*Greenwood Territory — Dawn*

The forest was no longer quiet.

Birds stirred in the canopy, but even they seemed cautious. The moss underfoot felt warmer. The air, denser.

Crystal stood still.

Her hand remained clasped in Ryder’s, grounding her, but her body felt like it was carrying lightning. The dream had left more than echoes, it left knowledge of bloodlines, of a Gate that remembered her steps and a name whispered in the dark between worlds.

The Gate had ...