The moon was waning, its light pale and watchful over the towering spires of Nightborne Keep. Shadows stretched long across the stone halls, and the silence inside the fortress had grown uneasy, like something unseen was listening.
Aria walked without guards for the first time since arriving. Whether it was a small act of rebellion or trust, she didn’t know. But the tension between her and Kael had changed after the banquet—subtle, yet undeniable. He hadn’t said much since she’d confronted him in front of the nobles, but he hadn’t punished her either. That silence was more dangerous than his fury.
She paused in the moon garden, fingers brushing the silver-veined leaves of the wolfsbane hedge. The flowers glowed faintly beneath the lunar light, humming with energy.
"You're not supposed t
