Lor opened the drawer, the soft scrape of wood loud in the quiet room.
The orb inside glowed faintly, its pink light pulsing like a quiet heartbeat, casting eerie shadows across his face.
He lifted it carefully, holding it up, the hum filling the air with a subtle, electric charge.
Kiara gasped softly, her hands rising instinctively, her eyes locking onto the orb with a mix of awe and recognition. "That's—"
"You know what this is," Lor said, his voice calm but cutting, the orb's glow reflecting in his hazel eyes, sharpening their intensity.
"There's enough power in this orb to kill the High Mage."
The light danced in Kiara's eyes, wide and shining, a fleeting moment of awe replacing the grief that had clouded them.
She reached out, her fingertips trembling, desperate to touch it, to claim the power that could fuel her vengeance.
Lor pulled it back, just out of reach.
Her gaze snapped to him, confusion and yearning twisting her features, her breath catching. "Lor…"
