Where Shadows Meet Starlight

Previously

…Kael’s jaw tightened. “No. We do this together.” “You can’t carry him and climb. And if she catches us both, there’s no one to finish it.” She held his gaze. “I’m not being noble. I’m being practical.” He looked away. A long silence stretched. Then he nodded, once. They lifted Thorne again and left the iron room. The canyon was empty, the shadows still. They carried the old man down a sloping path toward the green-marked cave, and by the time they reached it, the sky had darkened. The first star flickered above the peak. Tomorrow night was the new moon. And Elara was walking into the mountain alone.