Chapter 23: Bloodline Keep
The wind howled across the valley, carrying with it the scent of ash and old magic. The world no longer felt alive—it breathed, but in shallow gasps, as though waiting for something dreadful to return.
Kairo led the way through the forest, his cloak torn, his steps steady despite the exhaustion that clung to his bones. Every few minutes, the silver veins beneath his skin would pulse faintly, lighting the path ahead like veins of moonlight cutting through the dark.
Kaelen trailed close behind, blade drawn. The trees here leaned inward, their branches gnarled into claw-like shapes, as if the forest itself wanted to keep intruders from reaching the cursed valley.
“You sure this is the right way?” Kaelen asked, his voice low, his breath misting in the cold.
Kair
