Chapter 191

Soren’s eyes opened to a world of silver light.

He was lying on a bed of moonbeams soft, warm, impossibly comfortable. Above him, the ceiling stretched into infinity, a vast expanse of stars and moonlight and colors he had no name for. The air smelled of moonflowers and something else something ancient and divine.

He tried to sit up. His body protested muscles stiff from weeks of disuse, joints aching, head pounding. But he forced himself upright, his golden eyes scanning the room.

“Easy, my boy.”

The voice came from beside him. He turned and there she was. The Moon Goddess. She was beautiful and terrible, her form shifting and shimmering, her eyes twin moons burning with ancient power. But there was warmth in her expression a tenderness that surprised him.

“You,” he breathed. “You’re—”

“The one who brought you back. Yes.” She smiled a gentle, knowing smile. “You’ve been sleeping for a long time, Soren Thornridge. Weeks. Months. The world has changed while you’ve been gone.”

“Nyra.” Her name came out as a whisper a prayer. “Where is she? Is she safe?”

The goddess’s smile faded. “She’s alive. But she’s in danger.”

“What kind of danger?”

“The Trial of the Heart. She passed it but a piece of the trial came back with her. A piece of the darkness. It has taken root in her soul. It’s consuming her.”

Soren’s blood ran cold. “Consuming her? How?”

“It feeds on her fears, her doubts, her pain. The more she feels them, the stronger it becomes. And if it isn’t stopped—” The goddess paused. “If it isn’t stopped, it will destroy her. Body, mind, and soul.”

“No.” Soren threw off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “I have to go. I have to save her.”

“You can barely stand.”

“I don’t care. I have to—”

“Soren.” The goddess’s voice was firm. “Listen to me. You can’t save her if you’re dead. You need to be strong. You need to be ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“For what’s coming.” She reached out and touched his forehead a gentle, warm pressure. “I’m going to give you a gift. A portion of my power. It will help you reach her. It will help you fight the darkness.”

“Why? Why are you helping me?”

“Because you love my daughter. Because you sacrificed everything for her. Because—” She paused. “Because I was wrong about you. I thought you were just a mortal prince. A wolf. But you’re more than that. You’re her mate. Her other half. And you’re the only one who can save her.”

Soren felt the power flow into him warm and bright and impossibly strong. It filled his veins, his bones, his very soul. He felt stronger than he had ever felt in his life.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“Don’t thank me yet. The journey ahead is long and dangerous. But you won’t be alone.” She stepped back. “Before you leave, there is something we must do.”

“What?”

“The heavenly beings. My council. They have watched you, Soren Thornridge. They have seen your sacrifice, your love, your strength. And they wish to give you their blessings before you return to the mortal realm.”

Soren blinked. “Their blessings?”

“Their gifts. Their protection. Their power.” The goddess smiled. “You will need all the help you can get if you are to save my daughter.”

She led him out of the chamber and into a vast hall larger than any he had ever seen, with ceilings that stretched into infinity and floors that shimmered like liquid moonlight. And there, gathered in a great circle, were the heavenly beings.

They were beautiful and terrible beings of light and shadow, of starlight and moonlight, of every color and no color at all. Some of them looked human. Some of them looked like creatures from ancient legends. Some of them had no form at all just a presence, a warmth, a power that filled the room.

Soren felt small in their presence. But he did not feel afraid.

“Welcome, Soren Thornridge,” one of them said a tall, regal woman with silver hair and eyes like burning stars. “We have watched you. We have seen your love for the Moonblood heir. We have seen your sacrifice.”

“You gave your life for her,” another said a being of shadow and light, neither male nor female, neither young nor old. “You traded your soul for hers. That is a love that few ever find.”

“We wish to give you our blessings,” a third said a small, ancient creature with eyes that held the wisdom of centuries. “Gifts that will help you on your journey.”

Soren bowed his head. “I am honored.”

One by one, the heavenly beings came forward.

The first the regal woman with the burning eyes placed her hand on his forehead. “I give you the blessing of sight. You will see what others cannot. You will see the darkness before it strikes.”

The second the being of shadow and light placed their hand on his heart. “I give you the blessing of strength. You will have the power to fight what others cannot. You will have the courage to face what others fear.”

The third the ancient creature placed their hand on his shoulder. “I give you the blessing of wisdom. You will know what to do when others are lost. You will find the path when others see only darkness.”

A fourth being

woman with hair like flowing water and eyes like deep pools placed her hand on his legs. “I give you the blessing of speed. You will move faster than the wind. You will reach her before it’s too late.”

A fifth a massive, bear-like creature with fur of silver and gold placed his paw on his chest. “I give you the blessing of endurance. You will not tire. You will not falter. You will keep fighting until the very end.”

A sixth a small, child-like figure with wings of light placed her hand on his brow. “I give you the blessing of healing. Your wounds will close. Your strength will return. You will survive what would kill others.”

