Chapter 81
Ariana didn't move.
After the voice faded, the space around her fell into silence again, but it didn't feel empty this time. The pressure in her chest eased just enough for her to breathe, yet something remained beneath it, steady and watchful, like it hadn't finished with her. She kept her eyes open, forcing herself to stay grounded even as her breathing struggled to settle.
That wasn't Kael.
The thought came clearer now, but instead of relief, it made something inside her tighten further. If that wasn't him, then whatever had answered her was something else entirely, something that had already learned how to sound close enough to be mistaken. That was what unsettled her the most, how close it had felt to being real.
Ariana lowered her hand slowly from her chest, steadying herself before she spoke. "Then where are you?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm enough to carry. The words faded into the space without an answer, and this time she didn't expect one.
