Chapter 101
Ariana's hand remained lifted toward the shadows, her arm trembling as if something beyond her control was guiding it. Kael tightened his hold on her immediately, pulling her closer as the movement sent a sharp tension through the clearing.
"Ariana," he said, his voice lower now but steady. "Don't."
Her fingers twitched, resisting him for a second before tightening weakly against his arm again. The darkness along her skin pulsed unevenly, no longer spreading as quickly, but not retreating either.
From the shadows, Vaelor's presence sharpened, the pressure in the clearing shifting in response. "You feel it now," the entity said, calm and certain. "The direction was never yours to choose."
Kael's jaw tightened as he kept his focus on Ariana. "Stay out of her," he said.
"Out of her?" Vaelor repeated, almost amused. "She was never outside of me."
