Chapter 9 Silvermoon

• The stars had long since faded when Ravnir finally carried her down from the ridge, their bodies still flushed from shared warmth and a bond now sealed. Xueya was wrapped snug in his thick fur cloak, nestled against his chest like she belonged nowhere else. No words passed between them—only the gentle thrum of their completed connection, a pulse under skin and soul alike.
• He brought her home.
• The Leader’s house stood proudly at the heart of the village, its timber walls and darkstone foundation impressive but hollow—until now. As he crossed the threshold with her in his arms, something shifted in the air. The place no longer felt empty. Not with her inside it.