By the time I reached Mara and Elira's chambers, my heart still raced as if chased by that unnatural pulse beneath the school. The corridors felt colder, darker, as if the shadows themselves had gathered to whisper my secrets. My palms tingled uncomfortably, remembering the strange warmth that Velka's hand had left there.
I knocked once, gently, hoping they wouldn't hear, yet desperately needing them to.
The heavy oak door swung open silently, revealing Mara, hair loose and eyes already narrowed suspiciously. Behind her, Elira sat cross-legged on their bed, carefully sharpening one of her blades by moonlight.
"Elyzara," Mara sighed softly, leaning against the doorway. "Your face tells me you've done something incredibly foolish again."
I grimaced. "Do I really have a face specifically for that?"
"Unfortunately," Mara replied, stepping aside to let me in, "yes."
