The night stretched on as Lily sat in the old study, her mind spinning with the weight of Esme’s words. The power inside her wasn’t just dangerous—it was ancient, something tied to forces she couldn’t begin to understand. And whatever that strange woman in the forest wanted, it was connected to that power.
Lily’s fingers trembled as she traced the cool glass of the window, her thoughts drifting back to the moment in the clearing when the magic had surged through her like a storm. It had been so easy to let it loose, so natural. But that was what scared her the most—how good it had felt. How right. As if the darkness had always been a part of her, waiting for its chance to take over.
She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the overwhelming fear that churned inside her. The darkness was sti
