The Hunter's leap was a blur of claws and teeth. Liora's breath caught, she had no time to scream before the air between them fractured.
A wall of black glass exploded upward, catching the beast midair. The impact shook the bridge, sending splinters into the abyss. The creature writhed, trapped, as shadowy chains coiled around its limbs.
The Shadow Prince stepped onto the bridge, the silver fire of his blade casting wild light over his face."Step back," he commanded.
Liora's legs refused to move. She could only watch as he brought the sword down in a single, fluid motion. The silver edge met the Hunter's neck. there was no sound of steel cutting flesh, only a burst of smoke and the sudden absence of its body.
Another snarl rose behind him. Two more Hunters charged onto the bridge from the balcony. The wood groaned, swaying under the combined weight.
"Go!" he snapped, shoving her forward.
She ran, the boards shifting beneath her feet, the abyss whispering promises of death below. One Hunter's claw swiped past her shoulder, ripping through her sleeve. The sting of its touch burned cold, like frostbite.
The prince was on them in an instant. His blade flashed, but it wasn't just steel, it trailed tendrils of shadow that writhed like living things, wrapping around the beasts and dragging them toward the edge. With a sharp twist of his wrist, the shadows yanked them into the abyss. Their roars faded into nothing.
Liora reached the far side of the bridge and collapsed to her knees, gasping."You" She tried to speak, but her voice trembled. "You could have killed me back there."
He joined her on the stone platform, barely winded."I still might," he said dryly.
Her head snapped up, heat flaring in her chest. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"No." His eyes locked on hers, the silver in them catching the light. "It's a warning."
For a long moment, neither moved. The wind howled around them, tugging at her hair. There was something unreadable in his gaze, not just danger, but an almost reluctant… pull.
Before she could place it, the sound of the horn echoed again, deeper this time.
"They've called the pack," he said, standing. "We're out of time."
He offered her his hand.She hesitated, then took it. His grip was cold, but it was the first touch that didn't feel like an order.