Chapter 6 The Cost of Forbidden Magic

The First Temple rose before us like a monument from another age—which, in truth, it was. Even partially ruined, its grandeur was breathtaking. Massive white stone columns supported what remained of the domed ceiling, intricate carvings depicting werewolves and witches working in harmony spiraling up their length. Archways that once contained stained glass now gaped open to the elements, like hollow eye sockets in a bleached skull.

Our Ash Walker guides led us to a section of wall that appeared solid from a distance but revealed itself, upon closer inspection, to contain a narrow fissure just wide enough for a person to slip through sideways. The leader made a series of clicking sounds, pointing emphatically at the opening.

"This is as far as they'll go," Calder translated. "They fear what remains inside the temple—say it's sacred in ways even they don't fully understand."

I studied the fissure with trepidation. "Did they mention anything specific we should be wary of?"

After a brief exchange, Calder's expression turned grim. "Only that those who enter seeking power often find destruction instead."

"Comforting," I muttered.

The Ash Walker leader approached me, its movements fluid yet somehow mechanical. It reached out with long, spindly fingers to touch my pendant, then made a series of rapid clicks while drawing symbols in the air.

"It says your... stone of sight will be both weapon and weakness inside," Calder translated hesitantly. "That you must remove it when the time comes, despite the danger."

I instinctively clutched the emerald pendant that controlled my prophetic abilities. Remove it? The thought sent a spike of anxiety through me. Without its protective influence, my visions could overwhelm me, leave me vulnerable in what was certain to be a dangerous situation.

The Ash Walker turned to Calder next, touching the damaged star iron collar around his neck. More clicks, more gestures.

"And I must... break free of what binds me," he said slowly, "if we are to succeed."

We exchanged troubled glances. These cryptic instructions raised more questions than they answered, but we had no time to seek clarification. Already, the Ash Walkers were retreating, melting back into the ashen landscape until only their leader remained visible.

It made one final gesture—a hand over its heart, then extended toward us.

"A blessing," Calder murmured. "And a farewell."

We returned the gesture, then turned to face the narrow entrance to the temple. Calder went first, his broader shoulders barely squeezing through the gap. I followed, the rough stone scraping against my back and chest as I edged sideways through the fissure.

The passage opened suddenly into a vast chamber that must have been the temple's main hall. Moonlight streamed through holes in the ceiling, casting pools of silver illumination across a floor inlaid with a massive mosaic—a celestial map showing constellations I recognized and others I didn't, all surrounding a central design of a wolf and a woman standing back to back, hands linked.

"The original Starfire Twins," I breathed, recognizing the imagery from ancient texts.

Calder knelt to examine the mosaic more closely. "Look at what they're holding."

In the wolf-man's hand was a teardrop-shaped object that could only be the Moon Tear. The woman held what appeared to be a jagged piece of crystal—the Star Fragment we sought.

"The fragment is depicted as broken," I noted. "As if it's just one piece of a larger whole."

"Like the Moon Tear," Calder agreed. "My people have always believed it was originally part of something greater—a celestial object that fell to earth and shattered."

I traced the connecting lines between constellations with my fingertip. "These aren't just stars—they're ley lines. Energy pathways." I followed one particular line that ran directly through the joined hands of the figures. "This one connects to the ritual chamber. That must be where the fragment is kept."

We moved deeper into the temple, following the ley line depicted in the mosaic. The air grew heavier with each step, charged with ancient magic that made my skin tingle and the hairs on my arms stand on end. I could tell from Calder's tense posture that he felt it too.

"Something isn't right," he murmured as we approached a set of double doors carved with celestial symbols. "This magic—it's familiar somehow, but distorted."

I placed my palm against the doors, reaching out with my senses. "It's witch magic and werewolf strength combined, but... corrupted. As if something else has been layered over it."

"Vampire influence?"

"Perhaps." I pushed gently, and the massive doors swung open with surprising ease, revealing the ritual chamber beyond.

The circular room was dominated by a raised dais in the center, upon which stood a pedestal of white stone. Surrounding the dais, twelve pillars arranged like clock faces reached toward a domed ceiling painted with the night sky. Moonlight poured through a circular opening directly above the pedestal, creating a perfect spotlight.

