The shaking didn't stop. Dust and small pebbles rained down from the cave ceiling, coating my hair and shoulders. The sound from deep within the earth wasn't just a crack; it was a groan, like a giant monster was finally waking up after a long sleep.
"What is happening?" I shouted over the noise. I grabbed onto a jagged rock wall to keep from falling. "What are the Elders?"
The Shadow King didn't answer immediately. He was busy throwing his daggers into a leather belt and grabbing a heavy cloak. His movements were fast, almost frantic. The calm, cool king I had seen moments ago was gone, replaced by a man who looked truly worried.
"The Elders are the original protectors of this land," he said, his voice straining against the roar of the mountain. "They were put to sleep centuries ago when the White Wolves disappeared. They react to the blood of an Alpha—and the presence of a Royal."
He looked at me, his eyes flashing. "Thorne's blood hit the ground when I threw him. Your power is waking up. The mountain thinks the war has started again."
A massive crack split the floor of the cave. I screamed as the ground beneath my feet gave way. I felt myself falling into the darkness, but a strong hand caught my wrist.
The stranger pulled me up with a grunt of effort. For a second, I was pressed hard against his chest. I could feel the heat of his skin through his thin shirt, and the scent of woodsmoke and rain filled my senses. Even in the middle of a disaster, my body reacted to him. It was a strange, magnetic pull that made my skin tingle where he touched me.
"Don't let go," he growled.
"I won't!" I promised, my fingers digging into his muscular forearm.
He looked at the hole in the floor. Below us, I could see a faint, blue light glowing deep in the chasm. It wasn't fire. It was ancient magic.
"We can't go out the front," he said, looking at the cave entrance which was now blocked by fallen boulders. "Thorne is out there, and the mountain is sliding. We have to go down."
"Down? Into that?" I looked at the glowing pit. "We'll die!"
"Trust me, Elara," he said, his eyes locking onto mine. "I've spent my whole life in the dark. I know the way."
Before I could argue, he jumped.
We fell for what felt like forever. I tucked my head into his shoulder, closing my eyes tight. I expected to hit solid rock, but instead, we hit water. It was ice-cold and deep, knocking the breath out of my lungs.
I struggled to the surface, gasping for air. The stranger was already there, shaking the water from his hair. We were in a massive underground chamber. The walls were covered in glowing blue crystals that lit up the room like a dream.
In the center of the chamber stood a statue of a wolf—but it was huge, ten times the size of Thorne. It was carved from the same white stone as my new fur.
"Look," the stranger whispered.
I looked where he was pointing. On the back of the statue's neck was a symbol. It was a crescent moon with a dagger through the center. It was the exact same mark I had seen on the stranger's back earlier.
"That's your mark," I said, my voice echoing in the quiet chamber. "Who are you really? You're not just a rogue."
He sighed, the sound heavy with years of secrets. He pulled his wet shirt off, tossing it into the water. In the blue light of the crystals, his tattoos seemed to move on his skin. He turned his back to me, showing the glowing mark clearly.
"My name is Silas," he said softly. "And I am not the King of the Rogues because I chose to be. I am the last of the Shadow Guard. My ancestors were sworn to protect the White Wolf Royals with their lives. When your kind was wiped out, my family was hunted. We became rogues to survive."
I stepped closer to him, my bare feet splashing in the shallow water. "So... you weren't just helping me because you hate Thorne?"
Silas turned around. His expression was soft, almost pained. "I've been searching for you for ten years, Elara. I knew you were alive. I could feel the spark of the Royal blood even when it was hidden."
He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he touched my cheek. "I didn't save you because I wanted a weapon. I saved you because my soul is tied to yours. The Shadow cannot exist without the Light."
The air between us grew thick and heavy. The danger of the mountain seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us in the blue glow. He leaned in, his forehead resting against mine.
"I am your protector, Elara. Your servant. Your shadow."
I felt a rush of emotion—relief, confusion, and a sudden, sharp hunger. For years, I had been alone. Now, this powerful, dangerous man was telling me he had been looking for me his whole life.
I looked up at his lips, my heart racing. Silas groaned low in his throat, his hand moving from my cheek to the back of my neck. He began to lean down, his eyes dark with a desire he could no longer hide.
But just as his lips were about to touch mine, a loud, metallic clack echoed through the chamber.
One of the crystal pillars shattered. From the darkness behind the statue, a pair of glowing, ancient eyes opened. These weren't the eyes of a wolf. They were huge, reptilian, and full of old hunger.
"The Guardian," Silas hissed, stepping in front of me and drawing his silver dagger. "It's not an Elder... it's a Protector. And it thinks we are intruders."
A massive, armored tail swung out of the shadows, smashing the stone floor where we had just been standing.