Chapter 72 The Enemy Within

The night air outside the ancient clearing was cold, damp with the scent of moss and lingering mist, but Isla barely felt it. The fire that now lived within her seemed to shield her from the chill, burning quietly beneath her skin like a second heartbeat. Every breath she took vibrated with raw energy, every movement felt heightened—as if her body no longer belonged to just her, but to something greater, older, more dangerous. She and Dominic walked in silence for a while, their footsteps crunching softly over fallen leaves and broken twigs. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was necessary. Both of them were coming to terms with what had just happened.