bChapter /bb127 /b

    bChapter /bb127 /b

    bFrancesco /bPoint of View:

    It’s been a month, and yet Eine stilly motionless–beautiful and still, like a sleeping beauty trapped in time.

    Francesco sat by her side every morning, his fingers gently brushing her silver–white hair, his other hand cradling ba /bcup of untouched bcoffee/b.

    Lira, ever patient, continued to inject the nutrient potions and healing elixirs into Eine’s delicate arm. Day by day, her color bbegan /bbto /breturn. Her once pale face slowly regained its glow, her lips no longer the shade of ash but kissed with pink. Yet, her eyes remained closedb. /bHer soul still wandered, lost in the wreckage of magic that had nearly torn her apart.

    Every day, Francesco followed the same ritual.

    He would wake early, bathe and dress meticulously, and sit with Eine while the castle slowly came to life. He would speak to her softlyb, /bbtell /bher about the day, the discoveries, the people. Then, once the castle clock chimed ten, he would kiss her forehead, promise her he would return sooni, /iand leave to oversee the territory.

    Since the ck magic had been lifted, an eerie rity had swept across hisnd. Things that once hid behind veils of darkness were nowid bare. Secret passageways. Lost forests. Caves filled with ancient symbols. Hidden strongholds used by Luca. Even a forgotten city buried deep within the northern cliffs.

    He’d been stunned to discover how deeply Luca’s influence had rooted itself. Whole regions had been cloaked in illusions, manipted and twisted to appear as uninhabitable terrain. No wonder the rogue army had moved with such ease. Thend had been warped to serve their

    evil.

    And the people–gods, the people.

    He’d found survivors. Viges living in fear, generations trained to obey Luca or die. Tortured minds, broken wills. Some had been grateful to

    see his warriors. Others had panicked, wing at their chains, screaming in fear. It wasn’t until Francesco approached them himself, his

    Alpha aura softened and voice gentle, that they began to trust again.

    Not all had been victims.

    Some were loyal to Luca–willingly, fanatically so.

    Francesco and his warriors had no choice but to fight them. He gave each one a chance to surrender. When they didn’t… he erased them without hesitation. Mercy had no ce where darkness still thrived.

    This morning had started like any other. He had just left Eine’s room, whispering his daily promise to returnb, /bwhen Beta Alfonso’s voice whispered into his mind.

    “I’m sorry to disturb your morning time with Luna, my King.”

    Everyone knew his mornings belonged to her.

    Francesco replied immediately, “It’s okay. I’m on my way to the training field anyway. What’s wrong, Alfonso?”

    “We’ve found a new hidden city. There are several of Luca’s royal rogues… and hostages.”

    Francesco’s stride quickened. “Hostages? Where are youb?/bb” /b

    “In Marlow’s office, my King“.

    “I’m on my way.”

    b1/3 /b

    18:33 Mon, 4 Aug 1 JU

    bChapter /bb127 /b

    bWithin /bminutes, Francesco stepped into Marlow’s war chamber. Several senior warriors were already present. The room fall dent bentered/b, all heads bowing in respect.

    “Good morning, Marlow, Alfonso, everyone,” he said calmly. The men and women before him raised their heads.

    “Tell me what you found.”

    One of the scouts, Kurt, stepped forward. “Last night, during my patrol, I caught a scent of something… wrong, I followed it north. About a mile past the cliffs, I found a hidden valley. And a citypletely concealed by old magic. There were rogue banners… and women bin /b

    chainsb./bb” /b

    “Hostages?” Francesco confirmed.

    Kurt nodded grimly. “Yes. Handcuffed. Guarded. I counted at least eighteen rogues. Possibly more underground.”

    Francesco turned to Marlow.

    “We’ll send twenty–five knights and elite warriors,” Marlow said. “I’ll lead the charge myself.”

    Francesco nodded. “I’ming with you.”

    There was no protest. No hesitation. Everyone in the room knew what it meant when the King Alpha said he would ride.

    Within an hour, the strike team assembled. Warriors in ck and steel, ready for blood. Francesco led the charge in his massive midnight wolf form, Marlow at his side. The ground trembled beneath their paws as they raced through the forest and across rivers, each stride a

    thunderous promise of vengeance.

    When they reached the hidden city, what they found made Francesco’s blood boil.

    Women–dozens of them–chained together. Some injured. Some barely conscious. And rogues. Eighteen of them, just as Kurt said. Two tried

    to flee. The rest charged, feral and howling.

    But it was toote.

    Francesco leapt into the fray first, his ws slicing through the nearest rogue. His warriors followed, silent and ruthless. Magic shed with fang. Steel met bone.

    Within minutes, the ground was littered with rogue corpses. Francesco stood over them, chest heaving, blood soaking his fur.

    Marlow gave the all–clear.

    They turned to the women.

    Alfonso stepped forward with a medic team. He broke the cuffs with a specialized tool, speaking softly to each woman. Some wept. Others

    stared nkly.

    Francesco shifted back to human form and covered himself with a long ck coat. He walked among the survivors slowly, checking on them one by one. Some flinched at his presence, but most just whispered one word:

    “Thank you.”

    Once the women were stabilized and escorted back toward the castle, Francesco stood alone on the edge of the hidden bcity/b. bHe /blook around at the ruins, the lies, the lives stolen and twisted by darkness. He clenched his fists.

    “We’ll burn this ce to the ground,” he told Marlow. “Everyst remnant of what he built–gone.”

    bChapter /bb127 /b

    b“/bbAs /bbyou /bbmand/bb, /bbmy /bbKing /b

    bThey /bset the fires that night.

    When Francesco returned to the castle, his body was sore, his heart heavy. But his feet still carried him straight bto /bEine’s room.

    Shey there, radiant even in her stillness. Her breathing was steady. The pulse beneath her wrist was stronger. Yet she bdidn’t /bbstir /b

    He sat beside her as he always did. Took her hand. Pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

    b“/bbI /bfound a hidden city today,” he whispered, his voice rough from smoke and battle. “It was covered in magic… probably for years. No bwonder /bLuca moved so easily. He used the shadows. But we’re clearing them, El. One by one.”

    He smiled faintly, brushing her hair behind her ear.

    “There were survivors… women. I think you would’ve liked them. Brave, even when broken. Just like you.”

    He paused.

    “I wish you could see what the kingdom looks like now. The light’s returning. Flowers are blooming again. The children are ying bin /bbthe /bstreets. You did that, you know. You saved all of them.”

    He exhaled, his voice softer now. “But there’s still more I want to show you. More beauty. More peace. I want you to see it, cara mia. With me.

    iHe /istayed with her that night, as he always did. Holding her hand. Humming the luby she once told him reminded her of home.

    And somewhere deep in her dreams, something stirred.