The night stretched endlessly before us, the forest swallowing the narrow path we followed. The trees loomed high, their gnarled branches twisting into dark silhouettes against the deep navy sky. The air smelled of damp earth and lingering rain, and with each step forward, the weight on my shoulders grew heavier.
The council's decree echoed in my mind like a relentless drumbeat.
Master the Codex.
Failure wasn't an option. It never had been.
That was why Cairon and I had left the city under the cover of darkness. The Codex wasn't just a book—it was a force, a living entity of knowledge and power that couldn't be tamed through quiet study alone. It had to be confronted, understood, wielded. And the only place to do that was far beyond the reach of prying eyes, where no one could interfere if things went wrong.
Because they would.
