eams were a

her, the blood staining the snow beneath her feet, the ache of betrayal so deep it had nearl

d's la

ing out thro

couldn't qu

oment, she simply sat there in the dark, trying to calm the storm in her chest. The dreams were coming m

eded a

d through the clearing. Warriors sparred in the open ring while scouts returned with reports from surrounding te

by the fire, the sound of meta

him, her steps lig

doing now. Who's backing him

slowly. "You think I h

't y

fine. We've been tracking him. He's moving differently lately. More secretiv

lms. "We believe he's forming an a

e. "The old

e been signs. Rituals. Symbols. Missing Omegas. Theron may be using them to consolida

low and bitter. "He always wanted m

th Kieran. "We need to act b

n summoned the inner

g Theron's territory had changed-patrols doubled, trade r

ieran said. "His northern outpost. We n

before anyone els

id flatly. "You

eks straight. I know that terr

eam. She's right. If this mission fails, we'l

ieran nodded once. "Fine. But

ucien slipped through th

d in the trail. They passed ancient trees and streams that still whispered her name. She had onc

t stood on a ridge, a crude structure reinforced

ide her in the brus

h Marra and search the command tent.

d, her pulse

gnal, cha

later, wolves burst from the trees-just illusions, conjured by one of the mages-but

a kept watch while Elowen rifled through maps and scrolls. Her finge

ned the conte

pha T

e vessel. The child's essence will awaken t

ack

t. A child. A vessel.

way up from the de

le

t nearly

r

e was told

into her pouch and turn

arrived at camp, dawn was cresting over the hill

an's tent and slammed

out. "My son-he's alive.

r. His eyes narrowed. "T

a ritual. Blood magic. And if they succeed, it won't just be your son

"Then we stop them. I don't care wha

and exiled-stood taller than ever. She wasn't just Elowen anymore.

en's outburst, the weight of her reve

s jaw clenched. "We always assumed

rst time, Elowen saw uncertainty i

me believe my son was dead. And now, he's going to

magic, primal and corrupt. They always needed a bloodline vessel to bridge realms. If your son is aliv

voice was ice. "A

y against the wooden planks. "We need to locate the ritual sit

it for the blood moon. Th

"Ten days to stop Theron before he tears

"You're not alone in this, Elo

ey, her hands gripping the weathered stone railing of an old lookout post. Bel

lt anything

She'd buried the memories, convinced that doing so would let her move on. But now they surged

t hear his laug

e you th

ly from behind her. She

d have fought harder. I-" Her

"Theron was your mate. You trus

bitter laugh. "I

de choices we regret. But you're here now. And we'r

n't even know what I'm willing to do, Kie

nwavering. "Then I'

de-eyed. "We found something," he told the camp. "Old ruins.

ed an emerg

orest, built into the mountain, long thought abandoned. Symbols carve

irmed. "I've read about it in old tomes.

s skin

first light,

Blackthorn site blindly. Their magic traps

lked near their influence before. I

. The sickening pressure in her chest whenever s

The trees there were too still. The ai

of the blood ward. The closer we get, the

ck," Elowen said. "No

a group of elite warriors. They moved like shadows through the

nt symbols had been carved into bark and s

ow across the mos

eturn-a sensation of being

're close. Feel that? The h

hispered. "It's

ck stone altar. Around it, jagged ruins formed a broken circle

beyond the altar tha

enchanted chains that glimmered faintly.

breathed, ste

ed her arm.

s, a figure ste

er

him, his once-golden hair darker, his ey

oothly. "I was wonde

ir around her sparking wi

erstood, did you? He's special

she snarled. "

. You were weak. You would have coddl

power radiating off him.

dened. "Then come

his wrist, the

ir eyes glowing red, mouths whispering in ancient tongues. The