Three

ARIADNE’S POV

The Moonstone Citadel was a labyrinth of cold stone and darker secrets. The halls were silent except for the distant echo of my footsteps, the kind of silence that seeped into your bones and made you question your own existence. I tried to steady my breathing, but the weight of what had just transpired in the throne room pressed down on me like a storm cloud.

King Magnus.

Even thinking his name sent a shiver down my spine. The memory of his amber eyes, so piercing they seemed to see through my soul, lingered like a bruise I couldn’t rub away. The way he spoke, every word dripping with authority and danger, had left me shaken, though I would have rather died than admit it.

I pressed my palm against the cool stone of the corridor wall, drawing strength from its solidness. Magnus had promised fear. He’d practically dared me to break under the weight of it. But fear was a luxury I couldn’t afford, not now, not ever.

The thought of her was a balm to my nerves, even as it ignited a fresh wave of fury. She was still somewhere in this monstrous place, vulnerable and unprotected. I couldn’t fail her. Not after everything I’d done to keep her safe.

A distant growl broke the silence, low and guttural, like the warning snarl of a beast stalking its prey. I froze, my pulse pounding in my ears.

"Move," barked a gruff voice behind me.

I turned to find a pair of guards glaring at me, their wolven eyes glowing faintly in the dim torchlight. They weren’t as towering as Magnus, but they carried the same predatory air, their postures radiating dominance.

"You’ve been summoned," one of them said, his tone clipped and impatient.

Summoned? My stomach twisted into knots, but I masked my unease with a cold glare. “By whom?”

The guard sneered. “Do you really need to ask?”

Magnus. Of course. The Beast King didn’t seem the type to wait for anyone, let alone a mere human. I followed the guards in silence, each step dragging me closer to whatever torment he had planned next.

The path they led me down was different from before, narrower and darker, the air colder. We descended a spiral staircase into the depths of the citadel, the torches casting flickering shadows that seemed to dance with malice.

When we finally stopped, it was in front of a heavy iron door, its surface marred with claw marks. One of the guards pushed it open, the hinges groaning in protest.

“Inside,” he said, shoving me forward.

I stumbled into the room, catching myself before I fell. The door slammed shut behind me, the echo reverberating through the space like the toll of a bell.

The room was dimly lit, the only source of light a single brazier in the center. The shadows it cast were long and jagged, stretching across the stone walls like the claws of some unseen beast.

And there he was.

Magnus stood on the far side of the room, his back to me, his massive frame outlined by the flickering firelight. His hands were clasped behind him, the tension in his shoulders betraying the controlled chaos simmering beneath the surface.

“You’re late,” he said without turning around.

“I wasn’t given much of a choice,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended.

He turned then, his eyes locking onto mine with the force of a thunderclap. I fought the instinct to shrink under his gaze, forcing myself to stand tall despite the trembling in my legs.

“You’re insolent,” he said, taking a step toward me. “You speak as though your life isn’t hanging by a thread.”

“Maybe because it’s been hanging by a thread for as long as I can remember,” I shot back.

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he might strike me. But instead, he laughed, a low, humorless sound that sent chills racing down my spine.

“You think you’re clever, little human,” he said, circling me like a wolf circling its prey. “But cleverness won’t save you here.”

I turned to keep him in my sight, refusing to let him have the upper hand. “Why am I here, Magnus? If you wanted to kill me, you would’ve done it already.”

His expression darkened at my use of his name, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.

“You’re here,” he said slowly, “because I’ve decided to test you.”

“Test me?” I repeated, my heart sinking. “For what?”

He stopped in front of me, his towering frame blocking out the firelight. “For survival.”

Before I could respond, he stepped aside, revealing what lay in the shadows behind him. My breath caught in my throat.

Chained to the wall was a creature I could only describe as a nightmare. It was a wolf, but larger than any I’d ever seen, its fur matted with blood and dirt. Its eyes glowed a sickly yellow, filled with a madness that made my stomach churn.

“What is that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Magnus smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “A rogue,” he said. “A beast that lost its mind to the call of the moon. It’s no longer one of us. Just a monster.”

He turned to me, his expression cold and unyielding. “Kill it.”

I stared at him, disbelief and horror warring within me. “You’re joking.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” he asked, his tone deathly serious.

I shook my head, panic rising in my chest. “I can’t kill that thing. I don’t even have a weapon!”

Magnus tossed a blade onto the ground at my feet, the sound of metal striking stone echoing through the chamber.

“There’s your weapon,” he said. “Now, prove to me that you’re not as weak as you look.”

I didn’t move. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my mind racing. I couldn’t fight that thing. It was a death sentence.

“Refuse,” Magnus said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, “and I’ll make sure your sister suffers for your cowardice.”

His words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs. He wasn’t bluffing. I could see it in his eyes, the cold certainty of a man who would do whatever it took to maintain control.

For Elira.

The thought of her, alone and afraid, gave me the strength to bend down and pick up the blade. It felt foreign in my hand, the weight of it both a comfort and a curse.

I turned to face the rogue, my heart hammering in my chest. It growled low in its throat, its madness-filled eyes locking onto mine.

“Good,” Magnus said from behind me. “Now, fight.”

The rogue lunged, and the world became a blur of movement and sound. I ducked, the blade slicing through the air as I swung wildly. It wasn’t skill that kept me alive, it was desperation.

The rogue was faster, stronger, but I was driven by something it no longer had: purpose. Each time I stumbled, I thought of Elira. Each time I faltered, I thought of Magnus’ threat.

Pain seared through my side as the rogue’s claws raked across my ribs, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. With a scream, I plunged the blade into its chest, the force of the impact sending me to the ground.

The rogue collapsed with a final, pained growl, its massive body falling still. I lay there, gasping for breath, my vision swimming.

Magnus’ boots appeared in my line of sight, and I looked up to find him staring down at me.

“Impressive,” he said, though his tone was devoid of praise. “Perhaps you’re not as fragile as I thought.”

I didn’t have the strength to respond. My body ached, my hands shaking as I tried to push myself up.

“Remember this moment, little human,” Magnus said, his voice cold and unyielding. “This is what survival looks like. Pain. Blood. Death. Get used to it.”

He turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the darkness. As the door slammed shut behind him, I curled into myself, my body trembling with exhaustion and pain.

But I was alive.

And as long as I was alive, I still had a chance to save her.