تسجيل الدخولPanic clawed at my throat as I knelt in the cold dirt beside Valen.The small golden spark on his blade flickered weakly, casting long, terrifying shadows across the cave walls. Dark black blood kept oozing through his fingers, soaking his leather armor."Valen, stay with me!" I cried out, tearing a strip of cloth from my cloak and pressing it firmly against his bleeding side.Valen let out a sharp, pained gasp. His face was deathly pale, sweat dripping down his forehead as the wolfsbane poison raced through his veins. His golden eyes were losing their shine, turning dark and glassy."Lyra..." he rasped out, his voice barely a whisper. "The cave... is completely sealed. You need to... get out before the air runs out...""I'm not leaving you!" I sobbed, tears spilling down my cheeks. "I lost you once, Valen. I am not losing you again!"Deep inside my mind, Selena’s spirit let out a cold, wicked laugh.“Look at him, human girl,” Selena mocked, her voice echoing in my skull. “The great A
The horse let out a wild, pained scream!It reared back on its hind legs, throwing Valen off its saddle into the deep snow before bolting into the dark forest."Lyra!" Valen yelled, scrambling up from the snow and drawing his sword.My body moved on its own, completely controlled by Selena’s dark spirit. I swung my leg over my horse and dropped gracefully to the ground. A cruel, wicked smile stretched across my face a smile that wasn't mine.My eyes flared with bright, terrifying purple fire."Look at you, brave little Prince," my mouth spoke with Selena's cold, echoing voice. "Surrounded by rogue beasts, and your precious mate is holding the blade!"The rogue leader raised his heavy iron axe, his red eyes wide with surprise. "What is this magic? Is she possessed?!""Kill the Prince!" Selena roared through my throat, waving my hand toward the rogues. "I will grant dark power to whoever brings me his head!"The twenty massive black wolves let out bloodthirsty snarls. Spurred by Selena’
I staggered back into Valen’s chest, my hand clutching my wrist where the black mark burned into my skin."Lyra!" Valen gasped, lifting me into his arms and carrying me quickly into our warm bedchamber. He laid me gently on the soft bed, his golden eyes wide with fear. "What is happening? Tell me!""Her voice..." I choked out, tears of pain blurring my eyes. "Selena... she’s inside my head, Valen!"Valen grabbed my wrist, staring at the dark, spider-web mark spreading across my skin. He tried to push his golden Alpha magic into my arm to heal it, but the moment his power touched the mark, black smoke hissed off my skin, burning him!Valen winced, pulling his hand back in shock."Her dark soul didn't die in the light," I whispered, my whole body shaking. "When I trapped her blast, her magic fused with my blood. She sacrificed her body to live inside me!"Deep in my mind, Selena’s cold laugh echoed again.“You gave up your silver wolf magic to return to life, little queen,” Selena’s voi
Selena’s black claws dug deep into the collar of my shirt, her cold breath hitting my neck like ice.Below me, Valen dangled over the pitch-black void, his hand locked tightly in mine. Further down, King Arthur was pulling on Valen's ankle with all his dark shadow strength, trying to drag us all down into the abyss."Choose, Lyra!" Selena purred softly into my ear, her voice dripping with poison. "Cut Arthur loose with your silver blade, or I'll let you drop right now.""Lyra, don't listen to her!" Valen yelled over the howling wind, his grip slipping an inch against my sweaty palm. "She's going to betray you anyway!"My mind raced desperately. The stone slab under my chest was crumbling fast. I couldn't hold Valen much longer, and Selena’s grip was the only thing keeping me from sliding off the broken edge."I don't have all night, little wolf," Selena hissed, tightening her grip on my shirt.I looked down into Valen’s golden eyes. In the middle of all the wind and roaring darkness,
"Get off me!" I screamed, kicking wildly with my free leg.My red fire flared up around my arms, but the moment my magic touched the black bone dagger in King Arthur’s hand, the flames vanished. The dagger drank my power like a dry sponge, turning my limbs heavy and cold."Do not fight it, little wolf," Arthur hissed, pressing his knee down onto my chest. "I have served the shadows far longer than Selena or Kael ever did. I built this entire kingdom on blood magic!"The dark runes on the blade began to glow with a sickly purple light, pointing straight at my heart."Father, STOP!"A thunderous voice shattered the quiet room.Arthur’s head snapped toward the glowing portal.Stepping out from the blinding golden light was Valen.He was completely whole again. The gaping hole in his chest was gone, replaced by a shining golden mark in the shape of a wolf's head. His golden eyes were burning so bright they lit up every dark corner of the grand throne room.He was alive. He was really back
I stared down at the glowing silver stone sitting on the cold floor.My heart was pounding like a drum. Tears blurred my eyes, but the dark red fire in my blood burned hotter than ever."A life for a life?" I whispered, my voice shaking in the dark room. "Whose life?"The giant white wolf stepped closer, its glowing eyes staring straight into my soul.“The price of pulling a soul back from the underworld is steep,” the wolf’s voice echoed inside my head. “You must take the life of the person who broke his fate. You must kill the murderer before the blood on his blade turns cold.”"Kael," I spat, my jaw tightening as pure hatred washed over me. "I have to kill Kael."“Yes,” the wolf replied. “Touch the silver stone. Use the red fire in your blood to open the door. But hurry, Lyra. Valen’s soul is reaching the shadow gates. Once he crosses, even the gods cannot bring him back.”I didn't think twice. I reached out and slammed my hand against the silver stone.The red fire on my skin expl







