A huge circular formation filled the floor of the Grand Inquisitor's chambers. It held thousands, maybe millions, of runes, each casting a pillar of light from floor to ceiling in slowly rotating patterns. The mana it gave off shimmered in a haze around it, so thick it made my skin crawl despite the manacles muting the magic around me.
The pillars overlapped where their light met, casting pale bars across the walls. Even the corners were bright, leaving nowhere to turn without that glow catching my eyes.
The light stirred the emptiness in my soul, cold and harrowing. For that was all that remained in the absence of my aura, my bonds, Luke, and my mark: darkness and shadows. A void so deep it mirrored the light before me. It felt like… Fyren.
Korvin's fingers wrapped around my horn, jerking my head up. I cried out as he slapped me across the face. I saw stars, biting my lip so hard that blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.
