The moon was low in the night sky, its pale light creating eerie shadows in the old forest. Aurora's heart raced as she stood at the edge of the clearing, flanked by Damien, Ethan, and Gabriel. Their bond had grown stronger, but so had the danger that loomed over them.

"Let's stay close," Damien said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the darkness with a predator's focus. "We're heading into the heart of it."

Aurora nodded, her grip on her dagger tightening. The Council of Elders had revealed the source of the curse, the cursed tree at the center of the forbidden sanctuary. The tree's malevolent energy pulsed through...