Chapter 22
The pool of black water roiled violently as Kade's laughter echoed across the Hidden Heart chamber. Elana felt the floor beneath her shift, not solid, but moving, almost breathing. Shadows slithered along the walls, stretching long arms toward her and Lucian.
"Stay close," Lucian whispered, his silver eyes glowing faintly. "The hall tests more than your bond now—it tests your very essence."
Elana's stomach churned. "Essence? What do you mean?"
"The hall feeds on what it perceives as weakness," Lucian explained. "Fear, hesitation, doubt… and sometimes, desire. It will use it to twist reality."
Before she could react, the shadows surged, forming shapes of people she knew. Her teachers, classmates… even her parents. They called her name, beckoned her forward with smiling faces.
"Elana…" a whisper breathed from one figure. "Come with us. Leave him behind. Leave everything behind."
Her legs trembled. Her hand instinctively reached for Lucian's, but the shadows twisted around her arm, trying to pull her away.
Lucian's grip tightened. "Focus on me. The hall will lie. It will test you. Do not let it separate you from me."
"I… I can't…" Elana gasped. The visions were so vivid, so convincing. She felt her body almost willing itself toward the shadows, drawn by the voices calling her name.
Lucian's other hand glowed with silver light. He thrust it forward, and the light spread, slicing through the illusions like a blade. One by one, the figures dissipated, leaving the shadows writhing, frustrated, and angry.
Kade's voice rang out from somewhere beyond the chamber. "Very impressive, little human. But strength alone won't protect you. The hall responds to emotions… and yours are raw."
Elana clenched her jaw. "I'm not raw. I… I'm not afraid."
The shadows hissed, growing taller, denser, more aggressive. Hands of darkness reached for them from all directions, but Lucian formed barriers of light, pushing them back.
"You need to control it," he said urgently. "Control the hall through your mark. Focus your intent. I can only guide you, Elana—you have to act."
Elana drew a deep breath, feeling the warmth of the convergence mark pulsing against her chest. She focused on the bond between her and Lucian, the trust they had, the connection the Blood Moon had made stronger. Slowly, her fear melted into determination.
She extended her hands toward the shadows. A soft, silver glow radiated from the mark beneath her collarbone, spreading across the floor, bathing the chamber in a warm light.
The shadows recoiled, screeching and twisting, then dissolved into nothingness. The hall's whispers quieted, leaving only the sound of their own breathing.
Lucian exhaled sharply. "You did it."
Elana sank to her knees, exhausted. "I… I controlled them?"
"For now," Lucian said, helping her to her feet. "But Kade will not give up. And the hall… it will test you again."
From the pool, the water stilled. The reflection of the Blood Moon shimmered ominously, as if acknowledging her victory.
Elana's gaze hardened. "Then let it come. I won't be afraid again."
Lucian smiled faintly. "Good. Because the trials have only just begun."
The Hidden Heart pulsed with anticipation, waiting for the next challenge.
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