Chapter 6

  Moonrise…

  Dusk settled over the forest, painting the sky in deep purples and oranges, a stark contrast to the bloody red dawn. The rogues, newly energized by their victory and the promise of a future free from Evelyn’s shadow, gathered their strength. The surrendered guards, relieved to be free of the Queen’s grasp, had been bound and left in a secure clearing under the watch of two of the older wolves. The rest prepared for the final march to the castle caves.

  Kane, Celeste, and Koa stood at the head of their small, fierce army. Kane had traded his cumbersome spear for his mother's polished, ornate sword—a symbol of the power he intended to reclaim and reshape. Celeste’s mother's sword gleamed at her chest, while Koa’s father's garnet-red blade was sheathed at his side, the power within it a quiet hum of promise.

  "The guards told us about a service tunnel that leads directly to the lower barracks," Kane explained, tracing a rough map in the dirt with the hilt of the Queen's sword. "It’s unguarded, forgotten. That's our way in. From there, we move in two teams. Koa and I will secure the armory and free any loyalists still imprisoned. Celeste, you and the others take the main hall and secure the entrance. We meet in the throne room. Alexandra is likely in the hidden room behind the throne."

  "And Evelyn?" Celeste asked, her eyes sharp in the fading light.

  "If she’s smart, she’s rallied her remaining loyalists," Kane replied. "She'll be waiting for us. She won't flee her own castle."

  A silent agreement passed between the three siblings. This was it. The final confrontation.

  They moved under the cover of the moonless night, a stealthy procession of shadows through the familiar woods. The forest felt different now, no longer a place of hiding, but a path to their destiny. The air was cool and crisp, a stark contrast to the humid tension of the morning's battle.

  Reaching the high rock face that housed the royal caves, they found the hidden, overgrown service tunnel precisely where the guard had described it. It was tight and dark, forcing them into single file, but it led them past all the outer defenses.

  They emerged silently into a dimly lit barracks area. The few guards present were caught completely off guard and quickly subdued. They were in.

  The teams split. Koa and Kane moved with surprising synchronicity, brothers who had found their rhythm in the chaos of war. They secured the armory quickly, arming their rogues with proper, sharp steel, and freed a handful of older guards who immediately pledged allegiance to the "true Prince.". In the main hall, Celeste and her team moved like a whisper. They overwhelmed the gate guards, securing the main entrance and cutting off any easy retreat for Evelyn.

  Now, only the throne room remained.

  The three wolves converged at the grand doors. They could hear voices inside—Evelyn’s sharp, commanding tone, followed by the fearful mumbles of a few remaining loyalists.

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  Kane pushed the heavy doors open with a powerful shove.

  Queen Evelyn stood before the obsidian throne, her face a mask of fury and defiance. Only a handful of guards remained by her side.

  "I knew you'd come," she snarled, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of all her enemies standing against her, leading an army of rogues. "The traitor Prince and the two rouge fools. My own blood, come to spill mine." She snarled.

  "Your reign ends now, Mother," Kane said, his voice echoing in the large cavern. He raised her own sword, the irony not lost on anyone in the room.

  "Never!" Evelyn shrieked. "Guards! Attack!"

  The few loyalists charged, but they were no match for the tide of rogues and the focused power of the three wolves. The fight was swift and decisive. In moments, only Evelyn remained, standing alone before her throne.

  "Where is Alexandra?" Celeste demanded, stepping forward, her mother's sword held high.

  Evelyn just smiled cruelly. "Safe. Far from your grasp."

  "We know she's here," Koa added, the red aura starting to swirl around him again. "In the hidden room."

  Evelyn's smile faltered, replaced by a momentary look of shock. That information was secret, known only to her and Kane. Her eyes darted to her son, the betrayal stinging anew.

  The distraction was enough. Celeste saw her chance and lunged not at Evelyn, but behind the throne. With a powerful kick and the force of her sword, she broke through the weak point in the stone wall, revealing a dark, small chamber. Inside, Alexandra lay unconscious on the floor, a light gas still swirling around her.

  "Alexandra!" Celeste yelled, rushing in and pulling the princess out into the fresh air of the throne room.

  Evelyn, seeing her final leverage gone, panicked. She made a dash for the rear exit tunnel, a desperate attempt to escape. But Kane was faster. He tackled her, bringing her down in front of the throne.

  They struggled, mother and son locked in a brutal fight.

  "You deserve none of this!" Evelyn spat, clawing at him.

  "You deserve none of the power!" Kane countered, pinning her to the ground, the Queen’s own sword pressed against her throat. Both Kane and his mother panting heavily.

  The room fell silent again, the rogues watching with bated breath.

  "What now, Prince?" Celeste asked, kneeling beside the stirring Alexandra.

  Kane looked at his mother—the tyrant, the murderer of his real father, the queen who had poisoned her own children's lives. He looked at Celeste and Koa, the family he had chosen.

  He flipped the sword, offering the hilt to his mother. "The war is over. Your time is done."

  Evelyn stared at the sword, then at her son, her eyes full of the venomous hatred of a defeated tyrant. The Queen was broken, her kingdom lost.

  “Banish her,” Kane said coldly, the built up anger balling out. “If she ever shows her face again, kill her on sight.”. Kane threatened to her. “Y-you wouldn’t! We’re family!” Evelyn stammered, switching up.