Rain had stopped, leaving Lunarhaven streets slick with neon reflections. The city hummed with life and danger, but Caelum and Aria moved like ghosts between alleys and backstreets. Every step forward felt precarious one wrong turn, and Malachai's shadow could descend again.
Aria's wolf stirred, silver fire barely contained beneath her skin. Her breaths were shallow, heart hammering.
"You okay?" Caelum asked, his voice low, careful. Amber eyes flicked to her constantly, scanning for threats.
"I… think so," Aria admitted, pressing a hand to her chest. "I just… I didn't know it could feel like that. The wolf… it's too much."
Caelum gave a small, wry smile, though tension tightened his jaw. "That's because it's not just a wolf. It's your legacy. And right now, it's screaming for control. You need guidance. Otherwise…" He let the sentence hang.
Aria swallowed, nodding. "And Elder Rowan… he'll teach me?"
"If we can reach him," Caelum said grimly. "He's not someone you just stumble across. He's reclusive, and he doesn't take risks lightly. But he's the only one who can help you control that fire inside."
She shivered, thinking of the dungeon, the shadows curling around her ankle, Malachai's whisper in her mind. Every step away from Kael's territory was a temporary reprieve.
The journey out of Lunarhaven was silent, save for their careful footfalls and the occasional distant howl of a stray wolf. The city's neon glow gradually gave way to the forests bordering Silvercrest territory, dense, dark, and alive with whispers.
"You sure you know where we're going?" Aria asked, eyes scanning every shadow, every branch.
"I've heard stories," Caelum admitted, keeping his tone light, though his hand stayed near the hilt of his dagger. "About a wolf who lives on the edge of the old Veil woods. He's supposed to know the secrets of Moonblood power… and the rarest wolves."
"And that's… Elder Rowan?"
"Yeah. Don't expect him to be warm," Caelum said, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "He doesn't believe in coddling, and he's got this… air about him. He knows what's coming and isn't afraid to test anyone. Including you."
Aria chewed her lower lip. "Great. A grumpy old wolf. Sounds comforting."
Caelum chuckled, a brief sound that cut through the tension. "You're gonna need him, trust me."
Hours passed. The city behind them, they moved into the Shattered Woods, ancient, twisted trees clawing at the sky. Moonlight struggled through the dense canopy, shadows flickering with every step.
"Stay close," Caelum whispered, his voice sharp now, alert. He moved in front of her, hands twitching as if ready to defend her at any second.
"Why… why do you care so much?" Aria asked, her voice barely audible. The question had lingered since the dungeon. He had risked everything before, saving her from shadows and prison alike.
He paused, amber eyes softened but edged with a hard light. "Because I've seen what the world does to someone like you," he said quietly. "I saved you once when you were a child… I couldn't… I can't let the same thing happen again."
Her chest tightened. Memories flickered, flames, smoke, a small hand clutching his sleeve, fear so deep it should have broken her. "You… saved me?" she whispered, voice trembling. "I remember… the fire."
Caelum's hand brushed hers instinctively. "I promised someone I'd keep you safe. That promise never ended."
She swallowed hard, silence stretching between them, filled with the hum of the woods. Her wolf growled low, restless, sensing the forest and her own volatile power.
The first sign of trouble came quietly, rustling above them, branches shaking unnaturally. Caelum froze, hand moving to her shoulder. His eyes scanned the darkness.
"Shadows," he muttered, barely audible. "He's here. Malachai… he's closer than I thought."
Aria's wolf surged instinctively, silver flames licking her veins, her vision sharpening. Shapes in the darkness twisted unnaturally. She felt the pull, the hunger, and fought to push it back.
Caelum's hand found hers. "Focus, Aria. Not now. We can't fight him yet. We run, we survive, we reach Rowan."
Her chest burned with both frustration and fear, but she nodded. She trusted him. Somehow, she had to.
By nightfall, they reached the edge of a secluded glade, moonlight spilling across the trees in silvery beams. The place felt alive, ancient, and waiting. Caelum paused, scanning the surroundings.
"This is it," he said softly. "He lives somewhere in the woods. We just have to find the clearing near the old stone altar. Rowan uses it for training… and testing."
Aria's wolf stirred violently, sensing power in the air, a rhythm of the earth itself vibrating beneath her feet. She pressed her hands together, trying to calm the fire inside.
"Will… he be… scary?" she asked, voice shaky.
Caelum's lips quirked. "If he doesn't like you, yes. But that's a good thing. You need someone who won't just coddle you. You need someone who'll push you, someone who knows what you're capable of and won't let you hide from it."
Her pulse quickened, heart hammering in her chest. She knew he was right. She needed control, not chaos. She needed guidance. And Rowan… somehow, she felt, would have it.
Caelum glanced behind them, dark eyes narrowing. "We can't stay. Malachai's shadows are still moving. He won't give up. Not now. We need distance. Safety at least temporarily. Then we start the real work."
Aria nodded, inhaling sharply. The air smelled of moss, damp stone, and something older, older than the city, older than even her memories.
As they moved deeper into the woods, Caelum's grip tightened around hers. "We made a pact. Rowan helps us. We fight to keep you alive. We survive. No one dies like before. Not now."
Aria's wolf stirred, a quiet hum of power and obedience, almost like a whisper: Yes… we fight. Yes… we rise.
And then, from the shadows behind them, a soft, whispering hiss carried through the trees, barely audible but unmistakable.
"Moonblood… you cannot escape me."
Aria's chest flared with fire, pulse racing. She looked at Caelum, fear and determination warring in her eyes.
He pressed a hand to her shoulder. "We're far from safe… but not beaten. Not yet. Let's move."
And together, they vanished into the dense forest, the night alive with secrets, shadows, and the faintest glimmer of hope.