ind s

cent threading the Wyrdwood air. Not rot. Not ash.

he knelt, drawing a sigil into t

it too,"

ded. "It

ushing dirt from her

e them unless they

ave tu

ly toward something th

long look. "You

ow yo

tiful. And gone in a blink. "Then we'd better move. The Wrathbo

the iron moon, the

e of

s that hissed when touched by moonlight. Their faces were hid

ed witho

sed, the forest di

ine raced through narrow deer trails, the trees wh

," Seraphine said breathle

wrist. The sigil - the twisted spiral of the Witch Guard

ever it?"

I can c

lood welled up, mixing with the brand's glow. Then he to

t stop the

might s

ng where wild magic still clung like dew. It had once been a sanct

g circle with charcoal and crushed moonflower. Her hands m

es drawn. He did

w they figh

y don't feel pain. Don't speak. And th

ere hum

d replaced with relics from the Black Vault.

up. "Do they remem

N

are not hum

ded grim

h settled over the forest.

twig

l s

here," he

e, her palms crackling with violet en

athborn step

mask glowed faintly

dn't

cha

flew. The thing's strength was monstrous, but Kael was faster - d

thborn, knocking it sideways into a tree. The trunk s

ed toward her, stepp

scre

ward

r

er bled freely. His blade bit into the Wrathborn's side - but it didn

of searing light that sent the creature stagg

ill them,"

not me

n wh

and on her chest

ust

esit

en - h

er his and whispered a

air

t just magic but memory, grief, rage, and

thborn

they s

ped to i

r conv

burst in

eraphine stood alone, breathless

coll

augh

ed by the fire he buil

yourself," s

saved

ed each

silence for

looked at him. "We

eed. "They'l

n't run. We

ow

le of a witch who re

em from the

dows, somethin

sitor, a man opened a vault that had not

it was

d of

fi

will not kneel... then