THE ROGUE QUEEN

Chapter 13

I woke to darkness and the sound of crackling fire.

For a moment, I didn’t know where I was. My mind felt foggy and slow, like I had been dropped into someone else’s dream. Then everything rushed back—the den, the long walk, the plan to hide until the fighting was over.

Leaving the camp behind.

Leaving everyone behind.

“Bad dreams?” Kael asked quietly.

Kael's voice came from across the fire. He sat exactly where he'd been when I fell asleep, his back against the cave wall, alert and watchful.

“No dreams at all,” I said, sitting up with a groan. “What time is it?”

"About three hours past sunset. You've been asleep for maybe two hours." He stood and stretched. "Your turn for watch. Wake me if you hear anything unusual."

"Kael, you should have woken me sooner—"

“You needed sleep more than I did.” His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. “I’m tired, not dying.”

He moved to his bedroll on the other side of the fire and lay down, turning his back to me. Within minutes, his breathing had evened out.

I stared at him for a moment, surprised at how quickly he'd fallen asleep. He must have been exhausted.

“He stayed awake so you could rest,” my wolf observed. “That means something.”

“It means he’s kind,” I told her.

“It means more than kindness,” she insisted.

I didn't want to think about what it might mean. Not now. Not when everything was so complicated.

I moved to where Kael had been sitting, positioning myself near the entrance where I could see out into the darkness beyond. The forest was quiet—just the usual night sounds. Crickets. The distant hoot of an owl. Wind rustling through leaves.

Peaceful.

Too peaceful.

My mind kept wandering back to camp. Were they okay? Had the hunters arrived yet? Was anyone hurt?

“Stop,” my wolf commanded. “You can't help them by worrying. Focus on the present.’

She was right. But that didn't make it easier.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small wooden charm Elena had given me. A simple crescent moon carved into dark wood.

“For protection,” she’d said.

I ran my thumb over it and hoped she was right.

The hours passed slowly.

I kept my senses alert, listening for any sign of danger. But the forest remained calm. Almost unnaturally so.

Around what I guessed was midnight, I heard Kael shift in his sleep. A small sound—almost like a whimper.

I glanced back and saw him twitching, his face tight.

Nightmare.

I debated whether to wake him. On one hand, he clearly needed rest. On the other, whatever he was dreaming about looked painful.

"No," he muttered, his voice thick with sleep. "Father, please—"

The word "father" made my decision for me.

I moved quietly to his side and gently touched his shoulder. "Kael. Wake up."

His eyes flew open, wild and unfocused. For a split second, he didn't recognize me.

Then awareness returned, and he relaxed slightly.

"Sorry," he mumbled, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "Did I wake you?"

"No. I was on watch, remember?" I sat back. "Bad dream?"

"Just... old memories." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "Nothing important."

"It seemed important."

He stared into the fire for a long moment.

"My father used to lock me in a storage cellar when I failed at training," he said finally. "Darkness. No food. Sometimes for days. Said it would teach me to be stronger. To never show weakness."

My chest tightened. "That's horrible."

"It was effective." His voice was flat. "I learned very quickly not to fail."

"Kael..."

"I don't want your pity, Selene. I'm just explaining why I sometimes—" He gestured vaguely. "Why the dreams happen. Especially when I'm stressed."

"You don't have to explain anything to me."

"I know. But I want to." He finally looked at me. "I want you to understand who I am. What made me this way."

The vulnerability in his voice made something in my chest ache.

"You're more than what he did to you," I said quietly. "You know that, right?"

"Most days. Tonight..." He shook his head. "Tonight I'm just tired."

"Then sleep more. I've got watch covered."

"Selene—"

"I'm not taking no for an answer." I stood and moved back to my post near the entrance. "Sleep, Kael. That's an order."

I heard him huff a small laugh behind me. "Since when do you give orders?"

"Since now. Sleep."

To my surprise, he did.

And this time, his sleep looked peaceful.

