Seraphine's body trembled, her breath unsteady as she leaned against the cold stone wall of the alley. The fight with Anissa had ended, but the battle within her had only just begun.
The markings on her arm still pulsed, dark veins of power writhing beneath her skin. She clenched her fingers into a fist, willing them to fade.
They didn't.
Valen groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, rubbing his ribs. "Well… that could have gone worse."
Seraphine shot him a sharp glance. "She let us go."
He met her gaze, his usual smirk absent. "I know."
Anissa had tested her. That much was clear. The First Blade could have finished her, but she hadn't. Instead, she had smiled like she had found something interesting.
Seraphine exhaled slowly. "We need to move. Now."
Valen nodded, wincing as he straightened. "Agreed. You might have impressed her, but that won't stop the rest of the Inquisition."
Seraphine turned away, pulling her cloak tighter around her. She could still feel it the power coursing through her. It had made her faster, stronger. It had let her fight like she never had before.
But she wasn't a fool.
The Hollow One's gifts always came with a price.
And she had no idea what hers would be.
They moved swiftly through the city's backstreets, avoiding the main roads where the Inquisition patrols were thickest. The weight of the encounter with Anissa lingered, but Seraphine forced herself to focus.
She had to get out of the city before it was too late.
Their path led them to a small, abandoned church on the outskirts. The stained-glass windows were shattered, the once-grand entrance half-collapsed. The scent of old stone and decay filled the air.
Valen gestured for her to wait as he checked inside. Moments later, he waved her forward.
She stepped inside cautiously. The ceiling was partially caved in, allowing thin beams of moonlight to cut through the darkness. Rows of broken pews lined the chamber, and at the far end, an old altar stood covered in dust.
It was a place long forgotten.
Seraphine moved toward the altar, her fingers brushing against the worn stone.
A whisper echoed in her mind.
A voice that was not hers.
You are not ready.
Seraphine stiffened.
"Something wrong?" Valen asked, watching her carefully.
She forced herself to breathe. "Just… memories."
Valen didn't push. Instead, he tossed her a small satchel. "Food, coin, and a map. We leave at dawn."
Seraphine caught the bag, nodding. She should have been relieved. They had a plan. A way out.
But as she looked down at her marked arm, she knew the real escape would never be that simple.
The Hollow One had given her power.
And soon, it would come to collect.