The Stranger

“That’s impossible.”

Kael had heard those words far too many times lately.

He tightened his grip around his father’s short sword.

The hooded stranger remained several paces away, motionless beneath the moonlight.

Darian stood between the stranger and the two teenagers.

Both daggers were already in his hands.

“Remove the hood.”

The stranger tilted their head.

“That hardly seems necessary.”

“It wasn’t a request.”

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then the stranger slowly raised both hands.

“Very well.”

Gloved fingers pulled the hood backward.

Long silver-blond hair fell across narrow shoulders.

Pointed ears appeared beneath it.

Kael blinked.

Lyra did too.

An elf.

Kael had seen drawings.

He had heard travelers describe them.

But he had never actually met one.

The stranger appeared young—perhaps somewhere in her twenties by human standards—but Kael knew enough to understand that appearance meant very little with elves.

Her skin was pale, her eyes an unusual dark green.

A thin scar crossed her left eyebrow.

A long, narrow sword rested across her back alongside a curved wooden bow.

Lyra whispered—

“She’s an elf.”

The stranger looked at her.

“Excellent observation.”

Lyra frowned.

Kael almost smiled.

Darian didn’t.

“Name.”

The elf sighed.

“Selene Vael.”

Darian’s expression changed.

Only slightly.

Selene noticed.

“So you recognize it.”

“I recognize enough.”

Kael looked between them.

“You know each other?”

“No,” Darian said.

Selene answered at exactly the same time.

“Not personally.”

Kael stared.

“That sounded suspicious.”

Lyra nodded.

“Very.”

Selene’s attention returned to Kael’s sword.

“May I see the weapon?”

“No.”

“A sensible answer.”

“Then why ask?”

“Politeness.”

Kael looked at Lyra.

“She’s annoying.”

“I noticed.”

Selene smiled faintly.

“I suspect we’ll get along.”

Darian stepped forward.

“You haven’t answered the important question.”

Selene’s expression became serious.

“What am I doing here?”

“Yes.”

“Following the Ashen Order.”

That erased the humor immediately.

Kael raised his sword.

Lyra drew an arrow.

Selene looked at both weapons.

“If I worked for the Order, you would already be surrounded.”

“That isn’t comforting,” Kael said.

“It wasn’t intended to be.”

Darian’s eyes narrowed.

“Why follow them?”

Selene looked toward the southern forest.

“Because they’ve been unusually active.”

“Meaning?”

“Three detachments left their regional fortress within two days.”

Kael’s chest tightened.

“For us?”

Selene glanced at him.

“I assume so.”

Lyra lowered her bow slightly.

“How would you know?”

Selene’s gaze shifted toward her.

“Because the Ashen Order does not mobilize forty hunters because wolves attacked a village.”

Kael and Lyra exchanged a look.

Forty.

There had been even more than they thought.

Darian asked—

“How far behind?”

“Closer than you would like.”

“That still isn’t a distance.”

Selene smiled faintly.

“You’ve been traveling with teenagers.”

Darian looked tired.

“You have no idea.”

Kael felt personally attacked.

Selene was not invited to stay.

She stayed anyway.

Darian hated that.

Kael could tell because Darian spent nearly ten minutes silently glaring at her while she calmly sat beside the edge of their campsite.

Lyra whispered—

“This is uncomfortable.”

Kael nodded.

“Very.”

Selene removed a small metal flask from her cloak.

Darian immediately said—

“Don’t drink that.”

She looked at him.

“It’s water.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

Selene opened it.

Took a drink.

Then handed it toward him.

Darian didn’t move.

Selene shrugged.

“I offered.”

Kael sat opposite her.

His father’s sword remained across his lap.

Selene’s eyes kept drifting toward it.

Eventually Kael said—

“You know this weapon.”

Selene stopped pretending otherwise.

“Yes.”

Kael’s pulse quickened.

“Whose was it?”

“You already told me.”

“My father’s.”

“Then you know the answer.”

Kael’s expression hardened.

“No games.”

Selene looked toward Darian.

