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Ike held his breath when, after skirting a hill, he spotted the imposing towers of the palace of the Embertooth. Even though it hadn't been much more than a year since the last time he had been there, he had almost forgotten how majestic the castle stood in the middle of the most barren lands of the Flameswamps.

It was a huge building; or better said, a great group of buildings. The external part looked more like a fortress: its big defensive walls and large battlements, together with the heavy wrought iron gate, had the function of preventing anyone from believing he could possibly enter the building without being seen. The dark color bricks and the sharp finishes also reinforced that feeling. When the night fell, the external ring of the palace seemed to be a huge wall of prickly thorns.

The inner part, however, couldn't be more different, in spite of being divided into little areas. Ike knew them well, even though during his youth he hadn't left his own area. However, he could see them clearly from the balcony of his tower... The lion shook his head, annoyed. There were several things that had happened in that balcony that he didn't want to remember.

Behind him, tens of fehlar let out an impressed murmur when they discerned the castle's silhouette in the dusk. After all, many of them hadn't had the chance to see the royal palace before. Smiling inwardly, Ike started to walk towards the big building, followed by the rest of the fehlar. Although he couldn't forget that the impressive castle had been built mainly for military purposes, he couldn't help but feeling a bit proud.

That was his home, after all.

-Have you already thought what you're going to say to your father? -Shiba asked him then, walking near him so no one else could hear their conversation.

The lion tilted his head and hugged Zèon a bit tighter.

-I think... I think I do. I'm not totally sure it's going to work, but...

He didn't finish the sentence. In fact, he had no alternative. <<It has to work>> he told himself, trying to give himself a bit of courage. He wasn't afraid of his father, but if something happened to Zèon or Koi because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself. And that terrified him, especially now that it seemed there was a way to bring him back.

That morning, the guards had appeared before Ike as soon as it had dawned, pale and trembling. Among apologies, it had taken them a long while to explain him that the human prisoner had fled in the middle of the night, taking advantage of a 'slip' of theirs. Ike couldn't help but feeling a bit sorry for the guards, and would have told them the truth if he could, but the situation didn't allow him to do anything else. He had pretended to be angry for a few minutes and then had briefly mentioned that they would send a search party as soon as they got to the palace.

No one had asked anymore. No one ever asked the crown prince.

Ike wondered how his return to the palace would be seen. He was aware that he had disappeared for more than a year and he wondered how that had affected the life in the court. He wasn't even sure that they had related him with the mysterious wave of disappearances that seemed to be taken place in Lykans, and taking into account the narrowmindedness of his father, Ike doubted they had thought of that possibility at all. He had a bad feeling; not only about being going back to the palace, but also because he was afraid that in his absence things had run even more out of control that before his disappearance.

Besides, there was always the possibility that his father wasn't kinf of the fehlar anymore... after all, there wasn't any fehlar family which had held the power for a long time, and Alekai Embertooth, in spite of having achieved the fehlar's supremacy, also had a long list of enemies. If that was the case and now the castle didn't belong to his father, then...

He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts, although he couldn't help but shivering lightly when the shadow of the imposing wall fell over him.

It was Shiba who walked towards the gate and talked with the guards. Meanwhile, the lion couldn't help but look around uncomfortably, still holding Zèon in his arms. Beside him, Koi seemed to be delighted.

-So, that's the palace? -he asked, frolicking -. It's so big! I didn't think it was so huge! And why does it have those spikes? What are they for? Are we going to come in?

Ike answered vaguely all his questions, not really aware of his answers and still with his gaze fixed on Shiba. He could sense the incredulity in the guards' faces, even from that distance, and he knew that his arrival would probably shock the whole court.

-My lord -a female puma who was close to the lion asked then -, they will let us in, right?

It took Ike a few seconds to answer, still too immersed in his own thoughts.

-Er... Yes, of course. There are plenty of free bedrooms in the lodging wing -he murmured, without feeling really sure. That decision should be taken by his father and not even Ike, in spite of being his son, could tell what it would be.

