THE ROGUE QUEEN

Chapter 15

My watch shift ended just as dawn broke.

I’d spent the last few hours sitting by the entrance, practicing my shadows in the dark and trying to keep myself awake. My whole body ached from yesterday’s training, but there was also something else beneath the ache—a restless energy.

My wolf was awake and eager.

“We should keep practicing,” she urged.

‘You never rest, do you?”

“Rest is for the weak.”

Despite the soreness, I found myself smiling.

Kael was still asleep on his bedroll. His breaths were slow, steady, and peaceful. He looked younger when he slept—less burdened, less tired. I had about an hour left before I was supposed to wake him, but he needed the rest, so I figured I’d let him sleep a little longer.

I moved quietly to the center of the chamber. The fire had burned down to embers, and the early morning light filtering through the ceiling opening was soft and grey.

Perfect for practicing.

I lifted my hands and called the shadows.

They came at once—smooth, eager, wrapping around my wrists like dark smoke curling upward. I focused on keeping them steady, holding them exactly where I wanted them.

One minute.

Two.

Three.

I felt them start to crawl up my arms.

No, I told them firmly. Stay.

And to my surprise... they listened.

They trembled and pulsed, but they didn’t spread the way they usually did.

That tiny bit of control felt like a victory.

“Practicing, I see.”

I jumped, shadows disappearing instantly. Kael was sitting up, hair messy from sleep, eyes fixed on me with curious interest.

“Sorry,” I said. “Did I wake you?”

"No. I'm a light sleeper." He stood and stretched. "How long have you been practicing?"

“Not long.”

“And rather than waking me for my watch like you were supposed to…” His voice held a hint of scolding. “You decided to train alone.”

I winced. “You looked exhausted. I thought I’d let you rest.”

"Selene." He crossed the space between us. "I appreciate the thought, but we have a schedule for a reason. If you don't get enough sleep, you'll be useless during training."

"I feel fine."

"Now. Wait until this afternoon." He moved to rebuild the fire. "But since we're both awake, we might as well start the day. Breakfast first, then training."

Breakfast was simple—dried fruit and the last bit of old bread. While we ate, Kael outlined his plan for the day.

"We'll spend the morning on shadow control. You're making good progress there. Afternoon, we work on combining your shadows with physical combat." He paused. "And tonight, I want to teach you something different."

“What’s that?”

“Hunting.”

I blinked. “Hunting?”

"We're running low on food. And while I could go hunt alone, you need to learn. Part of being a wolf is knowing how to provide for yourself." He glanced at me. "Have you ever hunted before?"

"Never. At Bloodfang, I wasn't allowed to join the hunts."

"Then it's time you learned." He finished his fruit. "But first, shadows. Let's see what you can do."

The morning went surprisingly well—and also terribly.

Well, because I could feel the improvement. My shadows answered me faster, stayed controlled longer, and even moved from one hand to the other when I focused hard enough.

Worse because Kael kept pushing for more.

"Now try to shape them," he instructed. "Make them into something specific. A sphere. A blade. Anything with form."

I tried. The shadows twisted and writhed, almost forming shapes before collapsing back into shapeless smoke.

"I can't," I said after the tenth failed attempt. "They won't hold any form."

"Because you're trying to force them. They're not clay, you can't mold them." Kael stepped closer. "Think of it like... like asking water to become ice. You have to change their fundamental nature, not just their appearance.”

"That doesn't help."

"Try this then." He held up his hand. "Imagine your shadows are an extension of yourself. Another limb. When you want to make a fist, you don't think about each finger curling,byou just will your hand to close. Same principle."

I tried again, imagining the shadows as another hand, another arm.

And something shifted.

The shadows around my wrist condensed, darkening, becoming more solid. Not quite a physical object, but close. They held their tighter form for maybe three seconds before dissipating.

But it was something.

"There!" Kael grinned. "That's it. You're starting to understand."

"It lasted three seconds."

"Which is three seconds longer than before." He moved back to give me space. "Again. Keep practicing until it becomes natural."

By midday, I'd managed to create something resembling a solid shadow form twice more. Both times it lasted less than five seconds, but Kael seemed pleased with the progress.

"Enough shadow work for now," he announced. "Time to combine it with combat."

