SKYE'S POV
The silence that followed the messengers' departure was not the silence of peace, but the heavy, suffocating quiet of a kingdom holding its breath. The main hall of Nighthaven felt cavernous, the air still vibrating with the lingering echoes of the mountain’s rage. I stood on the dais, the ancient book still held against my chest, feeling the texture of the weathered leather beneath my fingertips. It was a weight, yes, but it was a weight I finally felt capable of bearing.
Eryx finally broke the stillness, his boots clicking sharply against the cold stone as he descended the stairs toward me. He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he stopped at the foot of the dais, his silver eyes searching my face with an intensity that made my pulse jump. He looked like a man who was seeing
