Elena POV
Dawn came too quickly.
Elena stood in the center of the large ritual room watching the sunrise through the eastern windows and felt the weight of what was about to happen settle onto her shoulders.
Today, Lilith would attempt to transform a divine curse into personal power.
Today, they would find out if love and determination and raw magical talent were enough to break fate.
Today, someone would either live or die.
Elena had been preparing the ritual space since four in the morning. Drawing circles. Placing crystals. Weaving protective wards. Everything had to be perfect or the transformation would fail before it even began.
The room was large, formerly a ballroom before the estate was damaged in Thalia's attack. All furniture had been removed. The floor had been cleaned and blessed. The windows had been covered with heavy curtains to block out distractions.
And in the center of it all, a massive ritual circle drawn in white salt and silver dust.
