THE FIRST

me colder

irepit like the last pulse of a dying heart. For a moment, she la

. Heav

mountain on the stone floor. His presence filled the room wit

uri

he owed he

e she cont

ause he

The light seeping through the broken wall was pale grey, edg

, gathering her s

deeper into the forest - not j

She hadn't read past the first page last night - exhaustion had sto

careful. Ele

. Laughed here. Fe

me the

rything

's blood

mo

o bruised fire days ago - the night th

s darte

eping. St

nger just

traced the f

y feared the child who wa

ey to

d him to guard

once - then twice, like

left her in

ild...

moved be

a

the

tst

olf was awake before she had even turned. Fur bristled. Lips peel

ood in the

ma

cloak was soaked at the hem from morning dew. Mud caked his boots - travel

when he

lowly to the wolf -

hed. "A big one. I though

oved towar

forward - silent,

r, voice steady despite

to

- confused that

tepped bet

her there. She could feel the tension coiled th

d her

rd, eyes flicking be

creature. I- I've heard stories. A girl in a ruined castle.

ce cut through

ou find th

n hesi

orest

's stoma

ispered her n

iding strange

ositioning himself protectively b

ua

ed his hands

For two days, hunters have spoken of strange sounds in the woods. Some

ckered to th

u're here," he adde

t

t of those words like a

ip on her spear. "An

wered, shaping t

ru

ward the diar

here. Taken at birth. Hidden from

art slammed t

k

ieved

owed, thr

ink tha

ned - not with pit

ook li

e

n in the

mo

early weakened - b

nding her like a stone in a river. Silver eyes never lef

died herself

I am," she said quietly

hesi

h

't come

's blood

all stirred - not wind

foots

l

av

e

me

nt

p, violent, shaking th

ip tightened

ack slowly, han

id, voice strained. "If they

nded beyon

hunter

ar

e thundered thr

di

port

whis

was comi

steel beside her - no longe

h him like storm li

d once, steady

em together

the first time, she felt not fear

est had guarded

s letting

came through

t leave

Forest Br

from ancient stone. Jackline's pulse hammered in her wrists, her throat

at

fe

din

lls pressing closer as the first shadows moved at the edge of the forest l

aybe more b

ssb

gg

er b

the clearing as if

lf at her side like a blade forged from moon and shadow. Hi

nters

heek, took a step forward. His gaze cut across Jackline

fro

se slipped bet

breathed. "The one th

hed for

d, spear in hand, voice

ea

tall. She wasn't armored. She was a girl barefoot in ruins. Yet her voice car

eated, "and the fore

le

ough l

" the scarred hunter sneered. "We're

umbled like thunde

on the beast. "A wolf that size? Pelts l

dn't

t

e wan

cut through the

ot him,

er - uneasy

e a queen," th

's heart

e insult - but because th

the truth she

e wolf and the hunters. The breeze lifted her hair. The su

ng," she sa

eyes - then lifted

rai

rld in

br

OLF UN

st arro

r reach

he courtyard, deep and primal, echoing like mountains splitting. The wolf slammed into the hunter's arm, s

ng blades - si

s instinc

bones. Her wrists burned, but she held her ground. The second man lunged for the wolf

kill

domin

we

f boots against stone. Jackline thrust her spear again, turning a stri

ike she'd trained for this her

ke something tactical. He blocked one man's path, drov

e not tw

ere on

wood cracking against bone - and he dropped his dagger. It s

the forest hun

ed with

itated, and in that heartbeat Leron - the m

uted. "She's n

furious. "She s

ountered. "You saw it-he co

r

he hunter

, disarmed,

rolled, steady. His eyes locked on th

Jacklin

he w

palm - a silent comman

omple

en

ll into a tense,

rom his brow, eyes darti

- shaken now, not mocking. "Why

forward, voice lo

not a m

de her, eyes bright

either

rs looked at her the way the

a fer

one claimed

d his gaze r

murmured - not

g like a spa

- realization dawning

whispered. "The st

ced greed

ear o

t her exist

dom learns y

th snap

ip tightened

quietly, "then we are al

ters now, but toward the forest,

com

dan

a scent that made every ha

ok

ething

re only th

r or

ard held i

hem like shadow and winter combined, silent except for the low rum

unters with her spea

uld en

ld leave

forgotten by the forest

es - a subtle pl

stand what you are," h

pride was broken - but not his will. He would ca

oice was qui

For a trophy. You thou

ot threatening - but u

round y

cross ruined stone

re pre

an through

arely audible. "..

