Chapter 56

The night sky was painted with stars, their cold light casting long shadows over the landscape. Axe stood at the edge of the clearing, his breath visible in the cool air, his heart pounding in his chest. Every fiber of his being had been waiting for this moment—waiting for her. His hand instinctively clenched around the hilt of his sword as he scanned the horizon, a mixture of hope and dread coursing through him.

And then, he felt it.

A familiar pulse in the air, like the beat of a heart—hers. He turned, eyes narrowing as the trees parted, and Velvet stepped into the clearing, her silhouette bathed in the soft glow of moonlight.

Axe’s breath hitched. It had been too long—since that awful moment when Polar had pushed her from the cliff, and he thought he had lost her forever. But now, here she was, alive, more powerful than ever. She moved with a quiet grace, but there was something new about her, something fierce and untamed.

"Velvet," Axe whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He took a step toward her, unsure if he dared to believe she was really there.

Velvet’s gaze met his, her green eyes sharp yet softened by the same weight of emotion. Without another word, she closed the distance between them in a few long strides, and before Axe could even react, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

For a moment, the world around them disappeared, leaving only the two of them. The warmth of her body against his, the familiar scent of her hair, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat—it was all so achingly real.

"I thought I lost you," Axe murmured into her hair, his voice raw, betraying the vulnerability he so often hid behind a mask of strength. He tightened his grip around her, as if afraid she might slip away again.

Velvet pulled back just enough to look up at him, her face fierce but her touch gentle. "You didn't lose me. I fought my way back," she said, her voice low and firm. She cupped his face with her hand, brushing her thumb over his cheek. "Polar tried to kill me, but he failed."

Axe’s jaw clenched at the mention of Polar. The memory of that day flashed through his mind—Polar’s smirk as he accused Axe of pushing Velvet from the cliff, the helpless rage Axe had felt knowing Polar had caused her fall.

"You were gone," Axe whispered, his throat tight. "I could not protect you."

Velvet shook her head. "I'm still here because of you. Because I knew I had to fight to get back to you, to Axe, to end this."

She drew a breath, her fingers lingering on his jaw, tracing the rough stubble. "I've been training, Axe. I have power now—more than I ever imagined. But you… what about you? What has he done to you?"

Axe stepped back, breaking the physical connection between them as his gaze darkened. "Polar used the orb to imprison me, to bind me with his twisted magic. It has been hell, Velvet. But I kept fighting because I knew you were out there."

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, everything else fell away—the kingdom, the danger, even Polar. All that mattered was that they were here, together, stronger than ever.

Alessandra ran forward, her face lit with joy. “Velvet!” she cried, throwing her arms around her sister in law, embracing her tightly.

Velvet staggered back slightly with the force of the hug, but a wide smile broke across her face as she wrapped her arms around Ally. “I missed you too, Ally,” she whispered, her voice soft with emotion.

Ally pulled back, tears brimming in her eyes, her hands still gripping Velvet’s shoulders as if to make sure she was truly there. “You are really here. I thought… after Polar…” Her voice caught, and she shook her head. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“You didn't lose me,” Velvet reassured her. “I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Ingrid stepped forward, her expression calm, though her eyes held a knowing glint. “The seers on the mountain… I see you found them?” she asked, a mysterious smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Velvet nodded, meeting Ingrid’s gaze with a slight grin of her own. “I did. You were right.”

Ingrid’s smile widened, the softest of chuckles escaping her. “I thought you might. It seems fate has a way of bringing everything together when the time is right.”

Velvet’s eyes flickered with gratitude as she gave a small nod. She had known Ingrid would understand more than she let on. The seers on the mountain had been her key to discovering the magic within herself, but it had been Ingrid’s guidance that had led her there.

Unable to bear even an inch of distance between them, Axe pulled Velvet closer, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if grounding himself with her presence. His voice was low but urgent against her ear.

“Ingrid has found a way to break the power of the Orb.”

Immediately, Velvet felt the tension in the air shift—subtle, but undeniable. Muscles tightened. Glances darted. Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled back just enough to look into Axe’s eyes.

“Okay,” she said slowly, her voice laced with caution. “How?”

Axe looked away, jaw clenched. Ally averted her gaze entirely, suddenly fascinated by the distant treetops or the ground at her feet—anywhere but Velvet’s eyes. Only Ingrid remained steady, her piercing gaze locked with Velvet’s, unreadable yet unwavering.

“We do have a way,” Ingrid said, calm and matter-of-fact. “But you are not going to like it.”

Velvet folded her arms across her chest, her expression sharpening. “It sounds like you’re planning something that I am really not going to like.”

Ingrid nodded slightly. “That would be an accurate assessment.”

There was a long pause. The wind stirred the trees around them, whispering through the leaves as if even the forest anticipated what came next.

Velvet’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me.”

Ingrid took a deep breath, then spoke. “There is a spell—ancient and forbidden. One designed to sever the link between a dark mage and their conduit. It is powerful enough to break the hold the Orb has on Polar… but it comes at a cost.”

Velvet’s heart thudded. “What kind of cost?”

Axe shifted beside her, his body tense with unspoken protest. Ingrid's tone softened slightly, but her eyes did not waver.

“The spell demands a life,” she said. “A pure sacrifice. One willingly given. That is how you break the bond.”

Velvet’s stomach turned. “You’re saying someone has to die.”

“Yes,” Ingrid replied. “And I was going to offer mine.”

“No,” Velvet said immediately, her voice cutting through the night like a blade. “Absolutely not.”

Ingrid raised a brow, but Velvet turned away before she could respond, pacing a few steps toward the edge of the clearing. The thought of losing anyone—especially Ingrid, who had guided her so far—twisted her gut into knots.

Then she stopped.

A new resolve settled in her chest. A fire. A refusal to let fate dictate the cost.

“No one else is going to die,” Velvet said, turning back to them. Her voice rang with steel. “I have seen what I am capable of. I touched the Orb of Truth. I unlocked the magic inside me. And I am going to use every ounce of that power to break Polar’s bond without anyone paying with their life.”

“But the spell—” Ingrid began.

“I am the spell now,” Velvet interrupted, stepping closer to her. “I am not just a seer. I am the conduit through which the cosmos flows. Let Polar try to hold on to his stolen power. I will rip it from him myself.”

Silence fell over the group.

Finally, Beliard let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

Ally gave a small, tearful laugh. Axe only stared at Velvet, his eyes burning with a mix of pride, fear, and awe.

Velvet met his gaze and gently reached for his hand. “We end this tomorrow. Together.”

And for the first time since she had returned, Axe allowed himself a flicker of hope.