Chapter 52 – Azaria #2
Tywin’s lips twitched, not bothering to hide his amusement. “Well. I can’t say I’ve ever had to rule on a shifter’s status in Kareth before.” He glanced sideways at me. “He doesn’t belong in a cell, that much is certain. He hasn’t broken any laws.”
“I agree,” I said, unable to keep the curiosity out of my voice. “If I decide to, can I take him to one of the training grounds? Supervised.”
Tywin’s brow arched. “Interested in seeing his shift, are you, Captain Sylvenhart?”
Heat prickled at my neck. “Among other things. I want to know more about who he’s looking for, and whether he’ll share it with us outside a formal interrogation.”
“That’s not the only reason though, is it?” Tywin guessed.
“No. He is a shifter, my lord. Shifters have natural immunity to abyssal magic and are extremely powerful. Not to mention, this could be an opportunity to re-establish diplomatic ties with the shifter continents.” I looked him in the eye.
“I think it’s worth trying to get to know him a little better before we let him go. ”
Tywin’s mouth curved into a real smile. “Permission granted. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious myself. Discreetly, if you can.”
“I’m always discreet,” I deadpanned.
He laughed. “I’ll pretend to believe that. You may take him to see the grounds, but I don’t want him walking around unsupervised. We have no legal reason to keep him locked up, but I would still try to be cautious. He is your responsibility, Captain, until I decide on further action.”
“Yes, my lord.”
By the time I made it back to our wing, most of the squad had gathered—voices low, the usual chaos simmering just beneath the surface. I didn’t waste time.
“Dain, take everyone to the training ring by the storage rooms. The quiet one.”
He raised a brow, already reading the energy coming off me. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll see. Give me fifteen minutes.”
He studied me for a moment, calculating, then nodded once. “You heard her. Move.”
Quin stepped closer as the others began filing out, his hand settling briefly on my waist. “You look like you’re about to do something reckless.”
“I’m always doing something reckless,” I said lightly.
His mouth curved, but his eyes stayed serious. “Be careful.”
“Always am.” I kissed his jaw and turned toward the door. “I’ll meet you there.”
Tallis met me at the base of the stone steps, and together we headed down the winding corridor toward the holding cells.
We stopped outside Kalias’s cell. He was perched on the narrow cot, long legs stretched out, hands folded loosely in his lap.
When Tallis slid the key into the lock, Kalias lifted his head and looked at me.
There was no resentment in his gaze, only that quiet, unreadable calm.
“Tallis,” I said quietly. He moved forward and unfastened the shackles. The chains fell away from Kalias’s wrists and ankles, and the clatter echoed through the stone.
I stepped closer. “Kalias. After your answers to the Truthteller, you’re free to go. You haven’t broken any laws here, and Tywin…” I huffed a breath. “Let’s just say he’s as puzzled by your arrival as the rest of us. You’re not a prisoner anymore.”
A flicker of surprise passed through his pale eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came.
“Before you go,” I added, “I have a request.”
He tilted his head, that slow, animal motion that made the silver in his hair catch the torchlight. “What would you ask of me?”
“My squad,” I said. “None of them have ever met a shifter. We’ve all heard the stories, but never the truth. I’d like you to meet them, just for a short time. Share what you’re comfortable sharing.”
His attention never wavered. At last, he inclined his head in a single, deliberate nod. “I am willing. If it will help you and your people understand.”
Relief slipped through me. I gave him a faint smile. “Thank you, Kalias. Let’s go.”
With Tallis trailing behind, I led Kalias out of the cell and up the steps. Neither of us spoke. It wasn’t an awkward silence. If anything, it carried a strange sort of peace. Kalias moved with an easy grace, each step unhurried. I couldn’t sense a single thread of tension in him.
We reached the training ring. The door loomed ahead, muffled voices carrying faintly from within.
I turned to Tallis. “Thank you, Tallis. You may go now.”
But he hesitated. His weight shifted, his mouth pressing thin.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I… is it all right if I stay? Just for a bit?” He glanced toward Kalias. “I’m sorry, it’s just—we haven’t seen a shifter on this continent for centuries. If you don’t mind, of course.”
I turned the question toward Kalias. “Your choice.”
He looked down at Tallis, slow and unblinking. “I do not mind.”
I nodded, then faced the door. “Brace yourself.”
Tallis let out a nervous snort, but Kalias only arched one pale brow.
I pushed open the door. The training ring went silent the moment Kalias stepped inside.
Every head turned. Every conversation died.
The air itself seemed to still, as if the room had drawn a collective breath and forgotten to let it out.
