"Let us examine—" he began.
"No." I stepped back, keeping Aya protected. "We've had enough of your examinations and rituals. We're leaving this mountain. Tonight."
"And go where?" my father asked.
"Somewhere neither human nor shadow. Somewhere we can be both."
I looked at Aya, seeking confirmation in her eyes. She nodded, determination replacing fear.
"The human colonies won't accept you," Elder Koros warned. "And after this, neither will our people."
"Then we'll build something new," Aya said, her voice growing stronger. "Between your world and mine."
I guided her toward the chamber entrance, keeping my body between her and the Elders. None moved to stop us.
At the doorway, my father called out: "Varkolak. Your mother would be proud."
I paused, the words hitting deeper than any attack. Then, without looking back, I led Aya from the darkness and toward whatever light we might find together.
CHAPTER 9
Aya
I ran until my lungs burned.
The forest blurred around me as I forced my legs to keep moving, one foot in front of the other. The interruption of the ritual still left blood trickling from my arm. My head spun. The partial bonding with Varkolak had drained me more than I realized.
"Slow down." His voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once. The shadows themselves seemed to speak. "You're pushing yourself too hard."
I stumbled, my knees buckling beneath me. Strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. Varkolak materialized from the darkness, his solid form now holding me against his chest.
"I'm fine," I lied, my voice barely a whisper.
His dark eyes studied my face. "You're not. The ritual took too much from you."
The ritual. Those who feared my human bloodline contaminating theirs interrupted the ritual, intended to fully bond. I shuddered at the memory.
"We need to keep moving," I insisted, even as my vision swam. "They'll be tracking us."
"We're in the wild territories now. Between tribal lands." His voice was deep, reassuring. "Few dare venture here."
"With good reason," I muttered, glancing at the twisted trees and strange fungi that glowed faintly in the darkness. This was no-man's-land for a reason.
Varkolak lifted me effortlessly, cradling me against his chest. "There's an old human outpost nearby. We can shelter there until you recover."
I wanted to protest, to insist I could walk on my own, but my body betrayed me. My eyes grew heavy, and I nestled against his warmth. For a creature made of shadows, he felt surprisingly solid. Real.
"Rest," he whispered. "I've got you."
I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes again, we were approaching a dilapidated structure half-buried in vines and moss. What might have once been a research station or military outpost now stood abandoned, reclaimed by the wild.
"Will it be safe?" I asked weakly.
Varkolak's expression darkened. "Safer than being in the open."
He carried me through the entrance, shadows extending from his form to push open the rusted door. Inside, dust motes danced in the weak light filtering through cracked windows. Ancient equipment lay scattered and broken across tables. This place lay abandoned for decades.
"Let me check for threats," he said, setting me gently on what appeared to be an old examination table.
