or. The wind was knocked out of him, his ribs scream

ac

the wall, the ancient metal brackets groaning in protest. The

a faint, dark red light began to seep through. It was faint at fi

raised mid-strike. The anger drained from his face, leaving behind a sickly

gged shriek, stripped of all authority, leaving

ng canvas. The red light was getting brighter, spilling out like bl

summer heat was instantly replaced by a biting, arctic ch

llery began to vibrate. The sound escalated from a hum to a high-pitche

y in a crimson haze. It crawled along the edges of the broken

own from the ceiling, coating Aedan's hair and

out. He turned to run back the way he came, but the heavy oak doors he had just burst through were

h

an pressed his forehead to the floor, his body shaki

nvas fell forward with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of

shaking stopped. T

black void of the cha

ngers and nails that looked like polished bone. Blue v

oken frame. The wood splintered sli

the fabric aged but untouched by time, embroidere

f heavy, dark velvet that looked like it belonged in a museum. Silve

Her eyes were closed, her chest rising in a slow, deliberate breat

sed to process what his eyes were seeing. People

eyes sna

. Just a solid, burning pool of pale gold, radiating a l

ver the cowering form of Sterling on the floor. The old man pres

fted, landing sq

d wasn't physical; it was a deep, primal dread that turned his blood to slush. His skin pric

esonant, a language that hadn't been spoken in c

ut the meaning was clear. He was bei

gle, pale hand. Sh

re, sucking up the dust, the broken glass, and the splintered wood. T

ble force, heavy and absolute, slammed down on his s

g the hardwood floor with a painful crack. He was kneeling