Chapter 44 The Duel of the Fated
The ritualistic circle was carved into the frost-covered earth of the manor’s courtyard. It wasn't just a boundary; it was a cage of ancient law. Torches roared against the freezing Northern wind, casting long, flickering shadows that danced like specters over the assembled pack.
"Step into the ring, Prince," Vane called out. He had stripped to the waist, his lean, scarred torso pale as moonlight. He looked calm—too calm.
"Caspian, don't," I whispered, grabbing his arm as he stepped forward. "There’s something wrong. He’s too confident."
"He touched you, Lyra," Caspian said, his voice a low, lethal vibration. He shed his jacket, his muscles corded and ready, his eyes fixed on the Northern Alpha with a predatory focus. "In the North, they think sophistication is a substitute for strength. I’m going to show him how wrong he is."
"No magic," Kael reminded them, stepping up to the edge of the circle with a face of stone. "No Spark, no tactical shields. Pure wolf strength. If either of you breaks the seal, the Council of Elders will execute the violator on the spot."
"I don't need magic to kill a dog," Caspian snarled.
He stepped into the circle. Vane followed, a thin, needle-like smile stretching across his face. The moment they both stood within the line, the ground hummed. The air inside the circle became a vacuum, separating them from the world.
"Begin!" Elder Vane shouted from the dais.
Caspian lunged. He was a blur of raw power, a mountain of muscle slamming into the Northern Alpha. But Vane didn't meet the impact. He spiraled away with an unnatural fluidity, his hand lashing out in a quick, shallow arc.
A red line appeared across Caspian’s chest.
"First blood to the North!" a voice cried from the crowd.
"Caspian!" I gasped, my hand flying to my own chest. Through the soulmark, I felt a sharp, burning sting—but it wasn't just a cut. It felt like liquid lead was being poured into my veins.
"Something is wrong," Rune growled, standing beside me, his hand white-knuckled on his blade. "Caspian is slower. Look at his feet."
Caspian swung again, a heavy haymaker that should have shattered Vane’s ribs. Vane parried it easily, his fingers digging into Caspian’s forearm. When he pulled away, he left three more gouges.
Caspian stumbled. His breathing was ragged, his movements becoming heavy and uncoordinated.
"You're pathetic," Vane hissed, loud enough for only those at the edge to hear. He raised his hand, and I saw it—the moonlight caught the tips of his claws. They weren't just sharp; they were coated in a faint, iridescent green slime.
"Fae poison!" I shouted, stepping toward the circle. "Kael! He’s cheating! He’s using Fae-poisoned claws!"
"Lyra, get back!" Kael grabbed my shoulder, his eyes darting to the Elders. "If you interfere, they’ll kill him instantly. Without physical proof, the Elders won't stop the rite."
"He’s dying, Kael! Can't you feel it?"
Through the bond, Caspian’s heartbeat was staggering. It felt like a drum being muffled by heavy curtains. He was being systematically weakened, his Alpha strength being eaten away by the toxin. Vane landed a kick to Caspian’s ribs, sending him sprawling into the frost.
"Is this your King?" Vane mocked, looking at the pack. "A boy who can't even stand after a few scratches?"
Caspian tried to rise, but his arms buckled. He looked toward me, his gold eyes dimming, clouded by the poison. He was giving up. He thought he was failing me.
"No," I whispered. I closed my eyes, ignoring the chaos of the crowd.
Caspian, look at me, I projected into the link.
I ignored Kael and Rune. I ignored the law. I reached into the very center of the Silver Spark, but I didn't weaponize it. I turned the energy inward, funneling it through the soulmark. I stood at the very edge of the circle, my hands trembling as I poured my Luna energy—my very life force—into the connection.
Caspian! Feel me!
I sent him more than just power. I sent him visions. I showed him the waterfall in the Silver Woods, away from the blood and the crowns. I showed him a life where the Triple Bond was silent, where we weren't assets or weapons. I showed him a future of just us—a quiet, fierce eternity.
Inside the circle, Caspian’s body jerked. The gold in his eyes suddenly ignited, burning brighter than the torches. The silver-gold light of our "Soul Resonance" began to leak from his pores, burning away the green haze of the Fae poison.
"What is this?" Vane demanded, stepping back as Caspian stood up.
Caspian didn't roar. He didn't growl. He moved with a speed that was no longer physical—it was spiritual. He was across the ring in a heartbeat. He caught Vane’s throat in one hand and his waist in the other.
With a roar of pure, unadulterated dominance, Caspian slammed Vane into the frozen ground. The impact shattered the frost and sent a shockwave through the courtyard.
"The North... yields..." Vane wheezed, blood coughing from his lips.
Caspian didn't stop. He pinned Vane down, his claws hovering an inch from the Alpha’s eyes. "You tried to poison a Thorne?" Caspian’s voice was a low, terrifying rumble. "You tried to take what is mine?"
"Enough!" Elder Vane shouted. "The duel is over! The primary claim stands!"
Caspian stood up slowly, his chest heaving. He looked at the Northern pack, then at ours. He looked like a god of war bathed in silver light. He had dominated the rival Alpha, proving to everyone that no matter how many brothers shared the claim, his soul was the one that answered to mine.
Guards moved in to haul Vane away. The Northern Alpha was broken, his sophisticated mask shattered. As they dragged him past me, toward the gates of exile, he reached out, his fingers catching the hem of my gown.
"Wait," Vane rasped, his eyes finding mine one last time.
"Get him out of here," Rune commanded, stepping forward.
"No," Vane hissed, his voice a chilling whisper meant only for me. "You think you’ve won, Luna? You think these brothers are your salvation?"
"Go back to your ice, Vane," I said, my voice cold.
"Ask them, Lyra," Vane chuckled, a wet, bloody sound. "Ask the Strategist. They talk of bonds and love, but they are keeping a secret that will turn your Spark to ash. Ask Kael about the Silver Blood-Jar hidden in the basement vault. Ask him what they took from you while you were sleeping."
My heart stopped. I looked at Kael.
Kael’s face didn't change, but through the bond, I felt a spike of pure, unmitigated terror. He didn't look at me. He looked at the ground.
"Caspian?" I turned to the Prince, who was still glowing with the remnants of my energy.
Caspian’s eyes flickered. He looked at Kael, then at me, and for the first time since the vault, he looked ashamed.