The world spun violently as I opened my eyes, coughing against the damp air. Cold stone pressed against my skin, and a dull ache bloomed across my limbs. I was back in the stronghold—or some twisted version of it. The torches lining the walls flickered with a sickly green flame, casting eerie shadows that danced with malicious glee.
“Elara,” a voice croaked beside me.
I turned my head and saw her—Selene. My sister. She was pale, her eyes ringed with fatigue and pain. But she was alive.
“You’re awake,” she breathed, crawling closer despite her bruised knees and trembling hands. “Thank the Goddess.”
My throat felt like sandpaper. “What happened? Where are we?”
“Silas… he used your connection to the Blood Moon to complete the first seal,” she said, her voice cracking. “But it didn’t work
