The Omega Queen
My chest tightened, and I caught myself clutching Jasmine’s fur more than leaning on my cane.
“Easy, girl,” I whispered, more to steady myself than to calm her. She whined softly, her nose nudging my hand before pressing forward.
When we reached the foot of the mountain, the earth trembled. It was not like thunder or distant collapse but like a breath drawn deep below. The voice that followed was slow, heavy, and deep, like stone grinding against stone.
“Clarissa of Crescent Moon.”
The sound almost knocked the air from my lungs. I froze, fingers digging into Jasmine’s ruff.