Chapter 46 Back to the Ruins
Light tore apart the darkness.
Not gentle.
Not warm.
Violent.
Lina’s lungs filled with air in a painful gasp as her body slammed back into reality. She hit the ground hard, the stones of the Valerius circle scraping against her palms. Her vision blurred—silver, gold, dark shapes—and she struggled to breathe.
“LINA!”
Kael’s voice cut through the haze, raw and panicked.
She looked up just as he crashed to his knees beside her, one arm wrapped around Cassian’s limp body, the other reaching for her.
“Lina—are you—are you here—?” His voice shook.
His hands shook.
She grabbed his wrist. “I’m here… I’m okay…”
But Kael wasn’t listening—
because Cassian convulsed in his arms.
Aric sprinted forward, skidding to his knees.
“Hold him—Kael, HOLD him!”
Kael tightened his grip as Cassian’s back arched unnaturally, a horrible choking sound ripping from his throat.
Lina scrambled to his other side, pressing her hand to Cassian’s chest.
“Cassian! Cassian, breathe—!”
His eyes shot open.
Silver.
Then black.
Then silver.
Riven swore loudly. “Is he saved or possessed?! Because I am NOT fighting him again—”
“Shut up!” Yara snapped.
Aric placed both palms on Cassian’s temples, glowing symbols forming beneath his fingers.
“Cassian—listen to me—follow my voice—follow the bond with your brother—come back—”
Cassian’s breathing hitched—
then steadied.
Just barely.
His shaking eased.
His body slackened.
His eyes—
slowly, painfully—
focused.
“Kael…” he whispered.
Kael’s breath broke.
Tears filled his eyes instantly.
“Yeah,” he rasped, pulling his brother against him.
“It’s me. I’ve got you.”
Cassian blinked slowly, exhaustion dragging at every feature.
“I… I heard you,” he whispered.
“In there. You wouldn’t let go.”
Kael cupped the back of Cassian’s head, pressing his forehead to his brother’s temple.
“Never,” he whispered.
“Never again.”
Lina lowered her head, relief washing over her so intensely she nearly collapsed.
But Aric’s voice cut sharply:
“This isn’t over. Look—”
Cassian’s veins—
the ones that had pulsed with shadow—
now glowed faint silver.
Not clean.
Not healed.
Tainted.
Fighting.
Unstable.
“He’s free,” Aric said carefully, “but the creature’s influence isn’t gone. It left a mark.”
Kael’s jaw clenched. “Can it be removed?”
Aric’s expression tensed.
“It can be… managed.”
“Managed?” Kael barked. “I didn’t risk Lina’s life to ‘manage’—”
“Kael,” Lina whispered, touching his arm.
“It means Cassian is here. And alive.”
Cassian’s eyes softened as they found hers.
“You… saved me,” he murmured.
Lina shook her head. “Kael saved you. I just—”
Cassian smiled weakly.
“No. You both did.”
Kael’s throat tightened again.
But before he could speak—
The ground trembled.
Everyone froze.
Yara spun toward the forest.
Riven raised his blades instantly.
Aric stood abruptly, panic flashing across his face.
“The creature— It felt the tether break. It knows we freed Cassian!”
Lina’s blood turned to ice.
Kael pushed Cassian gently behind him, rising to his full height—gold eyes blazing, muscles tight beneath his skin.
“Lina—stay behind me.”
Before she could respond—
A deafening scream ripped through the valley.
Not from a wolf.
Not from Cassian.
FROM EVERY DIRECTION.
A pure, monstrous roar of hatred and fury that shook stone, branches, air.
The barrier shuddered—
light flickering like a dying heart.
Lina staggered, clutching her chest.
Kael caught her instantly.
“Lina—?”
Her breath came sharp, fast.
“The barrier—Kael—it’s— it’s shaking—”
Aric paled.
“It’s using the tether connection. A backlash strike. Lina—brace yourself—!”
“Why her?!” Kael demanded.
Aric’s face twisted with dread.
“Because the barrier is tied to her soul. The creature can’t tear the barrier down—so it’s trying to tear down her.”
The scream intensified—
then hit.
The world blurred.
Lina felt something tear inside her—
a ripping sensation—
like hands trying to drag her spirit apart.
She dropped to her knees with a cry.
Kael caught her before she hit the ground.
“LINA! Stay with me—stay with me—!”
Her vision flickered—
black—
white—
black—
white—
“Kael… I… I can’t—”
“Yes you can,” he growled, pulling her into his arms, shielding her with his entire body.
“You hold on. You hear me? You hold on!”
Her body jolted as another wave hit—harder.
Aric grabbed Kael’s shoulder.
“She can’t withstand this—her magic is still recovering—Kael, she needs to anchor—NOW!”
Kael cupped Lina’s face, voice breaking.
“Look at me. Look at me, little wolf.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I can’t—Kael—he’s—pulling—”
Kael pressed his forehead to hers, gripping her so tightly his hands shook.
“Lina… come back to me.”
Another hit—
Lina screamed—
the bond flickered violently, sputtering like a candle in a storm.
Kael’s heart tore open.
“No—no—NO—don’t you dare—don’t—”
He crushed her to him, his magic flaring gold and wild.
“TAKE MY STRENGTH,” he roared.
“TAKE ALL OF IT—JUST STAY—”
Lina’s body arched—
light exploded through her—
a blinding burst of silver-gold—
Then—
Silence.
Lina went limp in Kael’s arms.
“Lina—?” His voice cracked.
“LINA—!”
No movement.
No breath.
Nothing.
“NO!” he roared, shaking, gathering her against his chest.
“LINA!”
The barrier flickered—
dimmed—
then surged back to life.
Aric whispered, horrified:
“She took the full force of the creature’s fury… to protect the barrier.”
Kael lowered his head to her forehead, tears dripping onto her skin.
“Please,” he whispered, voice breaking.
“Please open your eyes…”
Cassian crawled toward them weakly, panic in his gaze.
“Is she—?”
Kael’s breath hitched violently.
“I don’t know.”
The bond flickered faintly in Kael’s chest—
then faded to an almost-silent whisper.
Lina’s body lay still in his arms.
Too still.
The creature’s roar echoed faintly through the forest—
satisfied.
Triumphant.
Kael gathered Lina closer, crushing her to him, his voice breaking into pieces:
“Don’t you leave me. Please. Not you. Not you.”
The barrier hummed faintly.
And Lina did not move.