The corridors of the Shadow Court twisted like a labyrinth, secret and silent, filled with whispers that only Kael and the shadows seemed to hear. He had led Alina through passages few dared enter, places where stone met shadow and magic hummed faintly in the walls.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her fingers brushing the cold stone, the mark on her wrist throbbing softly in response to the shadow-drenched air.
“To a place you need to see,” Kael replied, voice low, carrying a weight that pressed against her chest. “A place tied to your power… and to the Veil.”
Alina’s pulse quickened, not just from anticipation but from Kael’s nearness. His shadow clung to her as they walked, brushing against her arm, her back, coiling along her silhouette in a way that made her stomach tighten. She wa
