The world was ending.
That was Lilith's first coherent thought as her body started to tear itself apart from the inside out.
And then something inside her chest had snapped.
Not broke. Snapped like a tightly wound spring releasing all at once.
The curse.
It had been growing throughout the entire battle. Had been feeding on her power as she used magic she did not know she possessed. Had been spreading through her body like poison while she fought demons and protected the people she loved.
And now it was done waiting.
It wanted her dead. And it was going to take her.
Lilith felt her knees buckle completely. Felt her body convulse. Felt something hot and wet flood her mouth and realized with distant horror that it was blood.
She was bleeding.
From her mouth. From her eyes. From her ears.
Blood was seeping through her skin like she was sweating it, staining her clothes crimson, dripping onto the ground beneath her.
No, she thought desperately. Not yet. I'm not ready yet.