And there, hovering a few inches above the pedestal's surface, was a jagged crystal that pulsed with inner light—the Star Fragment.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, taking an involuntary step forward.

Calder caught my arm. "Wait. This is too easy."

He was right, of course. After everything we'd faced, finding the fragment unguarded, simply waiting for us, seemed suspicious at best.

"There must be protections we can't see," I agreed, scanning the room more carefully.

The floor surrounding the dais was inscribed with concentric rings of runes—some I recognized from witch grimoires, others that appeared to be ancient werewolf markings, and still others that were completely foreign to me. A trap, then, or a test.

"Look," Calder pointed to faded murals on the walls between the pillars. They told a story—the original Starfire Twins receiving the celestial objects from the stars, using them to create the first alliance between our peoples, then facing some great darkness that the artists had depicted as a formless shadow with gleaming red eyes.

The final panel showed the Twins standing as we had seen them in the mosaic, back to back with joined hands, the Moon Tear and Star Fragment held aloft as they faced the darkness together.

"The binding wasn't just symbolic," I realized. "It was functional—a magical construct designed to channel combined power."

Calder studied the mural thoughtfully. "So to claim the fragment, we need to approach it together, as the original Twins did."

It made sense. The entire temple was a monument to the united strength of our peoples. Even the trap runes would likely respond to our combined presence rather than trying to keep us out.

"Back to back," I suggested, positioning myself. "Like in the mural."

Calder moved into place behind me, his broad shoulders pressed against mine. I extended my hand to my side, and he took it, our binding marks touching. Immediately, I felt our magics respond, resonating with the energy in the room.

"Now we walk forward together," I said. "One step at a time, in unison."

We moved as one entity, stepping carefully across the first ring of runes. They illuminated briefly as we passed over them but triggered no defensive magic. Encouraged, we continued to the second ring, then the third.

With each step, the temple's magic pressed more heavily against us, testing, questioning, as if the very stones were assessing our worthiness. I could feel Calder's tension through our joined hands, his wolf nature bristling against the invasive energy, but he maintained our steady pace.

As we reached the final ring before the dais, the runes blazed suddenly with blinding light. Spectral figures rose from the floor—translucent apparitions of a man and woman in ancient attire, their faces stern and judging.

"The temple guardians," I breathed, recognizing them from descriptions in the oldest texts. "The spirits of the original Twins."

They spoke in unison, their voices resonating not in the air but directly in our minds: "What was broken seeks to be whole. What was sundered yearns to join. But only those who understand the price may claim the power within."

"We understand," Calder replied firmly. "We've seen what happens when our peoples stand divided."

"Words," the spirits dismissed. "Easy to speak, harder to live. Show us the truth of your binding."

Before we could respond, the female guardian gestured toward me, and my pendant grew suddenly hot against my skin. The male guardian made a similar motion toward Calder, and his collar tightened visibly, the star iron gleaming.

"Barriers and bindings," the spirits intoned. "You cannot truly unite while you hide behind walls of your own making."

I understood with sudden clarity what the Ash Walker had been trying to tell us. My pendant, while protecting me from overwhelming visions, also limited my power—kept me from fully embracing my gifts. And Calder's collar, though controlling his berserker rage, also prevented him from accessing his full strength.

"We have to remove them," I said quietly. "My pendant, your collar."

Calder's hand tightened on mine. "Your visions—"

"I know. And your rage..."

"Could consume me entirely," he finished grimly.

We stood at a precipice. Without my pendant, I risked losing myself in prophetic visions, becoming unable to distinguish present from future, reality from possibility. Without his collar, Calder might succumb to the berserker fury that had claimed so many of his ancestors, becoming a danger to everyone—including me.

Yet without taking this risk, we could not claim the Star Fragment. And without the fragment, we had no hope of saving the children.

"Trust the binding," I murmured, echoing Elder Thorne's parting words. "It's stronger than we realize."

Calder was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, he released my hand and reached for his collar. "Together, then."

