Later, as Kai prepared to leave Thegara, Ren approached him for the tenth ti. Her persistence was unwavering. She wouldn’t draw back. This ti, she would convince him, she had to, to let her join the war.
"My love, please," Ren whispered, stepping closer. "Let co with you."
She hesitated, her voice trailing into the silence between them. "In every future, you saw, every one where I stayed behind, they found a way to kill . But in the last one...the only one where I lived, I was fighting."
Kai’s frown deepened. He set his helt down beside him. Pure gold, its surface glead beneath the dim light of the candle. A wolf was carved into the brow, noble and fierce, while a dragon curled across the back, eternally coiled, eternally watching.
He turned and t her eyes with a sharp glare. "How can you ask this of ?" His voice cracked like ice under pressure. "You carry our children, and you ask your husband to toss you into the fire?"
Ren bowed her head, unshaken. "With , Ogain grows stronger. I don’t even have to ride him. I can stay near and channel my power into him, a living shield to protect him if he’s struck."
Kai let out a huff of frustration, his breath clouding in the cold Royal armory. This was madness.
’Let her co with us,’ Shadow’s voice stirred, low and pleading, in the back of his mind.
"No," Kai said firmly. "You’ll stay here. I will kill that giant."
’I’m weak!’ Shadow lied, feigning it. He wanted Ren next to him. But Kai knew it already.
Ren pouted, lips trembling with frustration. He was going to burn himself down, him and Shadow both, just to keep her safe.
"If you won’t take with your consent," Ren declared, her tone calm but resolute, "then I’m afraid I’ll co without your permission."
Kai’s mouth parted in disbelief. She was defying him, openly.
"Reneira, why won’t you listen to ?"
She gave a casual shrug as if the matter were already settled. "Because that giant will be my first kill."
He stared at her, stunned into silence. She wasn’t being reckless, she was being terrifyingly logical. If the giant truly wore dragon-scale armor, then her griffin, Ogain, was the only one with the speed and force to pierce it. And to shield Ogain, she would have to channel her power. It made sense. Every part of it made sense. Except the part where she carried his unborn children into battle.
"You’ll stay beside at all tis," he finally said, lowering his defenses. "And when we move to the front lines, you’ll follow my orders, without hesitation."
Ren bead and nodded eagerly. "I’ll be ready in minutes."
Kai let out a reluctant sigh, a small smile playing on his lips. "I’ll help you put your armor on, my little stubborn wife."
He helped her out of her dress and into the fitted pieces of armor she had ordered the blacksmith to forge last month, his hands steady but his heart heavy. When she was finally suited in full battle-wear, he stepped back and grimaced.
"No man should have to do this," he confessed, the words soft, aching. "It makes feel... wretched."
"If I wanted the kind of man who caged ," Ren murmured, adjusting her armor, "I wouldn’t have stayed with you. You’ve always let be myself."
Kai handed her the helt that held two wings instead of ears, his expression hard with worry. "It’s different this ti. If you step onto that battlefield, Phoria will know. The other sorcerers who serve Nimoieth will feel it too. They’ll sense what you carry."
Ren cradled the helt under her arm, then reached for his hand, pressing a kiss to the back of his fingers.
"When we were attacked in the forest, we were alone. No allies, no plan. But now... now we have many who stand with us."
Kai narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Doe-eyes, you’re hiding sothing."
She smiled, shaking her head. "Not hiding. Just waiting. It’s a surprise."
Then her voice softened, turning prophetic. "We’ll win this battle in the North. We won’t let it cross our borders. I promise you that."
Kai stared at her for a mont, then let out a rich, warm laugh. "I should be the one saying those words to you."
Ren giggled, her voice like starlight. "I said them first... so they’d belong to ."
Kai pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead, murmuring against her skin, "My little naughty wife." His chin ca to rest gently atop her crown, his breath warm in her hair.
"This war won’t end quickly. I won’t lie to you," he whispered. "Without Azrael, tracking those Lords will be far more difficult."
Ren said nothing. Since revealing what the Demon King had done to Azrael, she had seen the quiet sorrow settle behind Kai’s eyes like a shadow that refused to leave. He had tried, twice, to summon his divine father, to plead for Azrael’s release. But each ti, his cries had been t with silence. Or worse, rejection.
~*~
Final: A night ago...
Shifter Camps~
Elaika had been keeping her distance from the wolves. To her surprise, Gloria had given her a tent among the human soldiers, yet hadn’t spoken a word to her since. But tonight, sothing was different. Gloria appeared at the flap of her tent, carrying two bowls of steaming stew and a loaf of fresh bread she’d baked herself.
Elaika sat stiffly at the small table, refusing to look at her, and playing with her food, awkwardly.
"You know I share a bond with the dragon, right?" Gloria started as she swallowed her bite.
Elaika scoffed, not lifting her eyes. "Who doesn’t? Are you here to gloat?"
Gloria let out a tired sigh. "No, I’m not showing off. Dragons can sense the wolves who’ve found their true mates."
Elaika’s spine went rigid. Her hand froze mid-stir, eyes locked on the untouched stew. Her voice was quieter now. "What are you implying?"
Gloria’s smile curved into sothing sly, mischievous, almost cruel. "If you want to hear the rest, eat. I heard you haven’t been eating well lately. And I happen to know you love food more than anything."
Elaika finally looked up, one brow raised. "Are you toying with ?"
Gloria shrugged with a flick of her red braid. "No. I’d never dare toy with a moody, utterly mad wolf."
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