The cliffs shook so violently that dust rained from the ceiling of the cavern. Wolves bristled, soldiers reached for weapons, and the stolen children huddled behind the monolith as the howls echoed through the hollow stone.
The Council’s Hounds were no longer hiding.
They were coming.
Aurelia stood at the heart of the chamber, her breath shallow but steady. The white-gold glow in her irises reflected off the obsidian walls. The Heartstone’s runes pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat as though the ancient relic recognized her as its new center.
Kane positioned himself slightly in front of her, protective instinct flaring through the bond. “Aurelia… whatever you awakened control it. Don’t let it control you.”
She closed her eyes. “I’m trying.”
The ground cracked.
Lysandra swore under
