Chapter Twenty: Before the Storm
367 Words
The camp buzzed with restless energy as wolves moved through the clearing, sharpening blades, tightening armor, and whispering to one another in tense voices. The air itself felt charged, heavy with the promise of battle.
I stood at the edge of the camp, watching them prepare, when Kael appeared. His steps were still uneven, his wounds not fully healed, but his eyes—steady, fierce—found me instantly.
“You shouldn’t be walking around yet,” I said softly, guilt pressing on me again.
He smirked, leaning slightly on his spear for balance. “And miss the chance to fight beside you? Not a chance.”
I shook my head, but warmth bloomed in my chest at his stubbornness. “Kael… I don’t want you to risk your life again because of me.”
He stepped closer, his voice low, meant only for me. “I’d risk it a thousand times. Not because you’re the flame-bearer. Because you’re you. And I’d follow you into the fire itself if that’s where this leads.”
The bond between us—different from the one tying me to Damien—stirred, softer, steadier. A bond forged not by fate, but by choice.
I swallowed hard, fighting the heat rising in my throat. “I don’t deserve that.”
Kael reached out, brushing his thumb across my cheek, his touch grounding me. “You deserve more than you’ll ever believe. And when this war comes, I’ll be at your side, not because you need me—because I want to be there.”
For a heartbeat, the world fell silent. Just us, his hand against my skin, my fire steady instead of raging. Then the sound of a horn split the air—deep, mournful.
Lyanna’s voice carried through the camp. “To arms! They’re coming!”
The wolves shifted, blades gleaming in the firelight, as the pack rallied to meet their enemy. Kael’s eyes locked on mine, fierce and unyielding.
“Stay alive, Aria,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine for a fleeting second. “No matter what, stay alive.”
And then the night shattered as the first howl of war rose from the western border.
- Writer
