Chapter 33

• The last vestiges of Valerius’s power sputtered and died, a pathetic wisp of shadow dissolving into the oppressive atmosphere of the cavern. The final, echoing cries of the remaining vampires, a desperate symphony of fear and defeat, faded into the silence that now reigned. Kael held Tallia, his body a shield against the lingering echoes of violence, his senses still thrumming with the aftermath of battle. The air, thick with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid scent of spent dark magic, slowly began to clear, replaced by the cleaner, sharper scent of the approaching dawn filtering through unseen cracks in the cavern ceiling. He felt the tremors of the earth settle, the residual magical energy that had warped the very stone around them dissipating like mist under a relentless sun. Tallia’s breath, soft and steady against his chest, was the only sound that truly mattered, a melody of survival that resonated deep within his soul.
• “It’s over, my love,” Kael murmured, his voice rough with exhaustion and emotion. He tightened his hold, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, her familiar scent a balm to his frayed nerves. He could feel the faint, lingering residue of the magical restraints that had bound her, like phantom chains against her skin, but they were powerless now, utterly broken. Her heart, once a frantic drumbeat of fear, now beat a steady rhythm against his own, a testament to her resilience, her indomitable spirit.
• Tallia stirred in his arms, her hands gripping his tunic with a fierce, possessive strength. She lifted her head, her eyes, still clouded with the residual trauma of her captivity but shining with an overwhelming relief, met his. There were tears tracking through the grime on her cheeks, but they were tears of release, of a joy so profound it bordered on pain. “Kael,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “You came for me.”