The cavern had changed.
The floor, once solid, now shimmered faintly, covered in runes that pulsed with a dull, steady light. The air buzzed, thick with energy, heavy enough to press against my skin. Even my wolf stirred uneasily, warning me this place wasn't made for us.
Aria stood in the center of the circle, her wrists free but marked with faint silver etchings. The glow inside her had begun to surface already, veins of light crawling up her arms like cracks in glass. Her breath came slow, controlled, but I could see the tension in every line of her body.
Lyra stood at the edge, watching with that same unreadable calm. "This isn't a sparring match," she said, her voice carrying easily through the cavern. "This is survival. The Veilborn's power will try to take you. You either master it… or it eats you alive."
I took a step forward, but two Shadowfang wolves blocked my path. Lyra's gaze flicked to me, sharp as a blade. "He can't save you, Aria. Not this time."
A low rumble echoed from the darkness beyond the circle. Shapes emerged—three wolves, larger than any I'd seen, their fur streaked with shadows that seemed to writhe on their bodies. Their eyes burned like dying embers, fixed on Aria.
The glow in Aria's veins pulsed faster. Her claws extended, silver-tipped and trembling.
"Stay anchored," I said, loud enough for her to hear. "Whatever happens, don't let that thing drown you."
Her eyes flicked to me, the silver in them swirling like liquid. "If I lose it… run."
I didn't answer. I wasn't running.
The first wolf lunged, fast as a shadow. Aria moved quicker, twisting aside and slashing across its flank. The strike was clean, but the wolf didn't bleed—it dissolved into smoke, reforming behind her in an instant.
The second one struck her head-on, its weight slamming her into the runed floor hard enough to crack stone. The glow inside her flared, her scream echoing as the runes beneath her feet pulsed bright, feeding the thing inside her.
"Aria!" My shout echoed, but I couldn't reach her. The wolves kept me penned back, forcing me to watch.
She rose slowly, her claws blazing with silver fire. Her pupils vanished, her gaze hollow as the Veilborn stirred fully. When she spoke, her voice carried a chilling echo.
"They're nothing," it hissed through her lips. "Let me show you."
She moved—no, it moved—blindingly fast, tearing through the first wolf in a spray of shadow. The second followed, ripped apart before it could react. The third tried to retreat, but Aria caught it by the throat, her glow burning through its form as it shrieked like something more than a wolf.
The cavern fell silent. The glow didn't fade. Aria stood in the center, breathing hard, her silver-lit claws dripping with shadowstuff.
Then her head snapped toward me.
The thing inside her smiled.
The runes flared again, bright enough to burn my eyes. The wolves guarding me backed away, ears flat, sensing what was coming.
I stepped forward anyway, ignoring Lyra's warning hiss. "Aria! Fight it. You're not its puppet!"
Her glow spiked, cracking along her skin like lightning. Her voice wavered, half hers, half something else. "Kael… I can't—"
I closed the distance and grabbed her shoulders, ignoring the searing heat that burned my palms. "Yes, you can. You aren't the Veilborn. You're Aria. You're mine."
The words hit something deep. The glow flickered, hesitated. Her claws trembled.
"Anchor to me," I said, low but firm. "Not it. Me."
Her chest heaved, the silver light dimming—until the Veilborn's whisper slid between us. "He'll let you die. Like before. Let me end them all."
Aria's eyes closed, her breath sharp. "No," she whispered, her own voice breaking through.
With a scream that tore through the cavern, the glow surged once… then collapsed inward, vanishing beneath her skin. She sagged forward, shaking, her forehead resting against my chest.
The runes dimmed. The cavern went still.
Lyra's slow clap echoed from the edge of the circle. "Barely survived, but survived nonetheless. She's still standing… and that means she's ready for the next step."
I tightened my grip on Aria as her knees buckled. "She needs rest, not more trials."
Lyra's violet gaze settled on me, cool and amused. "Rest? Oh, Alpha… we haven't even begun breaking her yet."