woke to

he stone, not the fading embers of a fire she needed

as buried

usted sleep. She lay with her cheek against her knee, fire embers faintly hummi

mory re

e frost root. The promi

e's eye

slow and deeply, chest rising like distant waves. His fur brushed her fingers as he exhaled - and for the fir

as a

arrying loosened all at once, and a breath s

it," she

's ears

w he was not lost somewhere beyond pain. Jackline leaned clo

resting, but no longer t

rest afte

morning without loss. Sunlight crept through the high gap in the wall, stretching acro

Jackline was not the only livi

nged t

ged

asn't surprised - the last real meal she'd eaten had been a rabbit

d. "And you - you need more than

f didn'

sed, looking

rs speaking to silence, and now every w

d, softer. "I don't thin

nt - but she di

d over her like a wake-up. The forest beyond the broken gate was still - too stil

Her body protested with each movement - muscles tight fro

, she found tra

tbeat qu

ough fo

cool earth. The deer had passed only an hour or two before. She

ne fol

, heads dipping gracefully, ears flicking in the cold morning air. She moved silently, a

st

ot

scles

sed her

rest held

ead - a warning, sharp as brok

ine l

t. It caught one of the fleeing deer in the flank -

pounding, legs burning. The deer stumbled, blood marking its trail like sma

- quick, clean, merciful - an

shakily, c

for

- not gracefully, but determined - and

d her arms trembled from effort. The deer wasn't small, and she w

was on

the archway, breath h

the dying creature she'd dragged across the forest floor. His pos

iv

rd her slowly

eyes l

he is not j

way othe

gaze. Recognition. Someth

y set the deer down - and

f didn'

't g

n't

tched

f wa

ake," she

ears flicked, and he shifted his weight slightly, testing his legs. His ba

strengt

as watch

fear, but something stranger. Somethin

e admitted quietly.

urprising softness, lowered his head.

wledg

ng. Her hand rose slowly - instinct more than thou

n't pu

ouche

Alive.

of her like something

u stayed," s

a fraction, just enough to

e's lip

st a smile,"

und, something betwe

e world had been a locked door for years, and

stepping back only enough to

to silence. Used to stillness. But now, even when neither of them spoke - when no sound filled the

tching her with half-lidded ey

e kept glancing over - m

dy

go

t t

settl

eadie

hings

self - tender, hot, rich with flavor - and the taste nearly brought tears to her eyes. F

wn near the wolf - not too cl

sed hi

us

arefully - and crosse

ps were

t eat ri

ed at h

g, Is this

e nodde

d the wolf lower

nger. As if even now, he w

r the first time in her life,

as sh

ed her enough that her

t strange

words - but they sett

stones of the castle like a sigh, as if

d a wolf ate toge

dator a

led and

al

s in t

r and tossed the bones aside for scavengers outside the gate. The wolf stayed where he

range bei

ator waiting

something that understood

een them, not tense, but thick with newness. The room felt different no

the wolf to

did

, steady, each step deliberate. Jackline held still, unsure of his intent

ly lay down

d close -

ting from his side. Near enough that she could he

her entire life, it was unsett

ng - and

ering firelight for a long ti

have to sta

f didn'

't f

look

his answer

kn

sted her head back against the

ronger than she was, certainly. Strong enough to vanish back

he h

e, she realized she

ed that night w

in hand out of reflex, heart pounding hard in her chest. For a moment, she wasn't sure what sh

ted his head

pricked,

outside, bending branches low. Dark clouds churned above, swallowing the moon. A streak of lightning split

aw it - roaring louder than norm

ees, and lightning fires. She had spent too many nights huddled

wasn't like

she was

raid, but steady. His fur stood slightly on end, reacting to the electric cha

tec

ne swa

herself with touch, to ground her thoughts in this moment instead of memories

stayed

surviv

knew

en thunder followed, the wolf stepped close

's breat

against his muzzle. His fur was thick and warm, grounding in a way she

afraid," s

urned toward the stor

f, she imagin

ise, the unknow

thought came from, but it

d again, shak

f didn'

, as if placing himself between her and the world outside. Jackline did

ard stones, turning earth into mud and sending water flooding through crac

d shadows dancing across their skin, Jackline and the wo

ly, voice swall

l go further," she said. "

ed his head,

ne swa

cause it was familiar - but it had also been a cage. A place s

he ha

ion. A b

e was going - but because she

whispered. "More than trees and old ro

s held her

hunder followed - and

e her, subtle but real, like

linked onc

ing unexpec

htly, carefully - pressed h

forc

osses

pre

d closed, her hand rising slowly to rest aga

ad lived her life

the beginni

- but growing like ro

she whispered into the storm, voice barely

f didn'

t pul

ide, for the first time in her mem

m passed

opened her eyes, she found the wolf exactly as he'd been when sleep claimed

ears flicked, and silver eyes opened fu

iv

, like she'd been holding her bre

ll here," s

inked

nfirmatio

. The air smelled sharp and clean, like new beginnings. Jackline rose and stretched, sore mus

be

in f

ide

second

y across the room and

to follow me," s

back, un

another st

in her chest-something warm and unse

"I suppose we're doi

d again, as if

efully, spear in hand, and the wolf padded silently beside her, paws barely disturbing the m

was anot

reath behind hers. The subtle s

amilia

heel, the ruined halls seemed less hollow, the broken archways less like tombs of history. She crossed the old cour

