The air in the chamber pulsed with lingering energy, but Ivy’s thoughts were elsewhere.
The eastern border had been breached. The Vault had marked her. The prophecy—no, the truth—was becoming clear: she wasn’t just a Flameborn, Shadowkissed, or Child of Chaos. She was something more.
She was a weapon. A queen. And possibly… a curse.
Kael paced near the stone balcony that overlooked the training fields. His muscles were tense beneath his tunic, his expression unreadable. Ivy watched him from the shadows, wondering if the distance between them had widened again—just when she’d begun to believe it had disappeared.
“You’ve barely said a word,” she murmured, her voice softer than she intended.
He turned, his icy gaze colliding with hers. “What do you want me to say, Ivy? That I’m fine with
