Episode 7: The Shadow King
775 Words
The Shadow King has awakened.
Those four words hung in the air like a death sentence.
Zara looked from Valeria to Lucian.
Neither of them appeared willing to explain.
That alone terrified her.
Because until now, every threat she had faced came with answers.
This one came with fear.
Real fear.
The kind that turned powerful people pale.
"The Shadow King is dead," Valeria said finally.
Lucian laughed bitterly.
"He should be."
The black smoke continued rising in the distance.
Higher.
Darker.
It seemed to poison the night sky itself.
Zara stared at it.
Something about that darkness felt familiar.
Wrong.
But familiar.
As if a forgotten memory was scratching against the walls of her mind.
"Tell me who he is."
Valeria and Lucian exchanged a look.
Neither wanted to answer.
Which meant she definitely needed the truth.
"Now."
The command surprised even her.
The silver light in her eyes flashed briefly.
For a moment, neither argued.
Lucian sighed.
"The Shadow King was once called King Darius."
The name sent a strange chill through Zara.
"He ruled beside the Nightshade family centuries ago."
"What happened?"
"He wanted more."
Lucian's expression hardened.
"He wanted immortality."
The Blood Wolves remained kneeling around them.
Listening.
Watching.
The lead wolf lowered his head.
"Our ancestors fought in that war."
Zara frowned.
"War?"
Valeria nodded.
"The greatest war in werewolf history."
The moon disappeared behind dark clouds.
The forest seemed colder.
"He betrayed the Moon Throne," Valeria continued.
"He murdered thousands."
"He slaughtered entire bloodlines."
"He nearly destroyed the realm."
Zara swallowed.
"And my family stopped him?"
"Yes."
The answer came from the lead Blood Wolf.
"The first Nightshade Queen defeated him."
Silence followed.
Then Zara asked the question nobody wanted to hear.
"If he was defeated... why are we afraid?"
Lucian's face became grim.
"Because defeated and dead are not the same thing."
The realization hit her instantly.
No.
No way.
Valeria nodded slowly.
"The Shadow King was sealed."
Not killed.
Sealed.
A terrible feeling settled inside Zara's chest.
A prison could break.
A seal could weaken.
And apparently...
It just had.
Suddenly the ground shook.
Everyone froze.
Another tremor followed.
Stronger this time.
Birds exploded from the trees.
Animals fled through the forest.
Something was coming.
Fast.
The Blood Wolves immediately stood.
Weapons appeared in Valeria's hands.
Lucian transformed halfway, claws extending from his fingers.
Then the sky cracked.
A bolt of black lightning struck the mountain in the distance.
The explosion lit up the entire horizon.
Zara gasped.
Within the smoke, a gigantic shadow rose.
Far too large to be human.
Far too large to be wolf.
A monstrous silhouette stood atop the mountain.
Watching.
Even from miles away, Zara could feel its gaze.
Locked directly on her.
The pressure hit her like a physical force.
Ancient.
Cruel.
Hungry.
The creature smiled.
Though it was impossibly far away, she saw it clearly.
And then a voice entered her mind.
Not through her ears.
Directly into her soul.
"At last."
Zara staggered backward.
The voice continued.
"I have waited twenty years."
Her blood turned cold.
Twenty years.
Her entire life.
The monster had been waiting her entire life.
"Run," Valeria whispered.
But Zara could not move.
The voice was still inside her head.
"You have your mother's eyes."
A forgotten memory flashed.
A woman's laughter.
Silver eyes.
Warm hands.
Then blood.
Fire.
Screaming.
The vision vanished.
Zara nearly collapsed.
The creature laughed.
A deep terrible sound.
"Yes."
The voice sounded pleased.
"You remember."
Valeria grabbed her shoulders.
"Zara!"
She blinked.
The vision disappeared.
But the fear remained.
"What was that?"
Nobody answered.
Because they already knew.
The Shadow King had touched her mind.
Across miles.
Across mountains.
Across an entire realm.
And if he could do that from such a distance...
What would happen when he finally stood before her?
The shadow on the mountain slowly raised one hand.
Black energy spiraled into the sky.
The clouds twisted violently.
The moon vanished completely.
Darkness swallowed the realm.
Then came the final words.
The words that made even Lucian Black look afraid.
"Bring me the Nightshade Princess."
The connection broke.
The pressure vanished.
Silence returned.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Finally, the lead Blood Wolf lowered his head.
"He knows."
Zara's throat felt dry.
"Knows what?"
The wolf looked directly at her.
"That the Queen has returned."
Far away, inside Black Moon Manor, Alpha Caden suddenly woke from a nightmare.
His heart was racing.
His wolf was growling.
And for the first time in years, he felt something he never thought possible.
Fear for Zara.
Because somewhere deep inside, the mate bond he never understood was beginning to awaken.
- Writer
