akly between them, its dying flames reflecting off broken stone and moss-covered columns

e as though it held answers. Her clothes were damp with mist, her hair

tle roots he had gathered. His face, always calm and unreadable, was shadowe

?" she asked fina

He shifted the logs with a stick,

lse earlier, did

no

" he continued. "This place was built by th

ed arches around them. The stones fel

"I was just a healer's apprentice. I

didn't die-it waited," he said.

nce healed cuts and bruises. Now, they t

my vision. She looked like me, but stronger. Fie

High Daughter. She died here... but not before se

mine," Elar

The wind shifted-colder now. Sharper. And with it came a st

apped up. "Did

e silentl

, not exactly. But words were burie

seemed to

without

d, but she was already mov

-

heart-a circular space of broken pillars and hollowed stone. At the c

ut beneath the green, anci

ser, drawn like

led again. And this tim

slightly. Then a soft hum rose, and

her neck b

voice was dista

the altar, and everyt

-

shb

e flame. A great gathering of wolves stood in rows, their eyes fixed on the

"but they will not break us. Our bl

wrapped in deep blue silk. "You will awaken whe

s opened-silver

fl

-

The ruins were cold again. B

she asked, as Ronan

elt it. You're syncing

he altar, overwhelmed. "

. "But her legacy lives in you.

ilence f

d answer, a deep ru

ther. A pulse of darkness

s wrong," s

"It's too soon. You weren't s

t se

eneath them-like something brea

o," Ronan said. His

e was

liquid. A tall, shapeless figure began to

w and ancient,

d. The bond is cracked.

right it blinded her. Pa

ted, drawing a bl

ow struc

ps. Ronan blocked one, but another grazed Elara's a

l to he

r her, whispering in a v

spark. You do not belon

vision

ered, not knowing w

reached f

eafening roar

rough the ruins, slammin

ttered. D

to see claws, fangs, and gold

a

ed, bloodi

ure with a rage that e

nd me!" he barke

who was barely conscious. His s

," she whis

hing was reforming-its body twistin

ara said. "It's not jus

hen seal it again. Do w

't kno

out a shriek that

teeth and crawled

. But she reached for the memory o

is me

is th

ainst the cracked stone a

ea

her neck bur

the altar, knocking Kael

ir tr

ed into mist-sucked bac

le

-

ing, covered in

beside the altar

behind her. "You di

. "I think I o

ard her. "You're full

yes. "I'm not a

something unreadable in his

l," he said. "You don't understa

been hiding beneath your land f

ed to move. That thin

u know him?" he asked Ela

elping Ronan up. "

but the tension in

-

e the ruins, Elara gla

s center still

h the stone, a whisp

tborn. The blood remembers.

-

fading glow, she felt a ch

neck pulsed agai

cogni

ncient had

d never sto