Chapter 13: Secrets Behind Masks
(Cassandra's POV)
The hallway was dim, faint moonlight streaming through the tall windows, creating shadows that stretched and danced on the dark stone walls. My footsteps were quiet but deliberate as I made my way upstairs.
I cradled the shadow crystal in my pocket, letting its faint pulses guide me. Emma had been trying to reach me for hours. Her energy radiated urgency and worry even through the distance.
The second I closed my room’s door, I activated the crystal. The air around me seemed to thrum as I whispered the activating spell, shadows wrapping around the room to block any chance of eavesdropping.
The crystal's surface glowed faintly as Emma’s voice burst through, sounding frazzled yet familiar.
“Shadow Healer!” Her relief was so tangi
