The explosion wasn't light.
Or magic.
Or anything Owain could recognize.
It was her.
Kanah's hunger—raw and newly born—burst outward in a shockwave of black-gold resonance.
Owain braced, muscles locking, claws scraping the stone floor.
Ilai shielded her face with her arm.
Kanah's father didn't move.
He only watched—curious, hungry, patient.
And Kanah—
Kanah screamed.
Her back arched; her ribs trembled under her skin; her Devourer eye split open fully, the pupil narrowing like a predator sighting prey.
Owain stepped forward.
"Kana—"
"STOP!" she sobbed. "OWAIN—STAY AWAY—!!"
Her voice broke into a sound that wasn't human, wasn't beast—
a fractured, trembling echo of that forbidden tongue.
"Ahr—vah—shel—"
Owain clenched his jaw.
He'd heard that sound once in the vision.
It was worse here.
Real.
Alive.
Tearing her apart.
Ilai dragged herself across the floor, reaching for Kanah's hand.
Kanah recoiled as if burning.
"N-no—Ilai—don't touch me—don't—I can't—control—I can't stop—"
Ilai's face was streaked with dust and fear.
"You don't need control," she whispered. "You just need anchor."
Owain moved toward them.
Kanah jolted violently, scrambling backward, fingers clawing at the stone floor.
"No—Owain—NO—!! You'll die—you'll DIE—!!"
Owain's chest squeezed painfully.
Her fear wasn't for herself.
It was for him.
He lowered his voice.
A soft growl, soothing and deep.
A tone wolves used for threatened mates.
"I'm not afraid of you."
Kanah whimpered, shaking her head wildly.
"You should be—"
Owain took another step.
Her father finally spoke.
"She is at the cusp."
Owain snapped his gaze toward him, snarling.
"Shut your mouth."
Her father ignored him.
"To reach the final stage, the Devourer seed needs fuel."
Owain's blood ran cold.
Kanah's breath hitched—
her pupils contracting—
her body trembling—
"No—don't—don't say it—"
Her father looked Owain straight in the eyes.
"You are the fuel."
Kanah screamed, "NO—!!"
Her hunger lashed outward like black fire.
Ilai crawled to Kanah again, hands shaking.
"Fight it—please—little star—fight—"
Owain didn't move away.
He moved closer.
Kanah's father watched, curious, almost intrigued.
"She will bite you," he warned calmly.
Owain didn't break eye contact with Kanah.
"Then let her."
Kanah's voice shattered.
"WHY? WHY WOULD YOU—OWAIN, PLEASE GO—"
"Because you're mine," he said softly. "Because I choose you. Because I will NOT leave you alone with this."
Kanah shook her head so violently her hair whipped across her face.
"You don't understand—you don't know what I'll do—I'll tear you—I'll devour you—!!"
"I know."
She froze.
Owain continued, breath unsteady:
"And I still choose you."
Her father murmured,
"Foolish."
Owain didn't look away.
"You think hunger will take her," he said to her father. "I'll make sure love gets there first."
Kanah's breath hitched.
Her fingers twisted in her own hair.
Her body convulsed with hunger so sharp she gasped.
"I-I can smell you," she whispered, horrified.
Owain stepped closer.
Slow.
Steady.
"I know."
"It smells—"
She choked.
"—it smells GOOD—!"
Owain's voice dropped into a low rumble, instinctual and grounding.
"Kana. Look at me."
She did.
Her Devourer eye glowed black-gold, slit and trembling.
And hunger slammed through her so violently she lunged—
Ilai screamed—
Owain stood unflinching—
But Kanah didn't reach him.
Because Owain caught her wrists, gently but firmly, pulling her against his chest.
She gasped at the warmth, the heartbeat, the scent she knew better than her own.
"Owain—"
He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her through her shaking.
"Breathe."
Her breath came out ragged and broken.
"I—I can't—"
"Yes," he murmured, brushing his forehead against hers. "You can."
Ilai watched, stunned.
Her father observed with sharp interest.
Owain lowered his voice even further.
"I know you feel the hunger.
I know you want to bite.
I know it feels unbearable."
Kanah sobbed against him.
"I'll hurt you—please—Owain, please—move—"
Instead, he tilted his neck, exposing it.
Ilai inhaled sharply.
Kanah's father raised an eyebrow.
Owain whispered:
"Then hurt me."
Kanah screamed and shoved him away, collapsing to the floor.
"NO—!! YOU CAN'T—YOU CAN'T—DON'T EVER—"
Owain's heart thundered at the agony in her voice.
Her father stepped forward, amused.
"She resists. Interesting."
Kanah clutched her head, shaking violently.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!" she screamed at her father.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE A MONSTER!"
Her father leaned down slowly.
"That is the last thing you should fear."
Owain snarled, "SAY ANOTHER WORD AND I'LL RIP OUT YOUR THROAT."
"That won't stop her awakening."
"I don't care."
"You should."
Her father's gaze sharpened.
"Because it has already begun."
Kanah's body seized.
Her scream tore the air.
Black-gold cracks spidered across her skin like she was splitting open.
Ilai lunged forward.
Owain caught her arm.
"KANA—!!" he roared.
Her father whispered one sentence, soft as a knife sliding between ribs:
"And now… she must feed."
Kanah's head snapped up—
Devourer eye glowing—
Her breath ragged—
Her hunger a living force—
Owain took one step toward her.
Kanah's lips parted.
"Owain…
run."
He didn't.
He reached out his hand.
"Kana. Come to me."
He said it like a vow.
Like a promise to walk into fire.
She moved.
Her father smiled.
Ilai held her breath.
Kanah lunged—
Straight at Owain's throat.