The fortress walls groaned under the weight of the storm that had rolled in overnight. Rain lashed against the stone like knives, and the thunder above echoed Aria's own restless heartbeat.
It had been days since her choice — days since she had embraced the fire within and declared her own path. Yet in those short days, the world had already begun to shift.
The werewolves had caught wind of her survival. Scouts had been spotted prowling near vampire borders, their howls carried on the wind as warnings. The vampire council grew more restless with each sunrise, muttering behind closed doors, watching Aria as though she were both weapon and curse.
War was no longer a possibility. It was inevitable.
Aria stood on the balcony overlooking the valley, her hair damp with rain, her eyes sharp as steel. She could feel it — the tension thick in the air, the simmering hatred between clans, all waiting for a single spark to ignite.
Lucien appeared behind her, silent as ever. She didn't turn, but she knew his gaze was fixed on her, studying her the way a hunter studies prey — or perhaps a king studies his crown.
"They're moving," he said simply.
"Werewolves?" Aria asked.
He nodded. "Kael has rallied the packs. They march toward the border tonight."
Her chest tightened at the mention of Kael. Once, his name had been a comfort, a tether to home. Now it was a blade turned against her.
"And the council?" Aria asked, gripping the stone railing.
Lucien's lips curved into a thin smile. "They're waiting. Watching. They want you to fail so they can prove their point — that power like yours cannot exist unchecked."
Aria turned at last, fire sparking faintly in her eyes. "Then let them watch. If it's war they want, I'll give it to them."
Before Lucien could respond, a messenger rushed into the chamber, his cloak soaked and his face pale. He dropped to one knee, eyes wide with urgency.
"My Lord — my Lady," he stammered, his voice trembling. "The first strike has been made. Werewolves raided the outer villages at dawn. Blood runs in the streets."
Aria's pulse quickened. So it begins.
Lucien's eyes glowed faintly crimson as he straightened, his voice calm but laced with danger. "Then the Blood Wars have begun."
Aria clenched her fists, flames licking at her fingertips as the storm raged louder outside.
No more hesitation. No more waiting. The world ha
d chosen war — and she would answer.
_ _