“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
Silence.
Then, softly
“She was never supposed to exist.”
The air thickened.
I stared at him, stunned.
“What does that mean?”
His jaw clenched.
“If you knew the truth, you’d kill her yourself.”
A roar broke from my chest as I charged. Our blades met with a clash that shook the stones beneath us. He fought like a man with nothing to lose—because he didn’t. But he was already dead the moment he spoke her name with disdain.
“You trained her!” I bellowed. “You taught her how to fight—and you planned to throw her to the wolves?”
“She is a danger to both realms!” he shouted back. “If the wrong hands find her—”
“Then you should have trusted her to me,” I seethed.
“I’d rather burn this entire world to ash than let the Prince of Flame have her!”
The moment shattered.
I lunged, my blade searing through his guard, through his ribs. His sword clattered to the floor. His breath hitched, blood bubbling at his lips.
“Tell me,” I hissed, holding him up with my blade. “Tell me what she is.”
His lips curled, bitter with secrets.
“She’s your end.”
And then he smiled, and died.
His body crumpled to the stone—just another piece of ash in the chaos he helped build. But his words didn’t die with him.
She’s your end.
I turned back toward the cell corridors, fury pounding in my veins. I didn’t care what they were hiding. I didn’t care what she was.
She was mine.
And I was done asking for permission.
We reached the inner sanctum just as two Guild enforcers were dragging her up the steps — bloodied, bruised, still fighting.
My mark flared. And everythingsnapped.
I vanished from where I stood, reappearing behind the one holding her wrists. My shadows strangled his breath mid-scream. I raised him off the ground with one hand, eyes glowing pure black.
“Whoever touched her will die by my hands.”
