Page 54 of Chains of Nightshade

Ilie awake in the cave, watching the moonlight filter through the entrance. Aurel's massive form is curled protectively around me, his steady breathing a comforting rhythm in the quiet night. My fingers trace absently over the scales of his arm, my mind wandering to questions that have plagued me since my powers awakened.

"Who am I really?" I whisper to myself, careful not to wake him.

The magic still tingles beneath my skin, a constant reminder of what I've become—or perhaps what I've always been. I close my eyes, trying to remember anything from before the dark elves. Nothing. Just fragments of fear and darkness.

My hand rises before my face, and I let a small orb of light dance between my fingers. The power feels natural, like breathing. But why? All my life, I was weak, sickly—a defect, they called me. Was that a lie? Or was something keeping my true nature dormant?

Were my parents Purnas too? I've never known them, never even heard whispers of where I came from. The dark elves musthave known something. They must have sensed this power in me, even if I couldn't.

The magic pulses stronger, responding to my emotions. I think of how easily it came to me when I fell from that cliff, how natural it felt to wield such devastating power. No human could do that. So what am I?

Aurel's tail shifts, coiling closer around me. "Your thoughts are loud tonight."

I turn my head to meet his gaze. "You can hear them?"

"Not exactly." His fingers trace along my arm, leaving a trail of warmth. "But I can sense your turmoil. It's part of our bond."

I prop myself up on my elbow. "Then tell me what you know. What am I?"

He's quiet for a moment, his ancient eyes studying my face. "I've encountered beings like you before, centuries ago. The Purnas."

"What are they?"

"A sisterhood of powerful human women. They keep to themselves, hidden from the world." His hand cups my cheek. "Their magic is... different. Pure. Like yours."

My heart skips. "Are they still out there?"

"Somewhere. They're notoriously difficult to find unless they want to be found." His thumb brushes my lower lip. "But they exist. I've seen their power firsthand. The way they can heal, destroy, create—it's unlike anything else in this realm."

"Is that why I was always sick? Was something suppressing my power?"

"It's possible. The dark elves might have known what you were, tried to keep you weak." His jaw tightens. "Those bastards are skilled at binding magic."

I let this sink in, my mind racing with possibilities. "How do I find them?"

"We'll figure it out together." He pulls me closer, his chest warm against my back.

I rest my head against Aurel's chest, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat ground me. The moonlight casts long shadows through the cave entrance, and my mind races with possibilities. Sisters. A whole sisterhood of women like me.

"What else do you know about them?" I trace patterns on his scales. "The Purnas, I mean."

"They're secretive," he says, his fingers combing through my hair. "But powerful. Some say they can bend reality itself."

A shiver runs through me. "Like what I did at the cliff?"

"That was just a taste." His chest rumbles with a low laugh. "I've seen them create storms from clear skies, heal wounds that should have been fatal."

"Could they..." I hesitate, biting my lip. "Could they teach me?"

"If we find them." His tail shifts, pulling me closer. "Though I've heard whispers of their temples hidden in the mountains to the north."

I prop myself up on my elbow, magic tingling beneath my skin. "Then that's where we should go."

"You want to seek them out?"

"Don't you see? This could be why I survived all those years with the dark elves. Why I was always sick but never died." The magic pulses stronger, responding to my excitement. "Maybe they can help me understand what I really am."

Aurel's eyes glint in the darkness. "Your power is already formidable."

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