Kalias stood just inside the threshold, calm and unbothered, his silver hair catching the light filtering through the tall windows. He carried himself with a quiet gravity that made the whole room seem to gather around him.
Dain was the first to move, stepping forward with his arms crossed, eyes sharp and assessing.
Quin straightened from where he’d been leaning against the wall, his gaze fixed on Kalias with something between curiosity and caution.
Kael tilted his head, mist already curling faintly around his fingers.
Reyna’s hand drifted toward her blade on instinct.
“Right, Cap,” Kael drawled, breaking the silence. “And who is this majestic-looking creature?”
I gestured to Kalias. “Kalias Fenwynd. He’s a shifter.”
Silence. Then?—
“A—a what?” Lirael’s voice cracked.
Zeph leaned forward, eyes wide. “A real shifter? Like, an actual shifter?”
Reyna crossed her arms. “You were gone for so long we thought we’d need to come rescue you, but you just casually bring a shifter into the training ring.” She shook her head, almost smiling. “Only you, Azaria.”
Near the door, Tallis stayed very still, dark eyes fixed on Kalias with open fascination. For once, the lieutenant who always had some teasing remark ready for me seemed to have misplaced every word.
“Wait, wait,” Kael said, waving his hands. “Shifters haven’t been on this continent in?—“
“Two centuries,” Thorne rumbled, his gaze fixed on Kalias with sudden intensity.
“And you just… found one?” Lyra asked, still wide-eyed.
“He found us, technically,” I said. “Or rather, Captain Serah’s patrol found him near the Koulan border.”
“Is he dangerous?” Elias asked, calm but direct.
Kalias spoke before I could answer, his voice steady. “Not to those who mean me no harm.”
The squad exchanged glances—wary, curious, electric with energy.
I raised a hand, cutting through the rising noise. “Settle down. Introductions first, questions after.”
Their restless energy simmered into silence, every eye fixed on the figure at my side.
“Kalias Fenwynd,” I said evenly. “This is my squad.”
I gestured first to Kael, lounging against the railing with that careless posture of his. “Kael. Mist affinity.” Wisps curled lazily around his fingers, though his grin made the point louder than the magic.
“Reyna. Fire mage.” She inclined her head, a flicker of flame sparking faintly across her palm.
“Lirael. Wind.” Calm as ever, she bowed her head in quiet greeting.
“Thorne. Earth.”
Here Kalias’s attention lingered. His eyes focused just slightly, and though his face stayed composed, there was weight in the pause. Like something instinctive in him recognized the earth beneath Thorne’s skin and noted it.
“Zephyr. Lightning.” He leaned forward, sparks snapping across his knuckles with a mischievous grin.
“Elias. Water and ice.” Elias gave the briefest nod, cool and steady.
“Lyra. Lightning.” The youngest smiled, nervous but warm.
“And Quinton. Blood magic.”
That was the first true shift in Kalias. He looked at Quin longer than the others, his expression turning quiet and deeply attentive. As if the word itself had struck something he hadn’t expected. Then, with the same composure as before, he inclined his head and let the moment pass.
Finally, I stepped closer to Dain’s side. “Dain. Mind magic. My Second.”
Kalias’s eyes lingered again. This time the pause was subtler, but heavier—something unspoken moving behind his gaze. A faint narrowing, a stillness too deliberate. Then it was gone, his attention sliding back to me.
I folded my arms. “This is my unit, Kalias. They’re loyal, disciplined, and they’ve earned their place here. As long as you’re under my watch, you’ll treat them with the same respect you’ve shown me. Understood?”
His head dipped once. “Understood.”
There was a hush, just a fraction too long, before Zeph piped up. “So, Kalias, what exactly do you shift into? And is it true you can smell fear?”
Kael added without missing a beat, “And do you have, you know, shifter rules? Can you really hear a heartbeat from across a field?”
The others chimed in too, eager and unfiltered, but Kalias only listened patiently, his gaze tracking each face, absorbing every question without interruption. He waited until the noise ebbed, then answered in that steady, grounding voice of his.
“Shifters have heightened senses,” he said, looking first at Zeph, then at Kael, “but it depends on the animal. My strength is scent.” His eyes flicked briefly toward Thorne, then back to the group.
“Bat shifters and some cat shifters are known for their hearing. Others see farther, sharper.” His gaze passed over each of us, lingering for a beat on Quin before moving on.
“And yes,” he continued, “certain powerful emotions have a scent. Fear is the easiest—sharp and acrid. Lust is different. Bloodlust, sharper still. Most shifters can pick up on them, especially when they are fresh.”