Sera's POV
We're walking into a trap.
Kieran's voice cuts through the shocked silence as we stare at the spot where Luna vanished.
Obviously, Mira snaps. But we don't have a choice. Mordren has Luna, and he'll use her to activate the Altar unless we stop him.
In one hour, Caspian adds grimly. Which means we need to move. Now.
But I can't move. Can't think. All I see is Luna's red eyes, her voice twisted by Mordren's control.
My best friend, turned into a weapon against me.
Sera. Mira grabs my shoulders, forcing me to focus. I know you're scared. But we need you functional. Can you do that?
Can I? My hands are shaking. My heart's racing. Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control.
But then Caspian takes my hand, and the mate bond steadies me.
Together, he reminds me quietly.
Together, I breathe.
Mira releases me and turns to the group. We have one hour to infiltrate the Grand Temple, rescue Luna, and destroy the Binding Altar. This is impossible without preparation.
Then we prepare fast, Kieran says. What do we need?
Training. Mira's eyes lock on mine. Sera, you're powerful, but you don't know how to use that power properly. If we're going to survive this, you need to learn. Fast.
How fast?
Forty-five minutes. Mira starts walking toward a clearing in the forest. Move.
We follow her to an open space surrounded by ancient trees. Moonlight filters through the branches, turning everything silver.
All Heretics have basic abilities, Mira explains. We can create barriers, throw energy blasts, sense supernatural threats. But each Heretic also has a unique gift something no other wolf can do.
What's yours? I ask.
Enhancement. She demonstrates, touching Kieran's shoulder. Black fire suddenly blazes around his hands, three times stronger than before. I can amplify other wolves' powers temporarily.
Kieran stares at his hands in shock. I've never felt this strong.
It won't last. Mira releases him, and the extra power fades. But it's useful in battle. She turns to me. Your gift is different. Stronger. We need to figure out what it is.
How?
By pushing you to your limit. Without warning, Mira attacks.
Silver energy slams into me. I barely get a barrier up in time, the impact driving me backward.
Too slow! Mira attacks again, faster. You're thinking too much. Stop using your brain and trust your instincts!
Another blast. Another desperate block.
Mom, stop
In the Temple, Mordren won't stop! She unleashes a barrage of attacks. The guards won't stop! You need to be faster, stronger, better!
Anger flares inside me. She's right, but I hate how she's pushing me.
I throw up a stronger barrier, one that actually holds.
Better! Mira circles me like a predator. But defense isn't enough. Show me offense.
I gather power and throw it at her a blast of silver light.
She dodges easily. Predictable. Again!
We trade attacks, the clearing filling with silver light. Caspian and Kieran watch from the sidelines, ready to intervene if things go too far.
But something's changing inside me. With each attack, each defense, I feel my power growing. Not just stronger different.
Good! Mira says. Now stop holding back and show me what you're really capable of!
She attacks with everything she has.
And something inside me snaps.
Power explodes from my body not just light, but something else. I can suddenly feel every living thing around me. The trees. The wolves watching. And most importantly, the connections between them.
I can see Mira's mate bond a silver thread stretching from her heart into the distance, connecting her to someone far away.
I can see Caspian's bond to me brilliant and strong, pulsing with life.
I can even see the broken remnants of bonds that have been severed, floating like ghosts around Kieran.
Stop! Mira shouts, sensing danger.
But I'm not attacking. I'm understanding.
This is my gift. I don't just sever or heal mate bonds I can see them. Feel them. Understand their strength, their health, their truth.
I pull back, the vision fading. Mira's staring at me with something like awe.
You can see the bonds, she whispers. All of them.
Yes. My voice sounds distant. Yours connects east. To someone in the mountains. Someone you love deeply but haven't seen in years.
Mira's face goes pale. How could you possibly
Your mate is alive, I continue, the knowledge flowing through me. And he's waiting for you. Has been waiting for twenty years.
Tears fill my mother's eyes. Your father. You can sense him?
I can sense all of them. Every mated pair within miles. I can feel their connections which ones are strong, which are fragile, which are being controlled by the Binding Altar.
Understanding dawns in Mira's expression. That's how you'll destroy the Altar. You can see exactly which bonds it's controlling and cut them free without harming the wolves.
Maybe. I'm still processing this new ability. But there are thousands of controlled bonds. Tens of thousands. I don't know if I can free them all before
Before Mordren kills you, Kieran finishes. Which he will the moment he realizes what you're doing.
Caspian steps forward. Then we need to give her time. Keep Mordren and his guards busy while Sera works.
Against the entire Temple? Kieran shakes his head. We'll be slaughtered.
Not if you fight smart instead of hard, Mira says. She looks at Caspian. You were trained as a Temple warrior. You know their tactics, their weaknesses. Can you use that against them?
I... Caspian hesitates. They're my brothers. People I trained with, ate with, prayed with for thirteen years.
They'll kill you without hesitation, Mira says bluntly. The question is: can you do the same?
The silence stretches.
