ke clung to the

forest where flames had licked the sky only hours before. The battle had come like thunder-fast, ruthless

. Soldiers-Kael's soldiers. Men who had sworn loyalty t

them-torn, bu

ad wanted

he heavy door

a

of his tunic, his jaw taut with exhaustion. Yet

va

d at the sight of her. She was covered in soot, her c

both

the eastern rid

held them off. For now.

the c

e was answ

way. "There

es

t stop hi

er, the valley stretching b

said finally. "But

question.

"I told you-I won

you-I won't

e wind, carrying with it the scent of ash and pi

show you

-

ever seen before. The air was colder here, denser. The walls were

heavy iron door.

vault. Before he died, he warned me never to

it is

g. There's something darker moving. I've seen

t quickene

Then he pushed

But at its center stood a pedestal. Upon it lay a dagger-it

he first Alpha of our bloodline. It's s

rward. "What k

The kind that demands s

dried. "S

nswer, a sudden cra

ound t

re unde

ai

-

second wave had come-hidden in the shadows of night. Sab

ury in her heart. Every clash of steel was a scream a

pless girl from be

down another. Around her, Kael moved like a storm, brutal a

wasn't

y was po

th

e through

imal. F

fr

t h

the rooftop, landing before her in a

uc

brot

iv

ong-wild, glowing wi

e rasped

ned-and att

-