I unclasped my emerald pendant as he worked at the complex lock of his collar. The pendant came free easily, and I felt the immediate rush of unfiltered power—my senses expanding, the boundaries between moments in time growing thin and permeable.

Calder was having more difficulty with his collar. According to the enchantment placed upon it, only his true partner could unlock it. I stepped around to face him, taking over the task.

"Let me," I said softly.

As my fingers touched the lock, the binding mark on my wrist flared with silver light. The collar's mechanism responded, clicking open with surprising ease. As it fell away from his throat, I saw Calder's eyes flash amber, his muscles tensing as the full force of his wolf nature surged through him.

For a terrifying moment, I thought we'd made a terrible mistake—that he would lose control, that I would be swept away by visions. But then our binding marks pulsed in unison, creating a connection that anchored us both.

The guardian spirits nodded in approval as my pendant and his collar dissolved into motes of light that swirled around us before dissipating.

"Approach and claim what is yours by right of courage," they commanded, fading back into the floor.

Hand in hand, we ascended the three steps to the dais. The Star Fragment hovered before us, pulsing with a rhythm that matched our heartbeats. Up close, I could see it was indeed a broken piece of something larger—one edge jagged and rough, the others smooth and faceted.

"Together," Calder reminded me as we both reached for it.

The moment our fingers touched the crystal, visions exploded behind my eyes—not chaotic as I'd feared, but clear and sequential, guided by Calder's steady presence through our bond. I saw the fragment and the Moon Tear as they once were—a single celestial crystal that had fallen to earth millennia ago. I saw how it had been deliberately broken after the Great Betrayal, the pieces separated to prevent either side from wielding its full power.

And I saw what the vampires intended—to use both pieces in their Blood Moon ritual, not to reunite them but to corrupt them, creating a doorway through which something ancient and terrible could enter our world.

"We need to hurry," I gasped as the vision released me. "They're accelerating their plans. The ritual—it's already beginning."

Calder nodded grimly, clutching the Star Fragment. "I saw it too. They've brought the children to the central square. The Blood Moon rises in hours, not days as we thought."

We raced back through the temple, no longer concerned with traps or guardians. The fragment pulsed in Calder's hand, growing brighter as we neared the exit, as if responding to its counterpart in the vampire city.

Outside, the ash plain lay bathed in an unnatural reddish glow. Looking up, I saw the moon beginning to rise—already tinged with blood at its edges.

"We're running out of time," I said urgently. "The city is at least an hour away on foot."

Calder's expression was determined. "Not if we embrace what the guardians showed us." He held out his free hand to me. "My wolf form can carry us both, but only if I fully transform. Without the collar..."

"You might lose yourself to the rage," I finished. "But our binding should prevent that."

"Should," he emphasized. "Are you willing to take that risk?"

I didn't hesitate. "Yes."

His smile was fierce. "Then hold the fragment. And hold on to me."

I took the Star Fragment, surprised by how warm it felt against my palm, how right. Calder stepped back, and I watched in awe as he transformed—not the partial shift I'd seen before, but a complete metamorphosis into his wolf form.

Without the collar's restriction, the change was both more fluid and more complete. The wolf that stood before me was massive, larger than any natural wolf could be, with fur black as midnight except for a silver streak along his spine. His eyes remained Calder's, though—amber and intelligent, focused on me.

I approached cautiously, the Star Fragment clutched to my chest. The wolf—Calder—lowered himself to make mounting easier. I swung onto his back, gripping the thick fur at his shoulders with my free hand.

"To the city," I said. "As fast as you can."

He needed no further encouragement. We shot across the ash plain like an arrow released from a bow, covering ground at an impossible speed. The world blurred around us as Calder's powerful muscles carried us effortlessly toward the vampire stronghold.

As we ran, I felt our bond strengthening, evolving. Without my pendant to dampen my abilities, I could sense Calder's thoughts more clearly—his determination, his concern for the captured children, and beneath it all, a fierce protectiveness toward me that I hadn't fully appreciated before.

In turn, I knew he could sense my emotions—my fear for the children, my uncertainty about what awaited us, and my growing trust in him, in us, in what we might accomplish together.