He gave no permission.

Kael noticed.

“Why are you looking at him?”

“Because he appears to be the only adult here with enough information to understand how dangerous this conversation is.”

Lyra crossed her arms.

“And what does that make you?”

Selene smiled.

“An adult with terrible judgment.”

“I believe that.”

Kael leaned forward.

“My father was Ronan Arden.”

Selene’s expression became unreadable.

“Was he?”

Kael felt anger stir.

“That’s the name I was given.”

“A useful name.”

“Not his real one?”

Selene did not answer.

Kael stood.

“I am done with people doing that.”

Selene looked up.

“Doing what?”

“Knowing things about my life and deciding I’m too stupid to hear them.”

“Kael,” Darian warned.

“No.”

He pointed toward Selene.

“She recognized the sword.”

Then toward Darian.

“You recognized her name.”

His voice became harder.

“You both know something.”

Lyra stood beside him.

“And we’re tired of finding out pieces only after someone tries to kill us.”

Selene studied them for several seconds.

Then she looked toward Darian.

“They’ve awakened this far already?”

His expression tightened.

Kael immediately noticed.

“There. That.”

Selene sighed.

“Yes.”

Kael waited.

“Yes what?”

“Yes, I know something.”

“Finally.”

“But not as much as you hope.”

Kael sat again reluctantly.

Selene pointed toward his sword.

“That blade is older than you.”

“That’s not difficult.”

“Older than your father.”

Kael stopped.

“Much older.”

Lyra looked at it.

“How old?”

Selene’s expression became serious.

“Several centuries.”

Silence.

Kael looked down at the weapon in his hands.

“That’s impossible.”

Selene raised one eyebrow.

“Now you understand my earlier reaction.”

Kael slowly turned the blade.

The thin crimson line caught the moonlight.

“My father had a sword hundreds of years old?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“That is a better question.”

Darian interrupted.

“Enough.”

Kael glared at him.

“No.”

Darian looked at Selene.

“You don’t know what they were told.”

“Apparently very little.”

“That was intentional.”

Selene’s smile vanished.

“And how well did that work?”

Darian stood.

His daggers remained lowered, but only barely.

“You are walking into something that does not concern you.”

Selene stood too.

“It concerned me before either of them was born.”

The forest seemed to become quieter.

Lyra looked between them.

“What does that mean?”

Neither answered.

Kael sighed.

“Of course.”

A horn sounded in the distance.

Everyone froze.

Selene’s head turned south.

Darian moved immediately.

“How far?”

She listened.

Lyra listened too.

Kael noticed both of them doing it.

Lyra whispered—

“Maybe two miles.”

Selene looked sharply at her.

Darian noticed.

Lyra realized what she had done.

Selene’s eyes narrowed.

“You heard that clearly?”

Lyra became defensive.

“Yes.”

“At this distance?”

“Yes.”

Selene studied her.

Then Kael.

Something changed in the elf’s expression.

Not fear.

Recognition.

Darian stepped between them.

“Pack.”

Kael didn’t move.

“Where?”

Selene answered.

“Not Grayhaven.”

Darian looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because the Order reached it before you.”

Silence.

Lyra’s face fell.

“What?”

Selene reached into her cloak.

Darian raised one dagger.

“Slowly.”

She removed a folded piece of paper.

A charcoal sketch covered one side.

Kael took it.

His stomach tightened.

Two faces.

Roughly drawn.

But recognizable.

His.

Lyra’s.

Beneath them were descriptions.

Male. Sixteen. Brown hair. Brown eyes.

Female. Sixteen. Dark crimson hair. Amber eyes.

Below that—

POSSIBLE CRIMSON AWAKENING.

Kael stared.

Lyra took the page.

Her hands trembled.

“Where did you get this?”

“Grayhaven.”

“You were there?”

“Yesterday.”

Darian’s expression darkened.

“And you came back this direction?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Selene looked at Kael’s sword.

“To find out whether the Order’s report was true.”

Kael slowly raised his eyes.

