspirator, bread-smuggler, the works. Yet, lately, Maris was different. Always a little jumpy, glancing behind her like she expected monsters. Maybe she wasn’t wrong.

Laundry hall, middle of nowhere, Maris was already there, looking haunted. She barely had any color in her face, just twisting her apron like it could strangle her nerves. “You came,” Maris said, not so much a greeting as a prayer slipping out of jail. Selene nodded, came in closer, hands flying in their slapdash sign language. Words just didn’t cut it when she panicked. What is it?

Maris swallowed hard. Leaned in, eyes darting everywhere. “You were seen, Selene. Tonight. With the king.” The words hit like a bucket of cold water. Selene went still, heart thudding somewhere behind her ribs. She turned frantic, signing so fast her fingers blurred. No! Nothing happened! I just poured the wine!

Didn’t really matter. Maris was all nerves. “Whispers are already flying. They say he looked at you. Like, really looked. That his wolf thing — whatever it is — woke up.” Ugh. There it was. Aurek and those eyes. Unshakable, gold and burning, like he could just see straight into her skin. Truth was, Selene had felt something too, and that was the real problem. The kind of problem that buries people.

Maris wasn’t done. She caught Selene’s wrist, hands shaking. “Don’t you get it? This is dangerous. The queen — Veyra — she’s got her claws out. She sees everything. And now she’s watching you.”

It was like getting punched in the stomach. Why me? Selene signed, hands jerky with fear.

Maris wasn’t gentle now. “She wants him for herself. And she’ll destroy whatever gets close.” The silence that followed was heavier than anything. Selene wanted to melt into the stone, vanish like steam. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t happening.

Maris stepped in, eyes desperate. “You have to go, Selene. Tonight. I can get you out — past the gates, away from all this.” The idea made Selene’s head spin. Run? Her whole body kind of snapped against the thought. After all this time trying to be invisible, the king had seen her. And, honestly? That connection felt older than reason. Wolf blood, fate, whatever. She could feel it humming under her skin.

She shook her head, hands trembling. I can’t.

Maris’s face folded, caught between rage and heartbreak. “Then you’ll die,” she said, voice cracking. But before anything else — a noise. Boots scuffing stone, too close now. Both girls froze. Torchlight flickered at the far end, shadows bending like broken fingers. Maris squeezed Selene’s arm so hard it hurt. “Choose. Now.” Then she slipped away, swallowed by those shadows, gone as quick as a ghost.Selene pressed flat to the wall, chest hammering wild. The torchlight crept closer, armor clanking softly. Guard? Or something worse. Every muscle screamed run, but she just stood there, Maris’s words looping in her mind. The queen. Danger. Leave or die.

And then — boom, around the corner comes King Aurek. Not a guard. Him. Eyes locked on her like he’d been waiting. Those golden eyes, burning with wolf-fire, undressing her soul. In that instant, Selene knew: whatever was pulling them together, whatever curse or fate or wolf-magic it was, she was already way, way too deep to claw her way out now.