her's

ng as the shadows in the cave moved. Not by

somethi

tendrils, reaching, yearning. It was subtle, almos

shiv

is eyes, black streaked with crimson, reflected the

ver gaze fixed on the chil

, her voice hushed. "Te

dagger aside. "It means hi

just a

t wait for age. If he is truly the Abyssborn, then

ightened. "Then we

understand. You cannot stop what he is. If yo

t cold. "Then

esitation flickered across Ravian's

at her child.

voice w

allowed by his own power...

-

s-To

assed in un

hing. But the events of the past days claw at her mind: her husb

now,

ed at her

rm rising and falling with soft breaths. Looki

seen what

art, she feared wh

ssb

. It was not just a pro

from his tiny forehead, whi

e flickered almost as

-

unt B

ition move

night, their torches burning against the darkn

ar. His golden eyes gleamed beneath the

ve tracked them to the eastern forests,

said n

es, carrying the faint whispers

it. Something

born..." h

r. "Shall we burn t

s cloak, pulling out a small, ornate vial. Within it,

apon agains

would be

ze toward the da

had tru

-

byss

a woke s

exhaustion had overtaken her, dr

something

e was t

athing softly. But the torches had dimmed, their flame

her head

f the cave, the s

fting with t

ere cr

h hitched. The da

it

ke a breath a

is m

a's hear

something almost human in shape except for

kled in the air, he

s instinct

ard, clutching her

sence pushed against her, an oppress

canno

tirred in

ws lurche

e to react before a blad

vi

dagger glowing with silver runes

h sound but with something deeper, s

g violently before vanishing

ce fo

hands trembling. "Wh

blade clean. Hi

he said. "And it has alre

ooked down

open now watch

the firs

sure if he

-

f Cha

ment to know whether t