🌑 Chapter Twenty-Three (Part Two): Trials of Fire, Water, Steel, and Shadow
Elara woke the next morning with the cavern still heavy around her. She hadn’t slept much—every time she closed her eyes, she saw flames, water, steel, and shadow colliding inside her dreams. Four paths, four brothers, four possibilities.
When she rose, the brothers were waiting. Kael by the fire pit, arms folded and flames dancing idly across his palms. Theron sharpening a trident of liquid ice. Riven tossing his daggers in a casual rhythm. And Darius—standing apart, shadows rippling like ink around him, his gaze unreadable.
Kael spoke first, his voice gruff. “You want control? Then you’ll train. With all of us.”
Riven leaned back against the wall with a grin. “A dangerous decision. But entertaining. I’m in.”
