He studied me, his eyes narrowing, and then finally, with a reluctant nod, he said, “Alright. We leave at first light.”
I hardly slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined his little face, bright with curiosity, oblivious to the danger ahead. I pressed my hand against my belly, feeling the memory of his tiny heartbeat, a rhythm I would carry into battle.
By the first light, painting the sky pink and amber, we were packed and ready. Weapons, supplies, and focus aligned. Magic hummed faintly beneath my skin, a steady reassurance that I was finally ready to face him.
The journey to the Sorcerer’s domain was treacherous. The world twisted unnaturally as we drew closer. Rocks floated where they shouldn’t, trees shifted subtly, and shadows clung like sentient creatures. Every s
