Rhiannon stared at her friend, taking in the unnatural glow emanating from both Alia's eyes and the moonstone. The silvery light pulsed faintly, painting eerie shadows across the ruined walls. "What's going on, Alia? What have you done?"
"Come in," Alia said, stepping aside with a calmness that didn't match the devastation around her. "It's time you knew everything."
Rhiannon hesitated at the doorway, but curiosity and dread pulled her forward.
She carefully picked her way through the debris, crunching shards of glass beneath her boots, her eyes never leaving Alia's transformed face. "What have you done with the stone?"
Alia held up the pulsing moonstone, admiring its shimmering light as though it were a prize. "I've unlocked its true power. But first, let me tell you what really happened with Rick."
She began pacing again, her voice taking on a bitter edge. "So uhmm… for starters, Rick banished me."
"What?!" Rhiannon's voice cracked, echoing faintly against the broken walls.
