THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE PROPHECY
Dawn broke like a wounded beast.
Grey light spilled over the Shadowlands as if uncertain it had the right to be there. The air was heavy, thick with the metallic sting of danger. Even the trees seemed tense—branches trembling though there was no wind.
Nara stood at the ridge overlooking the valley where Kael’s pack trained. Her palms were cold, her heartbeat too loud. Last night, her world had changed again. The prophecy wasn’t just about her bloodline.
It was about her.
Her awakening.
Her ability.
Her destiny.
And the curse that linked her to Kael.
She still felt the echo of his voice from their midnight argument, the weight of his confession pressing on her chest.
“My curse isn’t just a punishment,” he’d said. “It’s a warning. The shadows cling
