Men circled her—rough, armored, their boots crunching in the leaves. They looked down at her with cold, measuring eyes, awaiting some unspoken order.
The wizard’s staff tapped once against the ground, and the circle tightened.
★★★
★★★
Mia woke to a cold ache in her bones. Her lashes stuck as she blinked against the glow surrounding her.
The ground beneath her wasn’t earth anymore—it shimmered with pale blue markings, a circle drawn with runes that pulsed as if alive.
Every time she tried to move, the lines flared brighter, pinning her in place.
Her breath hitched. She wasn’t tied, yet she couldn’t step out.
Figures emerged from the edges of the trees.
Six of them—hoods draped, faces hidden behind smooth silver masks etched with faint scars that twisted when the firelight hit.
The
