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Chapter 81: Echoes in the Dark
The chill of dawn had not yet lifted when Luna found herself standing at the edge of the sacred circle—an ancient ring of stone hidden deep within the forest, veiled in morning mist. The air buzzed with old magic, the kind that seeped into your bones and reminded you of promises made long before your time. She came here seeking clarity, but the quiet only stirred the storm within her.
She touched the scar just beneath her collarbone, the place where darkness had once tried to take root inside her. It had healed, but the memory remained—like a whisper in her blood.
“You’re up early,” came Aria’s voice, gentle and hesitant.
Luna didn’t turn. “Couldn’t sleep. Too many thoughts.”
Aria stepped beside her, her cloak trailing behind like a shadow. “About the
