ftops, there was a heaviness in the air, like everyone was waiting for something else to go w

ve his hands something to do. Something to keep the creeping fear at bay. His thoughts wande

her usual calm. She wasn't teasing, not really. There was concern under

matter if I dull it. There are wors

"Then we need to move be

r hands smudged with ash and soil, but there wa

ve stopped them-they'd just have asked why they we

alked, the quieter it got. No birds. No wind. Just the sound

tated at forked paths, even when the trees looked id

?" he asked final

s the people who saw me for who I

nt the people who truly knew him on

not to stare at her while she worked. The way her fingers moved with quiet s

bitter herbal brew, he nearly gag

moss, and something that pro

Still, something about it grounded

aught in his chest. Flames. Screams. His father's voice

hand on his shoulder, grounding him like the tea had. "You

light in her eyes. And for th

The forest turned strange-colors muted, light bending w

ther of them could name. Vines curled up broken stone co

y weren

r. Pale skin. Silver cloa

ught. "She's not

ard them. "Elira Vaelwyn. Just

rward, jaw tigh

ce." Her gaze shifted. "And you-s

d. Kael's hand w

n front of him.

said. "But even smart

the ground, snatching at Kael's feet. He swung wildly, cutting

glowing air, fighting back the dark with raw will. Kael had ne

me," the woman said, laug

hing s

arms aching. Elira crouched beside him,

ghost," she said.

ning down his face, the cur

ht-two shadows passing through trees that no longer felt safe. T

cause the woman's words stuck to him like burrs in cloth. Still trying to fix

at his side, as if she knew the weight h

ken something loos

s threading up toward his elbow, the skin beginning to turn cold a

Kael said at l

knew my blood. My mother was on

d. "You nev

is eyes now-no shame, just old pain. "Because

ze. "I'm alrea

're trying to rewrite what's real. Magic, history, even memory. That woman-we call her a Wo

. "What does

e won't be a kingdom to save. There

t to say to that.

moonlight. The fire crackled soft between them. Kael leaned ba

She looked smaller tonight-less like the healer who'd fought be

htly, like she was working through somethin

up, start

e gates. The magic." He tilted his

answer fo

a whisper. "She thought she could control them-thought it was the only way to keep us safe. Bu

chest t

changed my name. Buried my bloodline. Tried to disappe

orward. "You

her dau

words-but everything felt too heavy, too close.

to spread, he knew it would consume him. I couldn't do it. I tried to find a way

eyes s

"You're not the onl

ser than before. And when Kael woke in the night, sweat beading

idn't

dn't n