The moment Marius's footsteps faded into silence, the walls felt like they were closing in. The runes etched into the obsidian pulsed in a slow, almost mocking rhythm. Chase leaned back against the cold stone, letting the pain ground him, focus him.
He needed a plan.
No magic. Not while the runes were active. His internal well of mana felt like it was being siphoned constantly, leaving him weak, like a starving beast. But even a starving beast could still bite.
He stared at his reflection in the wall—a pale, tired version of himself. The crimson glint in his eyes had dulled, but it was still there. The fire hadn't gone out. Not yet.
A whisper slid into his mind. Not a voice—more like a memory. Alora's laugh. The scent of autumn leaves back at the academy. The soft thrum of magical energy when they practiced spells together in secret.
I have to get out. For her. For all of them.
A soft click echoed from the cell door. It swung open—slowly, almost invitingly.
"No way," Chase muttered. "That's not suspicious at all."
But then he saw her.
A young girl stepped into view, no more than sixteen, wearing the same silver mask as the others. But hers was cracked—splintered down the middle. And her hands trembled.
"They'll know I did this," she whispered. "But I couldn't watch anymore."
Chase blinked. "You're with the Council?"
"I was," she said, pulling off her mask. Beneath it was a face marked with scars—and fear. "But not anymore."
She stepped forward and pressed a rune-etched stone into his palm. The second it touched his skin, a jolt of heat surged through him. The siphoning spell wavered—he could feel his magic stir like a beast waking from a long slumber.
"They're going to transfer you," she said. "Somewhere worse. A lab under the Citadel. I can get you out—if we move now."
Chase stood, shaky but ready. "Why are you helping me?"
Her gaze darkened. "Because I saw what they did to the last one like you. He begged for death before the end."
That was all he needed to hear.
The girl turned, leading him into the shadows, and Chase followed, heart pounding—not just with fear, but with purpose. He wasn't out yet. But for the first time in days, he had a sliver of hope.
And all he needed was a sliver.