(Luna)
Training escalates over the following days. Kael pushes harder than ever, demanding more from every drill, every sparring match, every silent minute of meditation, as though he's racing against some invisible clock only he can see. Rowan's quiet lessons layer in underneath it all, patient where Kael is relentless, steady where he is sharp, and I find myself grateful for the contrast even when I'm too exhausted to say so. Somewhere in the middle of all that pressure, something changes that I never expected.
We're in a joint session out on the training grounds, Spiritwalker and Emberwolf cubs combined for the afternoon, working through basic combat drills against a row of practice dummies stuffed with straw. The sun beats down mercilessly, sweat already soaking through my shirt, my
