The silence in the chamber stretched, thick and suffocating. The only sound was the slow, steady drip of water from the cracks in the ceiling, each drop echoing like a heartbeat in the stillness.
Elena’s mind raced. That thing—whatever it was—had known her. Or at least, it had recognized something in her. The way it had spoken, the certainty in its voice… It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
You carry the blade. You hear the call. You are bound to the seal.
She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.
Serin exhaled sharply and she could feel the tension rolling off him. “We need to go. Right now.”
Kael remained still, his gaze locked onto Elena. She could see the gears turning in his mind, his usual calculating expression sharper than before. He wasn’t just concerned—he was w
