Chapter 10: The Catalyst

Weeks bled into a month. The solitude of the tower was no longer a prison; it had become a crucible. Under Orion’s ghostly guidance, I had learned to navigate the vast, silent ocean of power within me. The bond’s ache was now a distant tide, a rhythm I acknowledged but no longer allowed to dictate my own. I was no longer Iris, the captive healer. I was Iris, the awakening storm. The Silvervein Queen, though that title was a secret I clutched to my chest, a weapon being sharpened for the right...