Chapter 24
Gabriella’s POV
Thunder rolled again, this time closer, shaking dust from the ancient rafters. The air in my room rippled with energy, a living current that made the flames in the sconces tremble. Ava’s voice echoed in my head, a low, rhythmic whisper that pulsed like a heartbeat.
The bridge between what was lost and what must be reborn.
Her words refused to fade. They beat against the inside of my skull, steady and insistent — like something waiting to be awakened. I pressed a hand against my chest, feeling the thrum beneath my skin. It wasn’t fear this time. It was awareness. Power.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered to the room, though I wasn’t sure who I was speaking to — Ava, the storm, or myself.
You don’t need to understand yet, she murmured from within me. You just
