Aria’s POV —
The stench of blood and smoke filled the air long before we reached the heart of the rogue village. Every breath I took burned in my throat. The ground beneath my boots was slick with mud — or maybe blood — and the air thrummed with the low growls of the creatures waiting for us in the dark.
Kaelen gave the signal. One short nod. No words.
We moved.
I slipped through the shattered fence first, dagger in hand, my eyes scanning every corner. The rogue settlement was bigger than I expected — wooden shacks piled close together, tattered banners fluttering weakly from their roofs. Somewhere in the center of it all, I could feel it: the heartbeat I’d been searching for. Elias.
My brother.
Kaelen’s voice echoed softly in my mind through our bond. Two guards by the well. Take t
