The clearing felt emptier than it had before. The oppressive weight of unseen eyes lingered, yet Lira’s departure had left a silence that seemed to hollow out the space. Eryndor stood at the center of the circle, the runes on her skin now a faint vibration. Lira’s words echoed in her mind: To master the runes is to sacrifice all else.
Kaelen broke the stillness, his voice low but cutting. “We need to move. Staying here makes us vulnerable.”
Eryndor turned to him, frowning. “And go where? She barely told us anything useful.”
Kaelen sighed, running a hand through his hair. “She told us enough. The Order thrives on riddles. If we push too hard, they’ll vanish entirely.”
“She spoke of a storm,” Seris interjected, his tone measured. “Something greater than even the runes. What do you make o