One by one, the other heavenly beings came forward each giving him a gift, a blessing, a piece of themselves. The blessing of courage. The blessing of hope. The blessing of love.

When they were finished, Soren was overwhelmed filled with power, filled with light, filled with hope.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Thank you all.”

“You are worthy of these gifts,” the regal woman said. “Go now. Save your mate. Save the Moonblood heir. And know that we will be watching.”

The Moon Goddess stepped forward and took his hand. “It’s time.”

Soren nodded. He closed his eyes. He thought of Nyra her silver hair, her moonlight eyes, her fierce spirit, her stubborn heart. He thought of the way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she looked at him like he was the only person in the world.

Their bond. It was faint, distant, but it was still there.

He reached for it.

But before he could pull himself through, the goddess stopped him.

“Wait,” she said. “There is one more thing.”

Soren opened his eyes. “What?”

“You need to understand something. The journey back will not be easy. The darkness is strong. It will try to stop you. It will try to break you. But you must not give up. You must not surrender. No matter what happens no matter what you see or hear or feel you must keep fighting.”

“I will.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

The goddess studied him for a long moment. Then she nodded.

“Then go. Save my daughter. And when this is over, when the darkness is defeated and the realm is safe you will both come home. To me. To the Moon Court. To the family you’ve always deserved.”

Soren’s eyes glistened. “Thank you. For everything.”

“Thank you, Soren Thornridge. For loving my daughter. For giving her something I never could a reason to fight.”

Evelyn was looking at him, she stepped forward and gave him a hug.

I wish you success, go and bring my baby home. She said with a smile on her face.

Soren nodded.

The journey to the palace was brutal.

Nyra had not woken since the episode in the village. She lay in Corvin’s arms, her body limp, her face pale, her breathing shallow. The darkness was still inside her Corvin could feel it, a cold, pulsing presence that radiated from her skin like heat from a fire.

“She’s getting worse,” Maureen said quietly. She was riding beside them, her face pale with worry. “We need to hurry.”

“We’re going as fast as we can,” Ragnar said. He was at the front of the group, his scarred face set in a hard line. “The palace is still a day’s ride away.”

“Can we make it?”

“We have to.”

They rode through the night, stopping only to rest the horses. Corvin held Nyra the entire time, his arms wrapped around her, his lips pressed against her hair. He whispered to her words of love, words of hope, words of promise.

“Stay with me,” he said. “Stay with me, Nyra. We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer.”

She didn’t respond. But he felt her stir just slightly and he chose to believe it was a sign.

Ragnar rode ahead, scouting the path. Roderic and Marek flanked the group, their eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of danger. Maureen and Jasper rode together, their hands intertwined, their faces pale with worry.

They had been through so much together the academy, the war, the loss, the grief. They had faced death and betrayal and despair. But this this was different. This was Nyra. Their friend. Their leader. Their heart.

And she was slipping away.

At the palace, the King and Queen were preparing for the arrival of the heavenly being.

They had gathered in the great hall with the elders and the advisors. The royal seer had returned she was standing near the throne, her milky eyes fixed on the doors, her gnarled hands clasped tightly around her staff.

“What do we know about this being?” the King asked. “Who are they? What do they want?”

“I don’t know,” the seer admitted. “But I know they are coming. I can feel them a presence, vast and bright, descending toward us. They will be here soon.”

“How soon?”

“Tonight. Perhaps within the hour.”

The Queen’s hand found the King’s. “Is it a friend? Or an enemy?”

“A friend. I’m certain of it. They bring blessings. They bring hope.”

The doors to the great hall opened, and Freya entered. She was dressed in her finest gown, her dark hair braided with silver ribbons. Dain was beside her, his hand in hers.

“Mother? Father? What’s happening?”

The Queen crossed to her daughter and took her hands. “We’re waiting for someone. Someone from the divine realm. They’re coming to help us.”

“To help us? How?”

“We don’t know yet. But we have to be ready.”

Freya nodded. She was nervous the Queen could see it in her eyes. But she was also brave. She had always been brave.

They waited.

In the Moon Court, Soren stood at the edge of the portal.

The Moon Goddess stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder. The heavenly beings had gathered around them, their presence a warm, bright pressure that filled the hall.

“Remember what I told you,” the goddess said. “The darkness is strong. But you are stronger. You have the blessings of the heavenly beings. You have my power. And you have love the most powerful force in any world.”

Soren nodded. He looked at the portal at the world beyond, at the woman he loved, at the future he had been given a second chance to claim.

“I won’t fail her,” he said. “I won’t fail you.”

“I know you won’t.” The goddess smiled. “Now go. And when you return—both of you—I will be waiting.”

Let’s go.

Soren took a deep breath. He stepped through the portal with the moon goddess by his side.

And the world shifted.