Shadows of Heart : The Awakening
Zoe gasped, her hand gripping the edge of her chair.
Marella’s hand found hers, squeezing gently. “Stay with me, child. Focus on my voice. This is only the beginning.”
Zoe nodded, forcing herself to breathe through the pain. Marella’s chanting grew louder, and the powder around the wound began to glow, drawing out thin tendrils of dark energy that coiled like smoke.
Cassius leaned forward, his voice low and reassuring. “You’re stronger than this magic, Zoe. Remember that.”
As the black tendrils dissipated into the air, the wound on her side burned hotter, and Zoe bit back a scream, the effort leaving her breathless.