>>Persephone
The pain was overwhelming. Every breath felt like fire, and every inch of my body ached as if I had been torn apart from the inside. But I was still alive.
Barely
The light from Val's attack had seared through me, breaking something inside but also giving me clarity. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I had control over my mind.
I blinked through the haze, my vision swimming in and out of focus. The air was thick with tension, the smell of blood and magic lingering in the clearing. And there was Val—standing above me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't bear to look at.
Fear?
Anger?
Grief?
A tear slid down my cheek as I saw him approach. He looked like he was in as much pain as I was, but it wasn't just physical.
"Where is Pen?" His voice was harsh, filled with raw emotion. The words cut through me, deeper than any wound. "What did you do to her?"
"I am Pen," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He looked like he didn't believe me.