The city walls loomed closer with alarming speed. From this distance, I could see figures moving along the battlements—vampire sentries keeping watch. In the central square, now clearly visible, a ritual circle had been prepared, glowing with malevolent purple fire. Around its perimeter, ten small cages held the kidnapped children—six werewolf pups and four young witches, just as the dryad had said.

"We need a plan," I thought, knowing Calder would sense my concern through our bond.

He slowed slightly, circling toward a less guarded section of the wall. His thoughts reached me not as words but as impressions—stealth, surprise, the suggestion that we separate once inside, him to free the children while I confronted whoever held the Moon Tear.

"No," I projected back firmly. "Together, remember? That's the whole point."

A grudging acknowledgment rumbled through our bond. We would approach together, then.

As we neared the wall, Calder suddenly veered into a narrow ravine I hadn't noticed—a dried streambed that ran directly under the city's foundations. The opening was barely large enough for his wolf form to squeeze through, forcing him to crouch low as I pressed myself flat against his back.

The passage twisted beneath the city, eventually opening into what appeared to be an ancient drainage system. Calder padded silently through the damp tunnels, following some instinct or scent I couldn't detect. After several minutes, he stopped beneath a grated opening, looking up meaningfully.

I dismounted, understanding his intention. "This leads to the city proper?"

A mental affirmation brushed against my consciousness.

"You'll need to shift back," I whispered. "You won't fit through otherwise."

Calder's transformation back to human form was less fluid than his shift to wolf, accompanied by a barely suppressed groan of pain. I steadied him as he regained his balance, noting with concern the strain evident on his face.

"The rage," he explained quietly, seeing my worried expression. "Without the collar, it's... difficult to control during the shift back."

"But you did control it," I pointed out, squeezing his arm encouragingly.

His smile was tight but genuine. "Thanks to you. Our bond—it anchors me somehow."

I nodded, understanding perfectly. My own gifts, usually so chaotic without my pendant, remained focused and manageable as long as we maintained our connection.

Calder examined the grate above us. "This should lead to a side street near the central square. From the sounds above, most of the vampires are gathered for the ritual."

"Good. We'll have the element of surprise." I touched the Star Fragment, which I'd secured in a pouch at my waist. "Once we're up there, I'm going to try something. The fragment responds to the Moon Tear—I can feel it pulling toward its counterpart. I think I can use that connection to disrupt whatever ritual they've started."

"And the children?"

"Priority one is stopping the ritual," I said grimly. "If that doorway opens even partially..."

He nodded, understanding the impossible choice. "Then we stop the ritual first, free the children in the chaos that follows."

With surprising strength, Calder pushed the heavy grate upward and aside. He hoisted himself through the opening, then reached back to pull me up after him. We emerged into a narrow alley between two buildings, the sounds of chanting and drums coming from nearby.

Cautiously, we edged toward the alley's end, peering around the corner at the central square. What we saw made my blood run cold.

Dozens of vampires surrounded a raised platform where an ornate ritual was underway. At the center stood a figure who could only be "the Master"—tall and elegant in midnight robes, with skin so pale it seemed to glow in the red moonlight. Beside him, on a smaller pedestal, the Moon Tear gleamed with inner light.

The children's cages had been arranged in a perfect circle around the platform. Even from this distance, I could see their fear—the werewolf pups huddled together, the young witches holding hands through the bars that separated their cages.

And worst of all, standing at the Master's right hand was a familiar face—Councilor Vane, somehow freed from the dungeon where we'd left him. His wound appeared fully healed, his expression one of fanatical devotion as he assisted with the ritual preparations.

"Traitor," Calder growled, his eyes flashing amber with barely controlled rage.

I placed a restraining hand on his arm. "Focus. We need to get closer without being seen."

Scanning the square, I spotted a possibility—a covered walkway that ran along one side, connecting two larger buildings. If we could reach it, we might be able to approach from above, directly over the platform.

I pointed it out to Calder, who nodded in agreement. Moving silently, we slipped from shadow to shadow along the perimeter of the square, using the vampires' focus on the ritual to our advantage. When we reached the building with the walkway, Calder boosted me up to a low balcony, then leaped up to join me with inhuman agility.

