The first shard of moonlight tore across the sky like a blade of silver glass. It streaked downward and vanished behind the far ridge with a sound that did not belong to the natural world. It was not thunder. It was not impact. It was an intake of breath. The land inhaled as if something ancient woke beneath its roots.
Wolves across the courtyard dropped to their knees. Some clutched their heads. Others whimpered, voices strangled by instincts they could not name. The air thickened, charged with pressure that made my lungs ache. I staggered, gripping Ronan’s forearm like it was the only solid thing left in the world.
“What is happening,” I whispered.
Ronan’s voice was tight. “The moon is not just a symbol. It is linked to power. If the moon breaks, magic breaks.”
Kade moved to stand be
