Ghosts Between Us
Madeline
Hours later, the war room had emptied, but the weight hadn’t.
We’d planned until candle stubs drowned in their wax pools, until even Zyrean looked worn down, pacing in tighter circles like he wanted to argue with every possibility we laid out. Lucien had hardly spoken by the end, just listened—silent, sharp, storm-colored. The final call had been his.
Now, the corridors were dark and mostly still, a hush settling over Velithar like the lull between thunderclaps. The battle hadn’t begun yet, but it was already breathing down our necks.
Lucien walked beside me in silence, our fingers brushing once, then not again. The heat of what we’d done earlier still lingered somewhere beneath my skin, but exhaustion layered over it like ash.
And still, I couldn’t stop th
