Chapter 16

Chapter 16
The war hymn roared through the vault like a tidal wave, sweeping away shadows and splinters of dark magic.

Grell snarled, staggering back as his spells cracked and shattered against the Choir’s unyielding chorus.

But he wasn’t done.

With a cruel grin, he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small black feather, the same one that had marked the city with dread.

He crushed it in his fist, and suddenly, the air twisted.

A cold chill wrapped around me like chains.

My voice faltered.

Vexx’s eyes blazed with fury.

“Don’t stop,” he growled, gripping my hand tight.

I clenched my jaw and pushed through the cold, the silence pressing on my throat like a noose.

Then, deep inside, I found the core of my power, raw, untamed, and burning.

I sang again.

Louder. Stronger.

A sound so fierce it shattered the chains and sent Grell sprawling to his knees.

The black feather lay crushed on the floor, powerless.

For the first time, the warlocks faltered.

And in that breath of victory, I realized something terrifying:

This was only the beginning. The warlocks fell back, snarling curses as their master stumbled. But Grell’s eyes burned with something darker than defeat.
Hatred. Revenge.

Vexx tightened his grip on my hand, his voice low and fierce. “This isn’t over.”

I nodded, breath coming fast, heart pounding like a war drum. He pulled me close, whispering, “You’ve already paid a price just by waking your power. There’s no going back.”

I looked up at him, pain and determination tangled in my gaze. “I don’t care.”

Because I knew the truth, every battle, every sacrifice, every broken piece of my past had led me here.

And if I had to bleed to claim my throne, then bleed I would. The city outside was quiet, but inside the penthouse, silence was impossible. Memories clawed at me, sharp and relentless.

I traced the scar on my wrist, the one I’d hidden for years, and the music from my childhood echoed in my mind, the lullabies I’d sung to stray wolves, the whispered promises my brother made.

Vexx watched me carefully, his usual cold mask softened by something like concern.

“You’re haunted,” he said.

I nodded. “By more than just the past. By the weight of what I am.”

He stepped closer, voice low. “You don’t have to carry it alone.”

I swallowed hard, fighting tears I wouldn’t let fall. “But sometimes the past is the only thing that keeps us grounded.”

He reached out, brushing a stray hair from my face. “Then let me be your anchor.”

For the first time, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to face this war alone. I stared at Vexx, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a cloak. Trust wasn’t easy. Not for someone like me, sold like an object, caged and controlled.

But standing here, with the Choir behind me and the city trembling on the edge of war, I realized something terrifying.

I needed him.

Not just for protection, but because he was the only one who’d ever seen me, really seen me.

“Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll try.”

He smiled, slow and raw. “That’s all I ask.”

We stood together, the fragile thread of trust stretching between us, thin, but unbroken.

Outside, the shadows stirred. The war was coming.

But for the first time, I wasn’t alone. The silence between us felt different now, heavier, yes, but laced with something new. Hope.

Vexx reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet ribbon, the same as my choker.

“Keep this,” he said, pressing it into my hand. “It’s not just a symbol. It’s a promise.”

I looked up, surprise flickering in my chest.

“A promise to stand together. To fight together.”

I tied the ribbon around my wrist, feeling the smooth fabric tighten like a bond.

“We’re stronger this way,” I said.

He nodded, eyes dark but steady. “Stronger than any shadow Grell throws at us.”

Outside the penthouse...

The city groaned under the weight of coming war.

But inside, we had a pact.

And no darkness was going to break it. The city was a chessboard, and every move felt like a game of life and death.

Vexx and I stood in the war room, walls lined with maps, weapons, and surveillance screens flickering with restless shadows.

“We can’t wait for Grell to strike,” Vexx said, voice low and deadly. “We need to find him first.”

I nodded, tension tightening my chest. “But he’s hidden deep, protected by magic and darkness.”

He smirked. “Then we’ll use your voice to draw him out.”

My breath caught. “Me? You want me to sing to him?”

“Exactly. Like a hunter calling its prey.”

I swallowed, nerves prickling. “This is dangerous.”

He took my hand, fingers warm and steady. “Danger’s the only thing we know.”

Later, under the cover of night, we moved through the city’s twisted alleys.

The Choir flanked us, silent and watchful.

Every step echoed with anticipation.

Suddenly, a sharp howl shattered the quiet.

The hunt had begun.