Celestial Threads

Chapter 14: A Warning in Blood

Dawn broke over the horizon, but it did little to chase away the unease that clung to Aurora.

The Shadeborn attack had left them shaken, but it wasn’t just the battle that haunted her—it was the whisper. That voice slithering through her mind, calling her Dreamweaver.

Who—or what—was speaking to her?

They didn’t have time for answers. They had to keep moving.

Lysander was the first to break the silence. “So, I don’t suppose we’re going to talk about how those things keep finding us?”

Darius adjusted his weapons, scanning the trees as they walked. “We don’t need to. The answer is obvious.”

Celeste sighed. “Yeah, yeah. They’re tracking Aurora. We got that part. The real question is, how do we stop them from tracking her?”

Aurora ran a hand over her palm, where the golden mark still pulsed softly. “I don’t think we can.”

Lysander groaned. “Again. Fantastic.”

The road stretched before them, cutting through endless miles of forest. The path to Ravaryn was still long, but they weren’t alone in these woods.

And by nightfall, they found out exactly how not alone they were.

The Warning

The sun was setting when they saw it.

A village—small, quiet, tucked between the trees like a forgotten relic.

Except something was wrong.

Smoke curled into the sky, thick and heavy. The houses were untouched, but the scent of burning flesh hung in the air.

Aurora’s stomach twisted. “What happened here?”

Darius’s expression was grim. “We should be careful.”

Lysander unsheathed his sword. “I hate it already.”

As they moved into the village, the silence became unbearable.

And then—Aurora saw them.

Bodies.

Lined up in the center of the village, their skin blackened, their eyes missing. Strange symbols had been carved into their flesh, glowing faintly with dark magic.

Celeste covered her mouth. “Gods…”

Aurora’s breath hitched as she stepped closer.

The symbols… she recognized them.

She didn’t know how, but she knew.

Darius crouched beside one of the bodies, his silver eyes sharp. “This isn’t just murder. This is a message.”

Lysander frowned. “A message to who?”

Darius exhaled. “To her.”

Aurora’s blood ran cold.

That’s when she saw it—a single word, carved into the chest of the closest body.

“Dreamweaver.”

Her hands trembled.

Celeste looked at her. “Aurora… what does this mean?”

Aurora’s throat was dry. “It means they know I’m coming.”

And they wanted her to be afraid.