“Aliya?” I called out in the silence of my mind, my voice sounding thin even to myself. “It’s risky,” she finally said. Her voice wasn’t just a sound; it was a vibration that settled deep in my chest, heavy with a hesitation I had never felt from her before. “What is risky?” I asked back. My heart was hammering against my ribs, a frantic, uneven rhythm that made it hard to breathe. I could feel the sweat slicking my palms, the salt stinging the small cuts on my face. Everything felt like it was moving too fast and not fast enough at the same time. “We can shift to me, but it’s our first time,” Aliya tried to explain, her tone cautious, almost pleading. “It requires a lot of energy, Ashley. Your body is weak.” I didn't want to hear about my limitations. I didn't want to hear about how much blood I had lost or how my lungs burned with every shallow breath. I could feel the heat radiating from the chaos in front of me, a physical pressure that threatened to push me back. “Tell me ho
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