Dawn came slowly, light filtering through the opening in the ceiling.

I'd spent the last few hours of my watch fighting exhaustion, determined not to fall asleep on duty. By the time Kael woke naturally, I felt like I'd been awake for days.

"Morning," he said, stretching. "How was the rest of your watch?"

"Quiet. Nothing happened."

"Good." He moved to the fire and began preparing breakfast—more dried meat, some bread, and a handful of berries he'd gathered yesterday. "We should establish a routine. Schedules for watch, training, meals. It'll help pass the time."

"Training?"

“You didn’t think we were going to rest the whole time, did you?” He raised an eyebrow. “If you’re going back stronger, you need to keep practicing. Your powers, your combat skills. All of it. Otherwise, when you go back, you won't be any stronger than when you left."

He had a point.

"Okay. So what's the plan?"

"Mornings, we train. Physical combat first, then your shadows. Afternoons, we rest and maintain the camp. Evenings, we practice stealth and tracking. And nights, we take turns on watch."

It sounded exhausting.

It also sounded exactly like what I needed.

"Alright," I agreed. "When do we start?"

"After breakfast." He handed me a portion of food. "Eat. You'll need your strength."

We ate in silence for a few minutes, the fire warming the air around us.

I found myself watching Kael—the way he moved with such confidence, the scars on his hands from years of fighting, the tired lines around his eyes.

He'd been through so much. Lost so much.

And yet here he was, helping me. Protecting me.

"Why are you staring?" he asked without looking up.

I nearly choked. “I’m not!”

"You were." He glanced at me, amusement in his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. "It's okay. I don't mind."

"I was just thinking."

"About?"

"About how much you've done for me. How much you've sacrificed." I set down my food. "I don't know how to repay that."

"You don't have to repay anything." His expression grew serious. "I'm not doing this because I expect something in return, Selene. I'm doing this because I want to."

"But why?"

He was quiet for a moment, considering his answer.

"Because when I look at you, I see someone worth fighting for," he said finally. "And I haven't felt that way about anyone in a very long time."

The words hung between us, heavy with meaning.

I didn't know how to respond. Didn't know what to do with the warm feeling spreading through my chest.

So I just nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He stood and began clearing away the remains of breakfast. "Now come on. Time to start training."

Kael led me to the larger part of the cave, where there was enough space to move without hitting walls.

"First, we'll work on your stance. Fighting multiple opponents requires different footwork than one-on-one combat." He demonstrated a wider stance, knees bent, weight distributed evenly. "Try it."

I mimicked his position.

"Good. Now, when I come at you from the left, you'll need to pivot—like this." He showed me the movement in slow motion. "Your goal is to never let anyone get behind you. Always keep moving, keep your attackers in front of you or to the sides."

We practiced the pivoting motion over and over until my legs burned and sweat dripped down my back.

"Better," Kael said finally. "Now let's add in blocking."

He stepped toward me slowly at first, showing every move in advance so I could follow. I practiced raising my arms, shifting my stance, protecting my head and sides. Then he sped up. Little by little, the punches came faster, less warning, more pressure until my body had to react on its own.

I missed more than I blocked, and every hit that landed left a fresh bruise.

But I was learning.

"Your reactions are improving," Kael observed as we took a water break. "Your wolf is helping without you even realizing it."

"She is?"

"You're moving faster than you were. Your reflexes are sharper. That's not just practice—that's your wolf enhancing your abilities."

I thought about that. He was right. I could feel her there beneath my skin, alert and engaged, helping me move, helping me see.

“We're getting better at working together,*”she said proudly.

“We are,” I agreed.

Kael finished his water and tossed the empty skin aside. “Ready for round two?”

I let out a long, dramatic groan. “Do I even have a choice?”

“Nope.”

“Figures.” I pushed myself to my feet. “Alright. I’m ready.”

He smiled—that rare, genuine smile that transformed his whole face.

And despite the exhaustion, despite the bruises, despite everything...

I smiled back.