The light didn’t just fill up the place—it pretty much gobbled it down. At first, there wasn’t any heat. Not a sound either. Just this weird, floaty burn, like the air had gone all thick and syrupy, and we were stuck under it together.
I could see every single face, frozen like someone hit pause mid-drama: those Veil masks all leaning my way, the tall guy’s eyes squinting, Gideon’s hand kinda hovering near his sword. And in my palm? That pouch felt weirdly alive, pulsing like it was trying to out-breathe me.
Then the voice showed up. Not yelling or anything—just sort of there, not exactly warm and fuzzy.
Pick who burns.
Two folks stood out, glowing around the edges like the light had already picked them: the Veil woman who’d spoken up first, and the tall guy who brought in the pouch. H
