The world had gone silent.
The forest, the wind, even the restless hum of power that had filled the air during the eclipse — all gone. Only the faint sound of Darius’s breathing remained, heavy and uneven, as he cradled Damon in his arms beneath the fading moonlight.
His brother’s chest rose and fell weakly, each breath sounding like it fought against a world that didn’t want to let him go.
“Stay with me,” Darius whispered. “You hear me? You’re not leaving me again.”
Damon’s eyes fluttered open — golden now, the darkness receding like smoke. “You broke it…” His voice cracked. “You actually broke it.”
“Not all of it.” Darius’s gaze shifted toward the ruined stones, still smoldering faintly red. “Something’s still here.”
A shiver crawled down his spine. The air carried an echo — a whis
