The serpent had not revealed itself fully. It had only begun to coil.Far beyond the reach of Nightfall’s patrols, in a stretch of forest where the trees grew taller and the moonlight barely touched the ground, the figure stepped forward from shadow into something closer to shape. The air there was colder, heavier, as if the land itself recognized a presence it did not entirely welcome. Golden eyes reflected the sliver of light filtering through twisted branches, calculating rather than emotional. The faintest smile curved across pale lips—not amused, not pleased, but satisfied with timing. The shift at Nightfall had