Contents
11 Meryn
Overview
Stark leaves at dawn, and Siegrid seizes Meryn’s training, revealing she is the conduit of all pack powers, including shadebending and extended foresight. Meryn orders the palace’s excess sold for relief and agrees to relinquish the Strategos Alpha role. When Alistair broadcasts from Rabenfrost, Meryn and Anassa erect a wall to block him.
Summary
After a charged near-kiss, Stark pulls away and leaves for his mission with Noemi, confessing his duty is to protect Meryn but warning her about the Sovereign Alpha. Meryn wrestles with feelings and the bleed of Anassa and Cratos’s mate bond, then focuses on the coming day.
In the morning, Meryn briefs Tormun on Killian and Alistair before he departs to hunt. Summoned by Siegrid to the royal chambers, Meryn orders the palace’s opulence liquidated to aid the people. Siegrid outlines urgent training: mastering sovereign communication over the packs’ “sea,” practicing other packs’ powers, and preparing for nobles in three weeks.
Siegrid explains that as queen, Meryn is the conduit for all Bonded powers—able to extend Strategos foresight and learn rifting, shielding, and impelling. With Stark gone, Siegrid will teach impelling herself. She also demonstrates shadebending, noting Alistair’s corrupting throttle through the engagement bracelet.
Siegrid presses one final point: Meryn should relinquish the Strategos Alpha role so her loyalty serves all of Nocturna. After conferring with Anassa, Meryn agrees to step down and let the pack choose a new Alpha.
Back in her rooms, Meryn checks on the withdrawn Saela. Alistair intrudes on the bond network, broadcasting from Rabenfrost. In response, Meryn and Anassa construct a massive mental wall, expelling him from the channels at brutal cost. Confirming Saela cannot hear him, Meryn comforts her sister and steels herself for training ahead.
Who Appears
- MerynQueen and Bonded conduit; orders palace assets sold, accepts training, agrees to step down as Strategos Alpha, and blocks Alistair’s broadcast.
- SiegridSovereign Alpha; asserts control of training, reveals Meryn’s conduit powers and shadebending, urges Meryn to relinquish Strategos Alpha.
- AnassaMeryn’s direwolf; counsels duty over pack loyalty and helps raise a mental wall against Alistair.
- StarkDaemos Alpha; leaves at dawn with Noemi, conflicted about departing, warns Meryn about Siegrid.
- SaelaMeryn’s Siphon sister; withdrawn and angry, later reassured when Meryn blocks Alistair’s intrusion.
- TormunPhylax Alpha; receives intel on Killian and departs to hunt him.
- Alistair (posing as Killian)Antagonist; broadcasts from Rabenfrost via bonds and throttles magic through Meryn’s bracelet until Meryn blocks him.