Silence was impossible.
Every sound was too sharp.
Every breath too loud.
Kanah clung to Owain as he carried her away from her mother's body, shoulders shaking with sobs. His arms locked around her with a desperation so fierce it made his hands tremble.
Behind them, the forest filled with House Veylor soldiers.
Gold-thread armor.
Silent, disciplined steps.
Eyes glowing with the same resonance that pulsed deep in Kanah's chest.
Owain's heart hammered under her cheek.
"Kana—look at me—please—look at me—"
Kanah couldn't.
Her mother's last breaths still echoed in her ears.
Her hands were stained with warm, liquid red.
Her heart felt hollow.
Ruined.
Shredded.
Helion shouted over the panic:
"OWAIN—WE NEED A PATH NOW—!!"
Gerrin staggered as he cast barrier sigils.
"Too many—too fast—THEY'RE FORMING A RING—!!"
Yllas leapt into the air, blades drawn.
"I'll break the perimeter—helion, support—!"
Owain lowered Kanah just enough to see her face, cupping her cheeks with shaking hands.
"Kana.
Listen to me.
I need you.
Stay with me.
Please."
Her lips parted.
Nothing came out but a broken sob.
Owain's panic spiked.
"I'm here—" he whispered, forehead pressed to hers—
"I'm not letting them take you—ever—"
She clutched his coat with bloody hands, trembling violently.
"Owain… she died… in front of me…"
His chest cracked at the sound of her voice.
"I know," he whispered, pulling her close again. "I'm so sorry, Kana. I'm so—so sorry."
But Kanah felt something under her grief.
Something moving.
Something waking.
Her resonance trembled—
shaking her bones—
boiling beneath her skin.
Owain felt it instantly.
"Kana—wait—your aura—"
Kanah gasped as golden lines crawled up her arms, glowing through her skin.
"I—I can't—stop it—"
Owain grabbed her shoulders.
"Kana—BREATHE—"
But the golden light erupted—
a shockwave of raw Queen power—
forcing Owain back a step.
"KANA—!"
Helion screamed:
"TAKE COVER—!!"
The shockwave burst outward—
—slamming into the first ring of House Veylor soldiers.
Armor cracked.
Screams cut through the clearing.
Bodies stumbled back as if struck by a giant hand.
Kanah fell to her knees, gasping.
Owain dropped beside her, holding her shoulders tightly.
"KANA—listen to me—look at me—just focus on my voice—don't let it break—!"
But Kanah's grief had ignited her resonance like wildfire.
Her power surged again—
The trees shook.
Roots cracked.
Every soldier within twenty meters staggered, disoriented.
Owain felt her heartbeat spiraling dangerously fast.
He grabbed her face gently, urgently.
"Kana—breathe—look at me—love, look at me—"
Her tears came harder.
"I—I didn't want her to die—Owain—"
"I know—"
"I d-didn't want—any of this—"
"I know—"
"Why—why did this happen—?"
Owain pulled her into his chest.
"Because the world is cruel. But I'm here. I'll hold you together. I'll keep you safe."
Kanah sobbed against him—
—and her resonance surged a third time.
But this time—
Owain held her so tight the power didn't explode outward.
It diffused into him, through him.
His sigil ignited.
Gerrin nearly fell.
"Oh gods—Owain is absorbing part of her resonance—!! That shouldn't be possible—!!"
Helion yelled, "SHOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE? DO WE CARE?!"
Owain clenched his teeth.
Waves of energy shook through him—
wild—
untamed—
dangerous—
But he endured it.
He held Kanah until the resonance stabilized, until she was sobbing softly into his neck instead of drowning the world in power.
Then—
The forest went quiet.
Too quiet.
Gerrin froze first.
"…Owain."
Owain lifted his head, eyes sharp.
"Someone else is here."
Kanah trembled.
Owain gently shifted her behind him, his body becoming a shield again.
The soldiers parted in perfect formation.
Not retreating.
Bowing.
Kanah's blood chilled.
A tall figure stepped between them—
A man in black armor traced with gold.
His stride was unhurried.
His presence suffocating.
His aura ancient, older than Owain's instinct, older than the crown.
Power that felt like the throne and yet not.
Owain's hands curled into claws.
