Dawn light hit the fire path and the heat rose so fast I felt it in my bones before I even opened my eyes.
Julian’s hand was already on my hip. “You feel that?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Not the center this time. Something on the fire side.”
We dressed quick and stepped out of the grove. Kael was waiting at the edge of the fire path, face tight.
“Deeper heat woke early,” he said. “Two of the newer pairs are restless. They asked for the center. Clear words. They want to see the hold up close before their own heat peaks.”
I looked at Julian. “We go?”
“We go,” he said. “Open and slow. Anyone who needs private stays back.”
We walked the fire path together. The ground was warm under our feet. Pyra and Sol met us halfway, already stripped to the waist.
Pyra spoke first. “Sol and I are fine. The t
