34

  Finn’s feet hit nothing—no floor, no ground—only cold. A rushing, howling cold.He tried to breathe, but instead the air turned to a thin mist around him. The world had vanished, repced by darkness and a faint, rising blue glow beneath their feet.

  Maxi grabbed Finn’s wrist. Katherine gasped. The lynx hissed.

  Then everything dropped.

  Not floating—falling.

  They plummeted, the air roaring past their ears, and the blue glow shattered into blinding white. Water exploded up around them—

  SPLASH

  The fall smmed Finn into the icy current of a river. The water twisted him, rolled him—he couldn’t breathe. He surfaced, choking—saw Maxi—saw the lynx’s fur slicked wet—saw Katherine limp, drifting backward.

  “KATHERINE!”

  Finn swam—harder than he ever had—but the river was monstrous, furious. Rocks scraped his legs. The water threw him against the current as if punishing him for trying.

  “KATHERIII—”

  Another drop.

  The second waterfall swallowed them whole.

  Their bodies crashed, tumbled, dragged along stone and whirlpools. Finn reached Katherine again—wrapped his arms around her even as they spun. A jag of stone smashed into his back, stealing breath—but he did not let go.

  Finally, the water calmed.

  Finn crawled onto the bank, chest burning, lungs screaming. He dragged Katherine beside him.

  “Katherine…? Katherine—!”

  She didn’t move.

  Maxi stumbled ashore, coughing, while the lynx shook water from its fur violently.

  Finn checked her pulse—there.But she wasn’t breathing.

  His face flushed—he hesitated only a second—and then he leaned down.

  CPR.

  His breath against her lips—steady—desperate—

  Again—Again—Again—

  Then—

  Katherine jolted, coughing violently, water spilling down her chin. Finn exhaled, relief flooding him. He pulled her into him before his mind caught up with his body.

  Maxi blinked wide-eyed.Katherine stared at Finn’s chest—then Finn realized he was still holding her—and he jumped backward like a startled puppy.

  “I-I—just—are you okay!?”

  Her face was red, but she nodded.

  The lynx nudged Finn once, approvingly.

  They stood on shaky legs and looked around.

  Towering mountains on both sides. The stream they’d been swept from behind them.And ahead—

  An endless, gleaming shoreline of swords.Bdes thrust into the ground as far as the eye could see.Each humming faintly.Each waiting.

  Redwind Bastion.

  Finn felt a chill—not from cold, but from something deeper. Familiar. As if his bones remembered.

  Then they saw the fight.

  A dark, twisted warrior, horned and gray, towering above a fallen swordsman in armor. The horned figure’s bde—Karit—was raised for the final strike.

  Marco.

  Finn didn’t think.

  He ran.

  He threw himself at Marco, knocking him aside. Sand scraped his arms—the lynx nded in front of them, hackles high.

  The horned man—William—turned.

  The Karit hummed with hunger.

  William lunged—fast.

  The lynx intercepted, cws sunk deep into William’s arm. William flung the lynx off, then moved again—relentless, feral.

  Marco stood, sword raised—barely in time.

  Steel struck steel.Marco’s arms shook.He was exhausted, bleeding.

  William swatted him away like nothing.

  Finn’s knees trembled. He had never fought. Never seen death like this. His breath shook—his heart cwed his chest.

  William grabbed Finn by the throat.

  “K…Kah…!”

  No voice came. The world blurred. Maxi screamed. Katherine fell back.Finn struggled, but William’s strength was monstrous.

  Then the lynx—bleeding but unbroken—threw itself at William again, biting deep into his leg.

  William dropped Finn.

  Finn hit the sand, coughing—

  The lynx looked at Finn.

  Its eyes glowed.

  Not animal eyes—something ancient.Something calling.

  The world around Finn slowed.The lynx stepped closer.

  Finn understood nothing—but felt everything.

  We survive.We fight.We hunt.Together.

  The lynx lunged—its fangs sank into Finn’s shoulder.

  Pain—then burning—then—

  Power.

  Finn gasped as his veins fred violet. His nails lengthened, bckened to cw. His heartbeat deepened, steady as drums.

  The air slowed—like time bowed to him.

  William charged.

  Finn moved.

  His kick nded square in William’s chest—sending the horned man flying.

  Marco stared—jaw sck.

  William rose again—snarled—and struck. Finn swiped upward, cws tearing flesh, then spun, heel crashing under William’s jaw.

  The Karit cttered to the sand.William hit the ground—shuddered—then his monstrous features melted away, leaving the familiar face of Prince William unconscious.

  Finn staggered—breathing hard—body trembling.

  Marco’s voice rose—

  “WAIT! Don’t touch that sword—!”

  Finn froze.

  But he was too te.

  A cold presence behind him.

  The dark man in red and bck stepped from nowhere—silent as death.

  The Karit drove through Finn’s back—out through his stomach.

  Maxi and Katherine screamed.

  Finn dropped to his knees, the world fading, the pact dissolving from his veins.

  The dark man gripped Finn’s hair, lifting his head.

  Then—

  FWOOSH

  A whisper of wind—

  An arrow.

  Silver-tipped.

  Singing.

  It struck the dark man’s shoulder—nearly his throat. He hissed and vanished—dissolving into swirling dust.

  The Karit fell.

  Finn colpsed beside the lynx, who y breathing weakly but alive.

  Marco crawled toward Finn, shaking.

  Katherine’s eyes filled.

  Maxi clutched Finn’s hand.

  From far across the storm-swept shore…A figure stood among the swords.

  A girl with wind in her hair.

  A bow on her back.

  And silver arrows glowing like moonlight.

  Soraya.

  Her eyes, steady and sharp, rested on Finn.

  And the storm held its breath.