"Kanah," he said quietly, "don't look at him."
But it was too late.
Kanah stared.
The man's armor was flawless.
His posture regal.
His gaze sharp.
When he removed his helmet—
everything stopped.
Hair dark as midnight.
Eyes—
brilliant gold—
exactly like hers.
Kanah's heart stopped.
Owain's growl was murderous.
Gerrin whispered:
"Oh gods.
That's him."
Helion hissed.
"Her father."
Kanah felt her knees weaken.
"No…
No…
That can't be—"
But the man looked at her with the calm familiarity of someone who had known her since birth.
"Kanara."
Her name sounded like thunder.
Kanah flinched violently.
Owain stepped in front of her instantly.
"Don't you SAY her name."
The man tilted his head, voice cold and regal.
"She is my blood."
Owain's snarl shook the earth.
"She is NOT yours."
The man's gaze sharpened.
"And who are you, wolf?"
Owain bared his teeth.
"Her mate."
The soldiers whispered sharply.
Kanah's father's expression didn't change—
but his aura did.
Cold.
Furious.
Predatory.
"The Queen does not mate with a beast beneath her line."
Owain moved faster than breath.
He was inches away—ready to tear the man apart—
—but Kanah's father raised one hand.
And Owain collapsed to his knees, gasping, as if an invisible force crushed his chest.
"KANA—RUN—!!" Owain choked.
She screamed.
"OWAIN—!!"
Her father's voice rolled like frost.
"You will NOT touch my daughter again."
Kanah felt her own resonance spike violently.
"STOP—!!"
Her scream cracked the air.
Golden energy exploded—
Her father raised a barrier effortlessly, stopping it.
Kanah fell backward, dizzy.
Owain crawled toward her, lungs burning, fighting the invisible pressure.
"Kana—run—please—run—!"
Her father stepped toward her.
Kanah scrambled back.
"No—NO—get away—!!"
"You have her mother's face," he said softly, eerily calm.
Kanah sobbed in terror.
"STAY AWAY—!!"
"Come here, child."
Owain roared, forcing himself up despite the crushing force.
"DON'T TOUCH HER—!!"
Her father didn't look back.
"You are no king of mine, wolf."
Owain spit blood.
"GOOD.
I'm hers."
Kanah choked.
"T—Dad—why—why are you doing this—?"
Her father knelt down, towering even then.
"Because you are my daughter.
And you will return to your rightful place."
Kanah shook her head violently, crying.
"I'm not yours—!! I don't even know you—!!"
His jaw tightened.
"You will."
Owain lunged again—
—and the invisible force doubled.
He crashed into the ground.
Kanah screamed his name, reaching for him—
—but a hand closed around her wrist.
Her father.
She froze.
Her breath hitched in horror.
"Let me go—!! LET ME GO—!!"
He lifted her to her feet effortlessly.
"Stop struggling, Kanara."
"No—NO—!!"
Her resonance flared—
But he swallowed the glow with his palm.
Her power vanished.
Owain roared in pain as the force crushed him.
"KANA—!! DON'T LET HIM TAKE YOU—!!"
Kanah sobbed, reaching toward him.
"Owain—OWAIN—!!"
Her father pulled her close.
"You are coming home."
She screamed and kicked and fought—
But his grip was iron.
Owain clawed the earth, dragging himself forward.
"DON'T—TAKE—HER—!!"
Kanah cried until her voice cracked.
"Owain—help—!! PLEASE—!!"
Owain forced himself upright again—
—and the invisible force shattered inside his ribs.
He roared.
Blood dripping.
Bones screaming.
Instincts exploding.
He took one step toward Kanah.
Just one.
Her father looked at him—
And the world stopped.
"Wolf King," he said quietly,
in a voice laced with doom,
"kneel."
Owain screamed—
And dropped to the ground as if his spine had been cut.
Kanah's heart broke.
"No—NO—OWAIN—!!"
Her father began pulling her into the shadows, soldiers closing around them.
Kanah reached out as she vanished into darkness.
"Owain—
OWAIN—
DON'T STOP—
COME FIND ME—!!"
Owain lifted his head—
Eyes blazing, bloody, feral.
"I WILL—"
The shadows swallowed Kanah.
Owain's scream split the sky.