The forest was no longer quiet.
The howl echoed again — closer, sharper, vibrating through the trees like a warning carved into the air. Lira's pulse quickened as she ran beside Kael, her breath forming pale clouds in the cold night.
"What is that thing?" she whispered.
Kael didn't look back. "A Shadehound."
The name alone made her stumble. "Shade… what?"
"A creature summoned by the prince's mages," Kael said, voice low and tense. "It hunts by scent. By fear. And by magic."
Lira's hand flew to her shoulder, where her mark pulsed faintly beneath her tunic. "It can sense me."
"Yes," Kael said. "That's why we run."
The mist thickened around them, swirling like living smoke. Lira could barely see the path ahead. Branches clawed at her cloak. Roots snagged her feet. The forest felt alive — watching, listening.
Another howl split the air.
Closer.
Kael grabbed her hand, pulling her behind a fallen tree. "Down."
They crouched low, hidden beneath twisted roots. Lira pressed a hand over her mouth, trying to quiet her breathing.
The forest fell silent.
Then — footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Wrong.
Lira's heart hammered. She risked a glance through the roots.
A creature emerged from the mist.
It was wolf-like, but wrong in every way — too tall, too thin, its limbs stretched unnaturally. Its fur was black smoke, shifting and curling like shadows. Its eyes glowed a sickly white, empty and hungry.
It sniffed the air.
Lira froze.
The Shadehound turned its head sharply — toward them.
Kael's grip tightened around her hand.
The creature stepped closer.
One step.
Two.
Its breath rattled like bones scraping together.
Lira's mark pulsed — once, bright and sharp.
The Shadehound snarled.
Kael moved instantly.
He shoved Lira behind him and drew his blade in one fluid motion. "Run when I say."
Lira shook her head. "I'm not leaving you."
"You will," Kael said, eyes locked on the creature. "Or we both die."
The Shadehound lunged.
Kael met it head-on.
Steel clashed with shadow, sparks flying as Kael's blade sliced through the creature's smoky form. The Shadehound shrieked, recoiling — but not wounded. Its body reformed instantly, shadows knitting back together.
"It can't be killed!" Lira cried.
"Not by steel," Kael growled.
The creature lunged again, faster this time. Kael dodged, rolling across the ground, but the Shadehound's claws grazed his arm. He hissed in pain.
Lira's heart lurched. "Kael!"
He staggered back, gripping his blade with both hands. "Lira — run!"
But she didn't.
She couldn't.
The Shadehound turned toward her, drawn by the glow beneath her skin. Its eyes widened, its body coiling like a spring.
It leapt.
Lira screamed.
Her mark exploded with light.
A burst of golden energy shot outward, slamming into the Shadehound mid-air. The creature shrieked, its smoky form unraveling like torn fabric. It hit the ground, writhing, its body flickering violently.
Kael stared, stunned. "Lira… what did you—"
"I don't know!" she cried, clutching her shoulder. "It just—"
The Shadehound reformed.
But weaker.
Its body flickered, unstable.
Kael didn't hesitate. He grabbed Lira's hand. "Now we run."
They sprinted through the forest, the creature's distorted howl echoing behind them — furious, wounded, but still alive.
Branches whipped past. The ground blurred beneath their feet. Lira's lungs burned, but she didn't stop.
Not until Kael pulled her into a narrow crevice between two massive stones.
He pressed her against the rock, his body shielding hers as the Shadehound's howl faded into the distance.
They stayed like that — breathless, trembling, pressed close — until the forest fell silent again.
Only then did Kael speak, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You saved us."
Lira shook her head. "I didn't do anything. It just… happened."
Kael lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Lira. That power — it's part of you. Whether you remember it or not."
Her breath trembled. "It scares me."
Kael's expression softened. "Everything powerful does."
Their faces were close — too close. Lira felt his breath against her skin, warm despite the cold night. His hand lingered on her cheek, hesitant, unsure.
"Kael…" she whispered.
He pulled back suddenly, jaw tight. "We should move. The Shadehound will return."
Lira nodded, though her heart ached with the sudden distance.
Kael stepped out of the crevice first, scanning the forest. "Stay close."
Lira followed, her mark still warm beneath her skin.
The Shadehound had been sent for her.
Her memories were returning.
Her power was awakening.
And somewhere in the shadows of the kingdom, the prince now knew:
The Starborn had been found.