Chapter 129 Marcus

Chapter 129 Marcus
Logan POV.

We dress rapidly. Throw on whatever clothes are nearest. I unlock the door.

Cassandra's face is pale. Garrick stands behind her.

"It's Marcus. Freya's son. Something's wrong. Really wrong."

We follow her at a run through corridors toward the healing chambers.

Even before we enter, I hear it. Marcus screaming. Not pain. Something worse. Something inhuman.

The healing chambers are chaos. Marcus convulses on the bed. Body arching impossibly. Veins spreading black from his heart like dark lightning across his skin.

Three healers surround him. Hands glowing with healing magic that's doing absolutely nothing. Mira—head healer—looks devastated.

Rhea stands at the bedside. Chanting in Oracle language. Hands glowing silver as she tries desperately to counter whatever's happening.

Caden—Marcus's friend from training—is being physically restrained by two warriors. Trying to reach the bed.

"Let me talk to him! We trained together every day! I can reach him!"

"You can't." Rhea says. Not breaking her chanting. "The curse doesn't care about friendship."

"How?" Rune demands. Rushes to the bedside. "I purged Viktor's poison! Lost my childhood memories saving him!"

Rhea's chanting stops. She looks at Rune.

"Viktor planted a secondary curse. Dormant. Hidden beneath the poison. Activated by time delay. Waiting until Marcus was trusted. Integrated. Valuable to us."

Marcus gasps. Manages words between convulsions: "He's... calling me back... can't... resist..."

I grip his shoulder. Try to ground him. "Fight it! You're stronger than his magic!"

But even as I say it, I see the truth. Marcus's eyes are glazing over. Pupils dilating unnaturally. The black veins pulse in rhythm with something external.

"It's a summoning curse." Rhea explains. Voice flat. "Ancient blood magic. It's pulling him back to Viktor. Using him as beacon. As homing signal."

"He'll lead Viktor's army straight to us." Rune realizes.

"He knows everything." Cassandra adds. Pulls out schedules with shaking hands. "Training session this morning. Thirty warriors. Strategy meeting this afternoon. Entire command staff. Evening celebration. The whole pack. He knows every defensive position we discussed. Every evacuation route. Every supply cache location. Every tactical decision."

Marcus's eyes meet mine. Terrified. Apologetic. Completely helpless.

"I'm sorry." He chokes out. Voice barely human. "Tried to... fight... couldn't..."

"We know. This isn't your fault."

"Does Freya know?" Rune asks quietly.

Cassandra shakes her head. "She's three days into exile. Deep in rogue territories. No way to contact her fast enough."

"Let me try." Rune says suddenly. Hands already glowing silver with Oracle power.

"Rune, no—" I start.

But she's already touching Marcus. Oracle power floods out. I watch as she searches for the curse's anchor. Tries to purge it like she purged the poison.

She can't. This magic is woven too deep. Too old.

She pulls back gasping. Silver light fades. "It's impossible. The curse IS him now. It's woven into his very essence. I can't remove it without killing him."

"Can you break it?" I ask Rhea. "Counter it? Anything?"

She shakes her head. "Viktor's magic is too old. Too powerful. This curse has been growing in Marcus for months. Maybe years. Since Freya first made contact with Viktor. It's been waiting all this time."

"Then we restrain him." Cassandra suggests. "Chain him. Keep him contained until—"

"It won't work." Rhea interrupts. "The summoning will kill him if he can't obey. His body will tear itself apart trying to reach Viktor. Hours. Maybe less."

Marcus screams again. Worse than before. Blood vessels burst in his eyes. Turn them crimson. His bones crack audibly as his body tries to shift involuntarily.

An Elder Delta—Theron—speaks up from the doorway. "Then we kill him. Mercy kill. End it quickly before Viktor can use him."

The room goes silent.

"No." Rune says immediately.

"He knows everything." Theron argues. "Every defense. Every plan. If he reaches Viktor—"

"He's innocent." I interrupt. "This isn't his choice. Viktor is using him."

"Which is exactly why we should—"

"No. We don't kill our own. Especially not innocent members being controlled by dark magic."

"Then what? We let him go? Give Viktor everything?"

Marcus manages to focus on me one more time. "Kill me." He rasps. Voice destroyed. "Please... don't let... Viktor use me..."

"We're not killing you."

"Please." Marcus begs. Tears mix with blood on his face. "Don't want to... betray you... Can't stop it..."

I look at Rune.

"We can't kill him. He's innocent. This isn't his fault."

"But we also can't let Viktor use him unopposed."

"Then we evacuate." Cassandra suggests. "Move everyone. Change all defensive positions. Make everything Marcus knows obsolete before he reaches Viktor."

"In hours?" Rhea challenges. "Impossible."

"Then we do what we can. Move the children and elders first. Relocate key supplies to secondary positions Marcus doesn't know about. Shift guard rotations. Make his intelligence as outdated as possible."