But the puma smiled in contentment and bowed his head as a sign of respect.

-We're very lucky to have a crown prince as compassionate as you, your Highness. You don't only show you have a big heart with your allies, but also with your enemies.

The lion startled and turned his head to the puma, surprised by those words. However, she had already disappeared and Ike let out a sigh, closing his eyes with tiredness. <<Of course>> he thought, to himself <<But does everyone really believe that a compassionate king is a good king...?>>

Suddenly, a scream of pain cut the air and Shiba, who until that moment had been talking with the guards, collapsed.

-Shiba! -Ike exclaimed, leaving Zèon aside and running towards her.

The tigress tried to stand up, in vain, and let out another groan of pain. She seemed to be suffering, and Ike knew there were few things that could get Shiba to show his pain, which frightened him even more. Had those guards attacked her or maybe others, hidden in the battlements? <<I knew it>> he told himself, feeling an irrational wave of fear <<We shouldn't have come back to the castle. It's been a bad idea. I shouldn't have come back...>>.

He ran as fast as he could towards the tigress, feeling the intense pumping of his heartbeats in his temples and ignoring the bewildered looks of the group of fehlar he had brought with him. When he got to the place where Shiba was trying to stand up in vain, he fell to his knees and tried to look for the wounds. However, there wasn't any trail of blood in the grey uniform of the tigress, or any other sign of violence, and still she was writhing in pain. <<What's happening?>> he wondered, confused <<Have they... poisoned her?>>.

-You! -he roared, turning to the guards and giving them a look full of fury -. Tell me what you've done to her!

The two guards, a white tiger and a lynx who shouldn't be much older than him, walked a few steps back, still looking at the tigress in bewilderment.

-We... we haven't... -the lynx started, but didn't finish the sentence.

Ike felt tempted to shout he was lying, but at that moment Shiba stopped convulsing and the lion turned his attention to her again, fearing that something terrible had happened to her. However, he was surprised to find the blue eyes of the tigress, which looked back at him as calmly and coldly as usually. There wasn't in his face the smallest trace of the suffering she seemed to have been experiencing seconds before.

-Are... are you okay? -the lion asked, feeling a bit worried anyway.

-Y-yes -the tigress replied, letting out a soft gasp, then moving away from him and sitting on the ground.

-What has happened? -Ike asked, feeling increasingly confused. He looked at the guards, who seemed to be as perplex as him, and then turned again to Shiba.

The tigress was smiling faintly and a new gleam, that wasn't there before, seemed to shine at the bottom of her eyes. She seemed to be happy and, as much as that relieved Ike, it was as strange as seeing her suffering. He couldn't interpret that as a good sign, especially knowing that the tigress wasn't happy very often.

-S-Shiba? -he asked, fearing for a few seconds that someone had taken control of the tigress.

-I remember -she said, widening her smile -. Oh, Alekai, I remember everything!

Something strange happened then.

It was as if suddenly something disconnected at some remote point in Ike's brain, everything sinking into a terrible, unfathomable darkness. It was only a few milliseconds, but it was enough for the lion to feel a deep fear running through his soul, as if those dense shadows were going to swallow him completely. However, something pierced the shadows all of a sudden; something painful and sharp, like needles breaking through his conscience, and the lion couldn't help but scream in pain. Something cracked, as if an old gear had been put again in its place, and everything started to move at a furious pace, bringing images and words with its movement. It hurt more than he could possibly imagine, as if someone was tossing his brains with knitting needles.

But they weren't words, the lion understood. They were names.

After a few seconds that seemed endless, the pain started to fade, the gears got back to their usual pace and the darkness vanished little by little. When the shadows disappeared completely, Ike realized he had collapsed too and that a crowd was looking at him, with a mix of expectation and fear. The only exception was the tigress sitting by his side, whose face still showed the trace of a smile.

The lion sat up, a bit confused, and gave the Sentinel a surprised look, still feeling the adrenaline soaring.

