Kora’s POV
The sound of bells woke me before dawn. Not the steady clang of the training bell Mara used to drag me out of bed, but the sharp, frantic toll that sent a chill straight down my spine.
I was on my feet in an instant, heart pounding, fire stirring awake inside me like it already knew. Edward was up too, his silver eyes flashing in the dim light as he grabbed his blade from the wall.
“What is it?” I whispered, even though I already knew.
“Intruders,” he said grimly.
The bells didn’t stop. They rang over and over, echoing through the compound, a warning that carried dread in its rhythm.
Mara’s voice barked orders somewhere outside, sharp and commanding. Boots pounded the ground, the clash of steel already humming faintly in the distance.
My blood raced. “Is it him? Is it Aar
