[VOLUME 12: THE ORIGIN][ERA: THE PRIMEVAL AGE][LOCATION: ELARA'S APOTHECARY - PRIVATE QUARTERS]
The walk back to the apothecary was bathed in the quiet, romantic afterglow of the festival. The sky was still painted with the fading smoke of fireworks, and the scent of roasted sugar clung to the cool night air.
But beneath Elara's dusk-blue silk dress, a terrifying heat was building.
It started as a dull throb beneath her ribs, a rhythm that was completely out of sync with her racing heart. By the time they reached the heavy oak door of her shop, the throb had escalated into a searing, blinding pressure. It felt as though a star was trying to ignite directly inside her chest.
"Elara?"
Li's voice, usually a smooth, cool stream, spiked with sudden alarm. He had paused on the threshold, his golden eyes narrowing sharply. He didn't need to touch her to sense the violent shift in the ambient magic.
