Odesse’s eyes widened as she looked up at the moon spirit, her voice barely a whisper against the vast stillness of the realm. "What do you mean by I have to die first?"

The moon spirit hovered higher, her luminous form expanding until she seemed to coat the very edges of the sky. "You see, moon child, that lady... what was her name again?" The spirit paused, the cosmic light around her flickering like a dying star.

Odesse looked up, her jaw tightening. "Azure."

"Yes, Azure," the moon spirit replied, a subtle resonance in her tone that sounded like shifting tides. "She thinks she knows so much about magic and supernatural powers, but she still lacks education. She operates on the surface of things."

"What do you mean?" Odesse asked, her hands balling into fists against the fabric of her gown.

The moon spirit lowered herself slowly, coming so close that Odesse could feel a cool, revitalizing breeze against her skin. "Since I am a part of you, as long as you remain inside this threshold, you will not die—even without the presence of the moon... unless you explicitly choose to let go. Your friend Eryx, even if he had not jumped off that cliff, his mortal frame would have succumbed to his injuries eventually. He would have died. But you? You would still be alive, trapped between the worlds."

The spirit began to hover around her in slow, mesmerizing circles, her silver mist brushing against Odesse’s shoulders. Odesse followed the movement with her eyes, the realization sinking into her chest like lead. "So... I have to physically die in that world in order to truly leave this place?"

"Yes," the spirit replied simply.

"But how does that work?" Odesse’s voice cracked, her human logic fighting against the ancient rules of the supernatural. "How can death bring me back?"

The spirit stopped directly in front of her, the brilliant light of her form softening to reveal a deep, comforting depth. "You will jump off the cliff, just like Eryx did. You must let the mortal world claim its toll. Once the bond with this middle ground is broken through that fall, I shall do the rest in bringing you out of the darkness alive."

Odesse looked down at her feet, a heavy wave of doubt washing over her features. The sheer terror of the drop, the memory of the jagged rocks below, and the absolute finality of the abyss made her knees tremble. "What if it doesn’t work?" she whispered, her lower lip quivering. "What if... what if I just stay down there forever?"

The spirit moved closer, her energy enveloping Odesse like a protective shield. "You, child," the spirit began, waiting until Odesse forced her eyes upward to meet her gaze. "You will need to believe. As much as I am bound to keep your spark alive, if your heart is not driven by an absolute purpose, you will return to that world more dead than alive. A hollow shell cannot hold the power I am offering you."

Odesse stared back, raw agony pooling in her eyes. "My heart... it hurts so much."

The spirit hovered high once more, her voice growing firm, carrying the weight of a divine command. "Moon child, fear will only bring about your defeat. If you choose to harbor fear in your chest right now, imagine how much more fear and torment your husband’s soul will face for years to come if you do not save him. If you do not pull him from her grasp, he will rot from the inside out."

Odesse’s eyes widened, the image of Valex, lost, dazed, and puppeted by another woman, striking her soul like lightning. She tightened her fists so hard her nails bit into her palms. "My king..." she whispered, the raw grief transforming into something fierce, solid, and cold. "No. I cannot be afraid. I have to do this for him. I need to protect him."

The hesitation vanished from her face, her eyes turning into shards of absolute ice. "I need to kill Azure."

She looked up at the moon spirit, her posture straight and unyielding. "I am ready."

"Wonderful," the spirit said, a sense of grim satisfaction echoing in her voice. "Now close your eyes, and you shall wake up in the realm you were before. The moon would have come out from its hidden place by then. Go to the edge of the cliff, and fall."

Odesse nodded slowly, taking one final deep breath of the spirit realm before closing her eyes tightly.

Immediately, the ground beneath her vanished. Her body felt weightless, floating endlessly through a dark, suffocating void where time and direction had no meaning. Then, like a sudden, violent drop that knocked the wind from her lungs, her eyes snapped open.

She was back.

She lay in the damp grass of the forest clearing, her physical body feeling completely lifeless, heavy, and exhausted. Every muscle ached as she forced herself to stand up slowly. The night air was freezing, but she barely felt it. She began to walk toward the edge of the jagged cliff, her steps deliberate despite the fatigue dragging her down.

"I need to let go of my fear if I want to accomplish my goal," she thought to herself, her eyes locked on the precipice ahead. "I cannot let her win. I need Azure to fear me instead."

She reached the absolute edge of the cliff and looked down into the endless, swirling darkness below. For a single, terrifying second, the primal human instinct of survival flared up, and fear crept back into her eyes as she stared at the rocks hidden below the black fog.

The moon spirit’s voice echoed directly inside her skull, commanding and urgent: Fall, child. Now.

Odesse swallowed the lump in her throat, looking up at the sky one last time where the full moon now shined with an unyielding brightness. "I love you, my king," she said weakly, her voice trembling into the wind. "Forever."

