The silence in my mind stretched taut—like the string of a drawn bow.
I knew he was there.
I felt him. Not as a clear thought, but as a second heart beating within mine.
Colder. Older. More... patient.
He waited.
Not because he doubted his power.
But because he doubted me.
And then, at last, Nox’s voice broke through the fog.
“If I enter now, I won’t be able to leave without taking something with me.”
His words were as soft as a feather…
and as dangerous as a blade against my throat.
“What you’re asking of me, Selene, isn’t simple. It’s not just silencing your wolf. It’s standing against the most sacred bond a shifter can have. If I do this—if I stop Skadi—it will be like chaining the wings of a goddess.”
“And what do you want in return?” I thought.
Not in fear.
Not anymore.
