Yara's breath came in shallow, uneven gasps as she fought against the stabbing pain in her skull. The echo of that dark, teasing voice still lingered in her mind, curling around her thoughts like black smoke.
"Curious little thing, aren't you?"
She shuddered, trying to shake the sensation off, but the lingering malice clung to her like a second skin. Val's hands were on her shoulders, gripping too tightly, his face hovering close to hers, brows drawn in tight concern.
"Yara," he ground out, his voice edged with frustration, panic, and something raw she couldn't place. "Snap out of it!"
Her hands trembled, barely able to brace herself against the damp jungle floor as her connection with mana fluctuated erratically. The energy around her pulsed in discord, the jungle itself reacting—whispering, shuddering.
