Chapter 175
The world rushes back with a lurch, and I groan, the throbbing in my head like a relentless drumbeat behind my eyes. My limbs feel leaden, my body groggier than usual as I force myself upright. My vision swims, the bioluminescent glow of the room familiar but blurred, the pounding headache making everything feel distant, as though I’m still caught halfway between the ether and reality.
Each breath feels thick, the pressure around me almost tangible, like the weight of the water itself has seeped into my chest.
“Phoebe,” Cora’s voice slices through the fog, sharp but soothing. She’s at my side in an instant, her hands steady as she helps me sit properly. Her sharp eyes scan my face, concern etched into every line of her expression. “Easy now. Breathe. You’re okay.”
I lean into her support, letting her grounding presence anchor me as I force myself to focus. The ache in my temples pulses, but slowly, the room comes into sharper view. My gaze drifts to the gilded alcove across the chamber, where the mysterious woman is curled up. Moss drapes over the shimmering metal like a makeshift blanket, softening its edges. Her chest rises and falls steadily, her face serene in sleep, a stark contrast to the wild hysteria from earlier. Even in repose, there’s a vulnerability to her that makes her seem so small in this vast, oppressive space.
“Is she okay?” I manage, my voice raspy and raw.
Cora glances over her shoulder at the woman, her expression a mix of caution and dismissal. “She’s fine. Resting. But you’re my concern right now. What happened?”
I close my eyes, trying to steady myself as the memory of the ether floods back. “I found Wake,” I say, the words tumbling out in a rush. “He’s in a dungeon, shackled, and… something went wrong. When he touched me, he got hurt. He called it ether poisoning.”
Cora’s brows knit together, her confusion evident. “Ether poisoning? Are you sure? That usually affects the person in the ether, not someone they touch.”
“I’m sure,” I say, my voice shaking as I recall the glowing veins crawling up his arms. “The veins… they looked alive. They spread up his skin like they were… feeding. It was the same kind of glow as the mineral Enigma is mining.”
Cora’s eyes widen slightly, her lips parting in realization. “Wait. The mineral? Are you saying the dungeon—”
“It was running through the walls,” I interrupt. “The same veins, glowing faintly. It’s the same thing they’re digging up in those mines. I know it.”
Her jaw tightens, and her gaze hardens as her mind races, pieces clicking together in her head faster than I can process them. Before she can voice whatever thought is forming, the door bursts open with a crash. The sound reverberates through the room, and I lurch upright, the pounding in my head momentarily forgotten as a squad of armed guards pours in.
They move with unsettling precision, their weapons gleaming with faintly crackling energy. Their faces are hard and impassive, their movements rehearsed and deliberate as they spread out into the room. Their eyes scan the space with cold efficiency before settling on the alcove. One guard steps forward, holding a glowing torque in his hands. Its eerie light bathes his stern face, casting harsh shadows that make him look more like a predator than a protector. The torque hums faintly, and I feel the pressure of its power from across the room.
“What are you doing?” Cora demands, stepping between the guards and the sleeping woman. Her voice is sharp, her posture defiant. “She’s done nothing to deserve this!”
The lead guard fixes her with a cold glare. “Step aside,” he growls, his voice low and dangerous. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Cora doesn’t move. “Like hell it doesn’t,” she snaps, her voice rising. “You barge in here, armed to the teeth, and expect us to stand by while you—”
Her words are cut off as another guard surges forward, shoving her roughly. She stumbles back, her feet slipping on the smooth floor as she crashes to the ground. The impact echoes, and my heart lurches.
“Hey!” I shout, stepping forward instinctively. Fury surges through me, hot and electric. My hands raise as the crackling energy of Electra’s gift ignites. Lightning arcs around my fingers in jagged, dangerous lines, the air thickening with static. The guards freeze, their eyes widening as the electricity dances across my skin. “Back off. Now.”
The tension in the room becomes suffocating, the air thick with the threat of violence. The guards exchange uncertain glances, their weapons wavering as they calculate their next move. The glowing torque hovers in the lead guard’s hands, its light pulsing faintly like a warning. It feels alive, almost hungry, and the sight of it sets my teeth on edge.
“Enough.”
The voice is calm but commanding, cutting through the standoff like a blade. It’s unfamiliar, deep and smooth, carrying an authority that demands obedience. The guards stiffen, their weapons lowering slightly as they turn toward the source.
I whirl to face the newcomer, my heart pounding. A man stands in the doorway, his presence immediately filling the space. His armor gleams faintly in the dim light, intricate patterns etched into its surface that catch the faint bioluminescence. The design is ornate, almost ceremonial, but the way he wears it makes it clear he’s no stranger to battle. His sharp eyes sweep the room, assessing everything and everyone with a detached confidence. They linger on me for a moment, and I see a flicker of curiosity—or perhaps amusement—in his gaze.
His lips curl into a faint, almost amused smile as he steps forward, the weight of his presence pressing against the tension in the room. “Now, now,” he says, his voice dripping with mock chiding. “Is that any way to treat a guest?”
The guards shift uncomfortably under his gaze, their earlier bravado melting away like mist under the sun. Their weapons lower further, and the room’s oppressive energy seems to ease, though the static in the air around me remains. The man’s eyes flick to my hands, where arcs of lightning still crackle faintly. His smile deepens, and there’s something unnerving in the way he seems entirely unbothered by the charged air.
“Stand down,” he says to the guards, his tone light but firm, the words carrying the weight of an unspoken threat. “Let’s not make this any messier than it already is.”
The guards hesitate but ultimately step back, their movements stiff and reluctant. The torque in the lead guard’s hands dims slightly, its ominous hum quieting as the tension in the room dissipates. I don’t lower my hands, not yet, my fingers still tingling with the remnants of Electra’s power. I keep my gaze locked on the newcomer. His smile says that he’s a friend, but I know so very well that smiles tend to lie.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
