Chapter 17: Poison and Power
Pain burned through Liana's veins like liquid fire. Darkness pressed in from all sides as people shouted around her. Someone lifted her, carried her. Then nothing. She floated in blackness, neither awake nor asleep. The poison crept through her body, inch by inch, turning her blood to acid. "Fight it," a voice whispered. Liana tried to answer but couldn't find her words. "Fight it," the voice said again, louder this time. "Or we both die." A sparkling light cut through the darkness. It took the shape of a wolf—silver-white with eyes like starlight. "Who are you?" Liana managed to ask in this strange dream state. "I am you," the wolf said. "And I am Selene." The name hit Liana like a blast. Selene—the legendary Luna murdered ages ago. The wolf who sacrificed herself to save her pack from evil. "That's not possible," Liana whispered. "Look at me," the wolf ordered. Liana stared into those starlit eyes and saw ages of memories—battles fought, pups raised, mates loved. And finally, a knife in the back, blood on marble floors, a muttered curse. "I've been waiting for you," Selene said. "For the one with blood pure enough to accept my spirit. Now the poison is killing us both." "How do I stop it?" Liana asked desperately. "Transform," Selene answered. "My power and yours together. The silver blood will burn away the poison." "I can't! I've never managed a full shift!" "You can now. I'll help you." The silver wolf pressed her nose to Liana's heart. Warmth spread through her chest, pushing back the icy grip of the poison. "It will hurt," Selene warned. "More than anything you've ever felt." "Do it," Liana gasped. Fire burst through her body. Her bones cracked and reformed. Fur pushed through skin. She screamed, the sound changing into a howl halfway through. In the real world, Liana's body arched off the bed. The triplets watched in horror as black veins spread across her skin, then started to glow silver. "What's happening to her?" Jace ordered, gripping the bedpost so hard it cracked. Elder Mira shook her head. "I've never seen anything like this." Kael hadn't left Liana's side for hours. "She's fighting it," he said hoarsely. "Look." The black poison fled wherever silver light touched. Liana's skin trembled as if something moved beneath it. Rowan, still weak from his own brush with the curse, pointed to the window. "The moon. It's reacting to her." Outside, the full moon glowed brighter than usual, casting silver beams directly onto Liana's bed. In her thoughts, Liana ran alongside Selene through a forest of silver trees. With each step, the poison burned away, replaced by something stronger, older, more powerful. "You are the last Silverblood," Selene told her. "The last of my line. My power is yours now." "What does that mean?" Liana asked as they ran through the moonlit woods. "It means you can hear the truth behind lies. Sense feelings as clearly as scents. And when you're ready—control the mate bond itself." They reached a cliff edge and stopped. Below stretched a valley filled with wolves—some with glowing eyes, others darker, more threatening. "Your pack is in danger," Selene warned. "Not just from outside. The treason comes from within." "Celeste," Liana growled. "Not just her. She is merely a pawn. Look deeper." Before Liana could ask more, a crack like thunder split the dream world. The cliff fell beneath her paws. She fell, tumbling back toward awareness. "Remember," Selene's voice followed her. "We are one now. My strength is yours." Liana's eyes snapped open. She gasped, sucking in air like she'd been underwater. Four faces floated above her—the triplets and Elder Mira. "She's awake!" Jace exclaimed. "How do you feel?" Kael asked, his usually stern face soft with concern. Liana tried to speak but coughed instead. Rowan helped her sit up, offering water. "Careful," he warned. "Slow sips." This time, Liana sniffed the water carefully before drinking. Her sense of smell had changed—she could identify the minerals in the water, the sweat on Rowan's skin, the fear lingering in the room. "What happened?" she finally asked. "You collapsed during the Trial," Elder Mira explained. "We found traces of wolfsbane and black root on the flask Celeste gave you." "Where is she?" Liana demanded. "Under guard," Kael answered. "She claims innocence. Says she found the flask and thought it was just water." Liana's new senses prickled. She could smell the doubt in Kael's words. "You don't believe her," she said. Kael's eyes widened slightly. "How did you—" "The poison," Elder Mira interrupted. "What happened while you were unconscious? Your body... changed." Liana looked down at her arms. The black veins were gone, replaced by tiny silver markings that seemed to shift under her skin like flowing mercury. "My wolf spoke to me," she said. "She told me her name." The room went quiet. "Selene," Liana continued. "The murdered Luna from the old prophecy. She's been inside me all along." Elder Mira gasped and dropped to her knees. "The Silver Queen returns," she whispered. "The prophecy is true." "What prophecy?" Jace asked. Before Elder Mira could answer, Alpha Thorne walked into the room. "The Trial continues," he stated. "Now." "She needs rest," Rowan protested. "The moon waits for no one," Thorne growled. "Especially not during the Trial." Liana swung her legs off the bed. Her body felt strange—lighter, stronger. "I'm ready." As they walked through the house toward the Sacred Grove, Liana noticed everything with crystal clarity. The slight shift in servants' eyes when they saw her. The rumors that followed. "—changed her—" "—silver eyes now—" "—never seen an omega like—" When they reached the Grove, the pack had already gathered. Celeste stood with her father, her face a mask of worry. When she saw Liana, her smile faltered. Liana stared straight at her. I know what you did, she thought. Celeste's face paled. She took a step back, saying to her father, "How is she even walking? That was enough poison to kill an Alpha." Liana froze. Celeste hadn't spoken loud enough for normal ears to hear. Yet Liana had heard her perfectly—as if the words had been spoken straight into her mind. She glanced at Jace, who stood nearby. Why did she have to survive? Now I'll have to find another way to keep her from my boys. The thought hit Liana like a physical blow. It was Jace's voice, but his lips hadn't moved. She turned to Kael next. His face remained stoic, but his thoughts rang clear: Something's changed in her. The metal marks... just like in father's old books. If she truly carries Selene's spirit, that means— "The second trial begins," Elder Mira announced, breaking Liana's concentration. "The Test of Wisdom. The candidate must answer three questions from the Moon Goddess herself." Liana stepped forward, her mind reeling from this new power. She could hear thoughts—not all the time, but when she focused on someone. Their secrets, their fears, their true plans laid bare before her. "Are you prepared?" Elder Mira asked. Liana nodded, studying the crowd. So many faces. So many thoughts now open to her. Rowan watched her with genuine worry. Please be safe. I couldn't bear to lose you. Celeste stared with pure hatred. This isn't over, Silverblood. And somewhere in the crowd, a voice she couldn't quickly place thought darkly: The Heart must be found before the final night. The girl must die. The prophecy cannot be finished. Liana's new power had just revealed something terrifying—the true betrayer was still hidden, and they wanted her dead before the Trial finished.