The seal was shut. But peace didn’t follow.

The Hollow had stopped humming, the forest once again still. Runes across the stone floor glowed with a steady silver light, no longer flickering in pain. And yet, Aria couldn’t breathe.

The broken pieces of the battle still lay around them—shattered trees, claw marks carved into the earth, and blood, some dried, some fresh, scattered like a grim trail of sacrifice. Caleb stood a few paces behind her, watchful. Rowan paced the edge of the ...