The Black Wolf
His skin bore the texture of polished wood, veins etched like roots, and his eyes glowed faintly green.
“You can’t step in unless you’re magical,” he said, his voice deep and slow, like the groan of old branches in wind.
“We can’t pay?” I asked, unsure whether this was a warning or a test.
He shook his head. “No. Only those with magic or those who carry magic may enter Velmora. Gold cannot buy what is sacred.”
Zevarion and I exchanged a glance, confused and unsure, until I remembered. Without a word, I reached into my cloak and drew out the living book. The moment its leather cover caught the light, it pulsed faintly in my hands, alive with a quiet energy.
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