The mountain was quiet now.
The fighting had stopped completely. Wolves and vampires stood in awkward clusters, staring at each other like they'd never really seen the other side before. The golden light had faded, but something else lingered in the air. Something that felt like possibility.
Elara sat on a flat rock, her wounded palm wrapped in bandages that Lucian had produced from somewhere. Kael stood beside her like a guard dog, his gold eyes scanning every vampire with suspicion. Lucian knelt in front of her, examining her hand with gentle hands.
"You shouldn't have cut so deep," he murmured.
"I didn't have time to be careful."
"You never do."
She almost laughed. "Is that a complaint?"
"It's an observation." He looked up at her, red eyes warm. "You're reckless. Brave. And utter
