The night was unnaturally silent—too silent.
A low mist blanketed the edges of the Moonstone Sanctuary, curling around ancient stone pillars like ghostly fingers. The usual hum of energy that protected the sacred place was waning. Aria stood in the inner circle chamber, hand pressed to the altar as her spirit flickered with restlessness. Her wolf had not stopped pacing inside her since the previous night.
Caleb entered quietly, the door whispering shut behind him.
"It's not just in your head," he said. "The barrier's fading."
Aria looked over her shoulder, her silver hair catching the glow from the crystal sconces.
"I feel it. Something's coming."
Before Caleb could respond, the sanctuary trembled. A pulse of black magic surged through the stone floor like a ripple in a still lake.
"Mara," Aria breathed. "She's here."
A deafening roar tore through the sky.
