Chapter 27 The DoppelgäNger's Whisper

• Elara woke before dawn, her heartbeat pounding like war drums. Dreams still clung to her—visions of flame and ash, of her own face speaking riddles in a voice not her own.
• She ran a trembling hand through her hair and slipped from Kael’s arms. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake, still wrapped in a sleep earned by the night’s exhaustion and joy.
• Pulling a thick cloak around her shoulders, she stepped out into the cool morning air and made her way to the eastern tower—the highest place in Cindermarch, where the wind whispered across the battlements and the first rays of sunlight struck the city.