The Victory tasted hollow in my mouth...
Smoke curled from the scorched earth around us, the remnants of the shadow beasts dissolving into nothingness. The children huddled together, wide-eyed and shivering, clutching at the farmer who, though gaunt and bruised, gathered them to him like a shepherd reclaiming lost lambs.
But my gaze was locked on Varian.
He knelt in the dirt, hands splayed, his chest heaving with broken sobs. The tether that had once bound him to us—and to me—was severed, the lingering magic sparking weakly around him like dying embers.
Kael stood beside me, tense, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade. Elowen advanced slowly, her blades still dripping shadowy ichor, her posture radiating lethal intent.
I raised a hand, stopping them both.
Varian lifted his he
