Dawn broke cold and gray.
We stood at the edge of the clearing, and I felt the power before I saw it.
Ancient. Primal. Humming through the earth like a heartbeat.
"This is it," Elena whispered. "The ley line convergence. Where the ritual will be strongest."
And most dangerous.
I gripped Kade's hand tighter. We'd bound ourselves together an hour ago. Blood mixed. Life forces linked.
Whatever happened next, we'd face it together.
"I don't like this," Marcus said. He stood behind us, warriors flanking. "It's too quiet. Too exposed."
He was right.
The clearing was empty. Just us and Elena and the ancient stones marking the ritual site.
No Thomas. No Lydia. No…
"Ember," I breathed.
There.
In the center of the clearing.
Tied to an altar carved from black stone.
My baby girl. Cryin
