Chapter 84

With that, he turned and disappeared into the trees, his figure melting into the shadows until he was gone. I stood there for a moment, the weight of his threat settling over me, a cold reminder of the battle we were now bound to face.

After a moment, I felt a presence behind me, and I turned to see Dante stepping out from the shadows, his expression tight with concern.

“You heard?” I asked, my voice quiet.

He nodded, his jaw clenched.

“Every word. He won’t stop, Elara. He’s given you a choice, but he was never planning to honor it. He wants to destroy us.”

“I know,” I replied, feeling the gravity of it settle over me.

“But he also gave us something else—a warning. We know he’s coming, and we know what he’s after. We’ll use that to our advantage.”