---- The Nocturne leaned against the wall and closed his eyes like azy beast; his arms never stopped hugging the small body he heldhis ---- precious treasure.


    Darkness closed in around them, and slowly, the mechanism behind the sealed door started to turn like tiny gears being guided into ce.


    A dense shadow, full of hatred and grudges, stared from the other side where Lavinia was trying to reach.


    A specter so macabre that even Laziel hadnt detected it yet.


    The mist swirled around it from its excitement, revealing hidden features: short ck hair, hollow sockets glowing with a deep green light.


    "Its moment wasing...


    another De Croix witch was unlocking its prison." eke Far away from the royal pce, Lyra hade up with her best strategy...


    but now she had a problem. "No.


    I don''t want you to do that," Drakkar was being stubborn, holding her arm so tightly he was about to leave marks on her skin.


    "Babe, its nothing, ve done it before.


    Its a bit...


    unpleasant, but I''ll be back before you even blink," she exined again how she nned to use her brothers specter to send a message to Memento.


    ---- Not just anyone could do it, but even though Lyra wasn''t a sorceress, she had Ss and Laziels blood.


    "No Lyra, no...


    I...


    I''m scared you won''te back," he confessed, looking into her eyes with those midnight orbs. Lyra felt defeated.


    So what now? "] was thinking maybe that priest could give us some proof or clue so that his son, the Beta, would believe us.


    How are we going to do this if I can''t even contact Nana?" Lyra frowned.


    "We''re running out of time, Drakkar!" But Drakkar wasnt just a savage because of his loinclothno way was his woman going to jump into that ck thing and vanish into nothingness...


    not without him.


    "You want to see that Beta? I can take you there..." "What?" And without much time to react, Drakkars entire body started shifting, merging into the war form of Khalum, who to Lyra looked like an incredibly powerful Lycan.


    "Baby, I know its night, but still...


    won''t people see you like that? You''re... little too much," Lyra huffed, feeling like this n was turning into a mess.


    "No, I''ll figure it out.


    No ones gonna hurt my mate." ---- Khalum lowered his huge, furry hands to scoop her up carefully, Lyra looked like a delicate porcin doll tucked into his ck and white fluffy fur.


    She snuggled up happily, burying her nose in the honeysuckle scent that drove them wild.


    "''See how reliable my mate is? I love his war form," Aztoria moaned inside Lyras mind as Khalum slipped away with agile steps.


    He was a nighttime shadow gliding like the wind, despite his enormous size.


    He protected Lyra from sharp branches and leaves, sniffing and watching the distance toward the palisadeway farther than any regr wolf could reach.


    But it was bing more and more obvious: Khalum was anything but ordinary, and that night, he just kept blowing Lyras expectations away.