The Mate I Never Chose
"You’re not still dying, are you?"
"No. I’m… I’m feeling something else. Something I haven't felt in a long time."
"Fear? Regret?"
"Ambition," Arung whispered, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face.
Rangga froze. He felt a sudden, sharp, rhythmic prickling across his stomach. He looked down, pulling back slightly to inspect his own body in the dim light of the cave.
"Arung… what is that?"
Centered just below his ribs, a brilliant, intricate seal was manifesting. It wasn't just a pattern of lines—it was a complex, glowing diagram that pulsed with a heavy, steady rhythm.