Chapter 223

Chapter 223
Stella's POV

The victory cry still rings in my ears as I kneel beside Hailey, her body limp against the ice. The silver veins that spidered across her neck have faded to a faint gray, but her breath comes in shallow gasps. When her eyes flutter open, they lock onto mine, clouded with pain, but beneath it, a spark of gratitude.

"Stella..." Her voice is a hoarse whisper.

"You're safe now," I murmur, pressing a clean cloth dipped in melted snow to the dagger wound on her throat. The fabric turns red, but the bleeding has slowed. "Damon can't hurt you anymore."

Hailey's lip trembles. "He... he used me. For the soulbond..."

"I know." I tie off the bandage, careful not to tug on the tender skin. "But it's over. Freya!" I wave over the storm girl, who rushes to my side, her ice axe still slung over her shoulder. "Take Hailey to the medical tent."

Freya nods, gently lifting Hailey into her arms. "You're okay, sister," she says, carrying her toward the chamber doors. Hailey's head lolls against Freya's shoulder, her eyes closing again, but not before she mouths a silent "thank you."

I watch them go, then turn to find Kai standing at the shattered window, staring down at the sea where Damon fell. His silhouette is outlined by the rising aurora, green light dancing across his blood-streaked armor.

"Kai." I place a hand on his back, feeling the tension in his muscles.

He doesn't turn, his gaze fixed on the churning water below. "We need to send a search team," he says, voice tight. "We have to find his body."

"Kai, he fell into the freezing sea. The currents—"

"I don't care about the currents." He finally looks at me, his eyes wild. "Damon is a snake. If there's even a chance he's alive, he'll come back. I want eyes on that water until we find him—dead or alive."

I understand his fear. Damon's cruelty knows no bounds, and the thought of him lurking in the shadows makes my skin crawl. "You're right," I say, squeezing his arm. "I'll have Ataq organize the teams. But first, we need to celebrate this victory—and tend to our wounded."

Kai nods, but his jaw remains clenched. He turns back to the window, as if expecting Damon's face to emerge from the waves. I leave him there, knowing he needs a moment to process the battle's end.

The fortress is a chaos of celebration and relief. Warriors clap each other on the back, laughing and shouting, while others carry the injured to the medical tents set up in the central courtyard. The air smells of victory—smoke from the destroyed consoles, sweat, and the sweet tang of mead being passed around.

Ataq approaches, his axe resting on his shoulder, a rare smile on his weathered face. "The Council's flag has been torn down, Stella. This place is ours."

"Good." I scan the crowd, seeing Freya directing medics to a group of warriors with minor burns. "Kai wants search teams sent out to comb the coast for Damon. Can you arrange that?"

"Consider it done." Ataq's smile fades slightly. "But don't let worry about Damon overshadow this win. Our people need to see their leaders celebrating."

He's right. I take a deep breath, pushing aside the nagging doubt about Damon. Tonight, we live.

Kai joins us, his armor cleaned of blood, though a new scar runs along his hairline. He takes my hand, and together, we walk through the fortress, greeting warriors, stopping to praise a young fighter who took down three Silver Rot soldiers single-handedly, laughing at a berserker who'd tied a Council flag around his waist as a trophy.

In the medical tent, Hailey is propped up on furs, sipping broth from a wooden bowl. When she sees us, she sets the bowl down. "Stella, Kai—I can't thank you enough."

"Rest," Kai says, his voice gentle. "You've been through enough."

As we leave, I hear a warrior shout, "To the Luna and Alpha! To victory!" The cheer is taken up, echoing through the fortress walls. Kai raises our joined hands, and I feel the cub kick, as if joining in the celebration.

But beneath the joy, a shadow lingers. I think of the Silver Rot soldiers we defeated, their bodies melting into puddles of silver ooze. I think of the hybrids in the cryo-tubes, their twisted forms a testament to Damon's cruelty. And I think of the clans back home, still suffering from the effects of the Silver Rot virus.

"Kai," I say, stopping in a quiet corridor. "The Council must have a lab here—somewhere with advanced research on the virus. If we can find their notes, their antidotes..."

Kai's eyes light up. "You think there's a cure?"

"Maybe not a cure, but something more effective than the edelweiss potion. Something to reverse the worst effects." I trace my finger along the wall, feeling the cold stone. "Damon was obsessed with power—he wouldn't just experiment; he'd want a way to control the virus, too. There has to be a research wing here."

"We'll tear this place apart," Kai says, gripping my shoulder. "I'll gather a team—Freya, Erik, Bjorn. We'll start searching at dawn."

"Not at dawn." I look up at him, determination burning in my chest. "Now. The sooner we find something, the sooner we can help our people."

Kai studies my face, then nods. "Alright. Let's start with the lower levels—Damon's private chambers are there. If he kept anything secret, it'll be there."

We turn toward the stairs, our celebration put on hold. The victory is sweet, but our work isn't over. Somewhere in this fortress, there might be a way to heal the wounds Damon inflicted, both physical and spiritual. And I'll search every corner until I find it.

The cub kicks again, as if urging me forward, and I place a hand on my belly, whispering, "We'll make the world safer for you, little one. I promise."