Chapter 107
Astrid's POV
I stood in the middle of my quiet bedroom, the small, dark bottle from Elara feeling like a lead weight in my palm. The setting sun cast long shadows across the floor, and the house was silent. Too silent. It was the kind of quiet that allowed the whispers to creep in.
My hand trembled as I uncorked the bottle. A single drop. That's what Elara had said. I filled a glass with water from the carafe on my nightstand and let one tiny, black drop fall into it. It swirled like a drop of ink in the clear water before dissolving completely, leaving no trace.
With a deep breath, I drank it down. It was tasteless, but I felt it almost instantly. It wasn't a jolt or a shock, but a slow, creeping coldness that started in my stomach and spread through my veins. It was like sinking into cool, still water. The sharp edges of my anxiety began to soften. The faint, hissing whispers that had been starting at the edge of my hearing faded into absolute silence.
