C30 THE REBIRTH OF THE FLAME

Silence.

It pressed down on the world like mourning cloth, heavy and endless.

The ashes were still warm. The air still hummed slightly with the echo of divine power.

Elara stirred.

Her breath came harsh, as though she’d been yanked from deep water. She sat up, her skin drenched with golden light, her heart thumping.

For a moment, she couldn’t recall where she was