The journey to the Court of Shadows was not one taken lightly.
Selene, Lucian, and Dain rode through the night, the land around them changing with every passing hour. The once-familiar forests of the northern territories gave way to something older, something darker. The trees twisted unnaturally, their branches curling toward the sky like skeletal hands. The air grew thick with a presence—watching, waiting.
Lucian tightened his grip on the reins of his horse. "This place feels cursed."
Dain, riding beside him, smirked. "That's because it is."
Selene glanced at the horizon. A jagged silhouette loomed in the distance—a fortress of stone and shadows, half-buried beneath the weight of time itself.
The Court of Shadows.
Legends spoke of it as a city that had once ruled an empire of darkness, a kingdom that had no borders because it existed between them. Now, it was abandoned. Forgotten. But its power had never truly faded.
And Elaris was already inside.
Selene inhaled sharply, trying to steady herself. The ice within her had been restless since they had entered these lands. It recognized this place. As if the magic buried here was calling to it.
Lucian pulled his horse to a stop, eyes scanning the fortress walls. "How do we get in?"
Dain dismounted, already moving toward the ruins. "The gates haven't opened in centuries. But there's another way."
Selene and Lucian exchanged a glance before following him.
The entrance Dain led them to was barely visible, buried beneath the overgrowth of the ancient ruins. A narrow tunnel, carved into the stone itself.
"This will take us beneath the fortress," Dain said, crouching near the entrance. "But once we're inside, we'll be vulnerable."
Lucian grinned. "When are we not?"
Dain rolled his eyes before slipping into the tunnel. Selene hesitated for only a moment before following.
The passage was tight, the walls damp and cold. Every step echoed, as if the fortress itself was listening.
Selene's fingers brushed against the stone. It felt wrong.
Alive.
Lucian moved beside her, his warmth a contrast to the unnatural chill of the place. "Whatever happens, we end this tonight."
Selene nodded. She wanted to believe that.
But something told her… the night was just beginning.