Chapter 16 The Heart Of The World

• The valley lay still, the echoes of battle fading into the night. The Blood Moon, though still heavy in the sky, had lost some of its power, its crimson glow no longer as harsh. The dark, oppressive force of the Alpha of Shadows had dissipated, but the aftermath of his curse still lingered in the air. The valley, once alive with the shifting of the shadows, was now silent—too silent.
• Meher’s breath came in shallow gasps, the power she’d unleashed draining from her body. The light from the Map fragments had been all-encompassing, but now, without its steady pulse, the world around her seemed to press in, as if the weight of everything she had just done was sinking into her bones.
• Ayaan’s arms were around her, his body warm and solid, the only thing anchoring her to the present. “You’re safe now,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We’re safe.”