The night was heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth as Alyssa stood at the edge of the forest, her breath steady despite the tension coiling in her chest. The stars above were dim, their glow barely cutting through the darkness.
Kade stood beside her, his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. “You’re sure about this?”
Alyssa nodded. “If I’m going to fight them, I need to understand them.”
Darius had given her a day to recover before training resumed, but Alyssa couldn’t afford to waste time. She needed answers—about her powers, about the Council, and most of all, about herself. And there was only one person who could provide them.
Lucian.
Kade exhaled through his nose, clearly displeased. “I don’t trust him.”
Alyssa smirked. “That makes two of us.”
Still, she stepped forward,
