Aria’s POV….

"Stay strong and make the right decision, Remember to use your heart" was what the shadow Lyra told me

I hugged her tightly and she kissed my cheeks before leaving.

The world felt different when I closed my eyes.

Not quieter—never quiet anymore—but deeper. Heavier. As though every breath carried the weight of what was coming. I stood alone in the inner chamber of the war tent, hands resting gently over my stomach, armor half-fastened, firelight dancing across the ...