Elara could not sleep.
The moon hung low, over the ocean, casting a silver, path across the restless water. She stood barefoot on the balcony, her silk night robe fluttering softly in the coastal wind. The Meridian estate behind her remained quiet, its marble halls resting under the weight of preparation for tomorrow’s ceremony.
She was supposed to feel excitement.
Instead, dread curled tightly inside her chest.
Her fingers rested, against the balcony railing as she stared at the horizon, her pulse syncing strangely with the crashing waves below. Each surge of water against the cliffs felt like something calling to her… something ancient and persistent.
Something she couldn’t name.
A soft pressure bloomed in her chest again subtle but unmistakable.
The same strange ache that had fo
