The deeper they ventured into the fae lands, the more alive the realm became. The very air shimmered, humming with Sophia's presence. It was no longer just the land reacting—it was responding. Every step she took brought more of it to life, vines unfurling like welcoming hands, glowing petals blooming in reverence.
Lucian stayed close, but even he couldn't deny what was happening. She wasn't just a fae princess. She was something far more divine, and it was awakening faster than they could prepare for.
Sophia stopped in a small clearing. The wind around her spiraled, stirring her hair and cloak as if the forest itself were trying to embrace her. Her breath caught as a sharp, burning sensation pulsed through her back—deeper this time.
"Aah—!" she stumbled, knees buckling.
Lucian was there instantly, catching her before she hit the mossy ground. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"My back…" she gasped. "It's happening again."
Selene rushed over, eyes widening as she examined Sophia's skin beneath the torn fabric of her tunic. "Her wings… they're trying to break through. The energy in this land is forcing the process to accelerate."
Sophia clutched at Lucian's arm, her nails digging in. "It hurts…"
He brushed her hair from her face, his expression filled with anguish. "I know. I'm here."
Selene began whispering an incantation under her breath, easing the tension with gentle spells. But even the witch looked overwhelmed. "This kind of transformation usually takes months. The fae lands must recognize her as their heir. They're… rushing her into her true form."
A soft light bloomed around Sophia's spine. Tiny white feathers emerged, blood and light tangled together. Pain twisted across her features as the first signs of her wings broke free from her flesh.
Lucian's jaw clenched. He wanted to take her pain, to stop this madness. But he knew better. She had to endure it. And she had to rise.
By dawn, the camp had fallen silent, every soldier sensing the sacredness of what was unfolding.
Sophia lay wrapped in a blanket, sweat glistening on her skin, the faint tips of newly forming wings glowing at her back. Lucian stayed beside her, sleepless, his hand cradling hers.
When she finally stirred, her golden eyes—still glowing—opened slowly.
"They're growing…" she whispered.
He nodded. "You were strong."
She looked past him, her eyes narrowing on something in the distance. "The portal…"
Lucian turned. A soft glow now lit the horizon beyond the trees. The land itself had parted, revealing a stone arch wrapped in flowering vines, pulsing with ancient magic.
Sophia stood, wobbling slightly as her legs adjusted. The wind shifted again, this time filled with voices—faint, melodic whispers only she could hear.
Daughter of the stars… return to us.
Lucian watched her with awe and reverence. She was no longer just the girl he had watched from afar. She was becoming something more—his queen.
Selene approached quietly. "That portal leads straight into the vampire kingdom—your kingdom," she told Lucian. "But only she can open it."
Sophia took a step forward, the energy of the land flowing through her veins like wildfire. Her fingers raised, instinctively tracing ancient symbols into the air. The vines parted. The runes along the stone ignited with silver flame.
Lucian stepped beside her. "Are you ready?"
Sophia didn't answer right away. Her heart pounded. Her wings ached. Her soul screamed.
But her gaze was steady.
"Yes."
Together, they stepped toward the portal—an Alpha and his awakened mate.