Moonlight came through the tall windows in Lara's chamber, making gentle shadows on the stone floor. Lara had fallen asleep with the memory of Thornak still warm in her thoughts. But what she saw in her dreams was something she had never seen before.
She stood beneath a sky of stars in a forest, the moon hanging low and very bright above, Lara took a step forward, she was barefoot. There was moss on the ground and it glowed faintly under her feet. The forest didn't feel unfamiliar, it felt like a memory she had almost lost. Like coming home to a place she hadn't known she missed.
A howl rose from the forest, long and low, but full of sadness. Then a huge white wolf stepped forward. It was calm but looked proud, its fur shining like moving light. Its golden eyes stared into hers, she could see the sadness within it. But somehow, they felt familiar.
"Nymeria," Lara whispered, though she didn't know how she knew the name.
The wolf lowered its head and walked closer. As it moved, stars seemed to swirl behind it, like the night sky followed her. Lara held her breath. This was not just a wolf. It was part of her. A protector. A lost piece of her soul.
When she reached out and touched its fur, a warm feeling rushed through her fingers. It wasn't just heat, it felt like a memory coming back to life. The world burst into color and images. Everything lit up in her mind like a dream she was starting to remember.
She saw herself as a small child, held tightly in a woman's arms while thunder rumbled in the sky. Her mother's eyes were filled with pain and love as she whispered, "You must live."
She saw a man standing in a burning doorway, blocking clawed shadows from reaching her. Blood was on his face, but he stood strong, filled with power.
Then she saw glowing hands raised in a ritual. Light poured into her little body then suddenly darkness slammed a door shut.
A deep voice echoed through it all:
"The blood of the Moonguard must sleep… until the time is right."
Then came the screams.
She was being carried through a snow storm, a faint trail of light spilling from her fingertips.
The white wolf stepped in front of her again, guarding her from a tall shadow figure. Its eyes were red, glowing beneath a black hood.
But this time, Lara didn't back away. She moved toward it.
The wolf lifted its head and howled. The sound split the sky and the shadow shattered like broken glass.
Light spread across the forest. The trees, the rocks and everywhere.
And then her name echoed all around.
"Lara. Moonguard. Daughter of starlight. Keeper of flame."
Then… everything went quiet.
Lara jolted awake, sitting upright in bed. Her chest rose and fell with quick breaths as her heart poundedin her ears. A faint gasp escaped her lips.
Everything was still. The fire had burned low. Moonlight poured in through the tall window, now a bit pale and quiet as dawn neared.
She touched her chest, as if to steady whatever had just been unlocked.
This is silly, she thought. It was just a dream.
....
The sun was just beginning to rise over Vargorath when a soft knock came at Lara's chamber door. Mira peeked in, smiling gently.
"My lady," she said. "The king has sent for you… It's regarding your family."
Lara's heart leapt.
She barely remembered pulling on the soft cloak Mira handed her or following the quiet halls Kael had shown her days before. Her thoughts raced, chest tight with hope and fear in equal measure. Were they safe? Had they been hurt? Had they been told what happened to her?
The guards parted silently as she approached the courtyard, the morning light pouring in like gold.
And there they were.
Her adoptive mother stood first, eyes wide and shining, hands trembling over her lips. Her adoptive father, strong and steady even now, looked like he'd aged a decade. And behind them Liam.
Her little brother barreled into her with a cry, hugging her waist tightly with his face buried in her side.
Lara dropped to her knees, her arms wrapping around him as she shook with quiet sobs. Her mother joined her a heartbeat later, then her father, and they all held each other like time had stopped.
"We didn't know what happened," her mother whispered, tears falling freely. "We thought we'd lost you."
"I'm okay," Lara whispered back. "I'm safe now."
She clung to them, breathing in their familiar scent, the warmth of home. For a moment, the pain, the fear, the questions, it all faded. In their arms, she felt whole again. Alive. Found.
Behind them, standing quietly near the edge of the courtyard, Thornak watched.
He didn't step forward. He simply stood there with his arms crossed, as if seeing something sacred.
Kael appeared beside him, glancing at the touching reunion with a small grin. "This looks cozy."
As Lara turned to speak with her mother, Thornak's gaze lingered on her for one more heartbeat then he turned to Kael.
"They're waiting in the office, Scouts brought news. It's not good." Kael told him.
Thornak's jaw clenched. "Let's go."
He cast one last look toward Lara, her arms wrapped around her family. A part of him wanted to stay, to watch her smile a little longer. But another part, the king, knew duty never waited.
Kael fell into step beside him as they moved quickly down the corridor. "It's not just rogue movement this time. There's evidence of another summoning."
Thornak's expression darkened. "Where?"
"Near the Shadowridge outpost. Same burn marks. Same scent of blood magic."
A growl rumbled in Thornak's chest. "He's getting bolder."
Kael's voice dropped. "What if he's not just summoning anymore? What if he's preparing something bigger?"
Thornak's eyes gleamed gold. "Then we remind him whose land he's desecrating."
Together, the brothers strode into the heart of the castle, leaving the warmth of reunion behind, for now.