Chapter 5 The Dragon’s Truth

"Stop."

Mara froze. She was only ten steps away from the dragon named Silas. Up close, he was even more terrifying. Each of his teeth was as long as her arm. His claws dug deep grooves in the stone beneath him.

"You seek the Ancient Shrine," Silas said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Mara replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I need to break a curse."

"Many come seeking to break curses," the dragon said. "Most fail. Most die." His golden eyes studied her. "You are human. Why should I let a human pass?"

"Because I'm also something else," Mara said. She didn't know where the words came from. "I can feel it. Ever since the bond formed, something inside me has been waking up."

The dragon's eyes widened slightly. "Interesting. You have wolf blood in you, then. Hidden. Dormant. But there." He leaned closer, and Mara felt the heat of his breath. "Tell me, little hybrid. What is a curse?"

Mara blinked. "That's your riddle?"

"Answer."

Mara thought carefully. This wasn't a simple question. If it were, the dragon wouldn't ask it.

"A curse is..." she started, then stopped. "Most people would say a curse is a punishment. Something bad that happens to you because of something you did wrong."

"And what do you say?"

Mara looked into the dragon's golden eyes. "I say a curse is a chain. Someone puts it on you to keep you from being who you're meant to be. It's not about punishment. It's about control."

Behind her, she heard the Arachna getting closer. Its clicking footsteps echoed across the valley.

Silas was quiet for a long moment. Then, slowly, he smiled. It was a terrifying sight—all those teeth.

"Correct," he said. "A curse is indeed a chain. And you, little hybrid, understand this because you have worn chains your entire life."

He stepped aside, revealing the entrance to the shrine.

"But I warn you," Silas continued. "Breaking one curse may awaken others. The truth you seek comes with a price. Are you willing to pay it?"

"Yes," Mara said without hesitation. "Whatever it takes."

"Then enter. And may you find what you seek before death finds you."

Mara ran toward the shrine entrance. Just as she reached it, the Arachna burst into the clearing behind her. Silas turned to face the creature and released a stream of fire from his mouth. The Arachna screeched and backed away.

Mara didn't wait to see what happened next. She ran into the shrine.

Inside, it was dark and cool. Strange blue lights floated in the air, casting shadows on the walls. The symbols carved into the stone glowed brighter here, pulsing like heartbeats.

At the center of the shrine was a pool of water. But unlike the River of Memories, this water was perfectly clear. Mara could see all the way to the bottom, where something gleamed.

She approached the pool carefully. As she got closer, she heard a voice. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Welcome, daughter of two worlds."

Mara spun around, but she was alone. "Who's there?"

"I am the Voice of the Shrine. The keeper of ancient truths." The voice was neither male nor female, neither young nor old. "You seek to break the Curse of the Lone Wolf."

"Yes!" Mara said eagerly. "Please, tell me how!"

"The curse was placed by Elder Theron ten years ago, using the blood of the accused and the tears of the grieving. It was meant to ensure Zevran would never have power through family or pack."

"But why?" Mara asked. "Why curse him at all?"

"Because he was innocent," the Voice said. "And the guilty needed him silenced."

Mara's heart raced. "What do you mean? Innocent of what?"

"The death of Selene. Zevran did not kill his bride. She was murdered by someone else. Someone who wanted Zevran blamed and removed from the line of succession."

"Who?" Mara demanded. "Who killed her?"

"Look into the pool, and see the truth."

Mara looked down at the water. The surface rippled, and images began to form.

She saw a beautiful wolf with silver fur—this must be Selene. She was laughing, happy, preparing for her wedding. Then the image shifted. Selene was drinking something from a cup. A man stood in the shadows, watching her. Mara couldn't see his face clearly, but she saw him smile as Selene started to choke.

The image changed again. Now she saw Zevran at the altar, watching in horror as his bride collapsed. She saw him trying to help her, screaming for healers. She saw the accusation in everyone's eyes.

Then she saw the man from the shadows step forward. This time, Mara could see his face clearly.

It was Prince Ronan.

"No," Mara whispered. "King Darius's son killed Selene? But why?"

"Because Zevran was too kind. Too strong. Too loved by the people. If he had married Selene and had children, his line would have been more powerful than his brother's. Ronan's own claim to the throne would have been threatened."

"So he killed an innocent woman and let Zevran take the blame," Mara said, anger rising in her chest.