inva

erv

rni

ize her to understand hi

l, where ivy hung in heavy curtains, and rainwater dri

e entered, this room always

mbling stone. Tables lay splintered and scattered, as though some vi

stepped

lf fol

e, she noticed someth

do

at just the right angle. She froze, heart jumping, and the wolf

t too," sh

s. Jackline moved forward and gently pushed aside the curtain of ivy. The wood behind it

old

again, harde

eveal a narrow passage filled with stale air a

e lo

beat shifted fro

her spear a

brushed her skin and dust stirred under her feet. Behind her, she hear

ally opened into

d never kno

lt like it had

's breat

portrait, perhaps. She stepped forward slowly, heart beating hard beneath

ed like fa

merged-faded, crack

wo

Her eyes were gentle and bright, her smile soft but strong. In her arms, she held

ine f

eath v

the portrait

le to breathe or move. The room tigh

om her face to the pai

w sound-not threat

gnit

with her fingertips. The paint felt cold beneath the

royal sigils she had never seen bef

d back, th

rstand," Jack

d faintly in th

hing like acknowledgment. As if he had known she wo

wly, eyes burning with questio

o a

did not

ng, as though the truth was alread

or something else entirely-and both Jackline and t

le was l

ne swa

idor, heart still shaken by the woman in the portrait-the eyes she

remained

s a p

s a t

wit

er p

r bec

s in th

n chamber more slowly t

rait, the woman with eyes like hers, the child wrapped in royal cloth. The im

he great hall again. Only then did she realize her br

herself - everything she had a

ered, not

a leaf turned to

the crumbling rafters where banners once hung bright. Her

ife," she said. "But someone onc

red, a slow sweep ac

t me," Jackli

pressing on a bruise she

tterness in her

ewilde

or hidden, or stolen. The answers lay somewhere beyond these wal

her leg gently

, as though retu

ed. "Standing here wo

rd. The wolf followed without hesitation - as th

a faint scent of wet leaves. Jackline climbed to the top of the nearest stairway, weav

dlessly - trees like waves, shift

had been both c

lt like a

e when the banners flew bright? Who was the woman wi

rs tightened aro

into a low hum that slid through broken ston

forest

y - but like breath aga

urm

na

kli

od turn

pped slightly

d the tree line - searching for movement, threat, explanation. N

he air again, higher this time, ca

kli

ow, deep, a warning

t of her, body ten

ne swa

red like hunger. But this was different. This was recognition. Something in t

she coul

e wolf, resting one ha

the words felt dangerous in her m

toward her. As though her voice matter

s throat

- anything-that listened

ose s

id of the for

silver eyes toward

he admitted. "And cur

ind q

again - but not emptiness

r skin. She walked the familiar halls with heavier thoughts, and the wo

line lit a new fire, the flame casting gold across the room. The wolf c

up, eyes on the flames, while the forest

na

d by t

somethi

d forward

a reason," she whispered. "And I

his eyes opened, silver reflecting the f

ld he

conf

wi

he und

ce steadying even as un

aid. "Who I was. Who am I? Why w

- then ad

e forest kn

e fire crackled low. The castle walls - which had h

owly and deeply, as

ime, felt not like a ghost wa

ne waking from

with p

of th

ing across the stone. Jackline rose slowly, joints aching from a restless night. Her dream

in her min

watching her with

wat

e without flinc

y," she said quietly. "Not

rds. Then - to her surprise - he stood and fo

limp

we

ow-s

the corridor and tur

follow me everywher

brushing the stone, g

gh her nose. "So that'

le - and once again, he rose and

een

remained unexplored - not for lack of curiosity, but because parts were too dang

, she was

nto warped stone until it groaned aside. Dust fell like pale snow. The wolf slipp

and dark, lined with doo

en glow pushing back shadows in uneven stro

in the world," she said softly. "Like t

a sound - but his e

open the

otted pages curled like broken leaves. Jackline stepped insi

smeared ink, cracked leathe

a high shelf, untouched

rtbeat

l her fingers brushed the spine. The wolf paced below, every mus

ulled the

eal s

writing - clean, preserved, like some

di

t like som

trembled in her

who com

now we did not vani

's breat

slowly, clutching

not gone -

into her satchel wi

olf's

ackline stepped across them carefully - but the wolf f

dn't

sta

ine - but in

d back, moon-bright

pped c

glass fl

ly a breath - bu

t wasn't qu

shouldered. Hair dark and wild. For a fraction of a

ion snapped back

lse th

lection - not in confusion, but as if

epped close

you?" she

owly, and his gaze

hu

n't ask

t

rs in t

sky. Jackline cooked meat over the fire - this time, she cut

lent. When he finished, he didn't st

within a

against the stone. The forest beyond was alive with the sounds of rain striki

rned - not faint like

kli

gh the wind l

e, every sens

growl rippled like thunder through his ches

tled far bey

s shi

hing

foot

Unce

y, spear in hand, hear

body low, muscles coiled tight,

f

prote

eps st

t the castle like a we

something-fled b

e didn'

olf, breath shallow, s

eard human foot

ve

in all h

il

rest Re

le to force calm int

alone," she

aze locked on the tree line as

lowered h

her life, she wanted

sile

soli

wolf came closer - settling beside he

touch him

dn't n

ence was

than

t breathe and stir, holding secr

he quiet only once more

members me," she murm

it remember

to sleep - guarding, watching, listening to

trength, shad

od yet - but both felt like