Chapter 143: The Wounds Beneath the Moonlight
The moonlight cast a pale glow across the ruins of the eastern training ground, now half-consumed by shadows. Ember's cloak fluttered behind her as she stormed ahead, blood still staining her knuckles. She didn't feel the pain—only the guilt. The echo of Elias's voice, trembling and vulnerable, haunted her steps: "You weren't supposed to see that…"
Ronan trailed behind her, silent, his chest heaving as he struggled to process everything. The blood. The scars. The twisted bond that now linked Elias's torment to the Council's twisted games. They had all underestimated the depth of the past—especially his.
"We shouldn't have pushed him like that," Ember muttered, finally slowing near the edge of the cliffs. The ocean roared below like a beast mourning something lost.
Ronan didn't respond right away. He simply stared out into the open night, arms crossed, jaw clenched. Then, finally, he whispered, "No... we shouldn't have."