A single tear rolled down her cheek, catching the silver moonlight before she leaned forward, throwing her body off the edge and into the endless darkness waiting for her.

Her eyes shut closed instantly. As her body gathered speed, cutting through the freezing air, a large, glowing dome of pure silver light began to form around her, casing her frame in a protective seal. The sheer pressure of the rapid descent forced her consciousness to slip away, and she went completely limp, falling through the black abyss without any thoughts, completely surrendered to the wind.

The dome shined brighter and brighter against the dark canyon, illuminating the shadows as she continued to sink toward the bottom. Deep within her sleeping mind, the gentle, comforting voice of the moon spirit echoed one last time, keeping the cold grip of death at bay: Do not worry, child. I will protect you.

...

Slowly, the heavy darkness of the forest canyon began to clear away. The thick, suffocating air that had weighed on Odesse’s lungs gradually thinned out, becoming light, fresh, and remarkably easy to breathe.

When consciousness finally began to seep back into her body, she could tell immediately that she was no longer in her pack’s territory. This place felt entirely unfamiliar.

The room was vast, dominated by a grandeur that felt completely foreign to the architecture of the Moonlight Pack. High above, the vaulted ceilings were supported by massive pillars carved entirely from gleaming, polished gold, reflecting a soft warmth into the space. The walls were adorned with intricate golden tapestries that depicted ancient, forgotten triumphs, and the sheer wealth of the room was breathtaking without being overcrowded.

Near the grand entrance of the chamber, two women were walking smoothly through the quiet space. One possessed short, tightly coiled curly hair that framed her face beautifully, her rich brown skin shining healthily under the warm lighting. The other woman had long, wavy black hair that fell gracefully past her shoulders, her skin matching the same shiny, deep brown complexion. Both possessed elegant, distinctly curvy body structures that moved with a natural, poised grace.

As they approached the massive, long golden doors of the private quarters, the one with the short curly hair spoke in a quiet, hushed tone. "Do you think she is awake now?"

The one with the long wavy hair shook her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "I do not know. It is very weird, everything about this. For her to just be floating unconsciously in the palace’s private river... it makes no sense."

"Yes, you are right," the short-haired woman murmured, adjusting the fine silks of her dress. "And she has really pale skin, too. It is unlike anyone from our territory."

"Yes," the long-haired woman replied, reaching out toward the brass handles. "If Prince Elrik had not found her when he did, heaven knows what would have happened to her out there in the deep waters."

The short-haired woman sighed softly. "Yes, we better go check up on her."

Together, they pushed the heavy golden doors open and stepped into the sprawling bedchamber. They walked quietly across the thick rugs toward the massive, elevated bed that stood in the center of the room. There she lay—Odesse—sleeping soundly, her features completely still as she remained trapped in her unconscious state.

The woman with the curly hair leaned over slightly, observing her pale face. "She really is still asleep. She has been like this for almost two weeks now. Hopefully, she wakes up before the King and Queen return to the palace."

As the two women watched her anxiously, Odesse’s long eyelashes began to flutter weakly.

The short-haired woman gasped, nudging her companion’s arm excitedly. "Look, look! She’s waking up!"

Odesse’s eyes opened slowly, but the sheer amount of shiny, golden decor reflecting the sunlight through the tall windows made her vision blurry, making it incredibly hard for her to keep them open at first. She blinked several times, her focus gradually returning until she could clearly see the two women looking down at her with warm, relieved smiles.

Groaning softly from the deep ache in her joints, Odesse tried getting up slowly, bracing her weight against the soft, silk-covered mattress.

The woman with the long wavy hair immediately moved forward, placing a gentle, supportive hand behind Odesse’s back to assist her up. "You are awake finally," she said, her voice smooth and welcoming.

Odesse rubbed her temple, her throat feeling incredibly dry as she looked around the unfamiliar, golden room. "Where am I?" she asked, her voice raspy and weak from weeks of disuse.

The woman with the short curly hair smiled brightly, stepping closer to the bedside. "You are in the Hispo Pack."

Odesse tilted her head slowly, repeating the unfamiliar name in her mind. "The Hispo Pack."

Just then, the heavy golden doors of the chamber opened once more, drawing the attention of all three women.

A man walked into the room boldly, his presence instantly commanding the space. He was remarkably tall, with deep, dark shiny skin that seemed to glow under the palace lights. He was dressed in exquisite, heavy royal attire that accentuated a heavenly, powerful body structure. His long brown hair fell loosely around his broad shoulders, providing a striking contrast to his sharp, piercing grey eyes.

A soft, genuine smile broke across his handsome features as he walked directly toward the bed, his gaze locking onto Odesse with a look of profound relief.

"You are awake," he said, his deep voice echoing warmly through the quiet chamber.