Chapter 148: The First Echoes of War
The forest didn't sleep after the Mate Bond Test.
Neither did we.
By the time dawn crept over the treetops, the energy in the clearing hadn't faded—only settled into something more ominous. A pulsing weight in the air, like the earth itself was bracing for impact.
Kael stood near the eastern edge of the circle, his back to the sunrise, the wind tousling his dark hair. He hadn't said much since I'd spoken of the vision—the red eyes, the flames, the coming war. But I could feel the war already raging inside him.
Lucien had taken to pacing, jaw tight, coat thrown over his shoulders despite the warmth. Always calculating. Always bracing. He didn't pace unless something deeply unsettled him.
And Darius... Darius had taken up watch beside me, never more than a foot away. His presence was a silent vow.
