The wall looms behind me, an invisible barrier between two worlds, and yet, it’s the weight of what I’m about to do that truly presses down on me. My heart pounds, but not from fear—no, fear left me the moment I crossed into this forsaken land. What I feel now is a strange mix of duty, dread, and acceptance. I know why I’m here, why I must die. For Tamlin. For Prythian. For the slim chance that she—the human—might be the one to break the curse. I see her then, small and fragile in the distance, yet there’s a fire in her eyes that cuts through the cold air between us. I should be filled with anger, with the instinct to survive, but instead, I just watch her, my heart heavy. I keep my gaze locked on her, willing her to understand, to know that this isn’t just a hunt. But she doesn’t. The first arrow pierces my arm, and pain flares through me, but I remain still. She’s hesitating, watching me with a mix of fear and resolve, and I can sense the doubt seeping into her. I growl, the sound escaping me with a desperation I didn’t expect—desperation not for my life, but for what my death might mean. I need her to finish this, to end the uncertainty. Because if she doesn’t… all of this would have been in vain.

"Finish this!" I say but it only come out as a pained, animalistic growl as I hold onto my wolf form a little longer.