The morning was unusually still, a rare calm that settled over Ashen Hollow after the previous night's attack. The air seemed to hold its breath, as if even the town itself was waiting for what would come next. Lena sat at the kitchen table in her cottage, nursing her bandaged arm. The events of the night before still lingered in her mind—the snarling wolves, the chaotic magic, and Rylan's promise to stand by her.
She knew she couldn’t wait any longer to learn control. Her power was growing too fast, too unstable. If Kane's attacks were going to intensify, then she needed to be ready. That was why she found herself here, about to meet a witch she had only heard about in passing—a reclusive figure said to possess ancient knowledge about the leyline and magic as old as Ashen Hollow itself.
