[POV: SOLENNE]
When Solenne agreed to a tour, she hadn't expected to laugh. Tours weren't typically funny—at least not that she knew of.
But after explaining a few of the sculptures and paintings, the pair arrived at a war banner with an ugly cross-stitch of a general on it. Solenne wasn't one to judge artwork, but she found it ridiculous.
Thalos' face contorted in distaste when he saw it, and with a wry twist of his mouth, he scoffed. When Solenne looked down at the plaque beneath it and read 'The Great Iron Fang,' her shoulders started to shake before she could stop them.
She didn't make a sound, but she didn't need to. The joy was in the moment, not the volume.
"I don't know why they gave me that many scars," Thalos sighed with mock offense. "I counted four. That artist gave me twenty."
Solenne covered her mouth, shoulders trembling. [It's dramatic. I like it.]
He smiled faintly, pleased with her amusement. They continued their slow walk through the Citadel's inner gallery, past statues with worn names and tapestries heavy with thick layers of dust.
Thalos moved like he belonged there, as if the stone floors remembered his presence… and while she was with him, Solenne felt—strangely—like she might belong there, too. Everything about the situation felt familiar.
"I'm assuming His Majesty told you to remain in his chamber?" Thalos ended up asking as they passed through another long corridor.
Solenne wrung her hands together and looked down, feeling a little guilty. [He did.]
"I see. He said it with your safety in mind," the warrior said thoughtfully. "The fortress is… in a strange state. Many rooms are missing or warped; there's no telling what could happen to someone unprepared."
[I see…] Solenne crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders to fight a nervous chill that ran down her spine. [I'll be careful, but I hope we aren't stuck here forever.]
"Me, too," Thalos said sadly. "I haven't had any luck finding an exit—but I am mostly just grateful to be able to move again."
Thalos led her into a banquet hall at the end of the corridor. Solenne was startled when she realized it was full of people—omegas, from the look of it. Thalos also looked somewhat surprised, but he didn't initially voice his concerns.
[Royal servants got stuck in here, too?] Solenne signed nervously, taking a step closer to him.
"Apparently," he said with a shrug. "It isn't too surprising."
One of the omegas, a short, kind-looking brown-haired woman, noticed Thalos and Solenne enter and rushed over. She bowed deeply, "General Thalos! It's wonderful to see you! And…"
"This is Lady Solenne, the Alpha's mate," Thalos introduced. "She's mute, so be mindful."
Solenne's brow quirked curiously. 'He knows I am Ruvan's mate?'
Even though she had the false mate bond marked into her skin, she didn't think she would have a scent or anything to give it away.
Thalos looked down at her with a knowing glance as if reading her thoughts. He shook his head once and glanced back at the woman they spoke with.
The omega's round amber eyes widened into saucers as she looked at Solenne. She seemed genuinely emotional as she said, "Lady Solenne… you're so beautiful…"
"The Alpha King has a mate?" A young man sweeping cobwebs from a corner of the banquet hall asked.
"Of course! Why else would he have asked us to clean?" another answered.
"It's rare to see His Majesty so lucid," an older woman with silver streaks in her dark hair shook her head. "But he gave us clear orders yesterday without his mind cracking in the middle of his commands like usual."
Thalos' expression was complicated and unreadable as he listened to their gossip. He cleared his throat after a moment, causing them all to quiet down.
"I'd suggest you get back to work unless you want to be on his bad side when his mind does split," Thalos said, his voice stern but kind. It was a genuine warning, not a threat.
"Yes, sir!"
"Of course, General."
A chorus of compliance rang through the hall as they all returned to work.
Solenne nodded politely in farewell at the omegas as Thalos led her out of the dining area. His pace had quickened slightly, and Solenne had difficulty keeping pace.
When he finally stopped in front of another, smaller corridor, Solenne took the opportunity to talk to him again.
[Thank you,] she signed once, stopping to face him. [For this. For listening.]
"I should be thanking you," Thalos replied. "You brought breath back to the dead; you gave me, and the rest of us, a second chance to walk these halls."
[The dead?] Solenne's brows furrowed. [You don't seem like a ghost.]
Thalos' eyes flickered with something unreadable, but he served another wry smile. "I'm not—not yet."
She wanted to ask what he meant, but he didn't leave time for questions. They moved down the narrow corridor that split off from the main drag. The walls bore no decoration, only raw, dark stone veined with soft, pulsing runes.
Thalos paused in front of a locked door. "This used to be a sanctuary," he explained. "Before the court collapsed—before he was sealed."
Solenne glanced at him. [You speak of him carefully.]
"I speak of him truthfully," was Thalos' simple response.
[Do you hate him?] Solenne couldn't help but ask. The relationship between the two men seemed complex, and she wondered how someone close to Ruvan would feel about his current… state.
"I remember who he was," Thalos said. "…And I know what he's become."
Solenne could tell that was as close to an answer as she would get. It didn't seem like a topic he was interested in pursuing, so she didn't press further.
Instead, they turned back the way they came—toward the gallery. Solenne's wolf was calm for once, padding quietly in the back of her mind, curious rather than restless. Her heart was calmed, and her steps felt lighter after she had exercised and received mental stimulation.
When they neared the King's chamber, she didn't notice the shift in the air behind her until the room darkened. The atmosphere turned cold, charged with chaotic energy.
A familiar voice cut through the corridor like a blade. "...Thalos."
Solenne froze, and Thalos turned. The latter didn't seem particularly concerned or surprised by the Alpha's arrival.
Standing at the mouth of the hall, golden eyes aflame, stood Ruvan. His jaw was clenched, and his posture was taut. He looked at Thalos like he was staring at a ghost—and then at Solenne like the ghost had touched what was his.
"You're alive," Ruvan observed. His tone was steady—but the animosity behind it was apparent.
Thalos inclined his head slowly. "I am."
Ruvan's gaze flicked to Solenne. "And you're with her."
Solenne stepped back instinctively, but she tried to calm herself. Thalos was utterly unfazed by the King's behavior, so she tried to emulate his confidence.
The room buzzed with unfiltered tension and energy, like the fortress itself was holding its breath.
"How long?" Ruvan asked, his voice low and dangerous. "How long have you been awake?"
Thalos didn't answer right away.
Then, calmly, he said, "Long enough to meet your mate."
Solenne blinked a few times and looked at Thalos like he had grown two heads. She had just been silently admiring the warrior's ability to remain calm in front of such an unpredictable, dangerous person—but there he went, provoking him!
…Something inside Ruvan snapped at Thalos' words. Loud cracking noises echoed down the hall as the Alpha King's bones broke and regrew as he started to transform into his wolf.