Chapter 13: THE SECOND KEY

The night was still, but my dreams were anything but. Visions swirled in my mind—a forest darker than any I’d known, thick with mist, trees towering above like ancient sentinels. I could hear the whispers, the rustle of leaves that carried secrets, and then a flash of silver. A key—ancient, gleaming, and buried deep within the heart of the forest.

I woke up with a start, my heart racing. The air around me was heavy, and charged, as if the dream had lingered in the real world for just a moment longer than it should have. I knew what it meant. The second key was out there, calling to me.

Kael was waiting outside my door by the time I was dressed. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but I could see the flicker of something in his eyes—anticipation, maybe. He knew. He always knew more than he let on, and though I didn’t fully trust him, I needed his guidance.

“We’re going after the second key,” I told him, my voice steady despite the uncertainty I felt. “I dreamt of its location.”