Kora’s POV
The morning light crept slowly across the valley, washing the world in pale gold. After the chaos of the temple and the fight within the flames, the silence almost felt unreal. Birds were chirping again, small winds rustled through the leaves, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I could hear the world breathe.
But peace was a fragile thing.
As we packed our few belongings to move on, Mara kept glancing at me like I was a bomb that might go off at any second. I couldn’t even blame her. The last time the fire inside me had woken, it had nearly burned us all alive.
Edward stood nearby, speaking quietly to one of his warriors, his shoulders tense. Even from a distance, I could feel how alert he was — how his instincts never truly rested. He’d been watching the hori
