Damon let out a low whistle, genuinely impressed. "Wow. You figured that out just from a glance?" He tilted his head, orange-haired grin widening. "Color me surprised."
Viola shot him an irritated look. "Don't patronize me." Her gaze drifted back to the gemstone, this time sharper, almost hungry. "This thing doesn't follow standard elemental rules. It stabilizes conflicting energy signatures instead of amplifying them. Shadow, void, demonic essence… it doesn't reject any of them."
She clenched her fingers slowly. "If I had this from the beginning, I could've cut the backlash by at least half. Maybe more."
That was all Damon needed to hear.
So you're already paying a price, he thought. And a heavy one.
Outwardly, he scoffed. "Sounds like a skill issue." He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Aren't you trying a bit too hard to compete with that Blood God?"
