Chapter 22 Hidden Agendas

The moon had disappeared behind a blanket of thick clouds, leaving the forest bathed in an unsettling darkness. The air was thick with tension, and Lyra could feel the pulse of the earth beneath her feet—alive, waiting. It was as though the world itself held its breath, anticipating the storm that was about to break. Kaidën’s presence beside her was a constant, a steady warmth against the cold chill that seemed to be settling in. He had always been her anchor, the one person she could rely on in this world full of chaos. But tonight, something felt different. The words spoken by Elijah and the prophecy that had been revealed haunted her, gnawing at her sense of self.