The transport moved fast, cutting through the night like a ghost. Inside, it was quiet. The only sound was the soft hum of the engine and Faith's shallow breathing. She was wrapped in a thick, fur blanket, her head resting on Killian's lap.
Killian didn't look at the road. He didn't look at the stars. He only looked at Faith. His hand stayed on her shoulder, his thumb rubbing small circles against the fabric. He was checking her pulse every few minutes, terrified that she might stop breathing in her sleep.
"She's stable, Killian," Sarah whispered from the seat across from them. Her voice was tired. She had spent the last three hours cleaning Faith's wounds and checking her temperature. Her body needs to rest. Using that much power….it's like a person trying to hold a lightning bolt with their bare hands. It burned her out.
"But it's gone," Faith muttered. She wasn't asleep. She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling of the transport. They were dull and dark again. No silver. No light. "I can't feel the mountain anymore. I can't feel the Source. I'm just….me."
Killian leaned down, his voice low and firm. "Being 'just you' is enough, Faith. You did what no Alpha in history could do. You broke the King's blade. You saved us."
Faith didn't answer. She looked out the window at the passing trees. To her, being a 'Dud' again felt like a heavy weight. She felt vulnerable. She felt like a target.
By the time the sun began to peek over the horizon, the air outside had changed. It was no longer the dusty, chemical air of the city or the thin air of the Peaks. It was cold, crisp, and smelled of pine needles.
They were in the North.
Killian's estate was hidden deep within a valley of black stone and white snow. It wasn't a palace like the King's, it was a fortress made of heavy wood and iron. There were no drones here. There were only loyal men with sharp eyes and heavy rifles.
As the transport pulled into the courtyard, the gates slammed shut behind them with a loud bang.
"We're safe here," Leo said, stepping out first. He looked at the tall walls and the guards bowing their heads to Killian. My father's reach is long, but even he wouldn't dare attack a Nightshade stronghold without an army. And right now, he's too busy bleeding to lead one.
Killian lifted Faith out of the transport. She felt lighter than she had the day he bought her. He carried her through the heavy oak doors and up the wide stone stairs. He didn't take her to a guest room. He took her to his own bedroom, the most secure room in the entire house.
He lay her down on the massive bed, tucking the blankets around her.
"Sleep baby," he commanded softly. I'll be right outside the door.
"Killian?" Faith called out as he turned to leave.
He stopped, looking back at her. Yeah?
"Don't let them in," she whispered. "If the King comes….if he finds out I'm a Dud again….don't let him take me."
Killian's gold eyes flashed with a dangerous light. He walked back to the bed and knelt beside her, taking her small hand in his. His grip was warm and strong.
Faith, listen to me, he said. The King would have to walk over my dead body to get to this bed. You are in the house of Nightshade now. Here, you aren't a Dud. You aren't a Catalyst. You're mine. And I protect what is mine.
Faith nodded slowly, her eyes drifting shut. For the first time in days, she felt the tension leave her body. The North was quiet. The North was safe.
But as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, miles away, the quiet was being broken.
In the dark tunnels beneath the Palace, the King was not sleeping. He sat on a stone chair, his chest wrapped in bloody bandages. His breath was ragged, and his face was twisted with a new, ugly scar from the explosion.
Beside him stood a man dressed in grey. He didn't have a wolf scent. He didn't have a pulse. He was a Hunter, a specialist trained to find things that didn't want to be found.
"They went North," the King hissed, his voice cracking. Killian Nightshade thinks he can hide my prize in the snow.
The Hunter didn't speak. He just bowed his head.
"Go," the King ordered, his eyes glowing with a sick red light. I don't care if you have to burn the entire North to the ground. Find the girl. And if Killian gets in your way….bring me his head.
The Hunter turned and vanished into the shadows without a sound.
The journey had been smooth. The North was quiet. But as the snow began to fall over Killian's estate, a new shadow was moving through the trees. The war wasn't over. It was just getting cold.