I accept it with carefully concealed shock. “Thank you.”
Once alone, I examine the tablet cautiously. It’s almost certainly been modified with tracking software and monitoring protocols. Using it to access my research files would immediately alert security. But its return offers a slim possibility I hadn’t dared hope for—communication.
As darkness falls, I activate the tablet, watching for any sign of tampering. The standard interface appears, but several applications are disabled. The communication functions, predictably, have been blocked. However, the basic system utilities remain accessible—including power management and device diagnostics.
Working quickly, I access the tablet’s diagnostic interface. It’s a backdoor approach I’ve used before to bypass security restrictions in Haven’s Heart’s overly-controlled research networks. Within minutes, I’ve established a limited connectionto the settlement’s emergency broadcast system—not enough to send detailed messages, but sufficient for a simple alert.
I program a timed security override that will trigger the settlement’s perimeter alarm systems at precisely 2 AM—creating a diversion that might give Kael the opening he needs. It’s a risky gamble, but the best I can manage with limited resources.
The next part is harder. I need to corrupt my research files without triggering security alerts. Direct access to the main database is impossible from my restricted tablet, but there’s another approach—one that plays on Haven’s Heart’s own security protocols.
I initiate a series of diagnostic scans focusing on the genetic sequencing data clusters where my most sensitive Storm Eagle research is stored. Each scan includes a subtly malformed query designed to corrupt specific portions of the database—the portions containing information about Storm Eagle neural pathways, magical conductivity, and genetic vulnerabilities.
It won’t destroy everything, but it might render the most dangerous data unusable for weapons development. At least temporarily.
As midnight approaches, I make final preparations. I dress in the practical field gear returned with my personal effects, hiding my tablet in an inner pocket. There’s nothing else to take—everything that matters is either in my head or already in Haven’s Heart’s possession.
I sit by the window, watching the settlement quiet for the night. Guards patrol in predictable patterns, security lights casting sharp shadows across the compound. Somewhere beyond the perimeter fence, in the vast darkness of the northern wilderness, Kael is coming for me.
The realization strikes me with sudden clarity: I’ve made my choice. Not just for tonight, but for whatever comesafter. Somewhere between scientific curiosity and forbidden attraction, between duty and truth, I’ve chosen a side in this conflict. I’ve chosen Kael.
I’ve chosen to be something I never imagined—a traitor to Haven’s Heart, a fugitive from my own people, and perhaps something else entirely. Something connected to the storm and sky in ways I’m only beginning to understand.
As I wait for midnight, I think about the research I’ve done, the discoveries I’ve made, and the man who has somehow become the center of my uncertain future. Whatever happens tonight will irrevocably change the course of my life. There’s no going back to who I was before—the dedicated researcher, the loyal citizen, the woman who believed her place in the world was fixed and known.
That Elena Ashford died the moment lightning struck near her and awakened something ancient in her blood. Something that recognized the golden eagle watching from above.
Something that still calls to him, even now, across the darkness and distance between us.
10
KAEL
Viktor circles me like a predator, his steps deliberate and calculated. Around us, the Council chamber has fallen silent, the elders watching with expressions ranging from concern to barely concealed anticipation. Outside, rain lashes against the stone walls of the aerie, the distant rumble of thunder punctuating the tension.
“Three times in the past week, you’ve disappeared without explanation,” Viktor says, his voice pitched to carry to every corner of the chamber. “Three times, Stormwright, when our people needed leadership.”
I maintain my position at the center of the room, refusing to turn and follow his movement. Show no weakness. “I was scouting potential hunting grounds beyond our traditional territories. As I explained to the Council yesterday.”
“Alone? Without escort or notification?” Viktor stops directly in front of me, close enough that I can see the flecks of silver in his steel-gray eyes. “Strange behavior for a leader so concerned with the clan’s welfare.”
Lightning flickers between my fingers—a warning I don’t bother to suppress. “Question my methods if you must, but not my dedication to our people.”
Elder Talon steps forward, his ancient face grave beneath his crown of silver hair. “These accusations are serious, Stormwright. Stormwarden Viktor has brought evidence before the Council that cannot be dismissed with simple denials.”
My stomach tightens. Evidence? What could Viktor possibly have found?
“With the Council’s permission,” Viktor says with false deference, “I would like to present what my scouts discovered three nights ago.”
Elder Talon nods, and Viktor signals to a warrior standing by the chamber entrance. The man approaches, carrying a small wooden box. My enhanced senses detect a familiar scent even before he opens it, and cold dread washes through me.
The warrior opens the box and presents it to the Council. Inside lies a single vial of amber liquid—my blood. The sample I gave Elena for her research.
“This was found hidden in the ground-dweller settlement,” Viktor announces. “In the possession of a human female—a genetic researcher for Haven’s Heart.”
Murmurs ripple through the chamber. I keep my expression neutral despite the panic building inside me. I need to think carefully, speak carefully.
“And how did your scouts come to be inside a Haven’s Heart settlement?” I counter, redirecting attention. “Entering their territory without authorization is a direct violation of my orders.”
