POV: Nixie
As soon as my foot landed at the center of the platform, the world shifted.
Not physically—inside me, something awakened, like a long-dormant part of me had finally stirred and opened its eyes. The silver lines under my feet ignited, racing outward in exact patterns, weaving through the chamber walls and vanishing into the stone like veins reconnecting to a heart.
The Echo surged.
This time, it didn’t burn.
It embraced.
I gasped and clutched my chest as warmth spread through me, deep and steady, anchoring instead of overwhelming. The power didn’t demand or tear. It waited and listened.
Lyall muttered softly beside me.
I turned slightly to see him stiffen, one hand pressed against his chest, as if he could feel it too.
“You feel that?” I asked.
He nodded once, his jaw t
