Chapter 30

The room was thick with the scent of dragon’s blood and the sight of dancing flames. I could feel the elements around me, a chorus of ancient power that hummed with the rhythm of the earth itself. The cut on my wrist stung, a small price to pay for freedom from the chains that had bound me for so long. As the last drop of my blood fell into the bowl, the world seemed to hold its breath.

A surge of energy coursed through me, a torrent of raw power that felt like it might tear me apart from the inside out. It was as if someone had taken my essence and amplified it, pushing me beyond the limits of what I thought I could handle. I gasped, my body arching as the magic pulsed within me, potent and wild.

When the initial wave passed, I slumped forward, panting and shaking. The candlelight flickered across my skin, casting long, eerie shadows on the walls of the room. I felt different, changed in some fundamental way that I couldn’t quite grasp. The elements that had surrounded me during the ritual seemed to have settled into my very bones, their presence a constant hum beneath my skin.

I lifted my hand to wipe the sweat from my brow, and that’s when I saw it—a faint, almost imperceptible mark on the back of my hand. It was so light that at first, I thought it was just a smudge of dirt. But as I rubbed at it, the mark remained, a delicate tracery that seemed to be etched into my very flesh.

A cold shiver of fear ran down my spine. The mark was unmistakable, a symbol of power and allegiance that I had never dared to dream I would bear. It was the mark of a Liege, but which one? I know there isn’t a Liege of Shadows, but I was a dark core, and there was already a Liege of Darkness.

The realization hit me like a physical blow. President Russling held that title, and he was not a man who would give it up willingly. The thought of challenging him, of potentially taking his place, was terrifying. And yet, the mark on my hand suggested that I might not have a choice in the matter.

I quickly wrapped my wrist with a strip of cloth, concealing the cut and the mark that had so abruptly appeared. The last thing I needed was for Silas or Amber to see it and ask questions I couldn’t answer. I wasn’t ready to face the implications of what had happened, let alone share them with anyone else.

Rising unsteadily to my feet, I gathered the ritual items and extinguished the candles one by one. The elements receded, their presence fading to a whisper as I returned everything to its rightful place. I took one last look at the now-empty circle and swallowed hard. The room felt emptier without the magic, but the power within me was still there, simmering just below the surface.

With a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Silas and Amber were waiting for me in the living room, their faces etched with concern. I managed a weak smile, hoping they wouldn’t see through my facade.

“It’s done,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Silas stood and crossed the room in a few strides, his dark eyes searching mine. “Are you okay?” he asked, his hand reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from my face.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The truth was, I was far from okay. I was a becoming a necromancer and now, potentially, a Liege in the making. The weight of that knowledge was heavy on my shoulders, and I felt the first stirrings of panic clawing at the edges of my consciousness.

Amber approached more cautiously, her gaze lingering on the cloth around my wrist. “What happened in there, Mara?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.

“I… I’m not sure,” I admitted, my eyes darting away from her probing gaze. “I felt something shift inside me, but I don’t know what it means.”

Silas’s hand closed around mine, and I felt a momentary surge of comfort at his touch. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together,” he said, his voice firm and reassuring.

I wanted to believe him, to rely on his strength and wisdom. But as I looked down at the mark on my hand, I knew that this was a journey I would have to undertake alone. The path ahead was shrouded in darkness, and I was stepping into a world of power and danger that I could barely comprehend.

For now, though, I would keep the mark hidden, and I would hold onto the warmth of Silas’s hand. I would pretend, just for a little while longer, that everything was going to be alright. But I knew that was a lie.