The Omega Queen
The days blurred together after I left the mountain of shadows. My body ached, but not in the way that broken bones or pulled muscles ache. It was deeper, buried in my chest and stitched into the seams of my thoughts. The whispers of Lethra still lingered in my ears, curling like smoke in the back of my skull, reminding me of the fragility of my own courage. Yet, step by step, I pressed forward, and Jasmine pressed with me.
Her pawsteps padded gently against the uneven earth, steadying, guiding and grounding me. I clung to the soft leather of her harness as though it were the only real thing in the world. The air grew colder as we made our way, sharper, with the dry bite of stone dust.