~Lucas POV~
The eerie chants from the hills grew louder, carried on a sudden gust that rattled the estate's windows, the air heavy with an ancient magic that prickled my skin. I steadied Annalyn as she gripped my arm, her eyes wide with the same unease we all felt. "That sound," she murmured, "it's like they're calling something up."
I nodded, pulse racing. "We fortified the barriers, but this feels bigger. We need to move fast—lunar phase is closing in."
Calix, wiping his knife clean from the earlier scrap, looked out the window. "Those kin bastards are prepping already. We can't just sit here."
Matteo glanced up from his tablet, its screen glowing with sensor data. "The energy spikes are off the charts, centered toward the mountain temple. That's where they're headed."
Ezra's hands glowed faintly with runes as he tested the air. "The magic's old, tied to the spirit. Our wards are holding for now, but we need to strengthen them before the moon peaks."
