Vincent/Vaelthor~
"Porta aperire, umbrae fugere!"
The world spun out from under me. Colors, shadows, and light twisted together until my stomach flipped and the alley was just—gone. In the blink of an eye, I was standing somewhere completely different.
Wooden walls glowed in the soft light of candles. The air was thick with the smell of herbs and spice, so different from the reek of trash and rot we'd gotten used to. Rugs muffled the floor beneath my boots, shelves sagged under the weight of dusty books and glass vials that shimmered faintly, and a fire snapped in the hearth like it had been waiting for us.
It should've felt safe. Warm. Nice. But I couldn't let myself sink into it. Not for a second.
I pushed up fast, ignoring the dull ache in my arm. The shadows had already done their work—the wound sealed over, leaving a raw scar that pulsed like it still remembered the pain. I wasn't helpless, not anymore.
