The room was still—quiet. Only the soft hum of the ceiling fan disturbed the silence. But it wasn't the air that made Nadia's stomach twist.
No, it was the light.
Faint, but visible. A thread of silver, like lightning frozen in glass, crawled beneath Ariella's skin—starting at her forearm, winding upward, disappearing beneath the collar of her shirt. Nadia's frown deepened. Her gaze shifted to the exposed edge of Ariella's collarbone where the rune—once sealed, once dormant—now pulsed like it was alive. Molten silver shimmered just beneath her skin, flickering every few seconds as though it were waiting for something. Or someone.
The seal was breaking.
Nadia stood motionless for a moment, watching her niece sleep. Ariella shifted slightly, lashes fluttering, but didn't wake. That gave her enough time to gently smooth the blanket over her shoulder, masking the crackling glow, and back out of the room. She shut the door behind her with a quiet click, then exhaled the breath she'd been holding.
By the time she made it to the kitchen downstairs, the ache in her chest had sharpened.
Enzo sat alone at the island in the center of the kitchen, one hand curled around a tumbler of amber liquid, the other cradling his temple like the weight of his thoughts had become too much to bear. He didn't look up as she entered, but Nadia didn't need him to.
"I just checked on her," she whispered, careful not to disturb the stillness. "The seal is almost gone."
Enzo's hand stilled. The glass touched the counter with a muted clink. He didn't speak.
"Her veins are turning silver," Nadia added, pulling out the stool beside him. "almost white—and the rune..." She hesitated. "It's more than halfway burned through."
Enzo dragged a hand down his face. "Damn it." His voice was hoarse. Raw. "I thought we had more time."
Nadia looked at her brother, the weight of years and fear etched into his face. "You can't keep sealing it, Enzo. Not anymore."
