The dawn came quietly, painting the world in pale silver.
Mia stood barefoot on the damp grass behind Rowan's cabin. The field stretched open, surrounded by tall pines that whispered softly in the breeze. Above them, the moon still lingered faintly in the fading night sky, refusing to disappear completely — like it was watching.
Her body still felt weak, but her mind was alert. Something inside her pulsed gently, like a heartbeat that didn't belong to her.
Rowan stood a few feet away, his long robe brushing against the grass. His expression was calm but unreadable. "You feel it, don't you?"
Mia hesitated. "Feel what?"
"The hum," he said. "The rhythm beneath your skin. That's the Moon's Pulse — your connection to the ancient current that flows through every chosen heir. It beats differently in everyone. Some hear it as music, others as a whisper. For you, it might be light."
She frowned slightly. "I just feel… heat. Like something wants to break out."
