Ace’s POV
There’s a fundamental truth about shadow magic that the ancient texts and demonic grimoires conveniently leave out.
They tell you about the stealth. They write endlessly about the tactical advantages of slipping between the physical world and the dark, ethereal plane that exists just beneath it. They romanticize the ability to become completely invisible, to walk through warded walls, and to listen to the whispered secrets of kings and monsters without ever leaving a footprint.
What they don’t tell you is how incredibly, agonizingly cold it is.
When you sink into the shadows, you aren’t just hiding. You’re actively stepping out of the realm of the living. The longer you stay under, the more the darkness tries to keep you. It seeps into your bones. It freezes your blood. It wh
