The ruins feel different now. The humming energy that once felt foreign and overwhelming has settled into my bones, no longer pressing down on me but coursing through me like a second heartbeat.
I gasp for air, my body still tingling from whatever just happened. My fingers tremble as I press my hand against the ground, feeling the cool, solid stone beneath me. It’s real. I’m back.
Damien is kneeling beside me, his hands gripping my shoulders, his face twisted with worry. “Ariana,” he breathes, his voice hoarse. “Are you—”
“I’m fine,” I interrupt, though I’m not entirely sure that’s true. Something inside me has shifted, something I don’t fully understand yet.
Selene watches me closely, her golden eyes unreadable. “You saw her, didn’t you?”
I nod slowly. “Myself. Or… somethin
