Chapter 79 Shadows Of Betrayal

• Eli’s POV
• The chilly night air cut at my skin, each breath crystallizing before escaping into the darkness. The battlefield had been cruel tonight, leaving scars we would carry far beyond this war. I forced myself to keep moving, every muscle protesting, every stride heavier than the last. There was no time to pause, not while our opponents were regrouping. We had to predict Blackthorn’s next move, or we’d be buried by the weight of his gloom.
• I found myself at the edge of the encampment, where Ava sat in the dim light of a flickering torch. Her arm was wrapped, yet tiredness etched deep lines on her face. She looked up as I arrived, her eyes full with questions she didn’t speak. The fire blazed between us, a frail barricade against the encroaching night.