-Alekai -he whispered -. Alekai -he repeated, still unable to believe it -. It can't be. Alekai?

<<Did he really put me that name?>> the lion thought, feeling terribly disappointed. However, the hidden happiness in the tigress' gaze made him forget those thoughts.

-And you... -he started, with a thin voice -. You... Krysha!

-Right -she answered, satisfied -. One less thing to worry about.

-But, why? -Ike asked, still too confused to put his thoughts in order -. What has happened exactly?

The tigress shook his head and stood up, cleaning his clothes of dust. Then, he pointed at one of the guards with a paw. They seemed to be as perplex as before.

-It was when he said my name -she explained, gently -. It was strange, because when I got here, the only thing I could say was that I was "His Highness' Sentinel". I thought they might remember my real name... so I tried them to tell me so I didn't have to explain in detail what had happened to us. But this has been a surprise -she admitted, tilting her head -. I never thought knowing my name could help me remember yours.

Sophia's words sounded like a far echo in Ike's mind. <<As soon as someone calls your real name, you will feel something changing in your mind>>, she had said. As incredible as it might seem, it seemed that the woman's words had been sincere.

The lion gave Zèon a worried look, remembering he had left him behind with Koi. He was relieved to see that the husky had sat him up and was holding him carefully. <<I shouldn't leave him alone here>> he reprimanded himself <<We're too close to my father's palace for them to be safe>>. Besides, what had just happened definitely confirmed that a part of what Sophia had told him was true, although he couldn't know if finding Zèon's real name would be enough to wake him up again.

He turned to the guards again and saw Shiba's questioning gaze. It seemed the tigress could sense what he was thinking about, but she didn't say anything.

At that moment, a fehlar came back running from the inside of the palace and exchange some quick words with one of the guards. Apparently relieved to change the subject and finally know what to say, the guard turned to the lion and announced:

-His Majesty Alekai Embertooth requests for your presence in the throne room, your Highness.

-I shall meet him immediately -the lion replied, again feeling his heart rushing.

In spite of Shiba's warning look, the lion turned back, took Zèon in his arms and walked through the wall's gate, followed by the eyes of the group that he had brought with him.

-What about the ones that had come with me? -he asked the messenger, frowning.

-His Majesty hasn't mentioned anything thereon -the other one answered, a bit uncomfortable -. I shall go with you to the throne room and I will ask him about it. But, my lord... are you sure you...?

Ike shook his head and fixed his gaze on the messenger.

-What?

-I mean... you shouldn't...

-The kane is coming with me -the lion answered, firmly -. My Sentinel is more dangerous for my father than an unconscious kane, am I right?

The messenger held his gaze for a few seconds until, intimidated, he bowed his head and nodded. Only then they started walking towards the inner part of the palace, silently. Ike still looked back a last time, looking for Koi, and found him chatting animatedly with his fehlar friends. The husky waved him goodbye when he noticed he was looking at him, and the lion smiled. He decided it wasn't necessary to worry about him, at least not then. Besides, once he had solved things with his father, if he could, he would come back to pick the little husky up.

Together, Ike, Zèon, Shiba and the messenger went through the external area of the palace. It was in the front of the facility, delimited by the wall, and fronted onto the gate of the fortress. It was formed by little buildings and was destined to the workers in the court, the slaves and those guests who didn't have a nobility title; in other words, commoners. It was an area in which space was fully utilized, something that was demonstrated by the irregular distribution and the different shapes and sizes of the buildings that formed it. There was an atmosphere of constant hustle in its crowded streets, but at that moment many of the servants stopped whatever they were doing and gave the prince astonished looks as he walked through the street. Ike tried to ignore them all and suppressed a sigh.

-It seems everyone has received the news of your return with joy, your Higness -the messenger smiled -. It's a relief to know you could escape your kane captors.

Ike froze in place.

-Kane captors? -he repeated, incredulous.

-Yes. Well... -the messenger continued, feeling a bit uncomfortable again -. His Majesty said kane spies had infiltrated the kingdom and...

