The Coven of the Cornerstone: The essence stealers

Previously

…The glint of the shard, reflected in Lorenzo’s eyes, was a reflection of a future Jose increasingly feared. He caught Elara’s gaze, a fleeting connection across the dim campsite. She was pretending to meticulously pack away their meager supplies, her movements deliberate and unhurried, but her eyes met his. In that brief exchange, a silent understanding passed between them. The fragile truce that had held them together, forged in the crucible of their escape, was cracking. The seeds of doubt, sown by Lorenzo’s unchecked ambition, were taking root, promising a bitter, and perhaps violent, harvest. The forest around them held its breath, waiting.