Heat slams through me—low, molten, curling like fire beneath my skin. And I almost forget we’re not alone.
My breath catches, and I curse at how easily he unravels me. Thane chuckles—far too satisfied with himself.
Silence stretches, broken only by the steady rhythm of hooves on damp earth. The escort follows behind, their presence reassuring. Somewhere above, a shadow passes over the road—Xaroth, circling, watching.
The forest thickens, towering trees closing in as golden light stutters through the canopy, striping the crooked trail. The silence is thick here, the muffled sounds of the world beyond swallowed by the weight of the woods.
Thane and I stop, our eyes meeting.
The bond pulls so hard it steals my breath; a hook in my chest, tugging me deeper into the forest. I rub my sternum where I feel the sensation. Thane’s eyes drop to my hand, and he gives a tight nod.
The escort hesitates, unease rippling through them. Behind me, tense voices murmur. The whisper of steel sliding out of their sheaths tells me the warriors suspect a threat.
“What do you think it is?” I ask, forcing the words past the tightness in my chest. “Should we follow it?”
He studies the overgrown trail, trees leaning close, branchestangled like knotted fingers. It’s like the forest is holding its breath.
Thane studies the overgrown trail leading into the forest. The trees lean close, branches tangled like knotted fingers.
“We should,” he says, his mouth twisting into a wry smile. “Remember what happened last time I ignored the bond?”
I do. How it locked him in place, refusing to let him walk away from me.
He straightens in his saddle, voice carrying to the men behind us. “We take the forest trail. Something needs checking before we rejoin the main road.”
They exchange glances, but no one argues with the Warlord.
“What’s happening?” Valen asks.
Thane’s eyes go distant, like he’s trying to see what the bond sees.
“I’m not sure, but Amara and I feel the bond pulling us in that direction.” He points into the forest.
“Fascinating,” he murmurs, though the weight in his tone makes it sound like a warning.
That’s not the word I would choose. Maybe something more like ominous. Or spooky.
“Then we go,” Garrick says simply, and Rian and Jarek nod their agreement.
Just like I told Lyra—Thane must’ve filled them in on the bond earlier.
Thane nods once, then turns his horse onto a narrow trail without another word. We follow.
An hour into this small forest trail the undergrowth grows thicker, branches reach like grasping fingers. The path narrows to single file.
I ride behind Thane, who leads us, followed by our escort, these souls I have come to trust—Valen, Garrick, Jarek, Rian. These months together have forged something I never thoughtI’d have again—family.
A shift in the air pulls me out of my thoughts—not wind, not rustling leaves, but something deeper. It curls at the edges of my awareness, like an unspoken whisper. The temperature dips—just a few degrees, but enough to raise goosebumps along my bare arms. It’s summer, but suddenly the air carries the edge of autumn.
The kind of coolness that doesn’t belong—not yet.
My breath catches.
“Do you feel that?”Calryx asks, voice sharp.
“I do.”
A ripple moves through the air, weightless but undeniable. Above us, the dragons react—a series of low, rolling growls vibrating through the thick canopy.
