“Power is never truly free—it demands a price, one far greater than anyone can anticipate.”
The ancient texts spread across the stone table seemed to hum with a faint, otherworldly energy. The faded ink of the symbols and incantations carried the weight of centuries, their meaning both clear and ominous. I traced my fingers over the worn parchment, the words pulling at something deep inside me, a part of me I wasn’t sure I wanted to face.
“It has to be done,” I said softly, breaking the heavy silence in the room. My voice was steady, but the tremor in my hands betrayed me.
Asher, standing across from me, frowned, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “There has to be another way. This ritual—it’s too dangerous.”
“There isn’t another way,” I replied, lifting my gaze to meet his. “Aer
