"Kieran," Aria's voice trembled as she knelt over his unconscious form. Her hands pressed desperately against his chest, trying to feel any hint of life. "Please, stay with me. You can’t leave me now."
The battlefield was eerily silent around her. The storm that had raged minutes before—lightning and energy crackling from every corner—had suddenly stilled. All that remained was the faint glow of moonlight cutting through the dark clouds above. Yet, instead of peace, a suffocating dread hung in the air.
“I failed you, didn’t I?” she whispered, tears stinging her eyes as she cradled Kieran’s head in her lap. Her mind was a whirlwind of self-blame. If only she had been stronger. If only she had known how to control the ancient power buried deep within her.
Then it came—the pulsing ache tha
