The Great Forge was a cathedral of fire and shadow. General Thorne froze, his blade still hovering over Kael's throat, as the resonance of Soren's voice vibrated through the very foundations of the mountain.
"Soren?" Thorne's voice cracked. "Impossible. No one survives a fall into the smelting vats."
"I didn't just survive," Soren said, stepping forward. Every step he took left a scorched footprint on the stone, his Alpha energy amplified by the bond with Mika. "I found the truth you've been trying to bury for twenty years."
Mika stood beside him, his hands glowing with a soft, dangerous azure light. He didn't look like the trembling "Tragic Omega" Thorne had conspired to kidnap. He looked like the mountain's chosen vessel.
The Heartwarming Shield
In the sudden silence, Thorne dropped his sword and fell to his knees. "Mercy, Sovereign! I was forced! Vane has my family!"
Soren didn't look at the traitor. He looked at Mika, seeking the silent opinion of the soul now tethered to his own. Through the Blood-Bond, he felt Mika's exhaustion, but also a fierce, protective streak. Mika reached out and rested a hand on Soren's arm, his touch cooling the lethal heat of the Alpha's rage.
"He is a puppet, Soren," Mika whispered. "Killing him now won't stop Vane, but his knowledge of the Highland tunnels might save our men."
Soren took a deep breath, the scent of jasmine and woodsmoke from Mika's skin grounding him. He looked at Kael, who was being helped up by a medic. "Chain him. If he lies once, his head becomes an offering to the Forge."