AMELIA’S POV
The air outside the palace was crisp, the first rays of dawn painting the sky in hues of pink and gold.
The weight of the pendants around my neck was grounding, a constant reminder of the mission ahead and the stakes riding on our success.
The palace gates creaked open, and the three of us stepped out into the world that suddenly felt far larger and far more perilous.
Killian took the lead, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword, his silver eyes scanning the horizon with the precision of a hawk.
Liam fell into step beside me, his posture relaxed but his gaze alert, his easy grin replaced by an intensity I wasn’t used to seeing.
Our destination, the Cave of Whispers, lay several days’ journey to the east, through the dense and unforgiving Enshrouded Forest.
