“The herbs,” I insist. “Go.”
After one last worried glance, she leaves the room. The moment the door closes behind her, I let the mask of control slip. Pain crashes over me in waves, and I struggle to breathe. The poison is working faster than I anticipated, a sophisticated blend designed specifically for shifters with magical abilities.
I try once more to summon my magic, to direct it toward my heart to slow the poison’s spread, but it evaporates like smoke. Whatever this toxin is, it’s deliberately blocking my connection to my power.
Time becomes meaningless as I drift in and out of consciousness. The room grows colder, or perhaps it’s just the poison’s effect on my body. When I hear the door open again, I can barely turn my head.
Daciana rushes to the bedside, her face tight with fe
