Chapter 2

Gabriel’s sword blazed white. “You are not welcome here, Lord Samael.”

The name struck Adam like a cold wind. Samael. One of the seven princes. But Gabriel’s voice held no surprise—only readiness.

Samael’s lips curved. He had a face like carved marble, beautiful and cold. “I am not here for war, Gabriel. I came to see the newborn prince. The first to be born in flesh in both worlds.” His silver eyes moved to Adam. “You feel it, don’t you? The pull. The weight of your true heritage.”

Adam’s chest tightened. He did feel something—a hum in his blood, a recognition that went deeper than memory. His hands trembled. “What do you want?”

“To offer a warning,” Samael said. “Grandmother’s call will come soon. The seven of us will be summoned. But not all of us wish to answer. Some would rather keep the worlds separate.” He glanced at Eve. “Your mother knows what I mean.”

Eve stepped forward, placing herself between Samael and Adam. “You have no right to speak to him. He is not ready.”

“He is awake,” Samael replied. “That is enough.” He raised a hand, and a shard of light formed in his palm—a small crystal, pulsing with inner fire. “Take this, Adam. It will let you pass freely between worlds. A gift, not a trap. Use it when you must.”

He tossed the crystal. It arced through the air and landed at Adam’s feet.

Gabriel’s sword did not lower. “You overstep, Samael.”

“Perhaps.” Samael stepped back into the circle. His form began to fade. “But the mortal world is fragile, and your prince has a family there. They are in danger now that he has awakened. The balance has shifted.” His eyes locked onto Adam one last time. “When you are ready, come find me. I will be in the Obsidian Vale.”

The light collapsed inward, and the silhouette vanished. The circle went dark.

The hall fell silent.

Eve exhaled slowly. She picked up the crystal from the floor and examined it. “It is clean. No curse.” She handed it to Adam. “Keep it. But do not use it until I teach you how to shield your mind.”

Adam took the crystal. It was warm, humming faintly. “What did he mean about my family being in danger?”

Gabriel sheathed his sword. “Every awakening sends ripples. In the mortal world, things that were hidden will begin to stir. Your sister. Your mother. They are connected to you by blood, and blood is a beacon.”

Adam’s stomach dropped. “I have to go back.”

“Not yet,” Eve said firmly. “First, you must learn to control your power. You are half werewolf, half wizard. The wolf will rise when you feel strong emotion. If you return now, untrained, you could hurt the very people you want to protect.”

Adam looked at the crystal in his palm. The need to go home was a knot in his chest, but Eve’s words made sense. He remembered the times in the mortal world when anger had made his vision red, his teeth ache. He had always blamed it on stress. Now he understood.

“How long will it take?” he asked.

“Time flows differently here,” Gabriel said. “A day in the wizard world can be an hour in the mortal world. Or a year. Grandmother controls the flow. She will slow it for your training. You will return before they even miss you.”

Adam nodded slowly. “Then let’s start.”

Eve smiled, a hint of warmth returning. “That is the spirit of a prince.” She turned and gestured toward a wide corridor lined with tapestries. “Come. I will show you the training grounds and introduce you to your first lesson: the wolf and the wizard are not separate. They are two halves of one soul. You must learn to let them work together.”

Adam followed, the crystal tucked into his pocket. Gabriel walked behind, alert.

As they passed through the hall, Adam glanced back at the now-dark circle. He thought of his mother’s tired face, his sister sleeping on the couch. He promised himself he would return, stronger, able to protect them.

But as they entered the training grounds—a vast courtyard of white stone, with floating targets and shimmering runes—a new sensation prickled at the back of his neck. A scent he did not recognize. Something old, animal, and hungry.

He stopped.

Gabriel noticed. “What is it?”

Adam’s wolf stirred. His senses sharpened. He turned slowly, scanning the courtyard’s edges. Among the shadows of a tall hedge, he saw two points of green light, low to the ground. Eyes.

A low growl rumbled from the darkness.

Eve tensed. “The wards should have kept them out.”

The green eyes blinked once, then vanished.

Adam’s heart pounded. “What was that?”

Gabriel’s hand was back on his sword. “Something that followed Samael’s trail. Or something that was always here, waiting for you to awaken.” He looked at Eve. “We need to move him inside. Now.”

They hurried toward the main building, but as Adam ran, he felt the crystal in his pocket pulse, once, twice—a rhythm like a heartbeat. And in his mind, Samael’s voice whispered:

They are already hunting you, little brother. Come to the Vale before they find you in your sleep.

Adam stumbled, catching himself on a pillar. The voice was gone, but the warning remained. He looked at Eve and Gabriel, both tense, both watching the shadows.

The training would have to wait. Something had begun.