Chapter 312 Chapter 312


    Ellie POV


    The sky was wrong.


    F25 Bonus


    It wasn''t just dark-that would have been ordinary, expected even, with the storm pressing in. This was something else. The clouds rolled low and fast, unnaturally dark as they blotted out the daylight.


    Thunder growled constantly now, not sharp cracks but a deep, continuous rumble that vibrated through stone and


    bone alike.


    The goddess was everywhere.


    Her presence flooded my senses until I trembled beneath the weight of it, power surging through my veins so fiercely it made my vision blur. The warmth in my chest burned hot and unrelenting, spreading outward in waves that made it hard to breathe.


    I had grown used to feeling her presence, at least that''s what I thought. Right now, it was hitting me almost as hard as it had the first time.


    The thought of that moment, of watching Nn kneel before that altar before the assembled elders, only to have the room melt away into my first vision, filled my heart with something painfully nostalgic.


    It felt like a lifetime ago. Back when we still hadn''t forgiven each other, when we were just trying to fake our way through being together to avoid a scandal.


    It was such a stark difference that it felt more like a bad dream than my own past.


    I braced my hands against the stone wall of the inner courtyard, fingers digging into the cool surface as I fought to steady myself.


    The feeling of the power coursing through me and into the wards was staggering.


    "Ellie?"


    I''s voice cut through the roar of thunder. I turned toward her, forcing myself upright. She stood a few steps away, pale but steady, her hair whipping around her face in the rising wind.


    Her eyes were sharp, searching me.


    "You''re shaking," she said. "Are you hurt?"


    "No," I replied automatically. Then I stopped, honesty pressing harder than the instinct to reassure. "I mean- yes. Just not like that."


    She frowned. "Ellie."


    "It''s the magic, but it''ll be fine. ric will be here soon, and he can help me direct it."


    The look of relief on her face was impossible to miss. There were warriors stationed around the packhouse, but it was a small force. Having ric here with his experience and strength would be reassuring if nothing else.


    I would normally share in her relief. But not with the intensity of the sensation


    coursing through me. Not with the dread building in my chest.


    I''d felt this before, but only in shes. Maybe that''s why it took so long to recognize what it was. Now that I did, I felt a shudder run down my spine.


    "Ellie?" I''s voice cut through the moment, tense with concern.


    I drew in a slow breath, trying to find words for something that felt too big to hold. "Something terrible is about to happen.”


    The admission tasted like iron.


    I stiffened, but she didn''t look away. "Because of the storm?"


    “Because of her," I said softly.


    The wind surged again, tugging at my clothes, rattling the banners overhead. The wards thrummed beneath my feet, responding to the pressure building outside their boundaries.


    I stepped closer to I, lowering my voice despite the chaos. "I need you to promise me something."


    Her brow furrowed. "What?"


    "If ites to it,” I said, meeting her gaze fully, "you fight. You don''t hesitate. You don''t freeze."


    She stared at me, startled by the intensity in my tone.


    "Ellie-"


    “Promise me,” I insisted. “Lance needs you. He needs to know you''re strong enough to survive this. To stand."


    Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. For a split second, fear shed across her face-raw and human. Then her jaw set.


    "I promise," she said. "I won''t run."


    Relief loosened something tight in my chest. I nodded once. "Good."


    The first shout came without warning.


    "Breach!"


    The word echoed through the packhouse, sharp and panicked despite every effort


    at discipline.


    My head snapped toward the outer wall just as another voice took it up.


    "Breach on the east side!"


    Then another. "South gate-contact!"


    The air shifted.


    The wards red hard enough to make the ground tremble beneath our feet, a visible ripple of light racing across the inner barrier. Somewhere nearby, stone cracked. Warriors shoutedmands, boots pounding as the smaller defensive force stationed at the packhouse surged into motion.


    "They''re here," I whispered.


    I didn''t answer. I couldn''t.


    I was already moving.


    I ran to the edge of the courtyard, ignoring ric''s earliermand, ignoring the ache in my muscles and the fear screaming at me to stop. From the vantage point near the inner wall, I could see the outer grounds clearly.


    CHERO 313


    +25 Bonus


    Cede is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede''s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.