Chapter 78: Fractured Bonds
Aria’s POV
There was a noticeable hum that seemed to vibrate against my skin, and the air shimmered with tension. Every breath dragged through my lungs like I was underwater, and my chest felt heavy. All around me, the commotion of the battlefield—the yells, the snarls, the fires—blurred into a vague haze.
I knew what was going on without having to witness it. I could sense it in my spirit.
My relationship with Darius was deteriorating.
It wasn't like a blade cutting or a rope snapping. It was more gradual and subtle, like threads coming undone one by one, and it made me weaker every second. I clutched at my chest as if I could physically keep it together as I stumbled forward.
"Aria!" Through the mist, Killian's voice could be heard. He steadied me with h
