Page 62 of A Touch of Madness

I shake my head. “No. I need to know what happens next. I need to be done with this before it consumes me in the same way it’s consumed my sister.”

* * *

Ravenna’s officeat the Guild is dimly lit, the scent of burning sage curling through the air. The space is small, lined with shelves filled with books bound in cracked leather, ancient scrolls stacked in neat piles. A single candle flickers in the center of the desk, its wax pooling at the base like melting gold.

Nicole and Rebecca are already inside when I arrive, their expressions tight with unease. Lucian follows behind me, taking his place near the door, arms crossed, silent but watching.

Ravenna and Calidora stand across from us, the weight of their presence alone commanding the room.

“We need to discuss the next step,” I say, skipping past any pleasantries. My voice is steadier now, but I can still feel the remnants of my breakdown clinging to me.

Calidora nods once, her sharp gaze assessing. “You’ve seen her.”

I nod. “She’s worse than I imagined possible.” I shake my head, thinking about how she got me expelled from school. “Maybe I should’ve known. But I didn’t.”

Ravenna folds her arms. “At this point, we have no choice. The Mirror is gone, but there may still be a way to sever what’s been done to her. The longer we stay in limbo, the more the humanity curse takes from her.”

She pauses, and I already know I’m not going to like what she says next.

“We need to use your blood.”

A thick silence falls over the room.

Lucian straightens beside me, his entire body tensing. “No.” He places his palms up. “Absolutely not.”

Ravenna ignores him, her focus on me. “You and Lara were born of the same bloodline, and with the prophecy of the ‘hunter born of twins,’ it is likely that your magic is the key to restoring what was taken from her. We may not have a relic or an artifact or any tangible item. What we do have, however, is you, dear.”

Nicole leans forward slightly. “So what? We just make her drink Sylvie’s blood and hope for the best?”

Calidora shakes her head. “No. It will require a ritual—a dangerous one that is paired with the original incantation Sylvie has practiced.” She flicks her gaze to me. “If we do this, it could alter you permanently as well, and that is something you will either have to accept or we will not move forward. Your magic, your strength. It might bind you to her in ways we can’t predict.”

Lucian takes a step forward. “As I’ve stated, not happening.”

I swallow hard, keeping my voice even, refusing to look at Lucian in this moment. Right now, it’s about me. It’s my choice.

“And if we don’t do it?” I ask.

Ravenna’s lips press together. “Then whatever is inside of her will consume her completely. And there will be no saving her.”

A heavy silence stretches between us.

Rebecca glances at me. “Sylvie…” Whatever she was going to say dies on her lips.

Lucian is seething beside me. I can feel the fury radiating off him in waves, his teeth clenched so tightly I can practically feel his tension.

“I need time,” I say finally, the words barely above a whisper. “I need to think.”

Ravenna nods. “Understandable. But we don’t have long.”

“Give me twenty minutes and then everyone can meet me back in Lara’s chamber. I’ll have my answer, and we can move forward however the elders believe we should.”

I exhale slowly, my fingers curling into the fabric of my sleeves.

There is no good choice.

Either I risk losing everything—including myself—to save Lara…

Or I lose her forever.

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