The snow never stopped falling that morning.
Thin, dry flakes sifted from a grey sky, blanketing the crater's rim in silence.
Seph stood barefoot in the powder, eyes closed. Around her, the camp held its breath.
The bond pulsed in her chest—steady, hot, alive.
Too alive.
Ravik's voice came gently behind her. “The calculations are complete. At the next surge, the gate will require more than rhythm to hold."
Leo stepped forward, cloak whipping behind him. “What does it want?"
Ravik didn't answer. He looked at Seph.
She nodded. “It wants a keeper."
Cormac scowled. “What the hell does that mean?"
Seph opened her eyes. Calm. “It means someone has to stay. Permanently. Bound to the core."
Leo froze. “You're not volunteering."
Seph didn't blink. “I already have."
---
They argued for
