It wasn’t hunched like the others. It stood tall, draped in a cloak made of overlapping scales that shimmered gold under the torchlight. Its face was half-covered by a mask carved from obsidian, its uncovered eye a piercing silver that caught the fire.
When it spoke, its voice was deep, gravelly, but clear. “Outsiders. Trespassing on sacred ground.”
Damon stepped forward slightly. “We didn’t come to fight. We’re looking for someone.”
The leader tilted its head. “Many who seek never return.”
Lucien whispered, “Okay, that’s not ominous at all.”
Braxton met the creature’s gaze. “We were told to follow the river to the black cliffs. To find a man named Kael.”
At the mention of the name, the leader’s eye flickered… surprise or maybe recognition.
“Kael,” it repeated slowly, the word rumbl