did not l

only at t

solves nothing. But you will go back to your

er's jaw

?" he asked

r chin, spine stra

t I

en the stones beneath their feet weren'

hair. The sun broke br

mine," she added, vo

an - not m

s, disbelief warping into somethi

sp

lling respec

ted - then gave a

rough. "The forest wants you a

ons retrieved but not raised - and backed slowly toward

last - gaze loc

," he said softly. "A kingdom without an hei

ne swa

lread

e who remember lo

ed by the forest's dark ribs, foot

courtyard wa

qu

ind. Not even

was waiting to see w

owly lowere

is eyes stayed on the trees, as if expecti

ht - stretched l

g else w

n't move like a ma

the courtyard - fain

ok

- magic. Old a

lf sti

's heart

rose like a wall of shadow. A thin plume of smoke c

pos

tro

-ma

led by instinct, hackles raised higher than before. Hi

gnit

eep in her ribs, like a

t made by hunter

ancient burned behind his eyes. Somet

oser, voice ba

re you

a terrifying second, she could swe

da

st

tened her gri

led highe

ear, but coming. Closer

stay here,

ving to her side, pressing close enough

hoice w

ave the

he world wa

forest had hidden for year

inhaled

e wolves inside the trees

th her - no hesita

by

capt

a

ast an

surv

secr

a story only j

ls as the first echo of something

ind them like a book fina

IN TH

forest at a slow,

ng damp. The wolf matched each footfall, silent as shadow. Nothing moved in the

their guide - a thin black thread p

e did n

ou killed i

eneath her like a heartbeat. The wolf slipped through the undergrowth beside her,

ked for

ped twigs, disturbed soil, the silence

e a stra

ey mad

he dense thicket,

moke, but something sharper, unfamiliar. The

ot loud, but l

s stomach

u smell?" s

- and she felt

anim

hunt

hing

d and contin

trips. Moss-coated branches arched overhead like ribs. The smoke thickene

they

ca

pit still smoking. Half-burned l

no p

edge of the clearing, heart pounding. She crouched near th

ll

een here had

nned th

ken a

scrap o

campsite - like something had b

ched th

er fingertips - unnatu

eathed. "Like t

tiffened b

d abruptly, muscles coiling tight. His lip cu

ine f

ircle, a force pressed against her skin, prickling like electricity. The wolf

nked, s

t want me

se her until sh

e stare

ng like instinct recognizing instinct. He wa

protect

bered th

red

what i

burned faintly into the earth. Lines. Runes. Old language she

o trap something

som

eement - ears pricked,

he forest floor was disturbed beyond the circle

ing ha

as t

int movement flickered - like sh

lose," Jackl

s body, muscles coi

tened her hol

parted be

sp

hunt

vill

pped into t

Silver embroidery shimmered faintly across the fabric - the sam

's breat

teeth bared - ye

d a hand, slow,

t, aged like old wood and river s

swallow

il

er called her

ice steady despite the tremor she felt ins

es softened be

es

gripped h

hy

s gaze did

rched for seventeen

rt slammed aga

teen

r

The wolf stepped closer to her side, fur brushi

d her voice to

are

owered her

es bright with something like recognition. Silver

was soft

e said. "I served the crown before it fel

left her lungs i

inside her

- not hostile now, but

ke out of her like a

now wh

an nodd

er of the last queen. Lost heir to th

ne tre

something deep withi

pped closer -

wolf besi

to him with somet

. To protect you. To retur

- heart poundi

tec

n acc

coinci

st

ing ancient stirred behind them. Some

er meant t

ever meant to

ice came out

I meant t

wer was quiet,

said. "Before those who fear your blood

ough the trees l

ser - his body brush

line und

the ruins

TH IN F

idn't spea

hear her answer. Her mind raced with scattered thoughts: the portrait,

s of the s

ingly - stood at

y, eyes lined with grief and

. "I don't know my mother. I don't know a kingdom. I

cked - not we

against her hand.

n's gaze

to fight when alone. Now you must learn how

swallow

r thing?" s

nelt - not in reverence, but e

there - silver, w

cr

ine s

ntertwined be

lse th

"Hunters of the Sorcerer-King. They feared what you would become.

kline's hand a

meant to

not in threat, but li

swirled like wind

ee

e

en c

been no one - a name

omeone the wo

broke through the

sing stirred old wards. The forest hid you for yea

mor running through her body

t en

n darkened, like a cl

ed your kingdom. The one who would rather spill t

ds dropped l

e. The Sor

s breath

un

bl

n she gre

k shifting in the win

ace what hunts you from within forgotten walls. You m

had come - through trees toward

had been

ld could

ng her hesitation. His eyes shone wit

eavin

ing her

led, soft but g

ow to be what I

placed a hand against Jackli

rmured. "You become one by walking

d sharply - and

e

tood tall

once - approval s

d her hand tow

h the river road. Find the village called Elder Reign. Th

ip around the crest. Silv

ut you?"

- cloak drawing shado

ing you. I am old magic -

to a whisper lik

me to reach you. So, you

's chest

lose the only bridge to her past she'd ever m

rs for you to breathe beyond

deeply - not defi

tep by step - toward the world wait

not lo

e she lack

se she un

d meant more th

nt beg

parted li

th a wolf at her side, a crest in

ld she had always k