Ivy POV

The moment we stepped through the gates, the air changed. I felt it hit me like a cold wave. My chest tightened, and for a second, I struggled to breathe. Lucien squeezed my hand once, not saying anything, but I knew he felt it too. Everyone did. The ruins were silent, but the silence didn’t feel empty. It felt like something was waiting for us.

We walked deeper into the city, and the broken towers rose high over our heads. Vines wrapped around the stones. Strange markings ran ...