A war not won.

RAVEN'S POV

The air split with a sound like the sky had cracked in half. It was a loud, sharp, and terrifying bang.

Kai and I froze mid-step, both of us turning at once toward the sound. It wasn’t thunder. It was an explosion and it looked close.

My heart slammed in my chest as I grabbed Kai’s arm. “That came from the east.”

His eyes widened. “The camp.”

Without thinking, I ran towards the direction, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. Every step made the smell of smoke stronger, the sky grew darker, and the heat more unbearable. Screams began to break through the woods.

By the time we reached the edge of our secret base, the trees opened to chaos.

Flames danced over the rooftops of the smaller barracks. Smoke curled up into the evening sky like black ropes twisting toward the gods. The crackling of fire drowned every other sound until a howl tore through it—one of our own.

My jaw dropped open. It was like my soul left me for some seconds but was too scared of the scene so it ret