The ritual chamber beneath Ravencrest Manor was older than the building above it, carved from bedrock that had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. As Luna and Victor descended the ancient stone steps, their footsteps echoing in the silence, Luna felt her transformed senses detecting layers of power that had been accumulated over centuries.
But they weren't alone.
Elder Ravencrest waited for them at the bottom of the stairs, accompanied by a figure Luna had never seen before—a woman who appeared to be in her sixties, with silver hair that seemed to move independently of any wind and eyes that held depths of knowledge that spoke of ages beyond human comprehension.
"Victor," Elder Ravencrest said formally, "Luna. Before you proceed with the Eternal Bond, there are truths you must
