The room felt heavier than it should have, saturated with too many emotions layered on top of each other—fear, trust, defiance, even a trace of excitement.
Samantha exhaled slowly, trying to ground herself.
Her hands trembled, but Marcus's touch steadied her. Callum's piercing gaze hadn't shifted once, a reminder that no matter how chaotic things became inside her mind, she wasn't fighting alone.
Luna closed her journal with a decisive snap. "Enough testing for tonight. Any longer and the overlay might destabilize in ways we can't predict. You've done well, Samantha, but we need you sharp, not fractured."
Marcus's jaw flexed, but he nodded. "She's right. We all need rest before tomorrow."
Samantha pulled the ring from her finger with deliberate care.
The sensation was immediate—like someone had finally lifted a crushing weight from her chest.
She gasped, half in relief, half in disorientation, as Maelith's presence withdrew.
The silence inside her head was deafening.
