The air in the restoration suite crackled with an energy that had nothing to do with the looming storm outside. It was a tangible thing, a current of unspoken truths and shared purpose that bound Elara and Alaric in a quiet, electric moment. His hand, warm and firm in hers, was an anchor in the swirling tempest of the supernatural. For the first time since she had arrived at Thorne Manor, the terrifying weight of it all didn't feel like a burden she had to carry alone. He had seen her, truly seen her, and she had, in turn, seen him—not as the stoic, haunted lord of the manor, but as a man burdened by a legacy he was finally ready to face.
"So what do we do?" Elara asked, her voice a low, steady whisper. "The anniversary is in two days. The codex... what did it say about a 'resonant mirror
