The sky cracked open with thunder as the winds howled through the mountain trees, carrying with it the scent of blood and something far older—something wrong. Aria stood frozen at the entrance of the Moonstone sanctuary, Rowan trembling in her arms, his skin burning hot beneath her fingertips. The black veins crawling up his neck pulsed violently, as though something inside him fought to break free.
"Rowan!" she cried, pressing her palm against his chest. His heartbeat was erratic, fading fast. His body convulsed once more, and his eyes rolled back into his skull. "Stay with me!"
Caleb knelt beside them, eyes narrowed with fury and fear. "It's the curse—Mara's accelerating it."
Solene hovered nearby, her hands sparking faintly with blue magic. "She's using the connection. The more Rowan resists her, the more she tightens her hold."
Aria's heart pounded in her ears. They didn't have time. "We need to purge it," she said, voice thick with emotion.
