Emory awoke with a start, her body aching from the impact of Seraphine’s attack. She found herself in a dark, damp cell, the air heavy with the scent of mold and despair. She was now in an ugly, wretched black gown. Panic surged through her as she tried to move, but her limbs were bound by thick, unyielding chains. She strained against them, but it was no use.

“Rahl?” she called out, her voice echoing in the cold, stone chamber. There was no response, only the distant drip of water and the faint rustle of something unseen in the shadows.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. The last thing she remembered was Seraphine’s cruel smile and the dark energy that had thrown her and Rahl across the room. Now, she had no idea where she was or what had happened to him.

Closing her eyes, Emory focused on the familiar fire within her chest. She had to stay calm and think clearly if she was going to find a way out of this. The fire flickered to life, warming her from the inside. She concentrated, willing the energy to build, to become something she could use.

A faint glow radiated from her hands, and she opened her eyes to see tiny flames dancing at her fingertips and to her greatest surprise, it didn’t burn her. Relief and determination surged through her. She didn’t fully understand her new power, but she was going to use it to escape.

Focusing her energy, she directed the flames toward the chains binding her wrists. The metal heated, growing red-hot before finally melting away, and it still didn’t hurt her. She quickly freed her ankles and stood, her legs shaky but steadying as she adjusted to her newfound freedom.

She looked around the cell, her heart sinking as she realized there was no obvious way out. The walls were solid stone, and the heavy wooden door looked impenetrable. But she couldn’t give up. Not now.

Drawing on her inner fire again, she moved to the door and pressed her hands against it, willing the flames to grow hotter, more intense. The wood began to char and crack, smoke filling the air. She coughed, stepping back as the fire consumed the door, leaving a smouldering gap wide enough for her to squeeze through.

On the other side, she found herself in a dimly lit corridor. The walls were lined with more cells, some empty, others occupied by shadowy figures. Her heart ached for them, but she couldn’t help them now. She had to find Rahl and get out of here.

She moved quickly and quietly down the corridor, her senses on high alert. Every sound, every shadow made her heart race, but she pushed on, driven by the need to find her brother and escape this nightmare.

As she turned a corner, she heard voices ahead. Pressing herself against the wall, she crept closer, straining to hear.

“’need to move them soon. The ritual can’t be delayed,” a male voice said impatiently.

“And what about the girl?” a female voice replied. “She’s more powerful than we anticipated. If she escapes’”

“She won’t escape,” the man interrupted. “Seraphine has ensured that.”

Emory’s blood ran cold. She had to get out of here before they realized she was gone. She waited until the voices faded, then continued down the corridor, moving as quickly and quietly as she could.

Finally, she reached a larger chamber, dimly lit by flickering torches. Her heart leapt when she saw Rahl, unconscious and bound to a large stone altar in the centre of the room. Seraphine stood over him, her hands glowing with dark energy.

“No!” she cried out, rushing into the room. She summoned her fire, the flames roaring to life around her hands.

Seraphine turned, a cruel smile spreading across her face. “Ah, the little fire starter. How delightful.”

Emory didn’t hesitate. She thrust her hands forward, sending a blast of fire toward Seraphine. But the dark sorceress merely raised her hand, deflecting the flames with a shield of dark energy.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Seraphine taunted, her eyes gleaming with malice.

Emory gritted her teeth, drawing on every ounce of her strength. “Very well.” The fire within her burned hotter, brighter, until it felt as if it might consume her. She focused it into a single, powerful blast, aiming directly at Seraphine.

This time, the Seraphine staggered back, her shield flickering. Emory seized the moment, rushing to Rahl’s side. She burned through his restraints, her heart pounding with fear as she kept an eye on Seraphine.

“Rahl, wake up,” she urged, shaking him gently.

His eyes fluttered open, confusion, and pain etched across his face. “Emory’”

“We have to go, now,” she said, helping him to his feet, paying no mind to the weird symbol burned into his chest.

But before they could move, Seraphine recovered, her eyes blazing with fury. “You puny wolf!” she screamed, hurling a bolt of dark energy toward them.

Emory raised her hand, summoning a wall of fire to block the attack. The flames roared to life, clashing with Seraphine’s dark energy in a dazzling display of light and shadow.

“Run!” Emory shouted, pushing Rahl toward the exit.

They sprinted down the corridor, the sounds of Seraphine’s fury echoing behind them. Emory’s heart pounded in her chest as they raced through the labyrinth of cells and corridors, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Finally, they burst through a heavy door and into the cool night air. Emory gasped, the fresh air filling her lungs.

