Ixora paused and turned her neck to see Drexton sitting on a chair, legs crossed, his face deadpan. Slowly, she turned her neck and saw her hand still on Hazel's neck—unconscious—blood on her face.
She felt her posture stiffening as she quickly removed her hand from Hazel's neck.
"Hazel! Hazel!" She shook her body, her pitch rising, but got no response.
"The darkness in you...is enticing," Drexton's gaze focused on her as if trying to read her soul.
"N-no," she stood, shuffling back a step. Her heart pounded in her chest as she gripped the sides of her head.
"I didn't just do it," she rushed back to Hazel and shook her body again.
"It's beginning to unleash itself, Ixora. The darkness I'm making. The darkness.... Meant to bury the light... No matter how bright it is. The one that can
