The forest never felt quiet anymore.
Not since that night.
The energy still buzzed under my skin, faint and constant, like a storm waiting for a reason to break. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Talon falling to his knees, the silver light between us fading. His voice echoing…You took my strength.
So I isolated myself.
It was easier that way.
I found an old hunting cabin near the far edge of Crescent Ridge, one no one used anymore. It was small, built from dark wood and stone, its windows fogged from years of dust. I didn’t light a fire at first; I didn’t trust myself near flames. My hands still trembled when the moonlight touched them.
The first night I stayed there, I barely slept. Every creak of the wood made my pulse jump. I could feel the bond tugging faintly through my chest,
