The cold air bit at my skin as we continued north. We had been traveling for days, and every step felt heavier than the last. My body was tired, but the pull inside me kept getting stronger. The Bloodstone inside Rick had a presence that tugged at me like a distant heartbeat, guiding me forward without words.

Mara had explained the feeling to me before we left. She said the Bloodstone created echoes when tied to a bloodline. I didn’t understand everything she meant, but I felt it. It ...