Novel-novel oleh Camilla Gill

POV: ROWANI watched him from the doorway, the firelight dancing across his features, softening the sharp edges I normally noticed first. Sebastian was restless, as I’d expected. He couldn’t hide it, not from me, not with the bond humming faintly between us. That pull, that tether, it never stopped, and tonight it pulsed stronger than usual. I’d stationed Ember and Cael elsewhere, trusting them to patrol. The responsibility of this night rested on me, and I could feel the weight. The forest outside wasn’t empty. That much was clear. The shadows moved with intent, testing, probing, waiting for a reaction. And it wasn’t just the entity from the ruins. Something else had awakened the moment Sebastian arrived, drawn to the bond like a moth to a flame.I exhaled, low, steadying myself. He needed awareness. He needed patience. He didn’t need me worrying aloud, but I couldn’t ignore it, not when every instinct screamed that danger was imminent.I stepped closer, careful not to crowd him. He

POV: SEBASTIANI didn’t sleep much that night. The warmth of the cabin, the crackle of the fire, and the faint hum of Rowan’s presence beside me all kept me awake. My body throbbed with residual energy, every nerve ending alert to the bond, to the lingering shadows pressing at the edges of the forest.I stared into the fire, tracing the flickering patterns like I could read a warning in them. Rowan had said it himself: the entity was patient, and it had already taken notice of us. That thought made my chest tighten in ways I couldn’t name. Fear, yes but also something sharper, something tethered to him. Rowan moved quietly, tidying the cabin, checking the windows, adjusting wards, and every subtle motion sent a flare through the bond. I could feel his control, his patience, and a restraint I couldn’t match. My instincts screamed at me to push, to test, to move, but I held myself back, letting him anchor the chaos inside me.“You’re restless,” he said quietly, voice low enough that Emb

POV: ROWANI didn’t like the way the wind carried sound tonight. It whispered along the trees, curling around the cabin like fingers, reaching in places it shouldn’t. Something was out there. Something patient. Something waiting.I stayed on the porch, boots dug into the frost, eyes scanning the darkened forest beyond the small clearing. Ember and Cael had gone to check the perimeter, leaving Sebastian inside, unaware of just how close danger had edged tonight. I wanted to warn him, but part of me also needed him to feel it not fear it, but recognize it. Control came from understanding, and understanding came from experience.The bond between us throbbed faintly, a low pulse beneath my skin, pulling, tethering. I had tried to deny it when I first arrived, wanted to treat him like any other trainee. But he was different. Not just because of what he was, but because of what he did to me: the pull, the resonance, the way instinct and magic responded to him without thought. I couldn’t unt

POV: SEBASTIANThe air in Duskpine felt heavier that evening. Not because of the snow settling on rooftops or the way the wind scraped through the trees, but because of something unseen pressing against the town. I noticed it immediately as Rowan and I stepped outside after dinner.“Do you feel it?” I asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention.Rowan’s gaze swept the horizon, dark eyes narrowing. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Something’s moving in the shadows. I’ve been feeling it all day.” The pull between us, the bond, flared again at the mention. I had learned to recognize it not just as attraction, not just as power but as a tether between us, alive and sensitive to the world around us.We walked silently down the snow-covered path behind the cabin. The crunch of frost under our boots was loud in the stillness. Even Ember and Cael had retired early, leaving us alone. That suited me just fine. Rowan’s presence was enough. More than enough.“I don’t understand it,” I admitted, voice low.

POV: SEBASTIANMorning came too quickly. The pale light of dawn filtered through the cabin windows, cutting the shadows into jagged strips across the floor. I lay on the bed longer than I probably should have, listening to the distant wind through the trees, waiting for my body to stop buzzing with residual energy from the night before.Rowan was already up. I could hear him moving silently around the cabin, gathering supplies and stretching in that controlled, deliberate way he had. Every sound he made felt purposeful, measured. My pulse quickened just from listening.I pushed myself up, joints stiff, and caught his eye from across the room. He didn’t look up immediately, just kept moving with that steady efficiency. Then, finally, he glanced at me.“Morning,” he said, voice low. There was no warmth in the word, only… acknowledgment. But it was enough.“Morning,” I muttered back. My throat felt dry, my mouth bitter from lack of sleep. I swung my legs over the bed and forced myself to

POV: SEBASTIANThe cabin smelled of smoke and wood polish, but I barely noticed. My muscles ached in protest as I sank onto the edge of the bed, every movement reminding me of the ruins, the shadow, and the way it had reached inside me.Rowan moved around the room with silent efficiency, gathering blankets and a first-aid kit. The tension in his shoulders didn’t ease; if anything, it stiffened every time I shifted. He didn’t speak much, but his presence was heavy, suffocating, grounding all at once.“Sit still,” he said finally, voice calm but firm. “Let me check you.”I nodded, not trusting my voice. My hands shook slightly as I lifted my sleeve. The burns where the chains had snapped, the bruises from debris, the ache in my chest it all screamed at me. Rowan knelt, inspecting silently, his dark eyes assessing more than just the physical injuries.“You’re tougher than you think,” he muttered, almost to himself, brushing a strand of hair from my forehead. “But you’re not invincible. T