Kanah couldn't breathe.
The woman in front of her—barefoot, bleeding, shaking—lifted her head again, and those golden eyes shone with a mixture of disbelief and worship.
She whispered again, voice cracking:
"My child… Kanah… Kanara…"
That name.
Kanara.
A name that didn't belong to Earth.
A name she had never heard.
A name that fit her chest like a piece she didn't know she'd been missing.
Her legs went numb.
Owain grabbed her arm instantly.
"KANA—don't go near her—!"
But Kanah didn't listen.
She stumbled forward as if pulled by gravity itself.
"Mother…?"
The woman's lips trembled, tears rolling down her dirt-streaked cheeks.
"Oh, stars—my baby—my little Kanara—my daughter—"
Kanah's world tilted violently.
She dropped to her knees.
The woman lunged forward—not fast, not aggressive—just desperate, arms open as she tried to reach Kanah's face.
Owain was there instantly, intercepting with a snarl that shook the air.
"DON'T TOUCH HER."
The woman froze in terror, hands still reaching but not daring to move further.
Kanah gasped, grabbing Owain's elbow.
"Owain—wait—she's—!"
Owain didn't take his eyes off the woman.
"She claims you. That doesn't make her real."
His voice was low.
Dark.
Dangerous.
Kanah had never heard him sound like that.
The woman sobbed, hands trembling.
"I–I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Wolf King… I didn't mean— I just—my daughter—"
Owain stepped between her and Kanah fully, shielding Kanah with his entire body.
"You don't have a daughter here."
Kanah whispered, breath shaking:
"Owain…"
He didn't move.
Didn't soften.
Didn't blink.
Helion stepped up beside him.
"Owain. She's not armed."
"I don't care."
Gerrin looked at the woman with unsure pity.
"We need context. Let her speak."
Owain growled, "No."
Kanah pulled at his sleeve.
"Owain, please—just let me talk to her."
He stiffened.
Hard.
"Kana… if you touch her… if she touches you… every instinct I have will break."
Her heart squeezed painfully.
He wasn't threatening her.
He was warning her.
Kanah gently stepped around him—slow, deliberate—never leaving his reach.
Owain bristled, but he didn't stop her.
The woman collapsed when Kanah knelt in front of her.
Her hands cupped the air as if afraid to tarnish what she saw.
"You're alive," she whispered.
"You're alive—you survived—I prayed every night—please, please, forgive me—I couldn't protect you—"
Kanah's throat closed.
"Protect me… from what?"
The woman sobbed harder.
"From them.
From House Veylor.
From your father's enemies."
Kanah's pulse skidded.
"Father…?"
The woman nodded weakly.
"You are born of the Veylor bloodline.
The heir.
The only child."
Kanah's heart thundered.
"I'm… I'm heir to a House?"
The woman's chin trembled.
"You were not meant to be raised in the human world.
I sent you there because the House wanted your power—your throne—your life."
Owain growled under his breath.
"Convenient story."
The woman flinched.
Kanah touched her shoulder lightly.
"Please… tell me everything."
The woman clutched Kanah's hand as if drowning.
"You were born small. Sick. Too quiet.
Your father—he loved you fiercely—but the House saw weakness.
They wanted to take you, mold you, make you into a weapon."
She swallowed.
"So I made a choice no mother should ever make—
I found a forbidden portal and sent you through."
Kanah's breath trembled.
"To Earth…?"
"Yes."
The woman's tears dripped onto Kanah's fingers.
"Somewhere safe. Somewhere without power. Somewhere they could never use you."
Owain's hands clenched at his sides.
"And who raised her there?" he demanded.
The woman froze.
Kanah's voice broke.
"Did you know… what kind of family I had…? What they did…?"
The woman sobbed, shaking her head violently.
"I didn't know! I didn't know—
human families were supposed to love!
I thought—
I thought you would be cherished—
not hurt—
not neglected—
not broken—"
Kanah's tears fell.
Owain stepped closer, placing a hand on Kanah's back.
Slowly.
Gently.
Protective, but no longer blocking her.
Kanah leaned back against him a little.
The woman continued, voice soft and shattered:
"I searched for years.
The House began searching too.
They want you back—your blood, your throne right, your Queen resonance."
Helion whispered:
"So they sent soldiers."
Gerrin nodded grimly.
"And they won't stop."
Yllas spoke quietly.
"House Veylor believes Kanah is theirs… by blood."
