Chapter 4 The Price of Power

Runa paced the length of her chamber, the soft rustle of her footsteps barely audible against the stone floor. The room was vast and dark, lit only by the flickering flames of torches mounted along the walls. Outside, the wind howled through the trees, pushing against the stone of the Midnight Citadel, as if the world itself were trying to make its presence known. But inside, Runa was trapped in a silence so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Her mind raced, swirling with the images and words from her brief encounter with Asher. She couldn't get the look in his eyes out of her head-the way he had looked at her, as if he could see through her, as if he knew things about her that she hadn't even admitted to herself. It unsettled her more than she wanted to admit, but more than that, it ignited something deep within her-a sense of longing, a desire she couldn't name.

But that desire was a dangerous thing. It threatened to tear apart everything she had built, everything she had fought for. She couldn't allow herself to be distracted. The war was still very much alive, her people still in danger, and the looming marriage to the King of Shadows was an inescapable fate. The kingdom needed her, and she couldn't afford to be distracted by anything-or anyone-else.

Yet, no matter how much she tried to push the thoughts of Asher away, they lingered, like an ache she couldn't soothe.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Runa stiffened, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her waist. She had learned long ago to trust no one entirely, not even those who served her loyally.

"Enter," she called, her voice steady, though her heart was still racing.

The door creaked open, revealing her most trusted advisor, Alden. He was a tall, lean man with graying hair, his expression always serious but never unkind. His eyes were sharp, and his knowledge of the kingdom's inner workings was unmatched. But there was something in his gaze tonight-a quiet urgency-that caught Runa's attention.

"Your Majesty," Alden said with a respectful bow, "I come with news."

Runa motioned for him to speak, her posture stiff and attentive. "What is it?"

Alden hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words. Finally, he looked up at her, his eyes dark with concern. "The alliance with the Kingdom of Shadows is still on track, but there's a complication."

Runa's stomach dropped. "What kind of complication?"

"The King of Shadows-he insists on meeting with you personally before the engagement is formalized."

Runa's heart skipped a beat. "A meeting?" she repeated, her voice sharp. "Why?"

Alden's expression darkened even further. "It's customary, Your Majesty. But... there's something unsettling about it. The King of Shadows is known for his manipulation, and his son..."

Alden didn't need to finish the sentence. Runa knew what he meant. The son of the King of Shadows was none other than her betrothed-the man she had never met, but whose face was already seared into her memory from the distant, cold portraits that adorned the royal halls. He was an unknown variable in her life, and she hated it.

"If the King wishes to meet me, I'll go," Runa said, though her voice was tinged with something like resentment. "I will not bow to his games, but I will do my duty."

Alden didn't look convinced. "Be careful, Your Majesty. There's more to this than meets the eye. And you must also remember-the Waterfall Pack is still a threat. The war is not over."

Runa felt a pang in her chest at the mention of the war. As much as she wanted to deny it, the growing tension between her people and Asher's pack was becoming harder to ignore. Every day, rumors swirled about the Alpha's movements-of raids on border villages, of whispered promises of revolution. But what worried Runa most was the way the rumors painted Asher not just as an enemy, but as a hero. Someone who could topple kingdoms and lead his people to freedom.

"Thank you, Alden," Runa said, her voice softening for the first time. "I will take your counsel into consideration. But there is little I can do. We're bound by fate, as much as we both wish otherwise."

Alden's lips pressed into a thin line, his worry not abated. "Just... be careful."

As he left the room, Runa stood alone again, the weight of the decision pressing down on her like a storm cloud gathering overhead. Her mind raced as she thought about the meeting with the King of Shadows. She didn't trust him. She didn't trust the idea of a forced marriage, either, but it seemed like the only choice for the survival of her kingdom.

But the meeting, the very idea of it, made her stomach churn. She couldn't shake the image of Asher's face from her mind-his intense blue eyes, the way they had looked at her with something that bordered on tenderness, even in the midst of their enmity. She had been trained to kill, to fight, to never let her guard down, but with him... it was different. Something stirred in her whenever he was near.

But she couldn't afford weakness. Not now.

Runa moved to the large wooden table that dominated the center of her room, her fingers brushing over the maps spread out before her. She studied the territory of the Kingdom of Shadows, noting the strength of their fortresses and the locations of their armies. She couldn't let herself be distracted by the things that made her human. She couldn't allow herself to feel things that made her vulnerable.

Yet, in the stillness of the night, she couldn't help but wonder-what would her life look like if the weight of her crown were lifted? If she were free to choose her own path, her own love?

The thought gnawed at her, but she quickly pushed it aside. The crown would never be lifted. It couldn't be. Not until the war was won, until her people were safe. Until the world as she knew it had changed forever.

The door creaked open again, this time with more urgency, and a new presence filled the room. Her eyes snapped up to see the familiar figure of Elias, one of the kingdom's commanders. His eyes were wide, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He was covered in dirt and blood, a grim expression on his face.

"Your Majesty," he said, barely able to catch his breath. "There's news from the border. The Waterfall Pack-they've attacked."

Runa's heart stopped.

"Where?" she demanded, her voice cold and hard, her warrior instincts taking over.

"At the southern border," Elias replied, his voice shaking. "They've breached the defenses. And Asher... he's leading them."