We emerged from the mountain as the first rays of dawn brushed the highest peaks. The world outside was sharp and clear, the air tasting of pine and purpose. The memory of Elara’s sorrow was a fresh wound in my soul, but it was a clean one—a pain that clarified rather than crippled. I carried her lost future with me now, a solemn vow to ensure her sacrifice was not in vain.
The return to the Keep was not a stealthy approach. We walked openly, our postures straight, the dawn light glinting off the faint, residual silver sheen that still clung to my skin. Sentries spotted us and called out, their voices ringing with relief and excitement. By the time we passed through the main gates, a crowd had begun to gather.
Kaelen and Darius were waiting in the courtyard, their contrasting forms side-
