The three of them press deeper into the woods until they find a sheltered hollow, hidden beneath leaning pines and ancient stone. Christa kneels to gather fallen branches, her movements quick and practiced. Evan strikes flint against steel, and soon the fire catches, flames crackling as they push back the cold night.

Around the circle of light, Jadon works in silence. She places crystals with deliberate care, each one humming faintly as it touches the earth. The air shifts, charged with quiet ...