Chapter 39
The air changed the moment the man stepped forward.
Ariana felt it immediately.
The warmth she had created began to fade slowly. The calm golden energy around her flickered like a weak flame struggling against a sudden wind. It was still there, but it no longer felt steady.
It felt uncertain.
The man in front of her did not move much, yet his presence spread across the space like something heavy pressing down on everything around them.
It pressed against the air.
It pressed against the platform beneath her feet.
And most of all, it pressed against her.
Kael stepped slightly in front of her without hesitation. His body shifted just enough to place himself between Ariana and the man.
"I do not like this," he said quietly.
Ariana did not answer.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the man.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The man smiled faintly, as if the question amused him.
"I am someone who understands what you are becoming," he replied.
Ariana frowned slightly.
