Alina pushed through the heavy foliage, the damp scent of moss and soil clinging to her. The castle’s rigid walls and stifling order still lingered in her chest, but with each step deeper into the woods, a small part of her breathed. Her mark pulsed faintly under her skin, lingering silver threads crawling along her arms like restless fire. Kael had argued for control; Riven, for release. Both pulled at her in ways she didn’t fully understand.
She paused beside a fallen log, letting her fingers brush the rough bark. The Veil quivered beneath her touch, reaching for something she couldn’t name. Every flicker, every flare, seemed sharper now, almost aware of her thoughts, her hesitation.
A shadow moved between the trees.
“You’ve been carrying that weight far too long,” Riven’s voice came,
