The sanctuary walls pulsed with faint white-gold light, like a heartbeat buried deep in the mountain. Aurelia sat against the carved stone, breaths shallow, every muscle trembling from the power she had unleashed. Riven knelt beside her, wiping rain and dust from his face.
“They’re coming,” he whispered. Aurelia didn’t need his warning. She felt it through the bond.
The moment the Council arrived, Kane’s presence surged with adrenaline a raw, electric spike of fury, protectiveness, and pain.
Aurelia dragged herself upright, gripping the stone wall for balance. “I have to go.”
“No.” Lysandra blocked her path, planting both palms against Aurelia’s shoulders. “You’ll collapse if you try to fight now.”
“I can’t stay hidden while he”
A roar split the air so violently it shook dust from th
