Chapter Seven: The Beast In The Forest

The farther they traveled from Asterith, the stranger the world became.

The roads disappeared first.

Then the villages.

Then every sign that humans had ever existed.

Towering black trees rose around them like ancient giants, their twisted branches blocking most of the sunlight. Strange silver mist drifted between the trunks, glowing faintly whenever the wind stirred it.

Emeriel hated it.

Not because she was afraid.

Because she couldn’t understand it.

Every instinct she possessed screamed that these woods were alive.

Watching.

Waiting.

And somehow—

Recognizing her.

The procession moved steadily through the forest.

Urekai warriors rode ahead and behind while enormous shadow beasts stalked silently between the trees.

Not a single bird sang.

Not a single insect buzzed.

The entire forest seemed to hold its breath whenever Kaelthar passed.

Emeriel sat rigidly before him.

She refused to acknowledge how aware she was of his presence.

The warmth of his chest behind her.

The strength of the arm occasionally brushing hers.

The irritating way he seemed completely unaffected while her nerves felt stretched thin.

Hours passed in silence.

Then—

A sudden scream shattered the forest.

The entire procession stopped.

Instantly.

Kaelthar’s expression hardened.

“What was that?”

One of the scouts emerged from the trees, pale and breathing heavily.

“My king.”

His voice sounded strained.

“Something attacked the rear patrol.”

The forest fell silent.

Dangerously silent.

Kaelthar slowly dismounted.

Every warrior immediately reached for their weapons.

Emeriel followed suit.

The Beast King glanced at her.

“Stay here.”

“No.”

His eyes narrowed.

“My warriors can handle this.”

“And if they can’t?”

Neither answered.

Because that was the real problem.

Whatever frightened an immortal Urekai scout was not something ordinary.

A low growl suddenly echoed through the woods.

The sound didn’t belong to any animal Emeriel had ever heard.

It sounded wrong.

Ancient.

Hungry.

The horses immediately panicked.

Several warriors cursed.

Shadow beasts snarled.

Then the trees exploded.

A massive creature burst from the forest.

Chaos erupted.

Emeriel barely had time to process what she was seeing.

The thing resembled a wolf.

If wolves were the size of houses.

Its body was covered in black scales instead of fur, while enormous antlers twisted from its skull like jagged branches. Four glowing red eyes stared directly at the procession.

And every single one of them locked onto Emeriel.

Not Kaelthar.

Not the warriors.

Her.

“Oh, that’s not good,” she muttered.

The creature roared.

The ground shook.

Several horses collapsed immediately.

Warriors rushed forward.

Steel flashed.

The beast didn’t even notice.

It lunged straight toward Emeriel.

Fast.

Far too fast.

The world blurred.

Emeriel reached for her dagger.

Too late.

The monster was already upon her—

Then black flames exploded across the battlefield.

Kaelthar moved.

One second he stood several yards away.

The next—

He slammed directly into the creature.

The impact shattered nearby trees.

The forest erupted into chaos.

The monster roared in fury.

Kaelthar roared back.

And for the first time—

Emeriel saw why the entire world feared him.

His eyes burned molten gold.

Black markings spread across his skin.

His canines elongated into fangs.

Power radiated from him in waves.

Not human.

Not even close.

The creature attacked again.

Kaelthar caught its jaws with his bare hands.

The sound of cracking bone echoed through the forest.

Everyone froze.

Even the Urekai.

The Beast King looked terrifying.

Beautiful.

Monstrous.

Ancient.

Then suddenly—

The silver mark beneath Emeriel’s collarbone flared violently.

Pain shot through her body.

She gasped.

At the exact same moment, Kaelthar staggered.

Just slightly.

But enough.

Enough for the creature to throw him backward.

The forest fell silent.

Kaelthar immediately turned toward her.

Concern flashed across his face.

Concern.

Not anger.

Not irritation.

Concern.

The realization unsettled Emeriel more than the monster.

The beast sensed the distraction.

It charged again.

Toward her.

The silver mark burned hotter.

Hotter.

Hotter—

Until a strange sound escaped her lips.

A note.

A single note.

Barely louder than a whisper.

The entire forest stopped.

Every creature froze.

Every warrior froze.

Even the monster froze.

The sound lingered through the trees like an echo from another world.

Emeriel’s eyes widened.

What was that?

The scaled beast slowly lowered its head.

Then—

To everyone’s horror—

It knelt.

Complete silence followed.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

The impossible creature that moments ago had nearly slaughtered them now bowed before Emeriel like a servant before a queen.

And standing several yards away, Kaelthar stared at her with an expression she had never seen before.

Recognition.

As if a piece of a centuries-old puzzle had suddenly fallen into place.

As if he had finally found proof that the mystery surrounding her was far greater than anyone imagined.

Then he whispered a single word.

A word Emeriel had never heard before.

Yet somehow it made fear crawl down her spine.

“Syrath…”

And for the first time since leaving Asterith, Emeriel began to suspect that whatever she truly was…

It might be far more dangerous than the Beast King himself.