VALERIE
The world didn’t feel heavier.
It felt quieter.
As if the magic inside me had gone still — not from rest, but retreat. The ritual had worked. Jasper was back. Whole, smiling, remembering. But I… wasn’t. The moment his soul steadied, mine began to shift. At first, it was subtle. A flicker in my fingertips. A chill coiling around my spine. The kind of magic that didn’t wait for permission — it moved on its own. That terrified me more than anything.
“Valerie, you’re pale,” Dorian said gently, brushing his knuckles against my cheek. “You’ve barely eaten.” “I’m fine,” I said, forcing a tight smile. Though truthfully, the scent of food made my stomach twist. Magic buzzed beneath my skin, sharp and discordant, like a song played in the wrong key. Jason, seated across the table, set d
