LOGINThe Frost Dragon lowered its massive head, its icy white scales glinting like broken glass in the pale blue light. A low, rumbling growl echoed from its chest, shaking dust and small icicles from the ceiling."Lyra, get back!" Valen barked, stepping directly between her and the beast.He didn't wait for the monster to strike first. Valen lunged forward, swinging his shadow sword in a broad arc. A heavy wave of black smoke erupted from the blade, rushing toward the dragon's face to blind its burning white eyes.The dragon whipped its massive tail around in response. The heavy impact slammed into the stone wall right beside Valen, sending a shower of sharp ice boulders tumbling down."I'll draw its attention!" Valen yelled over the dragon's furious roar, dodging another swipe of its razor-sharp claws. "Grab the lotus and run!""Not without you!" Lyra called back.She knew they couldn't stay in a long fight. The freezing air in the cavern was already slowing her muscles down, and every s
Valen looked at the picture of the glowing blue lotus, his eyes grim. "The Frozen Peaks are two days north of here if we ride fast. But the cold up there can freeze a man’s blood in minutes."Lyra looked back at Aurora. The toddler’s face was pale, her breathing shallow and uneven under the thick wool blanket. Every hour they waited was another hour the dark magic fed on her life force."We don't have two days to waste on horses," Lyra said, her voice steady and hard as steel. "We take the griffin."Valen nodded once. "I will command the elite guards to lock down the entire lower level. No one enters the Obsidian Dungeon while we are gone. If Kael dies, Aurora dies."Ten minutes later, they stood on the high stone balcony of the Citadel's highest tower. Wind whipped Lyra’s hair across her face as a massive, dark-feathered creature dropped from the clouds, landing with a heavy thud on the flagstones. It was Valen’s personal mount a beast with the body of a giant black lion and the head
Valen locked the heavy cell door with a loud CLICK. He pulled the massive iron key out and tied it around his neck."He is safe in there for now," Valen said, turning to Lyra. His voice was tired, but his eyes were sharp. "The magic stone in this wall will keep him weak. He cannot use his powers to wake up fast."Lyra looked down at Aurora. The little girl had finally fallen asleep in her arms, heavy and warm. But when Lyra moved her daughter’s soft hair, the black mark on her neck was still glowing faintly in the dark hall."She is burning up, Valen," Lyra whispered, her voice shaking. She pressed her cheek against Aurora’s hot forehead. "The poison isn't spreading, but it is making her weak. We don't have many days.""Then we don't waste another minute," Valen said. He put a warm hand on Lyra's shoulder. "Follow me. We are going to the deep vaults."They walked back up the cold stairs, leaving the quiet dungeon behind. Instead of going back to the nursery, Valen led them down a secr
Valen’s shadow blade trembled against Kael’s throat, but he didn't cut. His hands, usually as steady as mountain stone, were rigid with a cold, desperate fear."Don't do it, Valen!" Lyra cried out, her voice breaking. She pulled Aurora tighter into her chest, shielding the glowing black mark on the little girl's neck with her hand. "If he dies, the curse wakes up!"Kael’s ugly grin widened. "Smart girl," he hissed, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. "Every second my heart beats, your little princess gets to live. But the moment you strike me down, the poison in her blood will finish the job. You can't kill me, Lord Valen. You are my prisoner now.""You are no one's master, traitor," Valen growled.With a fast, brutal flick of his wrist, Valen didn't slice Kael's throat. Instead, he slammed the heavy hilt of his sword directly into the side of Kael’s jaw.CRACK.Kael’s head snapped back, and his body went limp as he hit the stone floor, knocked completely unconscious."Is he bre
The air whipped past my ears as we fell into the swirling crimson light.The heat inside the portal was terrifying, like falling straight into an open volcano. The Supreme Sovereign held my wrist in a crushing grip, his red eyes wide with madness as the dark abyss swallowed us whole."VALERIA!"A heavy, muscular arm suddenly wrapped tightly around my waist from above.I looked up through the roaring red wind. Kaelen had leaped off the crumbling obsidian archway right after us!His face was contorted with pure desperation. He drew his heavy silver sword with his free hand and drove the blade deep into the inner wall of the obsidian rift.CLANG!Sparks flew in a blinding shower as the sword dragged through the black stone, slowing our lethal drop. The violent jerk nearly tore my arm out of its socket, but Kaelen didn't let go of my waist.We hung suspended over the bottomless red pit—Kaelen holding the sword embedded in the rock, holding me, while the Sovereign hung off my other hand, d
My eyes widened in utter horror.The spectral hand around my throat felt like liquid ice, cutting off my air. The red chains connecting Lord Vane to the Sovereign weren't binding him he was feeding his own ancient dark magic directly into the Sovereign's crown!"He lied to you, little Queen!" the Supreme Sovereign laughed, stepping up beside my spectral father. "Your biological father didn't fall to my army. We were partners! He willingly sacrificed his own pack to unlock the power of the Underworld!""Valeria!" Kaelen's furious roar echoed from the bottom of the platform.Kaelen blasted three undead soldiers back with a wave of Alpha power and leaped up the obsidian stairs three at a time, his eyes burning gold with desperate rage."Stay back, Lycan!" my father's hollow voice boomed across the sky.With a flick of his phantom wrist, Vane released a massive wave of black shadow-fire. The blast hit Kaelen dead in the chest, throwing him backward down the high stone stairs. Kaelen slamm







