Chapter 15. The Hollow Hymn

The howl echoed long after Aria’s own reply had faded into the wind. It wasn’t mimicry—it was acknowledgment. Somewhere beyond the trees, something had heard her voice and responded.

Back at camp, tension clung like a second skin. The ashfires burned low, casting flickering shadows across the cracked stone and canvas tents. The silence wasn’t peaceful—it pulsed with anticipation. When Aria stepped into the glow, the murmuring stopped.

Jules approached her cautiously, a rolled parchment cradled in both hands. “This came through the ash,” she said. “It wasn’t left—it manifested.”

Aria unrolled the parchment. No ink stained the surface, but the fibers pulsed faintly, vibrating with an invisible melody. A hymn, she realized. A Hollowed hymn.

“They’re not summoning anymore,” Aria murmured. “They’re harmonizing.”

“With what?” Kade asked.

“With me.”

Ren stood from the log near the fire. “You’ve changed everything. That mirror, the sigils—now even t