The war room was lit only by flickering torches and the cold glow of runes etched into the stone walls. Maps of the Northern Territories lay spread across the long oak table, marked with red ink showing Varak’s forces and the ritual site at Blackpine Ridge. The air was heavy with tension, the scent of pine smoke, blood, and fear-sweat.
Elara Voss stood beside Kai Thorn, her hand resting lightly on his arm. The mate bond hummed steadily between them, a quiet anchor in the storm. After the overwhelming surge the night before, she had barely slept. The heart of the silent moon was no longer silent — it pulsed inside her chest like a second, ancient heartbeat, waiting.
Headmaster Eldric’s voice broke the silence. “We have less than two full nights before Varak strikes. The rescued hostages c