-I can imagine what my father said -Ike interrupted him trying to contain his anger. He couldn't listen to another word.

They soon went through the big gates that really led to the palace. In spite of having a place for the commoners and the servants inside the castle's wars, there was a clear division between them and those who belonged to one of the many important families of the fehlar aristocracy. After the area where the servants, the slaves and the commoners lived, the huge gardens of the castle of Alekai Embertooth extended. They had been created by some of the more exquisite gardeners from all the kingdom; with the unsurprising help of a bunch of kane slaves. It was said that those gardens were unmatched and that, even if they withered someday, the folksingers and bards would keep talking of how beautiful they were for centuries.

The nobles' houses could be found on both sides of the garden: homes of a generous size and reddish bricks that shaded the gardens with their imposing presence. However, they paled in comparison to the main building of the facility, which stood proudly at the end of the gardens: the home of the Embertooth.

Initially, what was now a fortress had been just formed by that building: a high castle whose towers, with long and sharp shapes, seemed to be fangs ripping the clouds. However, with time and since Alekai had risen to power, the court that had gathered around him had grown so much that they had been forced to expand the enclosure. That was, of course, just another display of power. Ike was certain that his father didn't mind if the servants slept comfortably or not.

The vision of the palace woke up a wave of nostalgia in Ike's heart but, at the same time, also some fear.

-It's over here, my lord -the messenger informed him, guiding him through the main door and through the long corridor that led to his father's throne room.

Ike followed him, feeling the suspicious looks of all the guards, the tension that Zèon awoke in all the fehlar around him, even though he was unconscious. <<I don't care>> he told himself, decisively <<I will protect him even if it's the last thing I do>>. He gave Shiba a warning look, however, trying to tell her about his fears, but he was sure that she already knew. The lion couldn't tell if the tigress was worried or simply alert.

Finally, the last door of the foyer opened and Ike, Zèon, Shiba and the messenger entered a large room. Two long rows of red columns stood on both sides of the corridor that led to the throne and in each of them, the flame of a torch shone intensely. The floor, warm and or orange color, was decorated with big mosaics that showed some of the more important military deeds of the fehlar history. In the trabeated ceiling, of a red as dark as blood, all the names of the fehlar monarchs that had took the Throne could be read.

Alekai Embertooth was standing in front of his throne, looking at those who had just arrived with a frown. Ike held his breath when he saw him. During his stay in the Box, he had almost completely forgotten the intense hatred that burned behind his father's eyes.

-Y-your Majesty... your son is back -the messenger murmured, frightened. Apparently, he had also perceived there was something ominous in Alekai's expression.

The lion just nodded. Looking at him, it was easy to guess from whom Ike had inherited his solid, strong build, and although Alekai's features were sharper and his mane and beard were bushier, the resemblance between both of them was undeniable. However, Alekai's gaze was much more severe and his presence imposed more; it was easy to guess he had spent most of his life in a battlefield. Besides, some grey hairs were starting to appear in his fur and his age, Ike knew it, was starting to take its toll on him, something that encouraged all those who wanted to take the throne.

Ike held his father's gaze as best as possible. He could sense the intense hatred in it: not towards him, but towards the kane he was holding in is arms. Instinctively, he hugged him a bit tighter, trying to calm down the beats of his heart. <<Things have changed>> he tried to tell himself <<Things have changed...>>.

-Leave me alone with him -the king growled then. His voice was deep and rough, as if it came right from the bottom of a cave -. You too, Sentinel.

Shiba seemed to hesitate for a few instants, until she spotted Alekai's Sentinel's shadow going out too. He still gave Ike a worried look and the lion realized she was asking him to be careful. He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and shortly after the room was empty except for him and his father.

He didn't talk for a long while. He just looked at him, with that severe gaze full of disappointment and annoyance, as if Ike had committed the worst of crimes.

-You're back -Alekai started, finally, pronouncing very slowly each of the syllables -. And you've brought a kane with you.

The scorn in his voice almost hurt the young lion.

