The ritual fire was gone, but its ghost still smoldered in my chest.

The night air pressed down heavy as iron, thick with smoke and damp moss. My skin hummed where Soren’s chains had bitten into me, phantom heat licking at my wrists and throat even though I was free. Every step I took away from that circle felt wrong like I’d left something vital buried in the ashes, or worse, that something had followed me out.

The pack had scattered quickly, avoiding my gaze, whispering sharp-edged ...