The Sanctuary Hollow stretched beneath the mountain like a forgotten world. Mist curled around the valley floor, drifting over moss-coated stones and silverleaf trees whose branches hummed softly with ancient magic. No scent of smoke. No sound of war. Only the quiet pulse of old protection spells.
Aurelia stepped carefully onto the mossy ground, the soft earth cold beneath her boots. Her breath fogged in the cool air, and for the first time since the Heartstone shattered, her body didn’t feel like it was fighting itself.
But the glow beneath her skin had not faded.
Kane followed close behind, scanning every shadow. Wolves spread out across the valley, settling the wounded beneath the roots of the great trees. Riven’s healing runes shimmered across the Hollow, responding eagerly to the s
