POV: Mira
Cassian grabs my arm just as I take a step toward the ruined archway surrounded by scorched stones and flickering spirit fire. His grip is strong but not harsh. His eyes are filled with fear…real, raw fear that I’ve never seen in him before.
“Mira, stop,” he says. “Please. Your body isn’t ready for this.”
“I have to do this,” I say, shaking him off gently. “The forest called me. The spirits led me here for a reason.”
“And what if that reason is your death?” His voice breaks, and that sound shakes something in me. “You’re not just anyone anymore. You carry the Moonfire. You’re not trained, not yet.”
I look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “If I wait, more people die. Lila said it herself. The Order is closing in. Varen is still pulling strings. If I don’t unlock whateve
