The echo of Lyra’s hurried footsteps had barely faded when the real storm began inside me.
I stood motionless in the center of the cell, heart pounding with a rhythm that no longer belonged only to me.
The golden warmth in my chest flared violently, no longer a gentle ember but a roaring flame. Shadows surged across the walls like living ink, twisting into shapes that almost looked like claws and wings. Frost raced across the floor, crawling up the iron bars until they screamed under the pressure.
Kael’s laughter—deep, ancient, and dripping with dark delight—filled my mind.
Well done, my Queen. She felt me. That pretty little viper finally tasted fear.
I closed my eyes and let the power wash over me. My split lip from the beating had already healed completely. The ache in my ribs was
