lpha hall. One heartbeat she was standing in firelit judgment-her rejection echoing

to her skin. The air carried the scent of ash and damp moss, and an ee

tching the dim light of the crescent moon. He didn't

Elara's voice cracked as

f-devoured by vines, arches broken and forgotten. "We landed farthe

lullaby brushing against her bones. Her mark-still glowing

she asked,

tborn," he replied. "B

towers stood like broken teeth in the fog. Etchings lined the crac

e?" she whisper

old Alphas betrayed them. Before

illar. The moment her fingers brushed the ancient carv

y not h

-

ash

k cloak, holding a newborn close to her chest. Her lips moved in silent prayer

age sh

-

tching her chest. Her pu

that?" s

eavy. "A vision. Passed throu

t she didn't fall. "Th

she's stil

a chill racing

choed from beyond the b

epping in front of h

wisted limbs and liquid black eyes, its body crawling low li

whispered, fear cree

ftover magic from the burning of thi

its breath like rus

brilliant white surged from her, throwing the shado

ce fo

toward her,

o," she said, he

" he replied. "It's

her eyes. "I d

r. "But the blood remembers,

-

forgotten architecture. The fog shifted like breath as Elara passed through it. H

d again, this time not wit

. Stone symbols pulsed softly beneath l

stood here befor

an said. "Not in this b

the stone, the wo

-

shb

le of fire. A child placed gently inside a cradle made of vines. The woman w

-

s. "It's too much. I'm no

e that," Ronan said sof

led far in t

came fo

ent-it cut through t

a

-

r past. Mud stained the hem of his trousers, an

, voice hoarse.

ed. "You shou

wed the light. I didn't kn

lowly, her he

d me," she s

lenched. "I let duty bli

she said, voice hardenin

doing what was be

s best for me?" she ask

een them cracked

them. "She doesn't b

rowed. "And she

to herself,"

e, defensive. A shimmering barrier of light bu

fli

he said,

s," Ronan said. "And

to the light, unsure

raising her chin.

-

he finally saw her not as a burden, or a duty, or a ma

and disappeare

-

ins qu

ed. "Are yo

lly. "But for the first

he ruins, casting light on the place her people

led faintly-as if the sanctuary

, something ancient and lon

-

the ruins, an old pr

name like it had alwa