They left Veyrith at dawn.
The ruins faded behind them like a memory burned too bright. Lord Calean rode ahead, silent but alert, his presence heavy with ancient power. Ivy rode beside Kael, her thoughts spiraling.
The wind howled over the dunes, but it wasn’t just weather—it whispered.
Every gust seemed to murmur forgotten names.
Every grain of sand, a memory trying to rise.
They weren’t alone anymore.
Not just because of Calean…
Because something was following.
Watching.
Waiting.
By nightfall, they camped in a gorge cut between two collapsed cliffs. The fire crackled low, casting golden shadows on the sandstone walls.
Kael stared into the flames, expression tight. “There’s something beneath us.”
Ember blinked. “Beneath the canyon?”
“No,” Kael said. “Beneath the Wastes. I can
