Caitlyn’s POV
The bone city faded behind us as we trekked deeper into Hollowed Ridge, the ground growing steeper and the air colder with every step. My boots sank into the frost-covered earth, each crunch a reminder of how far we were from anything safe.
The wind carried a faint metallic tang, like blood mixed with stone, and the jagged cliffs around us loomed like silent watchers. I stayed close to the group, my hand brushing the hilt of my dagger, my eyes scanning the shadows.
Rael walked a few paces ahead, his shoulders tense, his cloak stained with dirt and something darker I didn’t want to think about. His silence was heavier than usual, but I didn’t press.
We’d been moving for hours when the cliffside ruin came into view, carved into the rock like it had grown there. Its entrance
