The first thing Aiden noticed was silence.
No wind, no footsteps, no heartbeat. Just silence—so complete it made Aiden’s ears ring. He blinked rapidly, chest rising and falling as if he’d run for miles. Then, slowly, the silence broke. A low hum, steady and ancient, began to vibrate under his feet.
He looked down.
The marble beneath him glowed faintly, white shot through with veins of gold, like sunlight trapped in stone. It was warm, alive, as though the ground itself had a pulse. He jerked his foot back in shock, then realized—no, not just the marble. The entire chamber pulsed. Every pillar, every wall, every inch of this place was alive with power.
His breath caught in his throat.
The Sanctum.
He had only ever heard of it in half-whispered prayers. The place where angels were born
