The chamber was a furnace, alive with molten energy that seeped through the obsidian floor and glimmering crystal pillars. The air shimmered with heat, each breath thick and intoxicating, carrying the scent of iron and fire that clung to Kaelion’s scales. Ariella’s body quivered as she stepped further into the center of the hall, bare feet grazing the warm surface, every nerve alive, every pulse drawn taut.Kaelion stood before her, massive and imposing, yet his gaze softened with something ...