“How could you?!” A voice rumbled through the cloudy space, thunder laced in every syllable. The air shimmered around the sound, vibrating with fury and anger. The air smelled of brimstone and dust. The clouds above twisted in spirals, it darkened, spiraling into a vortex of stormlight and evil. Fire erupted from the sides, wings sliced through the fog, sleek and sharp, as a figure descended from the sky, radiant and terrifying. They hovered—bare-chested, carved from storm and rage, their long white hair trailing like smoke in the air. Power crackled around their limbs, a lightning-forged presence that made the very space shiver. Eyes glowing with blue fire locked onto the creature below. She was kneeling. She looked like Briar. Same eyes, same lips, same beguiling curves. But thi

