Chapter 5 - The Trial of the Bloodline
Three days passed in a golden blur of luxury and terrifying adaptation.
Eloin was fitted in gowns of spun silk and silver thread, served by submissive pack members who bowed low whenever she entered a room. Yet, the true test of her new existence was about to begin.
In the center of the Citadel’s grand amphitheater, the Elders of the Seven Packs had gathered.
Ancient, stern-faced wolves sat upon tiered stone benches, their eyes sharp and critical as Eloin walked down the central aisle. Cassian walked beside her, his hand resting securely at the small of her back, a physical anchor against the oppressive waves of judgment radiating from the assembly.
"King Cassian," spoke High Elder Morgran, an ancient wolf with a scarred face and milky-white eyes. "You bring an unverified girl before the High Council and declare her your queen. But lineage cannot be claimed by mere words or glowing skin."
"Silence, Morgran," Cassian warned, his voice a low, vibrating growl that made the stone pillars hum.
"No, Cassian. Let him speak," Eloin stepped forward, her chin held high. The silver pendant rested against her chest, warm and pulsing. She felt a sudden, strange surge of ancient confidence that didn't feel like her own, yet fit her perfectly. "How do you propose to test my bloodline, Elder?"
Morgran’s thin lips curled into a dry smile. He gestured toward a massive pedestal in the center of the arena. Atop it rested the Aegis Blade—an ancient, legendary sword forged from pure meteoric silver and enchanted with the blood of the First Alpha.
"If you are truly of the royal Eclipse bloodline," Morgran declared, "the blade will recognize its master. But if you are a fraud—a common half-blood—the silver poison will consume your soul the moment your fingers touch the hilt."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the amphitheater. Cassian’s hand tightened on Eloin’s arm, his eyes flashing with warning. "Eloin, no. It’s a rigged trial. The enchantment is unstable."
Eloin looked up at Cassian. She saw the fierce, protective terror in his golden eyes, and for the first time, she knew she had to do this not just for him, but for herself.
She pulled away from his grasp and walked slowly toward the pedestal.
Every eye in the arena was locked on her. The air grew freezing cold as she approached the altar. Resting upon the stone was the magnificent, terrifying sword, its surface swirling with iridescent silver light.
Eloin stood before the pedestal. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let her mind sink into the strange, humming power thrumming beneath her skin.
Remember who you are, a soft, maternal voice whispered in the back of her mind.
May you like
Eloin opened her eyes. They flashed a brilliant, molten gold.
She reached out and placed her bare hand flat against the hilt of the Aegis Blade.
