Chapter Fifty-Nine – The Shadow’s Bargain
The ruins shook as though caught in a storm, though the night air remained still. Dust fell from the shattered arches, glowing faintly as it descended into the pulsing red light of the stones.
The Watcher’s presence thickened, pressing against their lungs, stealing their breath. Even the scarred man—who had stood against warlords and beasts without trembling—gritted his teeth as his knees threatened to buckle.
“It’s… too heavy,” he spat, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. The black veins had already spread past his elbow.
Seraphel’s voice thundered in defiance. He wove light into a chain of sigils that wrapped the Watcher’s form like glowing bands. For a moment, it faltered, its form flickering as though uncertain of itself.
But then
