Marked From Birth
Audrey heard the wind outside.
The silver on Lucas’s neck began to glow. A hairline fracture appeared on his chest, but out of it leaked a brilliant, white light.
The third strike was a masterpiece of balance. Audrey threw every ounce of her love, her fear, and her power into the resonance. The sound wasn't a noise; it was a Word.
"STAY."
The Shroud of the Silence shattered. Across the North, the grey mist evaporated as if hit by a sonic boom. The birds began to scream, the wolves let out a collective, thunderous howl, and the World-Oak roared with the sound of a thousand rushing rivers.