Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 81

A war cry ripped from her throat—raw, primal, the sound of a woman who would not be taken.

And the power beyond the veil answered her call.

With a crack that shook the ground, a massive tree branch swung down like a divine hammer, slamming into Elara mid-leap.

The impact was brutal.

A yelp—sharp, guttural, and full of pain—pierced the air as Elara’s body was flung sideways, crashing through the foliage and vanishing into a bundle of brambles and twisting roots.

Kaelani didn’t slow.

But she did glance over her shoulder.

Just once.

And when she saw Elara’s limp body tangled in the brush, a smirk tugged at her lips.

She burst out of the woods, lungs on fire, heart jackhammering in her chest—

and skidded to a halt.

It wasn’t just a road.

It was a highway.

Six lanes stretched in each direction, roaring with traffic. Blurs of cars, trucks, SUVs, and semis thundered past in both directions. She trudged to the shoulder, blinking hard, the sheer scale of it almost surreal.

Behind her, a wave of growls echoed through the trees.

She looked back.

Wolves. A lot of them.

They were still coming. Still chasing. Dozens more had joined the pursuit, some clearly recovered from the roots and vines that had tried to halt them. Others looked half-mangled, vines clinging to fur or leaves caught in their teeth, but they kept running—driven, merciless, unrelenting.

They wouldn’t stop.

They didn’t care what rules they broke anymore.

Kaelani whipped back toward the highway, eyes scanning the blur of metal and asphalt.

Back to the woods—closer now. Too close.

Her breaths came in panicked gasps.

They’d drag her back. Cage her. Study her. Pick her apart piece by piece like some exotic creature that didn’t belong.

She refused.

Not again. Never again.

Kaelani gritted her teeth, shoved fear down her throat, and sprinted toward the highway.

Brakes screamed.

Horns blared.

Tires skidded.

“Are you insane!” someone yelled from an open window as a black sedan swerved to avoid her.

She darted between lanes, weaving as tires shrieked and horns blasted around her.

She didn’t stop.

A wolf darted after her—on the highway. Another followed. Then two more.

Kaelani’s eyes widened.

They crossed the road.

Despite the laws. Despite the danger. Despite the fact that humans were everywhere.

Stared.

Stunned.

So did Julian.

His chest heaved. His paws trembled against the asphalt, claws scraping pavement. His wolf eyes scanned the space she’d vanished from, his mind racing—

Where did she go?

—-

The light was still humming against her palms when Kaelani blinked her eyes open.

A soft violet glow pulsed all around her, swirling like mist, clinging to the air and the grass beneath her feet. It slowly began to fade, dissolving into the breeze, until only faint embers remained—drifting upward like fireflies at dusk.

As the haze cleared, her breath caught.

She was no longer on the road.

Towering trees arched high above her, their leaves an iridescent shade of silver-green that shimmered even without sunlight. The trunks spiraled like ancient columns, bark etched in natural runes that glowed faintly with energy. Flowers bloomed in impossible colors—blue flames, velvet black, translucent ivory—and waterfalls in the distance cascaded over floating stones, defying gravity, their waters catching the light like crystal threads.

The air was different here—cooler, fragrant with something otherworldly. A quiet magic danced in every blade of grass, every petal, every breath she took.

It didn’t feel real.

It felt like stepping into a dream, or a memory from another life.

Her lips parted, eyes wide in stunned wonder. “Where am I…” she whispered, but even her voice sounded too loud for this place, like it didn’t belong.

The ground tilted beneath her.

Her knees buckled.

And before she could process anything else, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed, the glowing grass cushioning her as the world dimmed.