Sebastian did not realize he was shaking until he saw her.
The moment Aliena stepped through the abyssal portal—
everything stopped.
The darkness flooding through the palace corridors froze mid-motion.
The violent crimson-black energy tearing through the ceilings stilled unnaturally.
Even the shadows crawling across the marble floors became motionless.
Because Sebastian could no longer hear anything except her heartbeat.
Alive.
She was alive.
For several seconds—
neither of them moved.
The destroyed throne hall of Nacrifa stood in silence around them.
Broken pillars.
Shattered chandeliers.
Cracks spreading across the black marble floor like scars from the abyss itself.
The palace guards stood frozen near the walls, terrified to breathe too loudly.
Miles looked exhausted.
Petiron still had partial wolf markings along his neck from forcing himself into transformation earlier.
Asher's magic flickered uneasily around his hands.
