Chapter 97

Chapter 97

The ancient voice still echoed through the chamber when the shadows at the far end of the room began to move. They did not rush forward or take shape all at once. Instead, they gathered slowly, thickening into something taller and darker until the outline of a figure stood in the distance.

Kael felt the reaction inside him immediately. The storm under his skin tightened with sharp awareness, every instinct in him rising at once. Part of him wanted to attack. Another part recognized what stood before him, and that second feeling made anger hit even harder.

Mira moved in front of him without hesitation, placing herself between Kael and the shadows.

“Do not answer it,” she said.

Kael pulled once against the chains, metal biting into his wrists. “Then move p>

She did not turn around. “Not this time p>

The figure in the shadows remained several feet away, never fully solid. Its eyes glowed faintly through the dark, watching them with patient amusement.

“You hide him well,” it said.

Mira’s shoulders stiffened. “You lost the right to claim him long ago p>

The chamber trembled once, dust falling lightly from the high ceiling. Kael looked from her to the figure, jaw tightening harder by the second.

“Someone start explaining,” he said.

Neither of them answered immediately.

The entity’s voice came first, smooth and low. “That temper survived every life p>

Kael went still.

Mira’s head turned slightly. “Enough p>

The shadows ignored her. “He always burns first and thinks later. He fights hardest when fear touches him p>

Kael stepped forward until the chains snapped tight. “I said explain p>

Mira turned toward him then, her expression sharper than before. “You are not ready p>

“I’m chained in a room with a shadow speaking about my lives,” he said coldly. “Try me p>

For the first time, irritation crossed her face. It was brief, but real.The entity laughed softly, the sound moving through the stone walls. “She fears what happens when you remember who she is p>

Kael’s eyes shifted to Mira at once.

She met his gaze, but something in her expression closed. “Do not listen to it p>

“Who are you?” he asked.

Silence stretched between them.

Then Mira answered quietly. “I was there before your kingdoms existed. Before packs claimed land. Before Ariana was Ariana p>

Kael frowned. “That is not an answer p>

“It is the only one I’m giving right now p>

The entity sounded almost pleased. “She says that because truth costs her more than lies p>

Kael forced himself to breathe slowly through the pounding in his skull. “What do you want from me?” he asked Mira.

Her gaze sharpened. “To keep you alive p>

“No p>

He stepped closer until the chains cut deeper into skin. “What do you really want p>

For the first time since he woke, Mira hesitated. Then she said, “I want you free before it turns you into what you were p>

The room seemed to grow colder.

Kael stared at her. “What was I p>

Mira looked at him for a long second before answering.

“A weapon p>

The word landed harder than he expected. The entity spoke again, shadows climbing higher along the walls. “Not just a weapon p>

Its voice deepened with satisfaction.

“My finest guardian p>

Pain twisted suddenly through Kael’s chest. Images flashed through his mind too quickly to hold: battlefields, blood, Ariana reaching for him, his own hands stained red.

“No p>

The word tore out of him as pain slammed through his head hard enough to drop him to one knee.

Mira was in front of him instantly. She crouched and caught his face in both hands, forcing him to focus on her.

“Look at me p>

His breathing came fast and rough.

“Kael. Look at me p>

He did. The pain eased enough for thought to return. Sweat ran cold down the back of his neck, and he shoved her hands away as soon as he could move.

“You need to stop touching me p>

Relief crossed her face so quickly he almost missed it.

“Then stop collapsing,” she said.

Kael let out a weak, humorless breath and pushed himself upright. His legs felt unsteady, but he stayed standing.

“You know me,” he said quietly.

“Yes p>

“You know what I was p>

“Yes p>

“You know what I did p>

Mira said nothing.

That silence told him enough.

Across the chamber, the shadows shifted again.

“She watched every death,” the entity said. “Every time you chose the Bride. Every time you failed p>

Kael’s pulse spiked. “Shut up p>

“Every time you killed for her p>

“Shut up p>

“Every time you killed her p>

The storm exploded out of him before he could stop it.

Lightning tore across the chamber floor and raced up the walls. The chains around his wrists snapped tight as power surged through them, pain ripping into his arms, but rage hit harder than pain ever could.

“No p>

Mira threw both hands forward. Silver light burst from her palms and collided with the storm, forcing it back before the chamber shattered around them. The impact knocked Kael backward onto the stone floor hard enough to drive the air from his lungs.

Mira reached him immediately.

“Breathe,” she ordered.

Kael shoved her away and dragged air back into his chest. “Did I p>

She said nothing.

“Did I kill her p>

Her silence lasted one second too long.

Kael’s face hardened. “Mira p>

“You remember fragments,” she said tightly. “Fragments lie p>

“That is not an answer p>

“It is the only safe one p>

He laughed once, furious now. “You keep saying that p>

“Because you keep asking questions that can destroy you p>

Kael pushed himself upright again, chest heaving. “Ariana is alive now,” he said. “That is the only truth I care about p>

The distant connection answered the moment he said her name, faint but certain. His eyes closed for half a second as relief moved through him before he could stop it. The entity noticed.

“You still feel her,” it murmured. “Good p>

Mira turned sharply toward the shadows. “Be silent p>

“She is frightened. She is in pain. She is angry with both of you.” The voice deepened with pleasure. “And she is beginning to understand what Bride means p>

Kael’s eyes snapped open.

“What does that mean p>

Neither of them answered quickly enough. He looked at Mira first. “Tell me p>

Her jaw tightened. “It means she is in danger p>

“That explains nothing p>

The entity answered for her.

“It means she is mine p>

Kael moved before thought caught up.

He lunged toward the shadows, chains tearing forward with him as power burst through the chamber again. Stone cracked beneath his feet.

Mira caught him from the side, both arms locking around his chest before he could reach the end of the restraints.

“Kael p>

“Let go p>

“He wants you angry p>

“I don’t care p>

He fought her grip for one wild second, then froze as something changed between him and Ariana. Through the rage and the storm tearing through his chest, the distant thread connecting them suddenly pulled tight enough to make his breath catch.

It was not fear. It was pain, sharp and real, hitting him so clearly that every muscle in his body locked. Kael went still in Mira’s hold, breathing hard as the certainty settled in.

Something was happening to Ariana.

He turned slowly toward Mira, his eyes dark and shaking with barely controlled fury. “Take me to her.” Mira’s grip tightened instead of loosening, her voice calm in a way that only made it worse. “No p>

Kael went completely still for one dangerous second.

Then the chains around his wrists cracked loudly.