THE STING OF THE VAMPIRE'S BITE
From a hidden compartment in my working table, I retrieved the strands of hair I’d taken—one belonging to Keilah, the other to King Draven.
I placed them in the center of a stone bowl carved with ancient runes, the marks glowing faintly under the dim light of the room. Reaching for a vial of red powder, I let it cascade over the hairs. The moment the powder made contact, dark smoke began to rise, curling and twisting into unnatural shapes.
The smell was sharp, acrid, like burnt metal and ash. I stared into the swirling haze, my jaw tightening as my guilt clawed at the back of my mind.
Sikat na Kabanata