The days after their union brought no peace.
Scouts returned with grim news: Ronan's army grew larger with every night. Wolves vanished from villages, hunters went missing, even beasts of the forest were found twisted, their bodies half-flesh, half-shadow.
"The shadow is no longer feeding," Kael said, his voice grim as he stood before the fire. "It is multiplying."
Aradia's fire flickered uneasily in her palms. "It grows because of me. Every time I burn, it feeds. Every time I falter, it spreads."
Kael caught her chin, forcing her to meet his blazing eyes. "No. It grows because it fears you. Because it knows you are the only one who can end it."
His words steadied her storm, but deep in her chest, she felt the truth clawing: her fire was not only weapon. It was bait.
And the shadow was closing in.