It twisted oddly like it had no bones and lunged at me again, I barely dodged it. Three more circled me, I felt something stir inside me something I hadn't unleashed yet.
It was the Moonblood. I let it burn, then a burst of silver fire shot from my chest pushing the attackers back.
My ears rang and my muscles ached but they were down.
Veran shifted beside me fighting fast and deadly like a shadow.
Behind us the Forgotten began to rally, they saw how we moved, the way we shone brighter than fear and they followed.
We pushed back wave after wave but I couldn't stop watching her.
Amalric still hadn't moved, she just stood at the edge of the battlefield with a blank expression.
She was waiting and watching me.
By midday bodies had covered the field, both theirs and ours.
Just then she finally stepped forward, the world seemed to freeze.
Veran limped to my side blood dripping from a cut on his shoulder. "She's coming."
I shifted back panting, my legs trembled but I stood tall. This was no time for me to show any sign of weakness.
When Amalric reached the center of the clearing she raised her hand, every twisted wolf stooped even ours.
She turned to me and finally spoke.
"I dreamed of this," she whispered. Her voice was mixed with an ancient aura. "Standing across from you, the world waiting for what comes next."
"You can still stop this," I said. "You don't have to keep going."
"I do," she said. "Because this is the only time anyone ever looked at me."
Tears stung my eyes. "I looked at you, I loved you."
She smiled sadly. "Too late."
Then she lifted her hands and the sky broke open.
A scream came from the clouds, I could feel my soul tearing into two.
She wasn't just wearing power, she had bonded with the moon core itself.
And now she was trying to rip it from me.
Veran grabbed my arm. "You're glowing Del, your chest!"
I looked down, a mark was spreading across my skin. A silver spiral pulsing with light, I felt an unbearable pain.
The Moon wasn't done with me and Amalric wanted what was left.
Her eyes locked on mine so she whispered something only I could hear.
"If I can't have your love, I'll take your soul."
The ground split beneath me and I fell into a memory.
Suddenly I was six again, locked in a cellar.
Amalric was there just a girl, just my sister.
She was reaching through the bars holding a piece of bread out to me.
Her voice soft and scared.
"They said not to feed you."
"But you did," I whispered.
The memory began to break, Amalric smiled but the smile was wrong.
The child had disappeared only for the Ash Queen to look back at me.
"I did and you still left me to burn."
I woke up screaming, I was back on the battlefield.
Veran was shouting my name, the forgotten were pushing forward but this time they were falling.
One by one the twisted wolves weren't tired.
I turned to check if I could see Amalric but she was gone, vanished into ash.
Veran grabbed me, shaking me. "She's heading for the Moon Altar! If she reaches it…"
"She'll break the balance forever," I finished, eyes wide.
"We have to stop her now."
I stood up breath shaky, my voice hoarse
"We ride."
But just as I turned to shift again a new howl echoed through the trees.
It was strong and familiar, just then through the burning woods Sigard stepped, alive.
Sigard stood beyond the flames, his dark cloak swayed in the wind.
His boots were covered in ash and though years had passed but I knew him instantly.
The shape of his jaw sharp and the confidence in his eyes.
And that same crooked smile he used to give me when he wanted me to forgive him for something stupid.
But this time he didn't smile and I couldn't move an inch.
"Del?" Veran's voice was tense behind me. "Who is that?"
My mouth was dry and I could literally hear my pulse thundered in my ears.
I whispered, "Sigard."
Veran froze. "Sigard is dead."
"I thought so too."
Sigard stepped forward, his voice was deeper now but he spoke low and calm.
@"You've changed."
"I could say the same," I answered stiffly.
"You're glowing."
I looked down at the silver spiral across my skin. "It's a side effect of being hunted, betrayed, and nearly killed by everyone I've ever trusted."
His eyes darkened. "Then I guess nothing's changed."Veran stepped between us, he didn't growl but his energy was sharp in a protective way.
"You're supposed to be dead, burned in the Red Moon raids."
"I was," Sigard said without blinking. "But death didn't keep me."
I frowned. "That's not an answer."
He looked at me. "Do you want the truth?"
I crossed my arms my heart racing. "Start with why you never came back."
Sigard's jaw tightened.
"After the raid, I crawled out of the river half-alive. I tried to return but the world thought I was dead. The packs said you were gone, that you'd been claimed by prophecy and that your heart belonged to someone else."
His eyes flicked toward Veran.
"That's not true," I said coldly. "You didn't even try."
"I did. I followed whispers, I even heard about you from the borders." His voice broke. "But every time I came close, you were surrounded by wolves who wanted your crown and i had nothing left to offer you."
"You were the only thing I ever wanted," I said.
Silence settled between us. Veran said nothing, he just stood there watching .
Sigard took a slow breath. "I came to warn you."
I tensed. "About Amalric?"
"She's not your sister anymore."
I nodded. "I know, i saw what she's become."
"No," he said. "You don't."
Sigard stepped closer and the flames parted slightly revealing more of him.
That's when I saw it, a mark on his chest over his heart visible through the torn fabric of his shirt.
It glowed faintly red not silver like mine.
I stepped backward. "You're marked."
He nodded. "By the moon's other half."