Lyssara’s POV
The nightmare started before I opened my eyes.
I knew because the whispers were already there.
Soft.
Ancient.
Hungry.
I sat up too fast, breathing hard as moonlight spilled across the bedroom floor. Beside me, Arinya was still asleep at first, curled beneath the blankets with one arm under her head.
But then her eyes snapped open instantly.
Golden-amber.
Alert.
“Mom,” she said immediately.
My chest tightened.
“I know.”
The bond pulsed again.
Not ours.
Hers.
And something about it felt… wrong.
Not broken.
Awake.
Arinya shoved the blankets off herself and climbed out of bed. “We should go.”
I hesitated.
Because usually Mom told us to stay hidden.
Usually Kaelor said not to wander at night.
Usually Draven somehow already knew before we did.
But tonight—
