POV: Riley
The moment I touched Alex’s arm, I felt it.
Not magic.
Not power.
Life.
Soft. Fragile. Bright.
Two heartbeats now echoed through our bond instead of one.
Alex stiffened beneath my fingers as the realization swept over both of us at the same time. The palace around us was still in chaos—guards rushing past, wounded being carried away, shattered stone and scorched banners—but all of that faded into the background.
Everything narrowed to the quiet miracle inside her.
“He’s real,” I whispered.
Alex’s breath shook as she nodded. “He chose now to reveal himself… in the middle of war.”
Mason tried to sit up despite his injuries. “Then the Shadow King wasn’t attacking the palace to win territory.”
“No,” I said slowly, the truth settling like ice in my bones. “He was testing
