Aria’s POV
Pain was the first thing I noticed. It wasn't sharp or sudden, but deep and never-ending...like fire slowly moving through my veins, or the earth itself eager to tear me apart.
I tried to move, but my body just wouldn't cooperate. My breath was heavy and shaky, with each inhale feeling like it scraped my throat. I could hear voices shouting in the distance ... Damon’s voice, full of urgency and command. But through it all, the only sound I could really focus on was the steady pounding of my heart.
And beneath it, something else.
A whisper. Low, ancient. A language my human tongue shouldn’t understand.
Rise, Luna.
My eyes snapped open.
The forest around me shimmered ... no longer burning, but softly glowing. The snow that had once been red with blood transformed into a gen
