Ruby’s POV
Pain. It curled around my body like a serpent, squeezing, burning, changing.
I gasped, my fingers twitching against Manson’s chest as he held me. The dark magic that had struck me wasn’t fading, it was seeping into me, twisting through my veins, igniting something deep inside.
I felt cold and hot at the same time.
Weak, yet powerful.
Something was happening to me.
“Ruby.” Manson’s voice was urgent, his golden eyes scanning my face.
I swallowed hard. “I’m fine.”
That was a lie.
Manson wasn’t convinced either. His grip tightened around me, his warmth grounding me as he stood, carrying me effortlessly through the dark tunnels. His warriors followed, their movements cautious.
I could hear the tension in their breathing, the weight of the battle that had just ended.
But fo