From our new vantage point, we could see the entire ritual layout. The Master stood before an altar upon which various dark implements were arranged—ceremonial daggers, bowls of what appeared to be blood, and most prominently, the Moon Tear itself, now glowing with pulsating red light.

"The moon is nearly at its zenith," I whispered. "Whatever they're planning, it will happen soon."

Calder's jaw tightened. "We need to strike now, before—"

His words cut off as a commotion erupted below. One of the vampire attendants was approaching the Master, gesturing urgently toward the temple visible in the distance. With dawning horror, I realized the Star Fragment in my pouch was glowing brightly enough to be visible through the fabric—responding to its proximity to the Moon Tear.

"They know," I breathed. "They can sense the fragment."

The Master's head snapped up, his gaze sweeping the perimeter of the square. Though I knew we were hidden in shadow, I felt the weight of his attention like a physical touch, cold and ancient and hungry.

"Find them!" he commanded, his voice carrying effortlessly across the square. "The wolf prince and the witch are here—they have the Star Fragment!"

Vampires scattered in all directions, moving with preternatural speed as they began searching the buildings surrounding the square. We had minutes at most before we were discovered.

"Change of plans," Calder said grimly. "We go directly for the Moon Tear. Now."

I nodded, pulling the Star Fragment from its pouch. It blazed in my hand like a captured star, responding to the nearness of its counterpart. "I'll create a diversion. You go for the children."

"Rowan—"

"Trust me," I cut him off. "The fragment responds to me. I can use it to disrupt the ritual while you get the children to safety."

He held my gaze for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Be careful."

"You too."

We moved to the edge of the walkway, directly above the ritual platform. Below, the Master had resumed the ceremony, though with increased urgency. He held the Moon Tear aloft, chanting in a language that hurt my ears and made my vision blur.

The air above the platform began to shimmer, reality itself seeming to thin as the ritual progressed. Through the distortion, I caught glimpses of something beyond—a realm of shadows and cold stars, and something moving within it, something vast and hungry.

It was now or never.

I stood, raising the Star Fragment high. "By the power of stars and moon, by the binding of wolf and witch, I command this doorway CLOSED!"

Power surged through me as the fragment responded, sending a beam of brilliant white light toward its counterpart below. The Moon Tear caught the energy, amplifying it, sending prismatic reflections dancing across the square.

The Master staggered back, hissing in pain as the pure light touched him. The distortion in the air wavered, the glimpses of the shadow realm fading.

"NOW!" I shouted to Calder.

He leaped from the walkway, transforming in mid-air into his wolf form. He landed in the center of the platform, scattering vampire attendants with snapping jaws and raking claws. In the confusion, I jumped down as well, focusing all my energy on maintaining the connection between the two celestial artifacts.

"Stop them!" the Master shrieked, his composure shattered. "The doorway is collapsing!"

Vane lunged toward me, partially transformed into a monstrous hybrid of wolf and man, his eyes glowing with unnatural red light. Calder intercepted him, the two crashing together in a blur of fur and claws.

I pressed forward, fighting my way toward the Moon Tear, which still hovered above the altar. Every step was a struggle against the oppressive magic saturating the air, but the Star Fragment pulled me forward, eager to reunite with its other half.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Calder fighting with desperate ferocity, keeping Vane and several vampires at bay while gradually working his way toward the children's cages. His wolf form moved with impossible speed, teeth and claws finding vulnerable points with surgical precision.

I was mere steps from the altar when a cold hand clamped around my throat, lifting me off my feet. The Master's face filled my vision—beautiful in its perfection, terrible in its cruelty.

"Foolish witch," he hissed, his breath like winter against my skin. "Did you think your pitiful binding could stand against powers older than your entire species?"

He squeezed, cutting off my air. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision as I struggled, the Star Fragment still clutched desperately in my hand.

"Your wolf cannot save you," the Master continued, turning so I could see Calder surrounded by vampires, fighting valiantly but clearly overwhelmed. "And once you are dead, the binding will break. The doorway will open, and my true master will enter this world at last."

