FINNIAN
The morning came faster than I expected. The sound of birds was the first thing that tore through the quiet. Their sharp chirps echoed over the forest, waking everyone one after another.
I pushed myself up, brushing off the sand and crushed leaves clinging to my body. My back ached from the hard ground, but I didn’t complain. Pain was a companion I’d long gotten used to.
Just as I reached for my cloak, something slammed inside my chest.
My breath caught.
A sudden, hard throb ran through me like claws digging straight into my heart.
I gasped, my vision dimmed for a second, and then I stumbled back, coughing until my throat burned.
“Prince!” one of the warriors yelled, running to me.
The others followed instantly, alarm spreading through them like wildfire.
“What’s happenin
