Hell

The time was nearly upon us. I could feel it in the air, an unnatural stillness, a waiting silence that only came once a year. The moon would soon reach its peak, and with it, the wolves would fall. The Spirit Moon. A rare celestial event, unpredictable in its arrival yet absolute in its effect. It was the one night that stripped the werewolves of their strength, reducing them to mere humans. They liked to pretend it was some divine lesson—an opportunity to appreciate the power they held every other night of the year. But we all knew the truth. It was a flaw, a weakness they could never escape. A weakness I would exploit. I turned my gaze toward the massive window of my throne room, watching as the moon's pale glow crept higher into the sky. My fingers curled into the arms of my chair, and fire crackled beneath my grip, heat radiating from my skin as anticipation surged through me. Unlike the wolves, we elementals had no such curse. We were not bound by the whims of celestial interference. We were only hindered by our dwindling numbers, by the fickle nature of our own bloodline. Our power was great, but it did not breed true. Elementals born into mixed-species families rarely inherited their power. A human and an elemental would bear nothing but a mere human child. Occasionally, very rarely, one was born dormant—waiting, incomplete potential. Like Audra. The daughter of an elemental mother, born with locked power, her gift slumbering within her until the right conditions forced it awake. She was so close now, on the very precipice of unlocking it. Eighteen years of age. Her aligned element present in her daily life. A near-death experience. She had already met two. All that remained… was the third, she was not yet 18, and I didn't want to wait. I flexed my fingers, flames curling between them like eager serpents. If I had my way, the final piece would fall into place soon, and her power would be mine. Her power, unique and untamed, would be a force unlike any other. The wolves had no idea what they had within their grasp, what they would lose when I took her. If the prince realized what she was before we did… they would lock her away, shield her from the world until she was fully theirs. I would not allow that to happen. The crack of my burning chair echoed through the chamber as I gritted my teeth. "My Lord." Sylvin's voice cut through my thoughts. I turned my head slowly, my gaze locking onto him. The flickering light of my flames reflected in his hazel eyes, and I saw the moment he realized his mistake in addressing me so suddenly. My power flared instinctively, the heat igniting the strands of his shaggy brown hair before he could react. He cursed under his breath, raising an icy hand to extinguish the small flames. "Not cool, Lord," he muttered, shaking the singed strands from his fingers. I did not bother to apologize. "Speak." Sylvin stepped forward, his usual nonchalance dimmed by the weight of his message. He extended a folder toward me. "It's about Audra." The moment her name left his lips, I snatched the folder from his grasp. I opened it, the first image stopped my breath cold. Him. The prince's wolf. And Audra, her small body curled against him, peaceful and content in his embrace. A snarl ripped from my throat, and the folder erupted into flames, turning to ash between my fingers. "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" My voice shook the chamber, and Sylvin barely managed to step back in time to avoid the fireball that shot toward him. His jaw clenched. "He was not supposed to approach her as a wolf!" Sylvin hesitated. He was trying to soften whatever came next. "There's more," he admitted. "Lance… thought he could be a hero. He tried to take her while they slept—when the prince was unaware of his surroundings." A slow, deadly silence filled the room. My eyes burned into his. "And?" Sylvin swallowed hard. "The king sensed him. Killed him almost immediately." I threw another fireball. Sylvin dodged, cursing as it singed his sleeve. "Fool." I spat, fury rolling through me. "They're going to figure it out. They'll know she's a target now. They'll keep her inside the castle walls, guarded." I settled back into my scorching throne, "Yes, my Lord," Sylvin said carefully. "That's why I've already warned the others. If anyone else tries anything before the time is right, I told them you'll kill them yourself." I exhaled slowly, controlling the flames licking at my fingertips. He was right. Another mistake, another reckless attempt, and we would lose our chance forever. "Good." I straightened; my voice ice-cold. "It will be you who takes her when the time comes. It seems you're the only one I can trust with this." Sylvin smirked, though there was a sharp edge to it. "You know I'll always have your back, brother." He gave a quick bow before turning to leave. Once he was gone, I rose from my throne, my long silver hair flowing behind me as I moved. The shadows in the room stretched unnaturally, shifting in time with my magic as I reached the great iron gate at the far end of my chamber. I stepped through and emerged in the darkened woods outside her house. I stood among the trees, silent, watching. Inside, she moved through her home, unaware of the eyes upon her. The soft glow of her lamp shone against her skin, but I could see deeper. I let my gaze drift past the flesh, past the fragile human exterior, down to what lay within. There. Between her ribs, nestled close to her heart, it pulsed. A fierce, brilliant light. It was stronger now. Brighter. Deeper. More rich, she was awakening. A slow, wicked smile curved my lips. She might not even need to wait until she turns eighteen. If the power was already reacting—if it was growing stronger before it was fully realized—then when it was fully unleashed, it would be something truly unstoppable. A power worth nurturing. A power worth claiming. I took one last look at her before stepping back through the gate, reappearing in my throne room. Not yet. But soon.