ZURI

Sweet goddess!

I hurried back to my quarters. My palms were clammy against the silk folds of my gown. Relief washed through me like cool water after fire.

Tyr’s interruption had saved me, saved me from humiliation. If he hadn’t called me away, I would have made a fool of myself in front of every witch and warrior watching.

My control was thin, thinner than ever. My wolf side was dormant, like some distant memory I couldn’t reach, and my magic… it slipped from my grasp whenever I needed it most. I was fucking useless.

I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes. My chest still heaved with restless breaths.

If they had seen me fail, if they had witnessed me falter, there would have been whispers across the kingdom by now. I may have played it cool and smug, but he had saved me without even realizing it.

I forced myself upright and walked to the wall, brushing my trembling fingers against the small silver bell hanging there. With a sharp flick, I rang it.

The chime echoed through the chamber like a desperate prayer. A few moments later, the door creaked open and a maid stepped in with her head bowed.

“Yes, my lady?”

“Send for Denny,” I said quickly. “Now.”

The maid nodded and scurried off. I began pacing. Every step was heavy with the frustration clawing inside me. My hands itched for fire, but I dared not call it. Not here, not now. When the door opened again, I was almost breathless from pacing.

“Zuri!” Denny rushed in. His eyes darted over me as though expecting to find me injured. Relief broke across his face when he saw I was whole. “Thank the goddess. When he called you from the sparring grounds, I thought—”

“You thought what?” I cut in, my lips curling with a weak smile. “That Tyr had devoured me in his throne room?”

Denny exhaled and closed the door behind him. “You don’t joke about things like that. I swear, my heart nearly stopped when you left. But it seems his timing saved you, didn’t it?” His voice softened, and he stepped closer. “You didn’t have to go through that spar. You’re not ready, Zuri.”

“I know.” My throat tightened. “I would have been torn apart out there. The fire doesn’t stay long enough in my palms, and my wolf… she barely stirs. It’s like trying to call to someone who’s buried too deep under the earth to hear me.”

His jaw clenched. “We need to cover this up. If the others find out you can’t control either side, they’ll use it against you. Tyr might use it too.”

I shook my head and clutched my elbows. “He may already suspect, I don’t know. He dragged me into the throne room to ask about the mark on my arm.”

Denny blinked, confusion flashing across his grey eyes. “The mark?”

“Yes.” I pushed my sleeve back, exposing the faint crimson line just below my elbow. “He said it was some kind of oath mark. He looked at me as though he’d seen a ghost.”

Denny’s lips parted in disbelief before he scoffed and shook his head. “Then he’s insane. I’ve always known that he is mad. That mark is just a mark. The gods probably thought they’d give you one more thing to worry about, that’s all. You don’t need to concern yourself with the ramblings of a man who has lived too long.”

“Denny…” My voice softened as I lowered my sleeve. “I need to start mastering my powers. I can’t afford to keep stumbling like this.”

He dragged a hand through his pale hair. We had had this conversation a million times, and I could tell that each time made it more difficult for him to speak. “That’s easier said than done. You can’t just teach yourself, Zuri. A witch or a wolf has to put you through the training. Maybe both. And that means letting them see what you’ve been hiding.”

Silence stretched between us for a moment. Even back at Magnikka, I was ashamed of having someone come teach me my powers. Could I risk that now, in this strange land?

The thought of exposing myself to someone in this kingdom felt like walking into a pit of wolves with my throat bared. I bit my lip, searching Denny’s eyes.

“Then help me find someone,” I whispered. “A witch. Just one I can trust. I’ll handle the rest.”

Denny sighed heavily, but when he looked at me again, I saw the old loyalty in his eyes, the same loyalty that had carried me through every storm since childhood.

“I’ll search. I am making no promises though, but I’ll try. For you.”

“Thank you.” I squeezed his hand before pulling away. “Go now, before someone notices you lingering here too long. And Denny, be careful.”

“I always am,” he muttered, though the faint smirk on his lips told me otherwise. He bowed his head slightly and left, leaving me in the silence of the grand chamber.

I began pacing again. Magnika was heavy in my mind. My people, my throne. Froky was probably drenching the land in blood by now, feeding his hunger for power while my crown sat abandoned. Every second wasted here was another nail in Magnika’s coffin.

But I couldn’t march into war as I was now. I was half-formed and half-powerless. I needed strength before anything else. And strength meant choice.

I stopped in front of the balcony, staring at the hills stretching endlessly beyond Tyr’s fortress.

I would master my witch side first. It was the only side that still answered me, even faintly. To do that, I needed a witch by my side, one I could trust.

The plan was risky, but it was the only one I had. I would tell Tyr I needed a personal maid. One who was a witch. And I would choose her myself. If Denny had found anybody trustworthy before then, it would save me the stress of looking for one by myself. I trusted his judgement.

Resolved, I turned sharply and left my chambers. The castle’s corridors stretched long and winding, torches flickering along the walls as I made my way to the throne room. But when I entered, the vast space was empty.

I turned back toward the doors. Just as I reached the grand hall, a familiar figure appeared. He was tall, dark-haired, and his presence was commanding even in stillness. Kai. I’d heard Tyr call his name more than once, always with the tone of trust and familiarity.

“Kai,” I said quickly, forcing calm into my voice. “Where is the king?”

His sharp eyes flicked to me before he bowed his head slightly. “His Majesty has retired to his chambers, my lady.”

I squared my shoulders, masking the flutter in my chest. He was so respectful. “Thank you.”

Without another word, I strode down the corridor. My heart pounded harder with every step. The black doors to Tyr’s chambers soon stood before me, towering ten times my size. My breath caught in my throat as I lifted my hand and knocked firmly.

There was silence for a beat before his deep voice rolled out from within. “Who is it?”

“Queen Zuri.” My hands trembled at the sides and I forced them into each other.

“Come in.”

The doors groaned as I pushed them open. Darkness swallowed me whole immediately. The morning light strained through the tall windows, but the thick curtains of deep black devoured every ray.

Shadows cloaked the walls, the floors, and the ceiling, leaving only the gleam of polished black stone. It was like stepping into dusk. It was eerie and pristine all at once.

My heartbeat stumbled as I walked farther inside, brushing my fingers against the cold stone railing of the room. Everything was immaculate, yet suffocating. Why was everything so dark and evil?

“Tyr?” My voice wavered against the tense silence. “Where are you?”

“Here,” his deep voice answered from the right side of the room.

I turned and pushed open the smaller door on the right.

My eyes widened. A sharp gasp tore from my throat as I stumbled back, clamping my hand over my mouth.