Chapter 99
Kael froze for a second as Ariana's eyes opened, black light moving where warmth should have been. The darkness beneath her skin had spread beyond her chest, tracing upward along her throat while her breathing steadied in a way that felt controlled, not natural.
"Ariana," he said, sharper now, one hand still gripping her shoulder despite the cold biting into his skin. "Look at me."
Her gaze locked onto him immediately.
For a moment, something real flickered. Then it disappeared.
She moved without warning. Her hand caught his throat and shoved him back, not crushing, but strong enough to throw him off balance. Kael hit the ground hard as lightning burst from his skin, the storm answering before he could stop it.
The reaction made everything worse.