"Yes. And Elder Theron knew the truth. But he placed the curse anyway, to keep peace in the kingdom. Better to sacrifice one innocent wolf than risk a war between brothers."

"That's not justice," Mara said fiercely. "That's cowardice."

"Perhaps. But it is the way of power." The Voice paused. "Now you know the truth. The question is—what will you do with it?"

"I'll break the curse," Mara said. "How do I do it?"

"The curse is bound by three chains. Each chain must be broken separately."

"What are they?"

"The first chain is Blood. The curse was made with Zevran's blood, and it must be unmade the same way. But this time, his blood must be freely given, not taken."

"Okay," Mara said. "What's the second chain?"

"The second chain is Truth. The lie that binds the curse must be spoken aloud before witnesses. Zevran's innocence must be proven publicly."

"And the third?"

The Voice was quiet for a long moment. "The third chain is Love. A love strong enough to withstand death itself. This is the hardest chain to break, for it requires both hearts to be willing to sacrifice everything for the other."

Mara touched her chest, where the bond to Zevran pulled constantly. "I don't understand. We're already bonded. Doesn't that count as love?"

"A bond is not the same as love," the Voice said gently. "A bond can form in an instant. Love must be built over time, tested by trials, proven by choices. When you are willing to die for each other—and live for each other—then the third chain will break."

"But I don't have time!" Mara said desperately. "The curse is killing me! I have less than two days left!"

"Then you must hurry," the Voice said. "Reach into the pool. Take what waits for you there."

Mara knelt beside the pool and reached in. The water was warm, like bathwater. Her fingers closed around something smooth and round. She pulled it out.

It was a crystal vial filled with glowing blue liquid.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Medicine," the Voice said. "It will slow the curse's effect on your body. It will not stop it, but it will give you more time. Perhaps four days instead of two."

"Thank you," Mara said, clutching the vial.

"Do not thank me yet. You still have much to do. You must return to the palace. You must find a way to free Zevran. And you must gather proof of Ronan's crime before you can break the second chain."

"How am I supposed to do all that?" Mara asked. It seemed impossible.

"You are stronger than you know, daughter of two worlds. The wolf blood in your veins is awakening. Soon, you will transform for the first time. When that happens, you will no longer be weak."

Mara looked down at her hands. They looked the same as always. "When will I transform?"

"When your body and spirit are ready. When you accept both halves of yourself." The Voice began to fade. "Go now. Your friends are waiting. And Mara? Be careful. Many will try to stop you. Not everyone wants this curse broken."

"Wait!" Mara called. "One more question. The woman I met in the forest—Nyra. Who is she really?"

The Voice laughed softly. "Nyra is many things. A wanderer. A witch. A keeper of secrets. Whether she is your friend or enemy remains to be seen. Trust her, but not completely."

Then the Voice was gone, and Mara was alone in the shrine.

She drank half of the glowing blue liquid. Immediately, she felt better. The exhaustion that had been weighing her down lifted. The pain in her chest eased. She could feel the curse still there, but it was quieter now. Sleeping.

Mara tucked the vial safely in her pocket, next to the moonstone. Then she ran out of the shrine.

Outside, Thalia was shooting arrows at the Arachna while Silas kept it busy with bursts of fire. Corin was running in circles, distracting the creature.

"Mara!" Thalia called when she saw her. "Did you get what you needed?"

"Yes! Let's go!"

Silas roared and released a massive stream of fire. The Arachna screeched and fled back into the forest. The dragon turned to look at Mara.

"You have your answer?" he asked.

"I do. Thank you, Silas."

The dragon nodded slowly. "Then our bargain is complete. But remember, little hybrid—knowledge is only useful if you survive long enough to use it. The next two days will determine everything."

"I know," Mara said. "I won't waste this chance."

"Good." Silas spread his wings. They were enormous, blocking out the sky. "Now go. And try not to die. I would hate to see such courage wasted."

Thalia grabbed Mara's arm and pulled her away. They ran back through the valley, with Corin leading the way.

"What happened in there?" Thalia asked as they ran. "Did you find out how to break the curse?"

"Yes," Mara panted. "But it's complicated. I need to get back to the palace. I need to free Zevran and expose Prince Ronan."

Thalia's eyes widened. "Prince Ronan? What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything. He's the one who killed Selene. He framed Zevran!"

