THIRD PERSON POV

The dungeon was quiet now, eerily so.

Ryker’s boots echoed against the stone floor as he strode down the corridor, his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow, while the scent of scorched air and moonlight still lingered, a reminder of the surge that had shaken the castle to its bones.

Two guards stood at attention near the cell entrance, their faces pale, eyes wide.

“What did you see?” Ryker demanded, his voice sharp.

One guard swallowed hard. “Nothing, Alpha ...