Kora’s POV
The sun had barely lifted above the horizon when the world began to change.
The fire in my veins no longer burned wildly—it hummed, quiet and deep, like the purr of a creature half asleep but never at peace.
Every step I took left behind a faint trace of gold light that faded into the soil. It frightened me at first, but Seraphine said it was temporary—a side effect of merging with a primordial source. I wasn’t sure I believed her, but I nodded anyway.
We were still standing at the edge of the Ember Plains, the ground beneath us warm and cracked. The air smelled of ash and morning dew. Edward hadn’t left my side since we escaped the cavern. His hand brushed mine every few minutes, as if to make sure I was still real.
“Your heartbeat’s strange,” he murmured quietly.
I tilte
