THE BLINDING LIGHT that had filled the temple faded slowly, leaving behind a profound silence and a soft, emerald-and-gold glow that seemed to emanate from Selene herself. The air, once heavy with the ancient, raw magic of the ritual, was now filled with a vibrant, life-affirming energy that hummed with a perfect, beautiful harmony. The Blood Moon outside cast its gentle crimson light through the cavern, but its terrifying power felt distant, muted.
Selene knelt on the stone floor, her body exhausted but whole, her head still resting against Waldemar’s chest. The rhythmic thrum of his strong, steady heart against her ear was the only sound that mattered. The Moonbind, which had stretched to a whisper, was now a roaring symphony, a two-way river of power and emotion that flowed between the
