(Kael’s POV )
The journey began beneath a bruised sky.
By dusk, the pack had left the shelter of the mountain behind, moving through a forest still slick with last night’s rain. Mist clung low to the ground, turning every breath into a ghost. The trees thinned as they traveled south, replaced by stretches of ash-colored earth that seemed to drink in the light.
Eira led the way, her movements silent and precise. Kael followed close behind, Aria at his side, the baby cradled against her chest. Jarek and Tessa flanked the rear, weapons drawn, scanning the shifting fog for movement.
Every sound felt wrong. Every shadow too still.
Kael could feel the Deep beneath his skin again. It wasn’t speaking, not yet, but it was awake. The black veins along his arms pulsed faintly in rhythm with some