-He saved my life -he managed to say, although he could perfectly hear the tremor in his own voice.

-That hasn't much merit -Alekai replied, without changing his expression -. You've done more harm than good to him by bringing him here. I guess you thought a good action would soften my heart and you would get me to forgive his life. You were wrong.

-Father, I...

-Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking -the king growled, and Ike gulped -. I'm not going to tolerate that rumors of one of my sons having mercy of a kane spread. Your infantilism has been too inconvenient in the past. If you don't kill him, I will.

Ike stepped back.

-No, father. I'm not going to do that -he said, trying to stop the tremor in his voice and fixing his gaze in his father's eyes -. And I'm not going to let you do it.

Alekai held his son's gaze without blinking. However, Ike couldn't help but look away after a few seconds, and shivered when he heard his father's hoarse laughter.

-Well, well. Where have you found the courage to stand against your father? You didn't have it before you disappear.

-A lot of things have happened -Ike murmured, without looking at him.

-Not enough. You're still the same ingenuous coward. And a living disgrace, to be honest. The best thing you could have done was disappear forever. That way, at least, you were useful.

-You blamed my disappearance on the kane, right? -Ike muttered, in a thin voice.

-Yes -Alekai admitted, openly -. But it's not something only I did. It was the most logic and easy to believe option. The people liked it.

-But it's not true -Ike protested.

-That's irrelevant -the king replied, stepping forward towards Ike -. And now, son, if you don't kill that kane, I'll have to do it for you.

Ike gulped and looked at Zèon, trembling slightly. He couldn't let his father get a paw on the arctic fox, but he was aware that he was in a situation of absolute disadvantage. In fact, he had been from the very moment in which he had decided to go back home. <<But I had to do it>> he told himself <<At least now, people will know kane don't...>>.

An idea came then to his mind; the idea he had been giving thought to since he had known he would have to face that situation. It was a crazy idea, but if it turned out well, it could save Zèon and Koi's lives. Decisively, he looked up and fixed his eyes on his father:

-No. Stop.

Something in his tone seemed to convince his father that it was better to listen to him, because he stopped and gave him a look full of boredom.

-Haven't I been clear enough?

Ike tried to control himself and took a deep breath in. He knew that there was a way to fix that situation, but he wasn't sure if he would be brave enough.

-If you let this and other kane stay in the castle, no one will know of their existence -he started -. We will spread the rumor that... that I caught them as slaves for you. -He had to pause, since that simple thought made him feel sick -. They will stay in my room and no one will ever know they exist. Neither you nor anyone. And... and I'll tell the people you were right and the kane took me as prisoner.

Alekai was motionless only for a second. Ike realized his words had only made him angrier still.

-Other kane? -the king asked, very slowly -. I tell you I won't let this scum live and you now say there is another?

He was about to take another step.

-But if you put a simple claw on him -Ike continued, firmly -, I will make sure that even the last fehlar in the court knows I brought them here. And not only that. -The lion breathed deeply -. They... they will also know what I really feel for this arctic fox.

Alekai stopped again. Ike tried to hold his gaze, in spite of being shivering violently, and could perceive the emotions that went through his father's eyes. First, genuine confusion; then, understanding. Finally, the monarch gave him a look of absolute rejection, and then a new look of disgust to the kane his son was holding, comprehending for the first time the implications of the bond that tied both.

However, none of them said anything for a long while. Ike, with Zèon in his arms, waited in the entrance of the room as his father, half-way, kept looking at him as if he was an abomination. That absolute rejection would have hurt him if he wasn't already used to it.

The only thing that mattered at that moment was Zèon.

-As I said before -Alekai started, then. His voice was colder and sharper than ever before -, you're nothing but a living disgrace.

Ike didn't answer. He wasn't sure if that meant he had changed his mind or not.

-Make sure no one knows of the existence of those kane or I'll make sure I kill the three of you -the king finally grunted. A dangerous gleam shone deep in his eyes -. And don't have much hope. You can't protect him forever.