"Fire and ice. You can go now, Alicia… Alicia."
Illiana's voice trailed in the air, but Alicia stood motionless, eyes locked on the furious crimson burning within the crystal.
The heat wasn't what held her—it was the memory those flames dragged to the surface, memories that she despised and regretted the most.
Her gaze darkened, pupils contracting slightly, as if she were staring at an enemy rather than a reflection of her own affinity.
"Alicia."
A gentle but firm hand rested on her shoulder. The weight of it pulled her back from that place in her mind.
She blinked, the haze breaking, and turned to see Chloe watching her with concern.
"Huh… ah, sorry. I was just… thinking about something," Alicia murmured.
She stepped away from the crystal, her movements quieter than before, and rejoined the group without meeting anyone's eyes.
Illiana's gaze lingered on her for a moment, but she said nothing.
"Caelyn."
