Chapter 167

Zarek

Fire does not hesitate.

It moves because it must, because stasis is death and restraint is weakness dressed up as virtue. I learned that long before Kaelen ever pretended fire could be gentle.

The moment Maren stepped onto dragon realm, the world shifted—not loudly, not violently, but unmistakably. Like a fault line adjusting under pressure. Like something ancient deciding to wake up.

I felt