"That's..." Thalia stopped running. "That's huge. If you can prove that, it would destroy the King's family. But Mara, you can't just walk into the palace and accuse the prince of murder. They'll kill you on the spot."

"Then I need help," Mara said. "You said you're part of the Free Wolves. How many of you are there?"

"Maybe fifty? We're scattered throughout the forest."

"Can you gather them? I'm going to need allies."

Thalia grinned. "Now you're thinking like a rebel. I like it. But first, we need to get you out of the Shadow Woods alive. You still have one more night to survive before your trial is officially over."

They started walking again, moving quickly but carefully. The sun was getting low in the sky. Soon it would be dark again.

"I have medicine now," Mara said, patting her pocket. "It bought me more time. But I still need to move fast."

"Then we'll move fast," Thalia said. "I'll take you to our camp. You can rest there tonight, and in the morning, we'll plan your next move."

They walked in silence for a while. Mara's mind was racing with everything she had learned. She needed to free Zevran. She needed to expose Ronan. She needed to break three chains before the curse killed her.

It seemed impossible.

But then she thought about Zevran's voice in her mind. Stay alive. He had asked her to do one thing. Just stay alive. So that's what she would do. She would survive, no matter what it took.

"Mara," Corin said suddenly. "Something's wrong."

"What?"

"I can't smell the forest anymore. I only smell..."

"Smoke," Thalia finished, her face going pale.

They ran toward a ridge and looked down. Below them, they could see the forest on fire. Huge sections were burning, the flames spreading rapidly.

"No," Thalia whispered. "Our camp. They're burning our camp!"

"Who?" Mara asked, though she already knew the answer.

"King Darius's hunters. They must have found it." Thalia's hands clenched into fists. "My friends are down there. My family."

"We have to help them!" Mara said.

"No," Thalia said, grabbing her arm. "You need to survive. That's more important. If you die, Zevran dies, and any hope of stopping King Darius dies with you."

"But I can't just leave them!"

"You won't be leaving us. You'll be saving us." Thalia looked her in the eyes. "Promise me. Promise me you'll survive the next two days and break that curse. Because once you do, once you free Zevran and expose Ronan, the King's power will crumble. Then we can fight back. Then we can save everyone."

Mara wanted to argue. But she knew Thalia was right. The most important thing right now was surviving and breaking the curse.

"I promise," Mara said.

"Good." Thalia pulled an arrow from her quiver and handed it to Mara. "Take this. The tip is made from moonstone, same as the one in your pocket. If you're ever in real danger, break the stone. It will release a burst of light strong enough to blind anyone nearby. It might save your life."

Mara took the arrow carefully. "Thank you, Thalia. For everything."

"Don't thank me yet. Just survive." Thalia started to run toward the fire, then paused and looked back. "And Mara? When you finally transform into your wolf form? Come find me. I want to see it."

Then she was gone, running down the hill toward the burning camp. Corin stayed with Mara.

"She's brave," the fox said quietly. "Stupid, but brave."

"Can you get me out of the Shadow Woods?" Mara asked. "Before full dark?"

"Maybe. If we run." Corin looked up at her. "But where will you go? You can't go back to the palace. They'll kill you the moment you arrive."

Mara thought hard. She needed somewhere safe. Somewhere she could hide until she figured out her next move.

Then she remembered something Nyra had said. Some answers you must find on your own.

"I'm going to find Nyra," Mara decided. "She knows more than she told me. And I think she wants to help."

"The witch?" Corin's ears flattened. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"No," Mara admitted. "But it's the only idea I have. Can you help me find her?"

Corin sighed. "I must be crazy. But yes, I can track her. Witches leave a special scent." The fox started trotting away. "Come on. If we're going to do this, we need to move. The forest gets worse after dark."

As they hurried through the darkening woods, Mara heard a sound that made her heart ache.

A wolf's howl. Distant but full of pain and rage.

It was Zevran. He was calling for her again.

This time, she howled back. It came out as a human voice, not a wolf's howl, but she poured all her feelings into it. I'm alive. I'm fighting. Wait for me.

She didn't know if he could hear her. But somehow, the howling stopped. And in her mind, she felt the bond pulse once, like a heartbeat.

He had heard her.

"Come on," Corin urged. "We're losing light."

Mara ran after the silver fox, racing against the darkness.

Tomorrow, she would figure out how to save Zevran. Tomorrow, she would start breaking the chains.

Tonight, she just needed to survive.