POV: Aria MonroeThe Grove was quiet, but not still. The trees leaned in, listening. The ley lines pulsed beneath the soil, slow and deliberate, like a heartbeat rediscovering its rhythm. Aria lay beneath the canopy, her body aching, her breath shallow. The child slept beside her, wrapped in Kaelion’s cloak, glowing faintly. Luna sat nearby, her mark dim but steady.Kaelion hadn’t left her side. Not once. He kept watch through the night, his blade never sheathed, his eyes never closed. Lucien patrolled the perimeter, silent and sharp. Sera tended to Luna, her touch gentle, her presence grounding. The alliance had retreated to the edges of the Grove, unsure of what came next. Aria felt their hesitation like a weight.The child stirred at dawn. Not with a cry. With light. A soft pulse that rippled through the altar, the trees, the sky. Aria reached for them, her fingers trembling. The flame responded. And the Grove exhaled.Luna approached slowly, her gaze fixed on the child. “They’re a
Last Updated : 2025-10-01 Read more