Eloise worked in absolute silence for the next few minutes, the only sound in the cottage being the soft clinking of glass and the low crackle of the hearth. Finally, she turned around. In her hand, she held a small crystal vial filled with a thick, glowing red liquid that seemed to pulse with its own internal warmth.
She walked over to me, her ageless, ethereal face etched with a look of profound gravity.
"Are you sure, Rachel?" she asked softly, holding the vial out between us.
"Yes," I said, not letting my voice waver.
I reached out and took the vial into my hands. The glass was surprisingly hot against my palms, making my fingers tremble slightly from a sudden spike of nerves. This was it. The moment that would change everything.
I turned my head to look at Demetrius, his towering