Owain's grip tightened.
"No one owns her."
The woman looked up at him, tears trembling.
"You love her."
Owain didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Kanah's chest squeezed painfully at the certainty in his voice.
The woman closed her eyes.
"Good…
Good…
Then she is safer with you than with any bloodline."
Owain stiffened.
"You're not taking her back."
"No!" the woman cried, horrified.
"No—I came to warn you—"
Kanah blinked.
"Warn… us?"
The woman looked over her shoulder—
And her face drained of all color.
Kanah followed her gaze.
Through the forest fog, silhouettes emerged.
Dozens.
Marching in formation.
Carrying gold-thread banners.
House Veylor.
Owain grabbed Kanah, pulling her close.
"How did they find us so fast?!"
The woman sobbed.
"They were tracking me—
I led them straight here—
I'm sorry—I'm so sorry—"
Gerrin jerked his staff up.
"OWAIN — THEY'RE CLOSE!"
Helion hissed.
"We can't fight that many!"
Yllas spread his wings, blades ready.
"We run. Now!"
The woman grabbed Kanah's shoulders.
"Listen to me—
You must find the Architect—
He is the only one who knows the way—
He is the only one—"
Owain ripped Kanah away from her.
"Don't say his name—"
The woman sobbed:
"He can take you somewhere safe!"
Owain roared, "SAFE?! HE TRIED TO TAKE HER!"
The woman screamed:
"BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT HUNTS HER!"
Kanah's heart hammered.
"What hunts me—?!"
The woman grabbed her face with shaking hands.
"Not a House—
Not a throne—
Not a kingdom—"
She inhaled.
"Your father."
Kanah froze.
Owain's heart stopped.
Gerrin's staff shook.
Helion whispered, "…no."
Yllas's wings trembled.
The woman cried:
"Your father lives—
He leads House Veylor—
And he has come to claim you."
Kanah's world spun.
"I—I don't understand—he wanted me dead—he—"
"No," the woman whispered.
"Your father wanted you trained. Molded. Controlled.
Your weakness made you disposable.
But your power now—your resonance—
makes you priceless."
Owain pulled Kanah into his chest.
"No one touches her."
A horn sounded in the distance.
Kanah jolted.
The woman shoved Kanah toward Owain.
"Run."
Owain grabbed Kanah and pulled her against his chest.
"We're leaving."
But the woman grabbed Kanah's wrist one final time.
"Kanara—listen—your father is something worse than a leader—
worse than a king—
He's something the throne cannot name."
Kanah whispered:
"What… is he?"
The woman's breath rattled.
Her eyes glowed faintly gold.
"He is—"
An arrow struck her throat.
Kanah screamed.
The woman collapsed into her arms, blood spilling across Kanah's fingers.
Owain grabbed Kanah, dragging her back.
"KANA—MOVE—MOVE—MOVE—!!"
Kanah sobbed over the woman.
"MOTHER—NO—NO—NO—!!"
The woman sputtered, grabbing Kanah's chin one last time.
Her whisper was wet and agonized:
"He is… not… mortal…"
Kanah shook her head violently.
"Mama—PLEASE—STAY—!!"
The woman coughed, choking on blood.
"Find… the Architect…
He will tell you… what you are…"
Her hand dropped.
Her eyes dimmed.
Kanah's scream broke the forest open.
Owain lifted her into his arms, holding her as she shook and sobbed.
"Kana—KANA—baby—please—"
She clung to him.
"She's dead—Owain—she's—she's—"
He crushed her against him, jaw shaking.
Helion's voice came out strangled.
"OWAIN—HOUSE VEYLOR IS ALREADY HERE—!!"
Dozens of glowing eyes lit the forest.
Gold.
Hungry.
Claiming.
Yllas shouted:
"THEY'RE SURROUNDING US—!"
Gerrin slammed his staff down.
"WE HAVE TO MOVE NOW—!"
Owain lifted Kanah fully into his arms, her face buried in his neck.
"KANA—hold on to me—don't look—just hold on—"
She sobbed violently, shaking uncontrollably.
"Owain… my mother… she—she—"
"I know—I know—I'm here—I've got you—"
She cried harder.
He held her tighter.
Behind them, the forest filled with marching soldiers.
And above them—
Perched on a broken branch—
The Architect watched silently.
Hands folded.
Expression unreadable.
He whispered:
"It begins."