Chapter 25 — The First Rising Current
The whisper did not fade.
It deepened.
Aerin stood at the balcony rail, the dark ocean stretching endlessly before her, and the sensation inside her chest shifted again—no longer just warmth, but movement.
Slow.
Steady.
Alive.
Behind her, Caelum and Noctyrr remained silent for a moment, each studying the sea with the quiet intensity of rulers who had spent their lives learning the moods of water.
And this mood was… unusual.
Noctyrr broke the silence first.
"That wasn't just a tremor."
Caelum nodded slightly.
"No."
Another low pulse moved through the ocean, subtle but unmistakable. The palace wards shimmered faintly in response, their protective magic reacting like ripples across glass.
Aerin felt it travel straight through her bones.
Her hand lifted again to her abdomen, almost unconsciously.
The warmth there flared.
Caelum noticed first.
His sharp gaze softened as understanding began threading through his thoughts.
