"You have no idea what you're dealing with." The voice is sharp, cutting through the crisp air of the early morning. It's not Kael's. It's not anyone I recognize. I freeze, my heart pounding against my ribs.
A figure steps into view, emerging from the shadows of the trees at the edge of the forest. At first, I think it's a trick of the light, but then the figure moves again, slowly, deliberately. Their presence is commanding, like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
I stand still, not daring to make a sound, not trusting myself to speak.
"I know you're wondering who I am," the figure continues, stepping closer. "But the question isn't who I am. The question is who you are."
I narrow my eyes, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
"Your heart is troubled, Eira," they say, their g
