Page 55 of Chains of Nightshade

"But incomplete." I create another orb of light, watching it dance between my fingers. "I can feel it. There's more, just out of reach."

"Then we'll find them." His hand cups my cheek. "Together."

I lean into his touch, my mind already mapping out the journey ahead. Somewhere out there, my sisters are waiting. And I'm finally strong enough to find them.

The magic inside me pulses with an unfamiliar rhythm, drawing me from our makeshift bed. Something's different. The air itself feels charged, like the moment before lightning strikes.

"Aurel," I whisper, touching his arm. "Do you feel that?"

His eyes snap open, muscles tensing. Before he can respond, I sense her—a presence that makes my own magic surge and dance beneath my skin.

I rush to the cave entrance, my bare feet silent on the cool stone. There, bathed in morning light, stands a woman unlike any I've ever seen. Her red hair flows like liquid fire, half caught in an ornate broach that gleams with ancient power. Her emerald robes ripple in a wind I can't feel, and when her piercing blue eyes meet mine, my breath catches.

My magic responds to her presence, pushing me forward like an eager child. Each step closer makes the power within me sing louder, reaching for her like a flower stretching toward the sun.

"Well," she says, her voice carrying the weight of ages, "it seems our lost sister has finally awakened."

Behind me, I hear Aurel's tail rasp against stone as he moves closer, protective. The woman's gaze flicks to him, one eyebrow arching.

"And found interesting company, I see."

"Who are you?" I ask, though something deep inside me already knows the answer.

She smiles, and it's like watching the dawn break. "Someone who's been looking for you for a very long time, little sister."

My magic surges again, stronger this time, drawing me another step closer. Everything about her feels right, feels familiar in a way I can't explain. Like finding a piece of myself I never knew was missing.

Czana steps closer, her magic brushing against mine like silk against steel. "Your power calls to us, sister. The coven has felt your awakening." Her eyes flick to Aurel, and her lips thin. "Though your... choice of companion is concerning."

Behind me, Aurel's tail scrapes against the ground, his muscles tensing. The cave suddenly feels too small for both of them.

"The naga cannot come with you," Czana says, her voice firm but not unkind. "Our sanctuary is for sisters only. Men—especially creatures like him—are forbidden."

"Creatures?" Aurel's voice drops dangerously low. The temperature seems to plummet. "Watch your tongue, witch."

I step between them, my heart hammering. "There must be another way?—"

"There isn't." Czana's eyes soften as she looks at me. "You have great potential, sister. But you must choose. The coven or the naga."

I turn to Aurel, and my breath catches. His face has drained of color, his usual confident demeanor cracking. His hands clench at his sides, and for the first time since I've known him, I see fear in his eyes.

"Vera," he whispers, and the raw emotion in his voice makes my chest ache.

"The choice is yours," Czana says. "But choose wisely. Power like yours needs proper guidance."

I stand frozen between them, my magic swirling anxiously beneath my skin. Aurel's fear and Czana's certainty pull me in opposite directions, threatening to tear me apart.

Watching Aurel, Czana says, "Perhaps we can talk about this in priavte."

I follow Czana deeper into the forest, away from the cave where Aurel waits. We reach the summit of the cliff, overlooking the cave and the forrest sprawling before us.

My heart aches at leaving him, even temporarily, but I need answers. The morning dew clings to my skin as we walk in silence, the forest oddly still around us.

Finally, Czana stops in a small clearing. "You have questions."

"Who am I? What am I?" The words tumble out before I can stop them. "All my life, I've been told I was weak, defective?—"

"You are Purna." She turns to face me, her eyes gleaming with ancient wisdom. "We are daughters of the first magic, keepers of balance and power. Our sisterhood has existed since the dawn of time."

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