Chapter 41 Breaking Point
Cassian’s silhouette stood at the edge of the barrier, twisted and still as a corpse, but humming with impossible strength. The shadows beneath his skin coiled and writhed, hungry and impatient.
Lina felt the air pressure shift — like the atmosphere was inhaling before a scream.
Kael stepped forward instinctively, pulling Lina slightly behind him but keeping her hand locked in his.
Aric whispered, “Prepare yourselves. This attack won’t be like last time.”
Riven muttered, “Great. So not just deadly — extra deadly.”
Yara tightened her grip on her bow. “Everyone brace.”
Cassian slowly lifted his hand and pressed his palm flat against the shimmering barrier.
For a split second, nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK.
A spiderweb of fractures exploded outward from his touch.
Lina gasped.
Kael snarled, eyes blazing gold.
Aric swore under his breath. “He shouldn’t be able to crack it. The barrier is newly anchored by Lina’s magic—”
“It’s not him alone,” Lina whispered, breath shaking.
“It’s the creature. It’s pushing through him.”
Cassian’s head twitched violently, as if a dozen commands were firing through him at once.
Then the creature’s voice spoke through him—
Layered.
Dark.
Vibrating with malice.
“Let me in, children of Valerius.”
The barrier pulsed.
Kael stepped closer, growling as his wolf surged toward the surface.
“You’ll never touch her.”
Cassian’s head snapped to him.
“You gave her too much of yourself.”
Kael stiffened.
Lina grabbed his arm.
Aric’s eyes widened. “It feels the merged magic…”
Cassian smiled — slow, sharp, mechanical.
“She is half of you now.
And you… are half of her.”
Lina’s heart pounded.
Kael growled, “Say another word about her and I’ll end you.”
Cassian’s voice shifted, suddenly soft.
Human.
Devastating.
“Kael… why did you leave me?”
Kael’s breath caught.
Lina pressed her hand to his chest immediately.
“Kael, don’t listen. It’s not him.”
Tears filled Kael’s eyes despite himself.
He blinked them away violently.
Cassian pressed his palm harder against the barrier—
The fractures widened.
CRRAAACKKK.
Lina felt the crack rip through her soul — because the barrier was her magic, her energy, her essence.
She gasped, stumbling.
Kael caught her instantly.
“Lina!”
She clenched her teeth. “It’s hurting the barrier — it’s hurting me.”
Kael spun on Aric. “Tell me how to stop him.”
“You can’t stop him,” Aric said. “But you can reinforce the barrier.”
Lina shook her head.
“No. If I push too hard, I’ll get pulled back into the seam.”
Kael swallowed hard.
“No,” he whispered fiercely.
“I can’t lose you again. Not even for a second. Aric—find another way.”
Aric hesitated—
and for the first time since they met him, fear cracked his voice.
“There is another way.”
Yara snapped, “Spit it out!”
Aric’s gaze flicked to Kael.
Then to Lina.
“Kael has part of her magic,” Aric said.
“And she has part of his. The barrier responds to both.”
Lina’s eyes widened.
“You mean—”
Aric nodded.
“Kael can reinforce it. Through you.”
Kael blinked.
“What?”
Riven sputtered, “ALPHA MAGIC AMPLIFIED VALERIUS MAGIC—oh that’s either brilliant or suicidal.”
Yara: “Mostly suicidal.”
Kael didn’t hesitate.
“Tell me what to do.”
Aric gestured toward the heartstone.
“Stand with Lina in the center. Put your hand over hers. Put your magic into her — and let the barrier take it.”
Kael turned to Lina.
“Will it hurt you?” he whispered.
She swallowed.
“No. It will hurt you.”
He stepped closer.
“Then we’re doing it.”
“Kael—”
“I won’t lose you. Not again. Not ever.”
Cassian slammed his hand into the barrier again.
CRACK—CRACK—CRACK.
The fractures spread — jagged, pulsing, glowing with Lina’s magic flickering dangerously at their edges.
She hissed in pain, clutching her chest.
Kael growled, lifting her in his arms like she weighed nothing.
“Kael—!”
He carried her straight to the heartstone.
Riven shouted, “He’s breaking through!”
Yara: “Hurry!”
Aric began chanting, grounding the circle while Kael set Lina gently onto her feet and placed both his palms over her hands.
Their bond pulsed violently — silver and gold flaring between them.
Kael’s gaze locked onto hers.
“Ready?” he whispered.
She nodded.
“Always.”
He pressed his forehead to hers.
“I love you,” he said.
She froze.
The words hit her like a shockwave — powerful, soft, fierce.
Her breath trembled.
“I—Kael—”
“Later,” he whispered.
“For now… hold on to me.”
He shoved his magic through the bond.
Lina gasped as Kael’s power surged into her — warm, golden, flooding her veins with strength and fire.
The barrier reacted instantly.
WHOOM—
A blast of energy erupted from the heartstone, racing outward like a shockwave.
The cracks froze.
Then sealed.
Cassian was thrown backward violently, crashing into the trees with enough force to uproot one.
The creature screamed through him — a shattering, furious roar that made the sky tremble.
Lina’s knees buckled.
Kael caught her, panting hard, sweat dripping down his temple.
“Lina—?”
She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.
“I’m okay,” she whispered.
“You saved me.”
He laughed weakly, pressing a shaking kiss into her hair.
“No,” he murmured.
“You saved us both.”
Aric exhaled in relief.
“The barrier is stable again. Strong. For now.”
Riven sat on the ground. “I need a week-long nap.”
Yara elbowed him. “We’ll sleep after we survive.”
Kael didn’t let go of Lina.
Not even for a moment.
Cassian pulled himself upright in the distance—
eyes burning, skin flickering with shadow, the creature booming through him—
“THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.”
Kael snarled at him.
“Then let it begin.”
Lina tightened her grip on Kael’s shirt.
Because this time—
He wasn’t protecting her alone.
They were protecting each other.
And the storm was only getting closer.