My stomach dropped. "Already?"

"No point in having shadows if you can't use them in a fight." He gestured for me to join him in the open space. "Standard rules. I attack, you defend. Except this time, you're allowed to use your shadows."

"I can barely control them—"

"Then this will be good practice." He settled into a fighting stance. "Ready?"

"No."

"Good enough."

He attacked.

His fist came at my face and I threw up my arms to block—shadows flaring instinctively. They created a barrier that his fist hit, and to both our surprise, actually stopped the blow.

For about half a second before dissipating.

But still.

Kael stepped back, eyes wide. "Did you mean to do that?"

"No. They just... reacted."

"Interesting." He circled me slowly. "Your shadows have a protective instinct. They respond to threats automatically. Let's test that."

He attacked again, faster this time.

Shadows flared with every hit, trying to shield me as I dodged or blocked. I still took hits, more than a few but fewer than normal.

"You're not consciously controlling them," Kael observed as we paused for water. "Your wolf is. She sees the threats and responds."

I reached inward, feeling for my wolf. She was there, alert and focused, practically vibrating with energy.

“You're helping me fight?”

“Of course. We're the same, remember? When you're threatened, I protect us.”

“Thank you.”

“Don't thank me. Just learn to work with me consciously. We'll be unstoppable.”

"She says we need to work together more," I told Kael.

"Smart wolf." He set down his water skin. "Let's try something different. This time, instead of just reacting, try to actively use your shadows. Offensively."

"I don't know how—"

"Figure it out. That's how you learn."

He attacked again.

And this time, instead of just defending, I pushed back.

The shadows shot forward from my hands, not solid enough to truly strike but enough to make Kael stumble. He recovered quickly, but for a moment, I'd had the advantage.

"Yes!" Kael's voice held genuine excitement. "That's it! Again!"

We trained until I could barely lift my arms. The shadows were shaky and unpredictable, but they were also getting stronger.

I was getting stronger.

But I was learning.

My body was learning.

And slowly, the movements were becoming more natural.

By the time Kael called for a break, the sun was past its peak and I was drenched in sweat. I was exhausted. Sweat dripped down my neck. My legs trembled.

"You're getting it," Kael said, handing me water. "It's rough and uncontrolled, but you're starting to integrate everything. Wolf. Shadows. Combat skills. They're becoming one fluid thing instead of separate pieces."

"It doesn't feel fluid."

"Not yet. But give it time." He sat down, and I collapsed beside him. "You're learning faster than anyone I've ever trained."

"Maya would disagree."

"Maya has impossible standards for everyone, including herself." He smiled. "Trust me. You're doing well."

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, both catching our breath.

"Kael?" I said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think they're okay? Back at camp?"

His expression grew serious. "I don't know. But they're strong. Smart. If anyone can handle themselves, it's them."

"But what if—"

"We can't think like that. We have to believe they're okay. Otherwise..." He trailed off.

Otherwise we'd go crazy with worry.

I understood that.

"Tell me about tonight," I said, changing the subject. "The hunting."

“Right.” He seemed relieved to talk about something else. “We’ll go after dark. Night prey is easier for a first hunt, mostly rabbits. I’ll show you how to track with scent, how to move without making a sound, and how to make a clean kill.”

“In wolf form?” I asked.

“Yes. Your instincts will guide you, but instinct alone isn’t enough. You still need proper technique.” He studied my face for a moment. “Are you nervous?"

“A little,” I admitted. “I’ve never killed anything before.”

"A little. I've never killed anything before."

“That’s normal. Most wolves hesitate the first time. But hunting is part of our nature. It’s not senseless killing, it’s survival. And we only take what we actually need.” His voice softened. “It’s not meant to be cruel.”

I nodded, trying to quell the anxiety in my stomach.

Hunting. Killing.

Another step toward becoming something I still didn't fully understand.

“You’re a wolf,” my wolf whispered. “This is what we do. It’s not wrong.”

Maybe she was right.

Maybe it was natural.

But it still felt strange. It felt heavy.

Frightening.

Just one more thing that showed how much I was changing, how far I’d already drifted from the quiet, powerless girl who had walked away from Bloodfang less than a week ago.

And how far I still had to go.