Chapter 315 The Burden Of Trust

• The following days brought no respite as the group continued their journey through the rugged mountains. The cool winds and the sharp edges of the terrain made every step a challenge. The silence between them was thick with tension, each person lost in their own thoughts. But despite the silence, there was an unspoken bond between them, forged in battle, in survival, and in shared purpose.
• Ariella could feel the weight of the shard in her pack, pressing against her side as if it was alive, constantly reminding her of its power, its allure. It was harder now to ignore it, harder to stay focused. Every now and then, she would catch herself thinking about the promises the shard whispered to her—promises of victory, of power that could crush the Queen and her forces. But she also heard the warning: *Beware the price of power.* The price that she might have to pay to harness it.
• Her sleepless nights were beginning to take their toll. Kaelen had noticed her weariness, her fading energy. He had always been observant, and he had seen the strain in her eyes. He knew that her inner battle was becoming more intense, and he couldn’t help but worry. Despite his own burdens, the thought of losing Ariella to the power of the shard haunted him.