“We have to keep moving,” Rahl said, his voice hoarse as he clutched his chest in pain. “We’re not safe yet.”

Emory nodded and took the lead, letting her hunter senses guide her. Together, they ran into the darkness, but as they went, she realized this wasn’t the Davelriden Forest or anywhere familiar. She slowed to a stop, realizing that if they were in Seraphine’s domain, then they were a long way from home.

“Is something wrong?” Rahl asked, coming to her side as he tried to mask the pain he was in. She eyed his chest, wondering what Seraphine was up to and what she wanted. “How were you able to do that with the fire?”

“I guess pyro is my hunter ability.” She shrugged.

“Unusual. Hunter abilities are never so” aggressive. I’ve never heard of a hunter able to control fire.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Your being an Ultima might be the reason.”

She wasn’t so sure about that. If anything, she was starting to suspect it had something to do with the fact that her mate was a dragon. Fire was his element and it connected them. Could he sense her at all?

“We need to keep moving,” he insisted.

“We wouldn’t get anywhere. I don’t think we’re in Morrian any more.” She huffed, hanging her hands on her hips as she looked around. “Besides, you don’t look like you’re in any shape to keep moving. What does she want with you?”

Rahl looked down at the ground. “Seraphine needs me to maintain her control over the Lycans. As long as I’m alive and under her influence, she can manipulate the pack. That symbol on my chest” it’s some kind of binding spell. I think she knows about your mate and knows I’m” as useless as the next human, so she’s using it to control me.”

She looked at him, feeling a mix of pity and frustration. There was nothing to apologize for—Aworyn’s prophecy was never meant to be, not with Kane as her mate.

“We have to find a safe place to rest and figure out where we are.” Her eyes darted to his chest. If Seraphine had bound herself to him, then she could find them anywhere they went.

Rahl nodded, wincing as he straightened up. “Agreed. Let’s find some cover and then we can plan our next move.”

They moved cautiously through the unfamiliar terrain, the eerie silence pressing down on them. Emory’s hunter senses were on high alert, every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs making her tense.

After what felt like hours, they found a small cave nestled in the side of a hill. It was dark and musty, but it provided shelter. Emory helped Rahl inside and made sure he was comfortable before sitting down beside him.

“You need to break that binding spell, else nothing we do will matter,” she said, examining the symbol on his chest. It glowed faintly, pulsing with dark energy. “Do you know how?”

Rahl shook his head. “I don’t. But there must be a way. If we can make it back to Eclin Tower, the priestesses at Aworyn’s Temple might be able to do something.”

She nodded. “Aworyn, of course.” Then she paused. “I’m curious, how did she curse you? Did the goddess reveal herself to you or was it in a dream?”

“She lured me to her temple and revealed herself. Why do you ask?”

“The Lycan kings are linked to the goddess. If my knowledge of history is correct, you should be able to summon the goddess when you’re in trouble—like now.” She gestured to their surroundings, and he scoffed.

“The goddess doesn’t care for me, that would be a waste of time.” Rahl leaned back against the cave wall, his eyes closing. “Thank you, Emory. For saving me.”

“I couldn’t leave you back there.” She looked at him and smiled.

He returned the smile, his eyes wandering to her lips. He reached out to stroke her cheek, but she pulled away from his touch.

“Don’t, just please. I” let’s just get out of here.”

Rahl looked away, a mixture of pain and understanding in his eyes. “Your mate, is he wolf too?”

“No,” she replied softly. “He’s a dragon.”

Rahl’s eyes widened in surprise. “A dragon? I’ve never heard of such a bond.”

“It’s” complicated,” she said, looking down. “We need to get out of here so I can get back to him.”

Rahl nodded slowly. “He should be able to find you if you two are already bonded. Can you feel him? Try to connect to your link.”

She stood up, looking around the cave. “I can’t’” she trailed off. They didn’t complete the unification ritual which she assumed would bind them and she didn’t stay put as he’d told her to. Since Kane wasn’t a typical wolf mate, she wasn’t sure whether he could sense her like that or if she could. And she couldn’t tell Rahl any of that because she already told him they bonded.

But there had to be a way. He had found her back in the Davelriden Forest when Seraphine threatened her.

“Why?” Rahl asked, his voice strained as he stood up with a groan and walked closer. She could see the pain eating away at him as the symbol on his chest continued to move and grow. “Listen, forget that he is not wolf or Lycan—you are. And as a hunter, you now have access to your Lycan abilities. You can feel the mate bond. Concentrate on it, find him, and reach out to him.”

