Kael’s POV
The wind shifted before I saw her. A foul, familiar scent drifted through the trees, twisting into the air like a warning. Then, from the edge of the woods, Gracie stepped out.
My body went still.
Her eyes locked onto mine, wild, burning, yet triumphant. Her swollen belly was clearly visible beneath her cloak. She looked thinner than I remembered, but not weak. No, there was something sharp in her presence, like a dagger hidden beneath silk.
And then her gaze snapped toward Aria.
“Aria, you foolish girl,” Gracie spat, her voice loud and venomous. “You think you can take my mate from me?”
I stepped in front of Aria instinctively, but Gracie’s eyes were already glowing with unstable magic. Before I could react, she launched herself into the air, fueled by a dark burst of pow
