(Olivia's POV)
Five days of silence felt like an eternity. Each moment without Cora's presence was a reminder of how fractured I'd become. I sat in Isabella's workroom, watching as Sylvia circled me for what felt like the hundredth time, her dark robes whispering against the wooden floor.
The witch's eyes were unnaturally sharp as she held her blood up to the light, the crimson liquid casting eerie shadows on her face. I could feel her magic probing at my defenses, searching for something—anything—that would explain Cora's silence.
"Wake up," I pleaded silently, reaching once again for that familiar presence in my mind. "Please, Cora." I need you."
For a moment, I thought I felt something—a flicker of consciousness, like embers struggling to catch flame. But it faded as quickly as it c