I can disarm them, Caspian finally says. I can fight without killing. But I won't murder people who are just following orders based on lies.
Even if it costs us the mission?
Even then. His voice is firm. I won't become the monster Mordren wants me to be.
Mira studies him for a long moment. Then, surprisingly, she nods.
All right. We fight to incapacitate, not kill. It'll be harder, but... She glances at me. If Sera's willing to risk everything to do this right, we can too.
Relief floods through me. Thank you.
Don't thank me yet. We still have to survive the next hour. Mira pulls out a crude map of the Grand Temple. The execution chamber is here, in the Temple's heart. Three possible routes the main entrance, the underground tunnels, or the priest's passage.
Main entrance is suicide, Kieran says. Too many guards.
Tunnels are trapped with magic that kills intruders, Caspian adds.
Which leaves the priest's passage. Mira looks at Caspian. Can you get us in that way?
If they haven't changed the codes since I left. He traces a path on the map. But we'll still need a distraction. Something big enough to draw guards away from the execution chamber.
I can provide that, Mira says. I'll attack the main entrance with what's left of my resistance fighters. While the Temple's focused on us, you three slip in through the priest's passage.
You'll be outnumbered a hundred to one, I protest.
I've faced worse odds. Mira's smile is sharp. Besides, I don't need to win. Just need to keep them busy for fifteen minutes.
That's not enough time
It has to be. She grips my shoulders. Fifteen minutes. That's all I can give you. Get in, free Luna, destroy the Altar, and get out. Understood?
We nod, though none of us believe it's possible.
Mira starts explaining the plan in more detail timing, signals, escape routes. But I'm only half-listening.
Because I'm using my new ability to sense the bonds around us, and something's wrong.
There's a bond nearby. A strong one. But it's not right it feels twisted, corrupted, like it's being controlled by dark magic.
And it's getting closer.
We have company, I interrupt.
Everyone stops talking.
How many? Caspian asks, his hand going to his blade.
I concentrate, following the corrupted bond. One person. But their power is... wrong. Broken.
A figure stumbles into the clearing.
It's Luna.
But not the Luna I know. Her eyes are still glowing red, and dark energy crackles around her hands like black lightning. She moves like a puppet on strings, jerky and unnatural.
Hello, friends, she says in that horrible two-toned voice. The High Chancellor thought you might try to prepare. So he sent me to deliver another message.
Fight it, Luna! I shout. I know you're still in there!
For just a second, her eyes flicker to normal green. Sera... run...
Then the red returns, stronger than before.
Touching, Mordren's voice says through Luna. But futile. Your friend belongs to me now. And soon, you will too.
Luna raises her hands, and the corrupted bond I sensed earlier explodes outward. Dark energy slams into all of us, driving us to our knees.
Through the pain, I see what Mordren's done.
He's not just controlling Luna. He's using her as a conduit, channeling power through her corrupted bond to attack us remotely.
Fifteen minutes? Mordren's laugh echoes through Luna. You don't have fifteen minutes. You have five. That's when the Binding Altar reaches full power and activates. When every mate bond in existence shatters simultaneously.
You're bluffing, Mira gasps.
Am I? Look at your mate bonds. Feel them weakening.
I reach for the bond connecting me to Caspian and my blood runs cold.
It's fraying. Like a rope being slowly cut strand by strand.
All around us, I can sense thousands of bonds doing the same thing. The Altar is already active, already starting to sever connections.
In five minutes, it'll finish the job.
Tick tock, Mordren says through Luna. Then her eyes roll back and she collapses again.
This time, no black chains drag her away. She just lies there, unconscious and broken.
We stare at each other in horror.
Five minutes, Kieran breathes. We can't possibly
We have to try, Caspian interrupts. He's on his feet, pulling me up with him. Sera, can you sense where the Altar is?
I reach out with my power, following the threads of corrupted bonds. They all lead to one place deep in the Temple's heart.
I can find it, I say.
Then that's what we do. Caspian looks at Mira. No time for distractions or complicated plans. We run straight for the execution chamber and pray we make it.
That's insane, Mira says.
It's all we have.
Mira stares at him, then at me, then at the unconscious Luna.
All right, she finally says. But we bring Luna with us. I won't leave her behind.
Kieran picks Luna up easily, cradling her like a child. Despite everything, he's gentle with her.
We start running through the forest, racing toward the Grand Temple visible in the distance.
The mate bond between Caspian and me continues to fray. I can feel it weakening with every heartbeat. Soon it'll be too damaged to save.
And when it breaks completely, the pain will kill us both.
How much time? Caspian asks through gritted teeth.
I check the bond. Four minutes. Maybe less.
Then we run faster.
But as we burst from the forest into the clearing before the Temple, we freeze.
The entire Temple guard is waiting for us. Hundreds of warriors in perfect formation.
And standing at their head, the Soul render blade glowing in his hands, is Mordren.
Right on time, he says with a smile. Now, shall we discuss the terms of your surrender? Or shall I simply kill you all and be done with it?