“How do you know that?” she asked with a slight frown. “Do you have a fated?”

He swallowed, and she couldn’t tell if it was because of the pain from the symbol or something else. “I’ve studied the old texts,” he replied. “And yes, I had a fated once. I know what it’s like to feel that bond, to sense them even when they’re gone”

“Oh,” she murmured. “Rahl, I’m sorry.”

He shook his head, a sad smile touching his lips. “It’s in the past. Right now, we need to focus on you finding yours. Close your eyes and concentrate. Feel the bond you share with him.”

Taking a deep breath, Emory closed her eyes and tried to calm her mind. She focused on Kane, on the fire that connected them. She could feel the warmth spreading through her chest, a faint but unmistakable connection.

“Kane,” she whispered, reaching out with her mind. “Can you hear me?”

For a moment, there was nothing but darkness. Then, she felt a flicker of warmth, a distant echo of his presence and the hint of his scent.

“I can feel him,” she said, opening her eyes. “It’s faint, but he’s there.”

Rahl nodded, relief in his eyes. “Good. That’s a start. We need to keep moving and get to a safer place. If he’s searching for you, you need to stay connected to guide him here.”

She helped Rahl to his feet, supporting him as they made their way out of the cave. The night was dark and cold, but the faint connection to Kane gave her strength. She focused on that bond, drawing on it to keep herself grounded and determined.

They moved through the forest, each step taking them closer to safety and further from Seraphine’s grasp. As they walked, Rahl’s condition worsened. The symbol on his chest glowed brighter, its dark energy pulsing with malevolent intent. Emory knew they were running out of time.

“Something’s coming,” Rahl whispered, and they stopped.

She tightened her grip on him, listening for whatever he heard but hearing nothing. She glanced at him as he slipped his arm from around her shoulder and turned around.

“I see you, Seraphine. Come out,” he struggled to say, clutching his chest.

“Ah, you two surprise me. I would have thought you’d stay cosied up in that cave with the lovely Lady Chav’re nursing you all night,” Seraphine said as she appeared in front of them. “I should have figured she would somehow tap into her mate’s fire as her hunter gift. You continue to irk me, wolf. Now, I even consider giving in to the temptation of killing you and taking my chances with the Imperial Lord!” she spat, and darkness swirled around her like whips.

Emory took a cautious step back, preparing to draw on her fire again. But the sound of the familiar whirling doorway reached her ears and her eyes snapped to the distortion behind Seraphine.

A portal was forming, its edges shimmering with a golden light. Her hand clutched her chest in relief as she recognized Kane’s magic. He had found her!

Seraphine’s eyes narrowed as she turned to face the portal. “Imperial Lord,” she hissed, raising her hand to unleash a wave of dark energy.

But Emory reacted instinctively, summoning her fire to counter Seraphine’s attack to give Kane the time to come through. Red flames shot from her hands, meeting the dark energy in a violent clash. The force of the impact sent shock waves through the forest, shaking the trees and sending leaves fluttering to the ground.

The portal stabilized, and through it stepped Kane, his eyes blazing gold with rage.

“Kane!” she shouted from where she stood beside Rahl.

Kane wasted no time, his powerful presence filling the clearing. He moved with swift precision, sending a burst of golden fire toward Seraphine. She barely managed to deflect it, her face contorting with rage as it tossed her away.

“You cannot defeat me!” Seraphine snarled at him, struggling back on her feet.

“I have had enough of you, Sera. You continue to defy my warnings and threaten my mate’s safety.” Kane’s entire being caught on fire, golden and magnificent as he walked toward Seraphine. “You brought this on yourself!”

His voice thundered through the forest as Seraphine conjured her darkness, pushing it toward him with both hands. Emory watched, wondering if she should get involved. But it didn’t look like he needed her at all. He did nothing to dispel Seraphine’s darkness as he walked toward her; it fell apart, and Seraphine screamed, growling as he got closer, like his fire was now burning her. Seraphine screamed in fury as Kane’s fire overwhelmed her, dissipating her dark energy completely.

Rahl, struggling to stay upright, nudged her. “Incoming,” he gestured toward several other figures approaching in crimson robes.

“I think I can handle them.” Emory took a deep breath and, for the first time, shifted into her hunter form. She felt a surge of power as her senses sharpened, her body transforming into a formidable weapon.

With a growl, she took off toward the rest of the Shadow Sect.