Desperation gave me strength. With my free hand, I clawed at his face, drawing blood that was black and viscous. He hissed in annoyance rather than pain, tightening his grip further.

"Die knowing you failed," he whispered. "Die knowing the children you came to save will be the first to be consumed."

As consciousness began to slip away, I reached for the binding between Calder and me, pouring every ounce of remaining strength into it. _Help me_, I projected through our connection. _The Tear—we need both artifacts together!_

I felt Calder's acknowledgment through the bond, felt his determination as he gathered himself for one final, desperate effort. With a roar that shook the very stones of the square, he burst free from the circle of vampires, charging directly toward us.

The Master turned, startled by the sound, his grip on my throat loosening just enough for me to gasp a single breath. It was all I needed.

"Moonlight bind, starlight pierce," I rasped, the ancient words coming to me as if I'd always known them. "What was sundered, now make whole!"

I thrust the Star Fragment toward the Moon Tear. The two artifacts seemed to recognize each other, to yearn for reunion. Light exploded between them, blinding in its intensity.

The Master screamed, dropping me as the light seared his ancient flesh. I fell to my knees, gasping for air, but maintained my focus on the artifacts. Above me, they circled each other like binary stars, faster and faster, drawing closer with each revolution.

Calder reached my side, shifting back to human form to help me stand. "Whatever you're doing," he gasped, bleeding from a dozen wounds, "keep doing it!"

The Master had recovered enough to lunge toward us, his beautiful face contorted with rage. "You cannot stop what has begun!" he shrieked. "The doorway is already forming!"

He was right—despite our efforts, the air above the altar continued to thin, the glimpses of the shadow realm growing more substantial. Whatever entity waited there was pressing against the barrier, its vast presence felt rather than seen.

"The children," I realized suddenly. "Their magic is still feeding the ritual!"

Calder nodded grimly. "I'll free them. Hold the artifacts as long as you can."

Before I could protest, he was gone, racing toward the circle of cages. Vampires moved to intercept him, but they were too slow—without his collar, Calder's speed was unmatched, his determination unstoppable.

I turned my attention back to the whirling artifacts, willing them closer together. They responded to my command, but too slowly—the doorway continued to widen above the altar, cold air from the shadow realm spilling through like water through a cracked dam.

The Master laughed, a sound of triumph and madness. "You're too late, witch! The Blood Moon reaches its apex, and the way is open!"

A massive appendage—something like a tentacle but composed of shadow and malice—began to push through the doorway, reaching toward me with palpable hunger.

In that moment, I understood what needed to be done.

"Calder!" I shouted, both aloud and through our bond. "Get the children clear! NOW!"

I felt his acknowledgment, saw from the corner of my eye as he smashed open the last of the cages, gathering the children to him. Vane tried to stop him, but Calder struck him down with a single, devastating blow, sending the traitor crashing into a stone pillar.

With the children freed, I reached deep within myself, calling upon magic I'd never known I possessed—the full power of a Stargazer, unfiltered by pendant or training. Silver light erupted from my hands, weaving around the whirling artifacts like a net.

"By blood and bond, by star and moon," I intoned, each word carrying the weight of ancient power, "I call upon the original binding. Close this door, seal this breach, return what comes to whence it came!"

The Star Fragment and Moon Tear collided in a cataclysm of light and sound. Instead of merging as I'd expected, they shattered—not into useless shards, but into a cloud of luminous dust that expanded outward, enveloping the doorway and the thing trying to force its way through.

The shadow entity shrieked as the light touched it, a sound that existed more in the mind than in the air. It thrashed, trying to retreat back through the doorway, but the dust clung to it, burning away its substance like acid.

The Master screamed in denial, lunging toward me in a final, desperate attack. I had no strength left to defend myself, having poured everything into the spell.

But Calder was there, intercepting the vampire with inhuman speed. They crashed together in a blur of motion, tumbling across the platform in a deadly dance.

"Finish it!" Calder shouted to me, pinning the Master momentarily.

Summoning the last reserves of my strength, I directed the cloud of celestial dust to collapse inward, forcing the doorway closed. The shadow entity fought against the compression, but it was too late—the connection between worlds was severing.

