AriaWhen I wake, the air in my room hums. It’s faint, almost imperceptible, like the castle itself is breathing beside me. Morning light spills through the high windows, painting everything in soft gold. Bubbles is curled at my side, warm and still.For a moment, I let myself believe we’ve been granted peace. Then the burning starts.A sharp, stinging pulse flares along my wrist, sudden enough to make me gasp. I sit up, clutching my arm, expecting to see a cut or insect bite. Instead, a faint symbol glows just beneath the skin; thin, intricate, like lines of fire trying to form a circle.It fades when I blink, but the ache lingers.“What now?” I mutter.Bubbles lifts her head, eyes bright. She hops onto my lap, staring at the mark. The glow returns instantly, faint threads of gold tracing through her fur, matching the lines on my skin. The mark hums in time with her heartbeat, or maybe mine.“Bubbles…” I whisper. “What are you doing?”She leans forward, pressing her forehead to the
Last Updated : 2025-11-04 Read more