“You were looking for us.”

“Yes.”

Lyra immediately lifted her bow.

Selene did not move.

Kael’s voice became quiet.

“Why?”

Selene considered the question.

Then—

“Because I have spent twenty years looking for people connected to that weapon.”

Kael’s grip tightened.

“My father?”

“Among others.”

“Is he alive?”

The question came so quickly that Selene’s expression softened.

Only slightly.

“I don’t know.”

Kael stared.

“My mother told me he died.”

“He may have.”

“May?”

“I never met Ronan Arden.”

Kael’s hope collapsed almost as quickly as it appeared.

Selene continued—

“But I knew of a man who carried that blade.”

Kael looked down.

“What was his real name?”

Selene hesitated.

Darian said—

“Don’t.”

Kael turned toward him.

“Why?”

“Because names can be dangerous.”

“He’s my father!”

Darian’s expression tightened.

“I know.”

“Then tell me.”

Selene watched both of them.

Finally she said—

“The last name associated with that sword was Ronan Vaelor.”

Kael stopped.

“Vaelor.”

Selene nodded.

Lyra looked toward Darian.

“You knew that.”

Darian remained silent.

Kael’s eyes burned.

“My entire name was a lie.”

“No,” Darian said.

“Arden was.”

“That doesn’t make the rest fake.”

Kael looked away.

Selene spoke quietly.

“Names are often changed when families are being hunted.”

“That doesn’t make it easier.”

“No.”

For once, she sounded sincere.

They left the campsite minutes later.

The Ashen Order’s horns continued behind them.

Selene led.

Darian disliked that even more than her presence.

“Where are you taking us?”

“A route beneath the western ridge.”

“There is no route there.”

“There is if you know where to look.”

“How convenient.”

Selene glanced back.

“You are welcome to return to the hunters.”

Darian’s expression suggested the elf was rapidly approaching the limits of his patience.

Kael walked behind them with Lyra.

He whispered—

“I think they hate each other.”

Lyra nodded.

“I’m enjoying it.”

“That feels inappropriate.”

“It’s distracting.”

Fair.

They continued through the forest.

Selene’s path ended at a wall of stone.

Kael stared.

“This is your secret route?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a cliff.”

“Also yes.”

Lyra tilted her head.

“There’s air coming from somewhere.”

Selene looked at her again.

That same suspicious interest.

She walked toward a thick curtain of ivy.

Behind it was a narrow opening.

Kael looked at Lyra.

“How did you notice that?”

She shrugged.

“I heard the wind.”

Selene studied her.

Lyra frowned.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re solving a puzzle.”

Selene smiled slightly.

“Perhaps I am.”

Darian pushed past.

“Inside.”

The passage was narrow.

Kael had to turn sideways in several places.

Eventually the stone tunnel opened into a large underground chamber.

Ancient pillars supported the ceiling.

Half were broken.

Faded carvings covered the walls.

Kael held up a small lantern.

“Ruins?”

Selene nodded.

“Older than Grayhaven.”

Lyra approached one wall.

Figures had been carved into the stone.

Humans.

Elves.

Orcs.

Other shapes Kael didn’t recognize.

And above them—

dragons.

Many dragons.

Kael stepped closer.

Different kinds.

Long serpentine dragons.

Winged dragons.

Dragons covered in feathers.

Others in heavy scales.

Each carved in a different section.

Lyra pointed.

“Those must be the clans.”

Selene stopped.

“Possibly.”

Kael looked toward her.

“You know they are.”

Selene sighed.

“You are persistent.”

“People say that when they mean annoying.”

Lyra smiled.

“Usually.”

Kael ignored her.

One part of the wall had been deliberately damaged.

Someone had smashed away several carvings.

Only fragments remained.

A claw.

Part of a wing.

A flame.

And traces of red mineral pigment embedded in the stone.

Kael’s chest warmed.

Lyra stepped backward.

She felt it too.

Selene immediately noticed.

“What?”

Kael shook his head.

“Nothing.”

Selene stared.

Kael looked left.

