Just as her skin began to blister and peel under the overwhelming heat, just as the last thread of her consciousness threatened to snap, the pain suddenly lessened in a way that made no sense to her fading mind. The inferno was still there, she could feel it roaring, could feel the abyss tremble beneath its fury, yet the searing agony that should have consumed her was abruptly dulled, as something vast and unyielding had stepped between her and death itself.
Henrietta's eyes struggled to focus through the haze of pain and blood, and then she felt it, an aura so familiar that it struck her heart before her mind could even process it. It was firm and overwhelming, tinged with spatial pressure and an unmistakable warmth that did not burn but instead wrapped around her like an unbreakable shield. Her breath caught in her throat as realization dawned, and her trembling lips parted in disbelief.
