Arcane Dominion: The Rise of Shadows

"Recovery"

Lyriana's POV-

I stood at the foot of Nerina's bed, my fingers weaving delicate strands of magic through the air as I prepared to heal her. The room was dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of the ley lines embedded in the stone walls. Solaria sat at Nerina's side, her hand gently resting on the girl's trembling arm, her golden eyes never leaving her. The air between us felt thick, charged with tension, as if Solaria was silently weighing me, judging my every movement.

I could feel her eyes on me, the heat of her gaze an unwelcome weight on my shoulders. But I focused on Nerina, pushing aside the bitterness, the jealousy that had begun to grow inside me. This was no time for distractions.

"Nerina," I whispered, my voice low and steady as I began the healing incantation. Her body was still, her face pale, a sheen of sweat covering her brow. Her burns-raw, red, and angry-glowed faintly, but they were fading slowly as my magic worked to seal them. The power of the ley lines was still thrumming in her veins, but it had settled, for now.

Solaria's hand brushed through Nerina's hair, the soft motion betraying the careful control she always maintained. I could sense her unease, her need to protect Nerina. It made something stir uncomfortably in my chest, but I shoved the feeling down.

"Lyriana..." Solaria's voice broke through my concentration, quiet but firm. Her gaze was steady, unflinching, as if she had already anticipated my reaction. "What did she see? What was the Veilglass showing her?"

I didn't look at her as I continued weaving the healing spell, the flow of magic steady in my hands. But her question gnawed at me, a relentless tug at the edge of my thoughts. Solaria didn't understand the full extent of what the Veilglass was capable of, nor could she grasp the significance of what Nerina had just experienced. She would never understand the price of this kind of power.

"I don't know," I finally said, my voice tinged with frustration. "But the Veilglass has always been unpredictable. It pulls from the deepest fears, the darkest desires. It shows you what your soul is hiding, what your heart cannot face. I thought Nerina was ready for it. I believed she could handle it, but-"

"You pushed her too far," Solaria interjected, her voice tight. Her fingers gripped Nerina's arm, her nails digging into the flesh. "She was never ready for this. You could have broken her, Lyriana."

I turned to her sharply, my lips curling into a thin line. "Don't presume to lecture me about readiness, Solaria. You have no idea what it takes to train someone to master the ley lines. To wield the power that she must learn to control."

The words hung between us, thick with accusation. For a moment, neither of us spoke. I could feel Solaria's anger, could see the way she was holding back, but the weight of my own frustration with her was heavier. The dynamics had shifted. I had always seen Solaria as my most promising student-my successor, even. But now, something had changed.

I tore my gaze from Solaria, focusing back on Nerina. The healing magic was nearly complete. The burns were almost gone, but I could still feel the residual tremors in Nerina's body, the way her mind struggled to reconnect with reality.

"It's not about pushing," I muttered, more to myself than to Solaria. "It's about breaking the barriers. Showing her the truth she needs to see. Only then will she be strong enough."

"You can't force someone into strength," Solaria said quietly. Her voice held a softness I hadn't expected. "Not like this. Not at the cost of their sanity, their soul."

Her words cut deeper than she could have known, but I didn't let them show. Instead, I focused my attention entirely on Nerina. The girl's breathing had evened out, her limbs relaxing under the healing spell. She was stable, for now.