Lyra closed her eyes.

“You really need to stop lying.”

“I panic.”

Selene moved toward the destroyed carving.

“What did you feel?”

Darian answered—

“Nothing.”

The elf looked at him.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Lyra stepped between them.

“The same thing we’ve been feeling around Crimson symbols.”

Selene went still.

Darian closed his eyes.

Kael looked at Lyra.

“So much for our secret.”

“She already knows half of it.”

Selene’s voice became cautious.

“What kind of feeling?”

“Heat,” Kael answered.

“Here?”

He touched his chest.

Selene’s expression changed.

Lyra added—

“Sometimes markings appear.”

Selene looked toward her.

“What markings?”

“Red.”

“Shape?”

Lyra glanced at Kael.

“Like scales.”

For once—

Selene had no clever response.

She turned toward Darian.

“You didn’t tell me that.”

“I wasn’t aware I owed you reports.”

“How long?”

“Recently.”

Selene looked at Kael and Lyra again.

Her composure had changed.

There was genuine concern now.

Kael crossed his arms.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

He stared.

She sighed.

“Yes. I hear how irritating that sounds now.”

“Good.”

Selene walked toward the ruined carving.

“There are old accounts of Crimson descendants experiencing physical marks during an awakening.”

Lyra’s face tightened.

“So Darian was right.”

“He usually is.”

Darian looked surprised.

Selene added—

“Unfortunately.”

There it was.

Kael almost laughed.

“What happens after the marks?”

Selene didn’t answer immediately.

Kael’s smile disappeared.

“What?”

“The records disagree.”

“About?”

“Some describe increased strength.”

“Already happening.”

“Enhanced senses.”

Lyra looked uneasy.

“Also happening.”

“Resistance to extreme temperatures.”

Kael stared.

Selene continued.

“Rapid healing.”

Lyra’s hand moved toward her shoulder.

Kael looked at the elf.

“You know exactly what’s happening to us.”

“No.”

“But you know more than Darian.”

“I know what old records claim.”

“What do they say comes next?”

Silence.

Darian stepped forward.

“That is enough.”

Kael rounded on him.

“No!”

Selene raised one hand.

“Kael.”

He looked at her.

“What comes next?”

The elf studied him.

“Instability.”

Lyra frowned.

“What kind?”

“Abilities appearing without warning. Instinct overriding conscious thought. Physical changes.”

Kael remembered smoke leaving his mouth.

Golden eyes.

The urge to roar.

His stomach tightened.

“What physical changes?”

Selene looked toward the ruined dragon carving.

“That is where the surviving records become unreliable.”

Kael knew she was holding something back.

But this time—

he also saw why.

She was afraid to say it.

They rested deeper in the ruins.

Selene produced dried fruit and gave some to Lyra.

Kael stared.

“You have food.”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t mention that.”

“You didn’t ask.”

Lyra took another piece.

“I like her.”

Darian stared.

“You should not.”

Selene smiled.

“Too late.”

Kael accepted a piece reluctantly.

“What are you?”

Selene blinked.

“An elf.”

“That wasn’t what I meant.”

“I hoped not.”

Kael sat opposite her.

“Why do you care about Crimson blood?”

Selene’s humor faded.

For a moment, she studied the dried fruit in her hand.

Then—

“My family kept records.”

“What kind?”

“The sort people kill to erase.”

Kael leaned forward.

“About Vharagor?”

Selene looked at him.

“Yes.”

Lyra stopped eating.

Even Darian became still.

Kael lowered his voice.

“What do they say?”

“Not enough.”

“Does everyone answer questions that way?”

“In your life, apparently.”

Kael frowned.

Selene continued—

“My ancestors were archivists during the later years of the Dragon Purges.”

Lyra frowned.

“Purges?”

“The hunting of Crimson dragons after Eldoria.”

Kael felt a chill.

“They called it that?”

“Not publicly.”

Selene looked toward the damaged carvings.

“Public records called it protection.”

Her mouth tightened.

“Private records were less charitable.”