With a sound like reality itself tearing, the doorway slammed shut. The backlash of energy knocked everyone in the square off their feet, extinguishing the ritual fires and plunging us into darkness broken only by the blood-red light of the moon overhead.

I lay on the cold stones, too exhausted to move, awareness fading at the edges. Through our bond, I could feel Calder's pain and triumph as he continued to fight the Master, keeping the ancient vampire from reaching me in my vulnerable state.

Dimly, I was aware of other battles raging across the square—vampires fleeing or fighting, the freed children huddled together in a protected alcove where Calder had placed them.

My focus narrowed to the struggle nearest me. Calder and the Master were evenly matched now, the vampire weakened by the ritual's failure, Calder empowered by the absence of his limiting collar. They fought with terrible beauty, too fast for the eye to follow, blood spattering the stones around them.

Then came the moment that would haunt my nightmares forever after.

The Master, realizing he could not overcome Calder directly, changed tactics. He broke away from the fight, moving with blinding speed—not toward me, as I'd expected, but toward the huddled children.

"If I cannot have my doorway," he snarled, "I will at least feast on innocent blood tonight!"

Calder reacted instantly, throwing himself into the vampire's path. They collided with bone-crushing force, the Master's momentum carrying them both toward a broken pillar at the edge of the platform. The jagged stone pierced the vampire's chest, but not before he had plunged something into Calder's side—a silver dagger that gleamed wetly in the moonlight.

"Calder!" I screamed, forcing my battered body to move.

The Master hung impaled on the stone, black blood flowing freely, his beautiful face contorted with pain and rage. "If I die," he gasped, "your wolf dies with me. Silver in his heart, witch. Not even your binding can save him now."

Calder had collapsed to his knees, the dagger still embedded in his side. As I reached him, I could see the silver poison already spreading through his veins, visible as dark lines beneath his skin.

"No," I whispered, gathering him into my arms. "No, no, no..."

His amber eyes found mine, clouding with pain but still lucid. "The children?"

"Safe," I assured him, tears blurring my vision. "You saved them. You saved everyone."

He attempted a smile, grimacing as another wave of pain hit him. "Not... everyone... yet."

I looked frantically around the square, hoping for help, but the remaining vampires were fleeing, and we were alone except for the children still hiding in their alcove, too frightened to approach.

"I need to get the dagger out," I said, reaching for it.

Calder caught my wrist. "Won't... help. Too close to heart. Silver already spreading."

"Don't say that," I choked, tears falling freely now. "There has to be a way. The binding—"

"Is what's keeping me alive... this long," he finished weakly.

Through our connection, I could feel his life force ebbing, feel the silver poison burning through him like acid. He was right—it was too close to his heart, the silver already doing irreparable damage.

"I won't let you die," I said fiercely. "I can't."

His hand found mine, our binding marks touching. "Rowan... it's okay."

"It's not okay!" I shouted, rage and grief making my voice crack. "None of this is okay!"

Around us, the dust from the shattered celestial artifacts began to swirl, responding to my emotions. It gathered in eddies and currents, glowing with soft blue-white light, like stars come down to earth.

And suddenly, I knew what I had to do.

My grandmother had taught me about a forbidden spell—"Life Weaving," she'd called it. A technique so dangerous it was only whispered about, never written down. A way to transfer life force from one being to another, to literally weave someone's torn life thread back together... at great cost to the caster.

"Calder," I said urgently, "do you trust me?"

His eyes, growing dimmer by the second, focused on mine. "With... everything."

That was all I needed to hear. Placing one hand over the silver dagger still embedded in his side, I used the other to trace sigils in the air—ancient symbols of healing and sacrifice.

"By blood and bone, by breath and will," I began, my voice steadying as I committed to the spell, "I offer life for life, strength for strength."

The celestial dust responded to my words, swirling more rapidly around us, beginning to glow with increasing brightness. I felt the spell taking hold, felt my own life force beginning to flow through our binding and into Calder.

"What... are you doing?" he gasped, trying weakly to push me away. "