The wind died.
The snow stopped.
The sky seemed to hold its breath.
Kanah stood frozen, her heart hammering painfully inside her chest.
Owain immediately moved in front of her, shielding her with his entire body.
"No," he growled at the empty air.
"We are NOT letting him choose."
The First King's voice echoed again, cold and distant:
"Time remaining: thirty minutes."
Kanah trembled violently.
"I can't… I can't do this. I'm still shaking. I'm still terrified. Owain almost—Yllas is bleeding—I can't—"
Owain spun toward her and cupped her face with trembling hands.
"Kanah. Look at me."
She couldn't—not at first.
When she did, her eyes filled instantly with tears.
"I'm scared, Owain…"
"I know," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers,
"I know. I'm scared too."
Behind them, Yllas forced himself upright, supporting his weight against a cracked boulder.
His chest wound still oozed gold.
"You don't have to be afraid of us," he said softly.
"Just afraid of him."
Helion, leaning on a tree trunk with bleeding scratches along his arms, flicked his tail irritably.
"Hate to say it, little star, but the bastard has a point. We don't choose? He will. And believe me—you don't want that."
Gerrin swallowed, gripping his staff.
"Kanah… listen carefully. The First King doesn't choose based on love, compatibility, or emotion."
Kanah's tears dripped onto the snow.
She whispered, "Then what does he choose based on?"
Gerrin hesitated.
Then answered:
"Power."
The word hit the air like a blade.
Owain stiffened.
Kanah's hands shook.
Gerrin took a fragile breath.
"The First King will choose the mate whose power will stabilize you fastest. The one whose magic aligns most efficiently with yours. The one who can anchor your heart without hesitation."
Kanah's pulse spiked.
"Wh-who… would that be?"
Gerrin looked at her.
Then at the ground.
Then at the three men behind him.
The silence stretched.
Finally—
"…Owain."
Owain froze.
Kanah's breath stopped.
Even the wind didn't dare move.
Gerrin continued quietly:
"The wolf holds the strongest instinct-bond to you. He broke the Aetherwolf state for you. He acts without thinking. That's the kind of instinct the First King favors for anchoring."
Owain swallowed hard.
His voice cracked.
"I'm not letting him force you into anything."
Kanah's chest tightened painfully.
"Owain… you don't want to be first?"
He took her hands gently.
"Kanah. I want you. Not a crown.
Not a throne.
Not a trial."
His voice was low, shaking.
"I want you."
Her heart twisted violently.
Yllas stepped forward, breath ragged.
"If the First King chooses Owain, it'll be because Owain already resonates with your heart."
Helion nodded.
"As much as it hurts my pride, the wolf's your strongest bond right now."
Kanah wiped her tears and shook her head fiercely.
"I don't want the trial choosing for me. I want to choose by myself. When I'm ready. When it's right."
Owain gently brushed her cheek.
"Then choose no one."
Kanah's eyes widened in a panic.
"But that means—"
Owain nodded.
"It means I'll fight whatever he sends next."
Kanah bit her lip hard, tears spilling freely.
"Owain… you can't keep risking yourself like this… you'll die—"
He pressed a finger softly to her lips.
"Then let me die for something I believe in."
Kanah's breath broke.
"No… please don't say that. Don't make me hear that. Not from you."
But before either of them could speak again—
The First King's voice returned, louder this time.
"You delay.
Your heart wavers."
Kanah flinched as if slapped.
"No—I'm trying—I just—"
"You refuse to choose."
She shook her head violently.
"That's not true—I'm just—"
"Then I shall choose in your place."
Owain's body snapped into a battle stance.
"No.
The hell you will."
Yllas inhaled sharply.
"Kanah—stay behind Owain—NOW."
Helion growled softly.
"Here it comes. Brace."
Gerrin gripped his staff.
Kanah's pulse thundered painfully in her neck.
"No—STOP—give me more time—please—"
"Time expired."
Kanah screamed.
"No—NO—STOP—STOP—STOP—"
The ground split open.
A glowing white sigil burst beneath Kanah's feet, illuminating her entire body.
Owain lunged for her—
But something invisible yanked him back, throwing him several feet away.
"Owain—!" Kanah reached for him, but the sigil wrapped around her ankles.
She screamed as white light climbed her body, pulsing with painful heat.
Helion staggered toward her—
A blast of force sent him tumbling backward.
Yllas tried to fly—
but his wounded wing failed and he collapsed to one knee.
Gerrin cast a shield—
it shattered instantly.
Kanah was alone.
Frozen in the glowing sigil.
Paralyzed.
Terrified.
She sobbed, reaching into the air.
"OWAIN—HELP—PLEASE—HELP—"
Owain threw himself against the invisible barrier, claws out, eyes wild with panic.
"KANAH—KANAH I'M RIGHT HERE—LOOK AT ME—DON'T LET GO—DON'T—"
The First King's voice filled the valley.
Cold.
Ancient.
Absolute.
"I choose the wolf."
Kanah's entire body froze.
Owain's breath went still.
Kanah choked out a trembling, broken whisper:
"O…wain…?"
He slammed his palms against the barrier again.
"No—NO—no—you don't get to choose for her—she chooses—she CHOOSES—"
Kanah sobbed harder.
"I didn't choose yet—please—please don't force him—"
The First King ignored her entirely.
"Bond initiation: begin."
White light exploded upward.
Owain roared.
Kanah screamed.
Their hands almost touched—
Their fingertips nearly brushed through the barrier—
But then—
A pulse of white magic struck Owain directly in the chest.
He flew backward, crashing into Helion and sending them both tumbling.
Kanah screamed his name again:
"OWAIN—!!"
The sigil beneath her feet brightened into a blinding spiral.
Her heart hammered so violently she thought it might burst.
"No—no—NO—I didn't choose—I DIDN'T—"
The First King answered:
"The trial has chosen for you."
Kanah's vision blurred with burning tears.
She felt the magic claw through her veins, ripping through her chest like fire.
She screamed again—raw, agonized.
"Owain—OWAIN—please—I don't want this—PLEASE—"
Owain forced himself onto his hands and knees, blood dripping from his mouth, ribs broken again.
He looked at her with tear-filled amber eyes.
Then he roared—
Not in rage.
In pure fear.
In pure heartbreak.
"KANAAAAAH—!!!"
The sigil surged.
The world flashed white.
And Kanah's body—
collapsed.
Limp.
Unmoving.