Kael thought of the storyteller.

Heroes destroying monsters.

The world being saved.

“How many were killed?”

Selene shook her head.

“No one knows.”

“Hundreds?”

“More.”

“Thousands?”

Selene did not answer.

Kael looked away.

Lyra whispered—

“Were they all dangerous?”

Selene met her eyes.

“No.”

The answer came immediately.

Darian looked at her sharply.

Kael did too.

Selene continued—

“Some were. Dragons are no different from humans in that respect.”

She looked toward the old carvings.

“Some were cruel. Some were violent. Some were innocent.”

Lyra’s expression darkened.

“And they killed them anyway.”

“Yes.”

“Because Vharagor attacked Eldoria.”

“That was the justification.”

Kael caught the wording.

“Justification.”

Selene looked at him.

“You notice too much.”

“I’ve had practice recently.”

He leaned forward.

“Do you think the history is wrong?”

Selene was silent for several seconds.

“I think history is incomplete.”

Kael remembered the prologue story.

The other dragons had disappeared from every later telling.

“What’s missing?”

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t have spent twenty years searching.”

Lyra looked at her.

“Searching for what?”

“The rest of the story.”

A sound echoed through the tunnel.

Metal against stone.

Everyone stood.

Darian extinguished the lantern.

Darkness.

Selene drew her sword.

A faint green line appeared along the blade.

Kael whispered—

“Hunters?”

Selene listened.

“No.”

Lyra tilted her head.

“Four people.”

Selene looked at her again.

Lyra sighed.

“Yes, I can hear them.”

“Interesting.”

“Not now.”

Footsteps entered the chamber.

A voice called—

“Selene?”

The elf relaxed slightly.

Darian did not.

“Friends?”

“Something like that.”

Three figures emerged first.

Then a fourth.

An orc.

Kael blinked.

“Gorak?”

The large orc stared at him.

Then grinned.

“You survived.”

Lyra lowered her bow.

“You know her?”

Gorak gestured toward Selene.

“Unfortunately.”

Selene looked offended.

“You continue hurting my feelings.”

“You would need feelings.”

Kael looked at Lyra.

“Everyone talks to her like we do.”

“I’m beginning to understand why.”

Behind Gorak stood two humans and a short figure covered in gray fur.

Kael stared.

The furred stranger had pointed ears, yellow eyes, and a long tail.

Beastfolk.

The fourth was an older human woman carrying a staff.

Gorak noticed Kael staring.

“That’s Neri.”

The beastfolk woman crossed her arms.

“Keep staring and I’ll charge admission.”

Kael immediately looked away.

“Sorry.”

Lyra laughed quietly.

Selene sheathed her sword.

“What happened?”

Gorak’s expression became serious.

“Grayhaven is closed.”

Darian stepped forward.

“Closed?”

“Order patrols on every road.”

Selene nodded.

“I expected that.”

Gorak looked toward Kael and Lyra.

“They’re looking for these two.”

Neri sniffed once.

Then twice.

Her yellow eyes narrowed.

“Oh.”

Kael was becoming tired of people reacting that way.

“What?”

Neri approached.

Lyra reached for her sword.

Neri stopped.

“I’m not touching you.”

“Good.”

The beastfolk tilted her head.

“You smell like smoke.”

Kael looked at his clothes.

“I’ve been near fires.”

Neri stared at him.

“No.”

Then toward Lyra.

“You both do.”

Lyra frowned.

“We bathed.”

Kael almost laughed.

Neri looked confused.

“That has nothing to do with what I said.”

Gorak sighed.

“Humans.”

“We’re aware,” Kael said.

Gorak’s eyes shifted toward him.

Again—

that strange hesitation.

Then he looked toward Selene.

“You didn’t tell them.”

Darian immediately tensed.

Kael caught it.

“Tell us what?”

Selene glared at Gorak.

“Not here.”

Kael stood.

“No.”

Everyone looked at him.

He continued—

“I am finished with ‘not here.’”

Lyra moved beside him.

“So am I.”

