Kelly Thompson POV

She paused, folding the parchment with a reverence that belied her rugged exterior. "But tread carefully, Luna Queen. The path you seek to walk is fraught with shadows that hunger for the unwary. Vigilance must be your constant companion, and caution your closest ally."

Her words hung in the air between us like a talisman, warding off complacency. They were a reminder that while hope had been kindled within the confines of these walls, outside them lurked perils that would ...