Chapter 94 The Last Sanctuary

Chapter 94 The Last Sanctuary
The wind changed before dawn. Fenrir was the first to notice. He stood at the edge of the sanctuary's broken entrance, staring into the forest as the cool morning air rolled through the ruins. Something was wrong. The birds had stopped singing. Even the insects had fallen silent. Nature wasn't sleeping. It was hiding. Behind him, the others still rested. Corvin remained awake, seated against one of the ancient stone pillars with Rowan asleep beside him. Her head rested against his shoulder, exhaustion finally winning after another night filled with memories that refused to stay. She hadn't slept peacefully. Several times she'd whispered words no one recognized. Each time Corvin gently woke her before the dreams pulled her deeper.

Jess approached quietly.

"You feel it too."

Fenrir nodded once.

"They're close."

"Council?"

"No."

His expression hardened.

"Worse."

Jess frowned.

"There isn't much worse."

"There is."

He looked toward the eastern tree line.

"They don't leave survivors."

Several miles away... Dozens of riders moved silently beneath the cover of the forest. Their horses made almost no sound despite their speed. Each rider wore black armor etched with silver runes that shimmered whenever the morning light touched them. At their head rode a woman with snow-white hair braided down her back. Her face was hidden behind a polished silver mask. She raised one hand.

The entire company stopped instantly.

"The sanctuary lies ahead."

One of the riders lowered his head.

"My Lady's orders?"

She studied the distant mountains.

"Observe first."

"If Rowan remembers..."

Her voice remained calm.

"We protect her."

"And if the Council reaches her first?"

The woman slowly drew the slender blade resting across her saddle.

"Then no one leaves alive."

Back inside the sanctuary... Rowan awoke with a sharp gasp.

Corvin was immediately at her side.

"What happened?"

She blinked several times, trying to steady her breathing.

"I heard them."

"Hear who?"

"The children."

Everyone looked at her.

"There were children laughing."

"They kept calling my name."

"What name?" Jess asked gently.

Rowan closed her eyes.

"I can't remember."

"It disappears every time I wake up."

She rubbed at the ache behind her temples.

"But..."

She hesitated.

"I think they knew me."

Fenrir exchanged a quiet glance with Jess. The memories weren't random anymore. They were getting closer. Too close. A deep rumble echoed through the sanctuary. Dust drifted from the cracked ceiling.

Corvin stood instantly.

"That wasn't thunder."

Fenrir's ears flattened.

"No."

His voice became almost a growl.

"They've found us."

The first arrow shattered against the sanctuary wall. Stone exploded across the room. A second arrow followed. Then a third.

"Move!" Corvin shouted.

Everyone scattered. Fenrir lunged toward the entrance just as six armored figures rushed through the broken archway. Their movements were disciplined. Precise. Not vampires. Not angels. Human... Yet not entirely. Each carried blades engraved with glowing silver symbols. Corvin met the first attacker head-on. Steel rang through the sanctuary. The force of the impact sent both men sliding across the ancient floor.

Jess raised one hand.

Brilliant white light erupted from her palm, throwing two more attackers backward. But instead of burning... The light simply...slowed them.

"They're warded!" she shouted.

Fenrir crashed into another soldier, sending both through a crumbling wall. The sanctuary shook. Outside, more figures poured from the forest. Too many. Corvin counted quickly. Thirty. Maybe more.

"They're surrounding us!"

Rowan stood frozen. Not because she was afraid. Because something about the soldiers felt... Familiar. One of them looked directly at her. Instead of attacking... He dropped to one knee. The others immediately followed. Every weapon lowered. Every head bowed. The sanctuary fell silent.

Corvin slowly stepped in front of Rowan.

"What are you doing?"

No one answered. Finally, the lead warrior removed her silver mask. She wasn't old. Perhaps thirty.

Her pale gray eyes settled on Rowan with unmistakable relief.

"We found you."

Rowan stared.

"I...know you."

The woman smiled sadly.

"No."

"You remember loving us."

"But you don't remember why."

She lowered herself completely until one knee touched the ancient stone.

"My name is Lyra."

"I am Captain of the First Guard."

"We have searched for you for over three thousand years."

Corvin's grip tightened on his sword.

"If you've been searching for her..."

"Why attack us?"

Lyra looked genuinely confused.

"We didn't."

She glanced toward the shattered entrance.

"We were trying to reach you before..."

A deafening explosion echoed from somewhere outside. The entire mountain trembled. Fenrir burst back into the sanctuary, blood covering one side of his coat.

His golden eyes were wide with alarm.

"They're here."

Lyra's expression lost all warmth.

"The Council."

Fenrir shook his massive head.

"No."

"Worse."

He looked directly at Rowan.

"The one hunting you..."

"...came himself."

The temperature inside the sanctuary plummeted. Outside... Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed across the ancient stone. One. Then another. No one moved. Even Fenrir stood perfectly still. For the first time since Rowan had known him... She smelled fear on the ancient wolf.

A calm, familiar voice drifted through the ruined entrance.

"Rowan."

The voice was warm. Gentle. Almost comforting.

"I've been looking for you."

Rowan's heart stopped. She knew that voice. She just couldn't remember from where. The figure stepped through the doorway.

Corvin's face drained of color.

Fenrir lowered his head.

Jess whispered only one word.

"No..."

The stranger smiled.

"Hello, old friends."