เข้าสู่ระบบ"You've been quiet since we left the fortress. What's on your mind?"Rowan's voice was gentle as we rode through the frozen wastes. The eastern mountains were behind us now, the fortress a distant memory. But the weight of what we'd learned—what we'd lost—still pressed down on me."Elara," I said quietly. "She was the first Silver Queen. The one who founded the Shadow Council. The one who started all of this.""She was also insane. Consumed by power. Willing to destroy the world to prove she was right.""I know. But she wasn't always that way. She started with good intentions—protecting the kingdom, preserving the balance. Somewhere along the way, she lost herself."Rowan was silent for a moment. Then he took my hand."You're thinking about what you might become. Without the Flame. Without the power.""I'm thinking about what anyone might become. Given enough time. Enough power. Enough fear." I paused. "How do I know I won't end up like her?""You won't.""How can you be sure?""Becau
"The Flame left a trail. I can feel it."I stood in the crystal chamber, my hands pressed against the ice that held the Devourer—the darkness within pulsed, hungry and aware. But there was something else—a faint warmth, a whisper of power that didn't belong to the Devourer."The Silver Flame," Ilsa breathed. "It's still here. Not in you, but... nearby.""Someone took it. Someone who knows how to use it." I closed my eyes, reaching for the sensation. The warmth was faint but unmistakable—a thread of light in the darkness. "It's coming from the east. Beyond the mountains.""The eastern wastes," Koda said quietly. "No one lives there. It's nothing but ice and stone.""Someone does. Someone who's been hiding for a very long time."Rowan moved beside me, his hand finding mine. "We need to follow the trail. Find out who took the Flame and why.""And the Devourer?" Ilsa asked. "If the wards fail while you're gone—""They won't fail. Not yet." I turned to face her. "The Flame is still connect
"You haven't slept in three days."Rowan's voice was gentle but firm as he entered my study. The candle had burned low, its flame flickering against the darkness outside. I was surrounded by papers—treaty drafts, supply manifests, letters from pack leaders across the kingdom."I'll sleep when the work is done.""The work is never done. That's the point." He crossed the room and gently took the quill from my hand. "You ended a war without a battle. You negotiated peace with a wolf who wanted to destroy you. You've earned one night of rest."I wanted to argue. But he was right. My body ached, my mind was foggy, and the words on the pages were starting to blur together."Fine," I said. "One night."He helped me to my feet, his arm steady around my waist. The bond between us hummed, warm and comforting."The kingdom will survive without you for a few hours," he murmured."It always does. But I worry.""I know. That's what makes you a good Queen."The next morning, I woke to sunlight strea
"You want to do what?"Victor's voice was sharp with disbelief. We stood in the war room, the maps spread across the table, the enemy army visible through the windows. The siege had lasted three days. The wolves were scared. The supplies were running low."I want to negotiate," I said."Negotiate? With the Architect? The wolf who's trying to destroy everything we've built?""Yes.""Selene, that's insane.""Maybe. But it's also our best chance." I looked at the map, at the thousands of wolves surrounding the city. "We can't fight them. We don't have the numbers. We don't have the supplies. But we do have something they don't.""What's that?""Hope."The council chamber was silent as I explained my plan."The Architect is smart. Patient. They've been planning this for years. But they've made one mistake—they've underestimated me. They think I'm weak without the Silver Flame. They think I'm just a Queen with no power.""And you want to prove them wrong?" Helena asked."I want to show the
"The scouts have returned. They found something."Brenna's voice was grim as she entered the council chamber. We'd waited hours, poring over maps and intelligence reports. The eastern territories were still unstable, the rogue attacks continuing despite our increased patrols."What did they find?" I asked."A camp. Hidden in the mountains. It's not just rogues—there are wolves in uniform. Trained soldiers. They're organizing something.""Show me."She spread a map across the table and pointed to a location deep in the eastern mountains. "Here. It's remote. Difficult to reach. But the scouts got close enough to see what's happening.""And what is happening?""They're building an army. Not just rogues—wolves from every corner of the kingdom. Mercenaries. Displaced soldiers. Wolves who've lost everything and are looking for someone to follow.""The Architect," I said quietly."Has to be. No one else could organize something this big this quickly."I studied the map, my mind racing. An ar
"You're pushing yourself too hard. The wound hasn't fully healed."Mira's voice was stern as she examined my shoulder. The bite mark was healing—slowly, thanks to the loss of the Silver Flame—but it still ached. Still reminded me of how close I'd come to death."I have work to do," I said. "The Greymoor villagers need homes. The northern camps need supplies. The kingdom doesn't stop because I'm injured.""The kingdom will survive if you take a few days to rest." She paused. "You're not the Silver Queen anymore, Selene. You can't heal yourself with a thought. You have to take care of your body.""I know." I sighed. "I'm trying.""Try harder."The next morning, I received an unexpected visitor."Your Majesty, there's a wolf here to see you. She says she's a healer from the eastern territories. She claims to have information about the rogue attacks.""Send her in."The wolf who entered was young—barely out of her teens—with dark hair and haunted eyes. She bowed deeply."My name is Sera.







