Chapter 60

The room around me was steeped in an unnatural stillness, broken only by the flickering of the white and black candles forming the circle I lay within. Their flames cast shadows that defied logic, bending and shifting with a life of their own. Silas sat on the couch, eyes locked on me, concern etched deep in the set of his jaw. His presence was a silent testament to his unwavering support, ready to intervene if necessary, though this was a fight I had to face alone.

The Pyrope Garnet pulsed beneath my collarbone, warming my skin with each rhythmic beat, as if urging me forward, bracing me for what was to come. I closed my eyes, letting my mind sink beneath the surface, searching for the connection to the shadows that had been waiting for far too long. The air in the room thickened, turning colder, each breath tasting like frost. I shivered, feeling a current of dark energy coil around me, slithering closer with every passing second.

The flickering light dimmed, and the room plunged into an almost complete darkness, broken only by the wavering glow of the candle flames. They burned brighter for a moment, their light straining as if against an invisible force. The shadows they cast moved erratically, a dance filled with anticipation, their shapes contorting into forms that shouldn’t have been possible. They seemed almost giddy, eager for what was about to unfold.

Excitement crackled in the air, and a shiver ran down my spine. The Garnet flared hotter against my skin, its heat a steady drumbeat that kept me tethered to reality. I felt the shadows shift, a current pulling me under, coaxing me deeper into their domain. My breath caught in my chest as whispers filled the room, slithering just beyond comprehension. Silas’s presence remained steady behind me, a silent guardian whose unwavering attention anchored me, but the whispers were for me and me alone.

The room darkened further, the candlelight bending impossibly into shapes that mocked sense, creating a jagged, twisting maze of shadows. The voices, once a murmur, grew clearer, gaining a cadence as they chanted in a language I didn’t know but understood in my very bones.

“Liege… awakened… at last,” the shadows hissed, their voices coming in sharp, fragmented waves. They echoed around me, neither feminine nor masculine, a dissonant chorus that seeped into my mind like venom.

The temperature plummeted, the air thickening until my breath fogged before me. A dark thrill rippled through my veins, sharp and addictive, an echo of power that made my skin prickle. The Garnet blazed with a feverish warmth, a warning pulse that tangled with the thrill coursing through me. The shadows shifted restlessly, their forms twisting and stretching as if unable to contain their glee.

“Two decades… waiting… too long,” another whisper joined, a hiss that resonated deep within me. The room trembled, the excitement palpable, almost sentient. I fought to keep my breathing even, to ignore the gnawing need within that wanted to rise to the shadows’ call.

The flames on the candles surged, their glow harsh and searing before dimming again, casting the room into an even starker contrast of light and dark. I felt exposed, vulnerable in the center of their focus, but I pushed the fear down, refusing to show weakness. I was here for this, ready for whatever trial lay ahead.

The shadows stilled, as if listening, before a single voice spoke again, clearer than before. “You will feel… what it is… to be… untethered.”

The weight of their promise settled over me like a shroud, cold and suffocating. My heartbeat quickened, and the Garnet’s warmth pulsed in defiance, a silent reminder that I was not without power. But the shadows knew this; they felt it too, their whispers humming with acknowledgment, hungry and eager.

The dark thrill within me surged again, and I let out a shuddering breath, the addictive taste of power making my fingers twitch. The shadows sensed it, their movements becoming more erratic, more excited. They had been waiting for me, craving this moment as much as I had feared it. Their energy pressed down on me, curling around my limbs, seeping into my mind with a near tangible weight.

“You will know… the trials… you must face,” they continued, the voices weaving together, binding themselves into a chant that vibrated in my bones. The Garnet flared, the heat pushing back against the encroaching chill, but it felt muted, as if the shadows were already winning this battle of wills.

The room shifted, the air growing denser, pressing in around me until the only light left was the dim, erratic glow of the candles. The shadows moved faster, their excitement reaching a fever pitch. Silas’s silhouette was barely visible now, a figure in the dark whose presence offered a sliver of comfort amid the chaos. He was watching, eyes never leaving me, tension radiating from him as if ready to pounce at any sign of danger.

But this was my moment, my fight, and the shadows knew it too.

The dissonant chorus swelled, a low, hissing chant that made my pulse race. “Untethered… become… the Liege.”

The Garnet seared against my skin, the pulse frantic, echoing the chaotic thrum of my heart. The shadowy tendrils reached for me, wrapping around my limbs, my chest, pressing down until it felt like the air had been stolen from my lungs. The power in the room twisted, dark and intoxicating, and for a brief, terrifying moment, I felt the shadow inside me stir, recognizing the call.

The candles flared one last time, bright enough to pierce the darkness for a single heartbeat, and then everything went black.

Silence fell, thick and absolute. The shadows coiled tighter, their grip a whisper against my mind as they prepared for the initiation.

I took a deep, shuddering breath, my eyes snapping open to meet the oppressive black. It was time.