Chapter Nineteen
The Trial of Blood and Bone
The sacred lake shimmered beneath a veil of moonlight, its surface rippling with runes that glowed a pale, eerie violet. Lyra stood at its edge, cloaked in silver furs, her breath curling in the frigid air. Behind her, Kael watched in tense silence as Veyra and three other Frostborne elders formed a half-circle near the water’s edge, their hands outstretched in solemn invocation.
“The Trial must be completed before the next full moon,” Veyra said, her voice like distant thunder rolling over snow. “Only then will your blood awaken fully, and your child’s fate be sealed—or spared.”
Lyra swallowed hard. “What if I fail?”
“Then the Harbinger will consume you from the inside,” Veyra said without softness. “And the gate will open.”
Kael stepped
