Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Danger Awaits
The pack responded with unified approval. Fists slammed against tables. Voices called the children’s names. "Yeaaahhhh, come onnn new and powerful heirs of Frostfang! We stand with you now and forever!!"
Calder lowered his head in acceptance. The demonstration had silenced doubt more effectively than any speech. The heirs had proven their value in front of everyone.
That evening in the royal chambers we kept the children close while deliberating on matters concerning them and Frostfang.
Lila now sat tall with quiet pride. Thorne explained the patterns he had seen in the possessed wolf. Elara rested against my side, tired from her effort but steady.
The kings surrounded us with protective warmth. Darius checked each child for strain. Kane offered water and quiet praise. Rylan pulled them into stories that made them laugh despite the day’s tension.
I held them until they slept and then sat with the kings by the low fire. The bond between us carried shared relief and renewed resolve. The elder’s challenge had tested us, but the children’s actions had turned it into greater unity. Their gifts had protected me in public view. The pack saw them as true heirs now.
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The following days brought calmer routines. Lila trained with larger groups and held her shield longer. Thorne advised on border defenses with growing confidence. Elara worked in the healing halls and eased deeper injuries under supervision.
The pack responded with open support, smiles and even small tokens and gifts every now and then.
And finally, the rift from the elder’s words had closed.
One afternoon we walked the fields as a family. The grain stood tall and golden. Lila ran ahead touching the stalks. Thorne examined the soil and suggested improvements. Elara gathered flowers for the evening table. The kings and I followed at a distance, their hands finding mine in the familiar rhythm.
Darius spoke softly. "My queen, our children turned doubt into loyalty today."
Kane squeezed my fingers. "Exactly! Their gifts earn trust faster than fear can spread and that is what we need."
Rylan grinned. "They protected you in front of the entire pack. That moment will be remembered forever Elena."
I looked at the three small figures ahead and felt deep gratitude.
I turned to my kings and began talking with full joy.
"Words cannot describe the joy I feel in my heart looking at where I came from and where I stand now. But both as your queen and mother to our children I will do anything in my power so our children stand firm and protect Frostfang."
Above all, the sea shadow still waited. New threats would come. Yet our family had grown stronger through the test. The children had stepped forward when needed. The pack stood more united than before.
Frostfang continued its steady rhythm. Fields yielded. Walls stood firm. The children grew into their roles while we protected the space they needed to become who they were meant to be.
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The eastern envoy arrived at the outer gates the following week.
Captain Soren rode at the head of a small company, his ship anchored in the sheltered cove below the cliffs. Salt crusted his dark cloak and a long scar ran down the left side of his face, pulling one eye into a permanent squint.
He dismounted with easy grace and offered a deep bow when I met him in the bailey with the kings at my sides.
"I bring knowledge from the fractured isles," he said, his voice rough from years at sea.
"The shadow beneath the waves has taken many of my crew. I heard of Frostfang’s gifted heirs and came to offer alliance. Maps of the deep currents. Rituals to quiet the call. In return I ask only shelter and honest trade."
His eyes flicked to the children standing nearby. Lila watched him with sharp attention. Thorne studied his posture like a puzzle. Elara tilted her head, sensing something in him that made her step closer.
Soren smiled at her, the expression softening the scar on his face. "The little healer feels it too. The shadow leaves marks on those who survive its touch."
"You seem to have interesting and beneficial news for us..... Sorren," I moved forward with a smile.
"Why don’t we go inside and talk after you’re fed and rested."
He nodded and replied with a delightful smile. "That would be great, you’re so kind my queen."
We hosted him in the great hall that evening. Soren shared stories of lost ships and voices that drove men mad. He described the shadow as an ancient hunger born from a betrayed sea king who sought revenge on land bloodlines. His words carried weight because he had lost brothers to it.
The children listened with wide eyes. Lila asked direct questions about the rituals. Thorne traced currents on the table with his finger. Elara reached out and touched Soren’s scarred hand. The captain relaxed under her touch, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
After the meal we walked the cliffs with a small escort. Soren showed the children a simple ritual using salt and carved shells. They performed it together under his guidance.
Lila held a protective circle. Thorne aligned the shells according to the tides. Elara poured her healing into the center.
The sea calmed for a brief stretch. The distant call faded to a whisper. The children stood taller afterward, their combined effort creating a moment of peace along the shore.
Soren watched them with genuine respect. "I like these children. They work as one. That unity is rare. The shadow fears it."
I just smiled despite my curiosity.
That night in the royal chambers the children spoke excitedly about the ritual. Lila wanted to try it again at full strength. Thorne asked about the maps Soren carried. Elara said the captain’s scar felt like old pain from the shadow.
The kings and I listened while the bond carried our shared caution and hope. Soren offered real knowledge. Yet trust came slow after Varak’s betrayal.
The following morning Soren joined a training session in the inner yard. He showed practical techniques for fighting corrupted sailors pulled from the sea. Lila practiced shielding against his mock attacks. Thorne predicted movements before they happened. Elara eased bruises after each round.
The pack watched with growing interest. Soren moved with the easy confidence of a man who had survived many storms. His stories during breaks drew the children closer. He spoke of islands where the sea sang instead of whispered, and of crews that became family after facing the shadow together.
By midday a scout reported unusual activity near the fractured isles. Soren offered to sail with a small team to investigate. The children asked to join. After careful discussion and hesitations with the kings I agreed to a short trip with heavy escort. We sailed at first light the next day.
The sea stayed calm until we neared the fractured rocks. Then the call returned stronger than before. Waves rose suddenly. Voices slithered across the deck naming the children and promising them power beyond their years.
Lila expanded her shield around the entire ship. Thorne called out the source of the strongest pull. Elara pressed her hands to the hull and pushed her healing into the wood to steady it.
A human figure breached the surface near the ship. A corrupted sailor with glowing eyes and scaled patches on his skin. He climbed the hull with unnatural strength and lunged toward Elara.
Soren moved first, his blade flashing as he blocked the attack. The kings joined the fight while I pulled the children back. Lila held her shield around us. Thorne predicted the creature’s strikes. Elara reached out and tried to calm the rage in its twisted form.
The corrupted sailor fought with desperate fury. Soren took a cut across his chest but kept pressing. Darius struck with cold precision. Kane moved like shadow between strikes. Rylan cleaved through the creature’s guard with his axe.
The fight ended when Elara’s touch finally broke through. The sailor collapsed, the glow fading from his eyes as the shadow released its hold.
He gasped a final warning before dying. "The shadow has a servant already inside your walls. It wears a familiar face."
"Yeah yeah, fuck off, corrupted mummy or whatever the fuck you are!" Rylan shot back.
Soren wiped blood from his blade and looked at the children with new respect. "They fought well. Their unity broke the hold. But the warning means danger awaits at home."
I looked at him in a tensed and curious manner wondering what that meant but ended up pushing it at the back of my mind without another thought.
We returned to Frostfang with heavier hearts. The servant inside our walls could be anyone. The children had faced a corrupted creature and helped defeat it. Their gifts had proven vital again. Yet the shadow’s reach had grown personal.
A traitor walked among us wearing a familiar face. And if I catch that bastard of a traitor, I would torture him, skin him alive before burning him in front of everyone at the stake!
