Chapter 24 The Thorns Beneath

The stone path beneath the lake stretched onward like a bridge between worlds. Selene led the way, the fire dagger illuminating the dark corridor with an eerie amber glow. The parted lake walls shimmered on either side, holding back the crushing weight of water with invisible force—magic older than the Queen’s reign, older than the war itself. The air was damp and cold, filled with the faint sound of rushing currents above and below.