Chapter 19
Chapter 20: The Sorcerer's Price
David and Elara journey north to mend the thinning weave. They encounter a sorcerer named Solen who claims the fissure's decay is a lie and offers David a vision of a life without the burden of the weave. David resists the temptation, and Solen attacks with shadows, forcing a confrontation that tests David's newfound purpose. Elara's quick action and David's unwavering resolve drive the sorcerer away, but not before Solen warns that the betrayer is already moving.
The path north wound through trees that seemed older than the world itself, their bark etched with symbols David didn't recognize but felt stirring in his chest like half-remembered dreams. Elara walked ahead of him, her steps sure and silent, her cloak brushing against frost-kissed ferns that bent and recovered in her wake. The air tasted of iron and snow, and every breath pulled something cold into his lungs, a reminder of how far they had come from the warmth of the cabin.
David kept his eyes on the ground, watching for roots and stones, but his mind wandered back to Kathleen's hand in his, the way her fingers had curled around his palm as if she were memorizing the shape of him. He had made a promise, and he intended to keep it.
"You're quiet," Elara said without turning around.
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