The battlefield was eerily silent in the wake of Lila's display. Smoke curled from the crumbled stone walls, and the scent of blood hung thick in the air. Adrian and Caleb stood on either side of her, equally stunned, equally wary.
Lila exhaled, her body trembling from the raw power coursing through her veins. The shadows still clung to her fingertips, pulsing like a living thing. She could feel its hunger, its pull, whispering for more. She clenched her fists to steady herself, fighting the intoxicating rush.
"Lila?" Caleb's voice was hesitant, filled with something dangerously close to fear.
Adrian's gaze was darker, unreadable. He took a single step closer, eyes locked on hers. "Do you feel it? The shift? The change?"
She swallowed. She didn't need to answer. She knew he could feel it, just as she could.
Before anyone could respond, the temperature in the room plummeted.
A voice, smooth as silk but laced with an undeniable weight, echoed through the ruins. "Impressive."
