Flames of Betrayal

Silence filled the house. Mira's words hung in the air, strong and clear. The flames dancing on her skin cast strange shadows across the walls.

Zephyr blinked. For a moment, his uneven eyes cleared. "Mira?" he whispered, his voice his own again.

Lyra stepped forward. "Fight her, Zephyr. Fight the Queen's power."

Zephyr clutched his head, his body shaking. "I can't... she's too strong..." The blue glow returned to his eye. "The Queen demands your presence."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Mira said.

Draven growled, his muscles tensing as he prepared to attack.

Suddenly, howls exploded outside the house. Many sounds, getting closer.

"The pack," Draven said. "They've found us."

Zephyr's head snapped up. Fear crossed his face—not his fear, but the Queen's. "This isn't over," he snarled. Then he leaped through the broken roof and vanished into the night.