The pillar of light had faded, but its residue still hung in the air. White-gold particles drifted around the clearing like ash. The ground was torn apart, scorched in a wide circle, and several trees had been cut cleanly through, as if something impossibly sharp had passed through them.
Seraphina stood near the center of the damage.
She was injured, but not as badly as Ronan expected. Her uniform was torn, a line of blood ran down one side of her face, and one arm hung stiffly at her side, but she was conscious. More importantly, her mana was still stable. Strained, but stable.
"Seraphina."
She turned.
The moment she saw him, her expression changed.
Shock first.
Then horror.
Her eyes dropped to his arms.
