The reports came before sunrise.
Not one.
Not scattered.
But all at once.
Like something had waited for the exact moment the world was weakest—then struck everywhere at the same time.
Kael didn’t bother knocking when he entered Aria’s chamber.
“Three regions have gone silent.”
Aria was already awake.
She hadn’t slept.
Not since the mark appeared.
Not since she felt it move.
Her body sat at the edge of the bed, rigid, her fingers curled tightly into her palms as if holding herself together required constant effort.
“Which ones?” she asked, her voice low but steady.
Kael didn’t hesitate.
“East Ridge. Black Hollow. And—” he paused briefly, “—Silverrun.”
That made her look up.
Silverrun wasn’t just another territory.
It was one of their strongest.
Densely populated.
Well-def
