The safehouse walls groaned, bending like they were made of cloth instead of steel. The air tasted wrong—metallic, sharp, alive.
The creature moved forward in slow, deliberate steps, its hollow eyes locked on Aria. The black mark on her arm pulsed harder, glowing with each of its steps, as if the two were connected.
I shifted fully, my claws extended, hackles rising. The thing didn't even glance at me.
"You were chosen," it said, its voice a low ripple that seemed to vibrate through the floor. "The Veil marked you as the key. You will open the way, Veilborn, whether your wolf consort approves or not."
Aria's glow surged, fighting against her will. Silver veins coiled up her neck now, her body trembling as the whispers screamed louder in the room, too loud to ignore. She clutched her head, her knees buckling.
I lunged at the creature, claws slicing toward its torso. My strike met nothing but shadow—the thing's body shifted like smoke, reforming just out of reach.
It tilted its head, a grotesque mimicry of amusement. "You cannot harm what is not bound by this plane."
"Then I'll find a way to bind you," I snarled, circling closer to Aria, placing myself between them.
The creature's gaze shifted toward me, its voice lowering. "Protect her all you wish. The mark is not a curse… it is a door. When the moon is full again, she will open it. Willingly… or not."
Aria forced herself upright, her claws digging into her palms. Her voice was rough but steady. "Not willingly. Not ever."
The creature leaned closer, its hollow eyes narrowing. "We will see."
A sudden burst of silver light exploded from Aria's body. It wasn't controlled—it was raw, instinctive, but it sent the creature staggering back, its form fracturing into ribbons of shadow.
The light burned through the room, sealing the cracks in the walls, forcing the shadows back. With a hiss that sounded almost like laughter, the creature dissolved into the darkness, vanishing as the air stilled.
Aria collapsed against me, her breathing shallow. The mark on her arm had spread to her shoulder now, the lines forming a spiraling, unnatural pattern.
Before I could even speak, the steel door to the safehouse was thrown open. Lyra stood there, calm as ever, her gaze sweeping over us. She didn't look surprised.
"I see the herald found you," she said softly, stepping into the ruined room. Her eyes lingered on Aria's mark. "Good. That means the gate will open soon."
I bared my teeth. "You knew. You've known this whole time."
Lyra's smile was cold. "Of course. The Veil has been sealed for centuries. But with the right key… and the right pressure… we can harness its power. The Shadowfangs will rise beyond wolves and men alike."
Aria's claws flexed weakly, her glow flickering with anger. "You're using me."
Lyra's gaze softened mockingly. "Not using. Guiding. Your blood, your curse—it's the only way forward. With or without your consent."
She turned toward the door, her voice low. "Rest while you can. Tomorrow, we move to the Ironfen Ruins. The gate waits there… and the Veil will open."
The door closed behind her, leaving the room in silence.
Aria leaned against me, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kael… if we can't stop her… this world is done."
I tightened my grip on her shoulders, my jaw set. "Then we stop her. Whatever it takes."