When Elara woke up this time, she was not alone, but this state of not being alone did not feel like a shared presence as before. It was more like two beings standing in the same room with different intentions. The body belonged to her, but control stood on a line so thin it could slip at any moment. When she opened her eyes, the metal walls were still there, but this place no longer felt like just a prison. It felt more like a space where something was waiting to come out. And that thing might not be Elara herself.
When the sound of footsteps approached, Elara did not lift her head. She did not need to look to know who it was. When Adrian entered, the energy in the room shifted. This change was not only the effect of an external presence; the thing inside reacted as well. When Elara felt this, her breathing slowed involuntarily. This reaction did not belong to her.
