Kane stepped out of the spiral of roots slowly, letting her senses settle into the new rhythm now housed within her body. The valley felt different. It no longer towered over her like an ancient force that tolerated her presence. Instead, it pulsed lightly beneath her feet as though greeting an heir who had finally learned to listen. The air shimmered, warm with approval, and for the first time since she had entered this sacred place, she sensed no hesitation from the land.
Adrian kept close to her side, studying her with the wary awe of someone watching a storm reshape itself into something both beautiful and terrifying. He reached out, but stopped just short of touching her arm, unsure whether physical contact might disrupt the energy still circling through her.
“Kane,” he said softly,
