Ivy POV

The moment we reached the ridge, I felt it in my chest. Rick was close. His presence brushed lightly against my senses like a small heartbeat hidden deep inside the ground. It made my skin prickle and my breath tighten. I didn’t tell anyone at first. I just walked fast, almost dragging my feet through the rocks until we reached the top of the ridge.

That was when I saw it.

A fortress stood below us, tall and dark, built from black glass that rose into sharp towers. The walls ...