Tyler’s breaths came in shallow gasps as the weight of the Primordial One’s ultimatum pressed down on him. He glanced between Amara, bound in crimson threads that pulsed like a heartbeat, and the creature’s cold, calculating gaze. The bond was their lifeline, but also their curse.
Amara’s lips moved weakly, forming his name. It was almost inaudible, but it cut through the chaos like a knife. Tyler clenched his fists, the talisman in his hand flaring with an unsteady light.
“What happens if I break the bond?” he demanded, his voice raw.
The Primordial One chuckled, the sound reverberating off the chamber walls. “She lives. You lose her. Forever.”
Tyler’s jaw tightened. “And if I don’t?”
The creature spread its arms, gesturing toward the cocoon tightening around Amara. “Then her power c
