Kael’s POV
The shift hit before I could move.
Not subtle.
Not distant.
Immediate.
The air around us tightened so sharply it felt like something had closed its grip around the corridor itself. My hand locked on her shoulder, pulling her closer without thinking as every instinct in me snapped into place.
It had moved.
Not from the chamber.
Beyond it.
“Elara,” I said.
Her breath hitched sharply.
“I feel it,” she whispered.
Of course she did.
The bond was already reacting, pulsing faster now, uneven, like it was struggling to keep pace with something far older and far stronger. My focus sharpened instantly, scanning the corridor, tracking the pressure as it shifted.
Closer.
Too close.
“Stay with me,” I said.
Not a request.
A command.
Her fingers tightened against my arm.
“I
