The aftermath of the battle left a thick silence hanging in the air. The corridor, once filled with the shrieks of the shadow creatures, now seemed unnervingly empty. The glow of Elena’s dagger had faded completely, leaving them in near-darkness except for the flickering torches lining the stone walls.
Kael’s grip on her arm was steady, but she could feel the tension in his fingers, the way his body remained coiled as if expecting another attack. Serin, breathing heavily, wiped his daggers clean on the hem of his cloak before sheathing them. His sharp eyes flicked toward Elena.
“That was new,” he said simply.
Elena swallowed, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on her. “I didn’t mean to do it,” she admitted. “It was like… something took over. The dagger whispered to me.”
