The ruined Bloodmoon village was silent beneath the moon.
Aria stood among the ashes, staring toward the eastern mountains.
Somewhere beyond those mountains was King Darius.
The man who had hunted her ancestors.
The man who had somehow survived for centuries.
And now, the man who wanted her.
Aria clenched her fists.
“We leave at dawn.”
Kaelen looked at her.
“No.”
She turned.
“No?”
“You're exhausted.”
“I can still fight.”
“That isn't the point.”
Kaelen stepped closer.
“You nearly collapsed after using your Guardian power twice tonight.”
Aria frowned.
“I'll recover.”
“Perhaps.”
His voice softened.
“But I won't gamble your life.”
Lucian approached them.
“Kaelen is right.”
Aria looked at him.
“Since when do you agree with him?”
“Since I realized Darius is more dangero
