“Keep moving, Seraphine,” Cassian muttered, his jaw tight as he scanned the treeline. “We aren't alone.”
“I know,” I whispered, clutching the Moon Crystal tightly against my chest.
The moment our boots crossed the border into the Blood Forest, the ancient crystal began pulsing wildly in my palm, vibrating against my fingers like a trapped heart. Crimson sap trickled down the towering, pale bark of the surrounding trees, reacting instantly to the stone's magic. The air grew thick and heavy, charging the space between us with a strange, humming heat.
Every time Cassian’s shoulder brushed against mine, a surge of warmth shot straight down my spine. The memory of how close his lips had been back at the trial chamber burned in my mind. The mate bond hummed louder with every passing minute, p