Kael looked from Selene to Gorak.

“You both recognize something about us.”

Neither answered.

“Say it.”

Gorak looked toward Darian.

The older man shook his head once.

Kael saw.

Anger flared.

“Stop deciding for us!”

His voice echoed through the chamber.

The red line in his father’s sword suddenly glowed through its sheath.

Everyone froze.

Kael felt heat surge beneath his skin.

Lyra gasped.

Red scale-like markings appeared along the side of her neck.

Neri stepped backward.

Gorak’s eyes widened.

Selene reached slowly for Kael.

“Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down.”

The sword grew brighter.

Darian approached.

“Kael.”

“Tell me the truth!”

A low sound escaped his throat.

Not quite human.

The chamber vibrated faintly.

Lyra grabbed his arm.

“Kael.”

He turned.

Her markings were visible.

Bright crimson.

His anger disappeared instantly.

“Lyra…”

She touched her neck.

“I know.”

Kael looked at his own hand.

The same markings had returned.

More than before.

They covered his wrist.

Selene whispered something in the elven language.

Kael looked at her.

“What?”

She stared at him.

Then at Lyra.

And for the first time since they met—

the elf looked genuinely frightened.

“Your awakening is moving faster than it should.”

Kael swallowed.

“How fast?”

Selene hesitated.

“Too fast.”

The marks faded after several minutes.

Kael sat against one of the pillars.

Exhaustion replaced the heat.

Lyra sat beside him.

Darian stood nearby.

Gorak and the others spoke quietly with Selene.

Kael rubbed his hand.

“Did I almost do something terrible?”

Lyra looked at him.

“You got angry.”

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“No.”

She leaned her head against the pillar.

“I don’t know.”

Kael looked toward Selene.

“She does.”

“Maybe.”

Kael sighed.

Lyra bumped his knee with hers.

“You stopped when you saw me.”

He looked at her.

“So?”

“So whatever is happening, you’re still you.”

Kael stared.

Lyra smiled faintly.

“Annoying.”

“There it is.”

“Bad at lying.”

“Of course.”

“Terrible in the morning.”

“Are we really doing this?”

She continued.

“Unreasonably obsessed with fire.”

Kael smiled despite himself.

“Done?”

“No.”

Lyra’s expression softened.

“And you always come when I need you.”

Kael fell quiet.

Lyra looked away first.

“That sounded less embarrassing in my head.”

“No.”

Kael’s voice was quieter.

“It was good.”

Neither spoke for a moment.

Selene approached.

Darian followed.

Kael looked up.

“Are we finally getting an answer?”

“A partial one.”

“I’ll take it.”

Selene crouched.

“You are carrying a bloodline the Ashen Order believes should no longer exist.”

“We know.”

“The signs you are showing match old records connected to Crimson descendants.”

“We know.”

Selene nodded.

“And the stronger those signs become, the harder they will be to hide.”

Lyra touched the side of her neck.

“What happens if someone sees the marks?”

“If they understand what they are?”

Selene’s expression darkened.

“They report you.”

“To the Order?”

“Or worse.”

Kael frowned.

“What is worse than the Order?”

Gorak answered from behind her.

“Dragons.”

Kael looked at him.

The word seemed heavier in the ancient chamber.

Lyra swallowed.

“Why would dragons care about us?”

Gorak gave Selene a look.

She shook her head.

Not yet.

Kael noticed.

Of course he did.

He was tired.

Too tired to fight.

Selene continued—

“The Order controls the main roads to Grayhaven. So you cannot enter openly.”

Darian folded his arms.

“What alternative?”

Selene stood.

“There is an old smugglers’ path north of the river.”

“Dangerous?”

Kael asked.

Selene looked at him.

“Extremely.”

Kael sighed.

“At least you answer that question properly.”

“The route will take us around Grayhaven and into the northern ruins.”

Darian’s expression changed.

“No.”

Selene looked at him.

“It is the safest option.”

“The northern ruins are forbidden.”

“By the Order.”

“For good reason.”

Selene’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you believe everything they say now?”

