Reflections in Her Blood
The days after the battle bled together like a fever dream.
Kimberly couldn’t tell where the world ended and she began. Every sound, every breath, every heartbeat around her seemed to echo through her chest. She would wake in the night with her veins glowing faintly, the same black-gold shimmer that once surrounded the Mirror Queen.
Sometimes, when she caught her reflection in the temple’s broken glass, she saw eyes that weren’t hers looking back.
Not hateful. Not even cruel.
Simply… waiting.
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The Quiet After
Elion had turned what was left of the Great Hall into a warded sanctuary. Sigils of protection glowed across the walls, though their light pulsed unevenly—as if even magic was unsure which side it served now.
He entered quietly, carrying a bowl of
