Chapter 13 Flames Of Betrayal

• The morning light struggled through the thick canopy of trees, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. Ivy sat quietly beside the campfire, the rising smoke curling around her like tendrils of doubt. The weight of last night’s discovery settled deep in her chest. The traitor was closer than she had imagined — someone she had trusted, someone she had called friend.
• Kael approached silently, his expression dark and stormy. Without a word, he sat beside her, the space between them heavy with unspoken fears.
• “We can’t let this break us,” he said at last, voice low but steady.