Darian said nothing.

Kael looked between them.

“What ruins?”

Selene turned toward him.

“An abandoned settlement.”

“How old?”

“Older than Eldoria.”

Lyra stared.

“Older than a thousand years?”

“Yes.”

Kael’s interest returned despite himself.

“What’s there?”

Selene looked toward the damaged Crimson carving.

“Answers.”

That single word was enough.

Darian saw it immediately.

“No.”

Kael stood.

“Yes.”

“You have no idea what is there.”

“Neither do you.”

“That is precisely the problem.”

Kael looked toward Lyra.

She already knew her answer.

“We’re going.”

Darian stared at his daughter.

“Lyra.”

“You wanted us to stay ignorant because it kept us safe.”

Her voice was calm.

“It didn’t.”

Darian had no response.

Lyra continued—

“The Order found us anyway.”

Kael stepped beside her.

“We need to know what they’re hunting.”

Selene studied both of them.

Then nodded.

“Good.”

Darian glared.

“Do not encourage them.”

“They don’t appear to require encouragement.”

Gorak laughed.

Darian looked toward the ceiling as though asking whichever gods existed for patience.

They moved before dawn.

Selene would guide them north.

Gorak and Neri would take another route, hoping to draw attention away from the group.

The older human woman remained unnamed.

Kael had asked.

She had simply answered—

“No.”

He accepted that immediately.

Perhaps he was learning.

At the tunnel entrance, Gorak stopped beside Kael.

“You asked why I helped you before.”

Kael remembered.

“Your grandmother’s stories.”

Gorak nodded.

“She spoke of Crimson ones.”

Kael’s heart quickened.

“What did she say?”

Gorak looked toward Selene.

She was too far away to stop him.

The orc smiled.

“She said humans remembered monsters.”

Kael waited.

“And orcs?”

Gorak’s expression became serious.

“We remembered warriors.”

Kael stared.

Before he could ask more, Gorak turned.

“Survive long enough and perhaps you’ll learn why.”

Kael sighed.

“Everyone in this world is terrible at giving complete answers.”

Gorak laughed.

“Complete answers get people killed.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Gorak left.

Neri followed.

She stopped beside Lyra.

The beastfolk sniffed once.

Lyra frowned.

“Again?”

Neri smiled.

“Stronger now.”

“What is?”

“The smoke.”

Lyra’s expression changed.

Neri leaned closer.

“And something else.”

“What?”

Neri’s yellow eyes flicked toward the dark sky.

“Sky.”

Then she disappeared after Gorak.

Lyra remained motionless.

Kael approached.

“What did she say?”

Lyra looked at him.

“Nothing useful.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m better at it than you.”

“That isn’t a denial.”

She smiled faintly.

“Come on.”

They emerged from the tunnel just before sunrise.

The forest beyond was covered in mist.

Selene stood at the front.

Darian beside her.

Kael and Lyra followed.

Four travelers now.

Two adults who trusted each other about as much as hungry wolves.

Two teenagers being hunted for a bloodline neither understood.

And somewhere ahead—

ruins that might contain answers.

Kael looked at Selene’s back.

“Do you trust her?”

Lyra whispered—

“No.”

“Good.”

“You?”

“No.”

They walked several more steps.

Lyra glanced at him.

“We’re following her anyway.”

“Yes.”

“That seems stupid.”

“Very.”

Lyra smiled.

“So nothing has changed.”

Kael looked toward the northern mountains.

For the first time since leaving Larkspur, curiosity competed with fear.

Who had his father really been?

What had Selene’s family recorded?

Why did Crimson symbols react to him and Lyra?

Why did animals fear them?

Why did dragons seem able to sense them?

And why had Gorak called the Crimson ones warriors instead of monsters?

Kael tightened his cloak.

The answers waited ahead.

But far above the forest—

hidden behind the morning clouds—

something enormous changed direction.

A pair of blue-white eyes opened.

The dragon had felt the crimson pulse in the ruins.

It spread its wings.

And began flying north.