idn't speak-

y overhead roiling with angry clouds. Thunder cracked

to the soil as if she needed to feel the earth to know w

me must

led beneath it

war

efore-his smirk, his blood-soaked teeth, the ma

her fat

had he left

r spin, claws instinctively

ed from th

e. He hadn't s

something,

t beat fas

it slowly, revealing a silver pendant. Circu

ld see it before th

e was

t. Hidden beneath the floo

ands tr

ll. Small, rolled tight. She

, the order shall break. The blood

aggere

er used to say something similar, whisp

rhyme, s

no

cy?" she asked, h

s unreadable.

er voice soft. "My father knew. He knew

nd now they're

-

und, whispers spr

e rogue had rat

d Eva ki

ut of jealousy, out of

truth wa

e Eldritch Order-an ancient council of seers and

ey were i

patrols. Guards po

didn't f

n in hi

ally n

ame to her room, she

ng the pendant like a prayer, eyes wat

-

ns of a forgotten chapel, a cloak

ound the flame,

h power, answered from the sh

-

pound, the atta

hattered the

pped throu

awake to fi

the door open. Smoke rolled throug

-claws tearing through in

vault!" he sho

and pulled down the west co

m not h

derstand-" th

eady running-to

ard

nst one, but he moved like a st

e of the

saw th

stra

a ro

ha

neighbo

king

," Kael

. Just tired of pretend

lack with runes tha

o block-but

ng inside h

-

me came

fi

li

po

mental.

ed. Glass shatte

nd blazing. The pendant around her neck puls

was flu

hard, coug

he wall, screaming,

ard, voice not e

e?" she whispered.

Rion

ent at first, then shrieki

nds later, and eve

-

ning Flame

-

le

wasn't peace-but

vibrating in her bones. The ceiling above her wa

n't in

even in t

c su

nly to be gently pushed do

e," Kael s

ce bruised. A bandage dark wit

e was

s eyes held someth

ere

as somethi

e we?" sh

North ridge. The others ar

remembered was the heat, the scream, the way Rion

slowly. "

idn't

saw

nodded. "And so d

d herself. Her body still

raid she might vanish. "You're more than what t

wasn't jus

're

You're part of a lineage long bel

"That's jus

. Until

he center of a carved wolf's head. A hidden panel slid ope

it and hand

t for the day

it, her finge

shimmered fain

l carry the fire that ends the blood war. She shall be

eart pounding. "

r mo

e w

," Kael said. "S

. "But that w

. Half Fae.

spered. "That

ts you dead? Why do you think rogues are

f I lose control again? What if I

oser, cupping h

you who you are. E

And for a moment, the world did

th

o

house sh

erupted

away, claws already sli

e to go

already dancing

-

de of crimson. Shadows moved like ghosts

gnized the insignia o

Or

d fou

her with his body as he to

no intenti

epped

flame wo

, she con

ocuse

he raised her hands, light pulsing from

e?" she said coldly. "Th

-

ntains themselves trembled be

ed with crimson. Kael turned, just long enough to catch the look on her

lled. "Don't

didn't h

t nee

ifting mid-run, others drawing weapons etche

their fir

ised h

wave tur

g. Just a flash of red

behind

f claws and rage. He tore through the flank

e side, blade raised high,

un-too

the attacker, throwing

ayed. Bon

a snarl, his sh

to stay clos

th. "And you pro

alf-snarl, half

oved. Ten. Twe

t forever. Her body coul

ground sp

era

as a dome of ice exploded from t

widened. "Re

through the smoke

ther. An

lver, the emblem of the Eclips

ible. The Eclipse Pact wa

"Not wiped out. Hidden.

od, revealing pale violet eye

said. "We've come to

ared a

ask for pr

ed. "And yet..

began to retreat, dragging the

war wasn

just

-

what remained of the safehouse. Her hands trembled-not from fear. F

ide her, ban

rified of myself

yes softer than usua

terrified of what I

a strand of hair behind her ear.

eart

dn't sound li

ded lik

n. But

followed, a flame wa

om someth

o

-