The Beast-Wolf clutched the Sigil of the Wild Legion—its earth-toned glow dim under the heavy tension—but there was no triumph in its heart. The moment Ethan vanished, it realized something was off. He hadn't fled in panic. He'd planned this.
Still, the other monstrous beasts, newly arrived and oblivious to the trick, were transfixed by the Sigil. Their eyes—large as boulders—locked on the artifact in the Beast-Wolf's grip. Ethan's escape didn't concern them; the Sigil did. That one object could change everything. If it could awaken their long-lost King, if it could restore the one who once united beastkind… then whoever possessed it might rise with him. As the old legends echoed in their blood, they burned with a feral hunger. If the King returned, he might lead them away from this godforsaken Sea of Death once and for all.
"Beast-Wolf!" a shrill voice rang from above. "Hand over the Sigil of the Wild Legion!"
