Chapter 99

• The council chamber buzzed with tension as the alliance leaders gathered, their voices rising in agitation. The failed ritual and The Harbinger’s appearance had left them rattled, and the cracks in their unity were beginning to show. Amara stood at the center of the room, flanked by Xander and Asher, their expressions unwavering despite the growing hostility.
• “This is unacceptable!” an Alpha barked, slamming his fist on the table. “First, the artifact destabilizes, then the ritual fails, and now The Harbinger himself shows up to tell us that it’s a weapon of destruction? How can we continue to trust it—or her?”
• A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, and Lord Darius, the vampire envoy, leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp as he observed Amara. “The artifact is clearly unstable,” he said, his voice calm but cutting. “And if The Harbinger’s warnings hold any truth, it may be more dangerous than we realized. We cannot blindly follow someone who is already struggling to control it.”