When he finally fell into step beside Bryce, he stared at the forest in front of him and tried to keep his voice low.

The blast door hissed open, revealing the dimly lit corridor beyond. The team moved out in tight formation, every sense on high alert as they made their way towards the maintenance tunnels.

As the sun began to set on the seventh day of their journey, the caravan crested a final hill, and the elven city of Elendale came into view. Adeline and Cordelia gasped in unison, their recent ordeal momentarily forgotten in the face of such breathtaking beauty.

Gregory was modestly relieved the next morning when it became clear that his new captors were actually intending for him to be treated as a guest, though one lacking total freedom. They didn’t force him to travel with them, but they also didn’t offer him a chance to leave.

The days following Aria's triumph in the Trials of the Ancients were a whirlwind of activity. Skyhaven buzzed with preparations for war, the clang of hammers on anvils and the shouts of warriors training filling the air from dawn to dusk.

The team moved cautiously through the airlock, the beams from their helmet-mounted lights cutting through the darkness of the abandoned station. The air was stale and cold, carrying an underlying scent of decay that set Marcus's nerves on edge.

As the caravan wound its way through a narrow mountain pass, two days out from their destination, Adeline found herself lost in thought. The excitement of their impending arrival in the elven city had been tempered by a growing sense of unease. The guards seemed more vigilant tha...

Dawn broke over Skyhaven, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold. Aria stood at the edge of the plateau, her eyes fixed on the rising sun. Today would determine not just her fate, but the fate of her entire kingdom.

The car ride into the city was tense, filled with an oppressive silence that seemed to weigh on Petrillo's chest. Haatim's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, while Frieda stared out the window, her face a mask of grim determination.